Shrouded Affections Winning Back My CEO Wife

Chapter 206

Chapter 206:

“Not both,” Zola interjected without hesitation. “I grew up with Bryan. We’re like… close siblings. He’s the one I’m closest to.”

Eileen raised an eyebrow. “Then why are you asking me to reconcile with Kian? You know I can’t do that. Kian wants me to leave Bryan so that Vivian can take my place, which Bryan would never agree to. If you truly want to help, you should persuade Kian to stop being stubborn because Bryan does not love Vivian.”

Understanding Zola’s purpose, Eileen laid it all out. She stood up and picked up her phone from the table. “Sorry, I really have work matters to deal with now. If you have anything else to say, let’s discuss it tonight when I come to your place to tutor Milford. Is that okay?”

Zola quickly stood up, a smile of apology on her face. “Okay, you’re right. I didn’t think it through. I thought you might have another way to reconcile with Kian.”

She followed Eileen out of the coffee shop. As they reached the door, Zola spoke again. “Don’t take my earlier words to heart. Growing up in the Dawson family, I always had to read people’s faces, and it made me nervous about everything, just trying to get by. I won’t interfere in your matters anymore.”

Eileen’s clear eyes reflected Zola, who was bathed in sunlight and appeared confident. Zola didn’t seem like someone who had grown up with so much anxiety. However, after years of being groomed as Bryan’s wife without inciting dislike from him or Stella, Zola clearly had her own strategies.

From Eileen’s perspective, while she couldn’t say she liked Zola, she didn’t dislike her either. She resolved to remain polite.

“Then I’ll see you tonight, Miss Murray. I need to get back to work now.” Eileen waved at Zola and turned to leave, crossing the road to the educational agency, too busy to look back.

Zola got back into her car and placed her bag on the passenger seat. Her composed demeanor from earlier vanished. This had been her first “confrontation” with Eileen. Though it wasn’t a major issue, she felt outmaneuvered. She realized she had underestimated Eileen. But there was still time…

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Just three days remained before the court session, and Eileen was fully engrossed in the affairs of the educational agency. Since Bryan was the one driving Eileen to work and back home, she had ample time to work during the commute. However, this arrangement left Bryan deeply dissatisfied.

With his current project running smoothly and having some free time on his hands, Bryan decided to go to the educational agency to wait for Eileen to finish work. However, just as Eileen was wrapping up her tasks, a minor issue arose in Bryan’s project, forcing him to leave to deal with it.

“I’ll have Raymond come to pick you up,” he said to Eileen, already reaching for his phone to call Raymond.

Eileen swiftly intervened, saying, “No need; it’s too late for him to come now. I’ll take a taxi later. You go ahead and deal with your work.”

She believed the problem with Bryan’s project must be significant, considering he had to address it at this hour.

Bryan frowned and glanced at Eileen, then pocketed his phone and left in haste.

Once Eileen finished her tasks, she prepared to leave for her tutoring sessions with Milford and Adalina. As she stepped outside, a taxi pulled up. She got in, giving the driver the address of Denzel’s home to pick up Adalina first.

The driver, a man in his forties wearing a hat and mask, exuded an air of secrecy. A faint fragrance lingered in the car, emanating from a perfume hanging before the air conditioning vent. Eileen barely noticed it as she focused on organizing her students’ data on the online class software, the matter demanding her full attention.

Then, darkness enveloped her vision, and she lost consciousness.

When she woke up, she found her hands bound. Opening her eyes, she was met with the dim surroundings of a room. The faint smell of disinfectant filled the air, and through the partially opened curtains, she could see the treetops swaying in the wind outside.

She deduced that this place was likely on a floor between the third and fifth stories of a mid-sized hotel. Lying on one of the single beds, she noticed the hat of the taxi driver on the opposite bed.

Noticing the driver’s hat on the other bed, Eileen’s eyes widened with shock. She swiftly sat up and twisted her hands to loosen the ropes that bound her. The thick, new hemp rope had clearly been purchased in a hurry, and she was able to loosen it easily.

Was she kidnapped? The kidnappers must be amateurs. Eileen pondered whether they were after money or something else when the door creaked open.

“Why the rush? I told you I’d pay you once this is over,” June grumbled as she entered the room. Spotting Eileen awake and the ropes untied, she instinctively stepped back. “How are you awake?”

Following June, the driver grew anxious upon discovering that Eileen was alert. “She’s awake? If she gets out, we’re both looking at jail time!” He moved to grab the ropes from the floor to tie Eileen up again.

Eileen quickly snatched a cup from the bedside table and smashed it against the edge, holding the sharp fragment toward them. “Don’t come any closer. Otherwise, this kidnapping will turn into murder, and you’ll both face the death penalty.”

June’s eyes widened in terror as she grabbed the driver’s arm. “Don’t provoke her! We just need photos. With those, we can threaten her, and she won’t dare mention this kidnapping!”

The driver angrily threw the ropes onto the other bed. June, desperate and frustrated, said, “You’ve put me in this situation, Eileen. Strip off your clothes and let me take a few photos. Withdraw the lawsuit, or you won’t leave here alive today!”

back. “What’s this? Planning to use nude photos of

for a moment before exclaiming, “That’s not important! If you don’t comply today,

let’s all not leave this place. Our lives will

on the bed, a calm demeanor masking her anxiety. “I don’t mind. I’m okay with

the driver exchanged surprised

“What are you waiting for? I want good food, or I’ll start yelling. The soundproofing here isn’t great, so I won’t have to shout myself hoarse for someone to hear. If

with embarrassment. This was her first foray into such a scheme, and the driver was merely a petty criminal who had just been

in frustration. “She only gave me a thousand, and I’ve already spent most of it on fuel. If I splurge on food for you, how much will I have

by his criminal nature, the driver lunged at Eileen, trying to tear off her clothes. Eileen couldn’t dodge in time, and her coat

the background, the driver’s reckless aggression caught Eileen off guard, making her realize

beauty. Seizing the opportunity, Eileen kicked him hard between the legs. She then threw a blanket over

and collapsed to the floor, the blanket trapping him. Eileen pounced, hitting and kicking him through the

that!

shouted, delivering another kick to the driver without lifting her head. “If he dies from this,

terror. “Please calm

expression fierce. “Don’t you know who I’m dating? Bryan Dawson. Ever heard of him? He can fix

leaving her momentarily speechless. She spun around and flung the door open, her voice rising in panic. “Help! There’s

their rooms, racing down the

tide—Bryan and Jacob, determined to reach

Jacob murmured, urgency

cries echoed through the halls as Bryan’s frown deepened, a cold determination setting in. He shoved his

every door was ajar. He turned to

room, Jacob caught sight of Eileen, struggling to drag a man with a bruised face toward

to find Jacob standing there. “Jacob! Don’t

that the driver might escape once

out. “What the hell happened here?” he asked, glancing at the

you okay?” Jacob continued, worry etched in his brow as he helped her

we need to get him downstairs,” Eileen replied, her focus sharp. “I don’t want

his expression shifting from concern to determination as he took in the scene before him. “What happened?”

out of here,” Eileen said, her tone leaving no room for argument. Together, they worked

at Jacob and Bryan. “We need to block the door and keep him quiet

their actions as they hurried down the stairs, the weight of

pressing against the wall. His eyes

Jacob’s fixation on the room, he

footsteps, assumed Bryan was there. She released the man, wiping her hands

relief. However, a quick glance at the beaten man on the floor ignited a flicker of anger

a moment, he turned to Jacob and delivered

actions. Eileen was usually gentle and delicate, and he never imagined she

scream about a killing, his first thought had been that Eileen

she approached Bryan, gently pulling on his suit jacket. She could sense his frustration and

stern expression, Bryan shrugged off his jacket and draped it over Eileen’s

police arrived and began to question everyone about the incident. Eileen cooperated fully; after all, her actions

but was stopped by the hotel owner, who refused to let her leave. If

are several reporters outside. Would

severing ties with Brandon wasn’t public knowledge yet, but it had spread among the elite in Onaland. No media outlet dared cover it without the Dawson family’s consent, so

you. Please handle the reporters. I’ll

After all, Eileen was a tutor, and the recent publicity surrounding her

the spectators away, leaving one officer to handle the reporters, helping Bryan and Eileen exit without

neighborhood was bustling and chaotic. Bryan’s luxury car stood out, but the evening gloom and the few reporters present meant they didn’t recognize him or

buckled up as Bryan started the engine, a

stealing a glance at him before looking away. “I hailed a taxi on the street, not realizing the driver would cause trouble. I was busy on my phone and didn’t notice anything off. It was all

gravity of the situation, Eileen found the