Shrouded Affections Winning Back My CEO Wife

Chapter 200 Chapter 200: In the picture, Eileen was dressed in light-pink casual attire, her long hair elegantly pinned up. Her refined features and bright smile made Bryan's heart flutter.

Eileen paused for a moment, then reached for her phone to review her recent chat history with Bryan. He had a routine of texting her every day-three times during the day and once late at night. His messages were concise, typically inquiring whether she had eaten or alerting her to the changing weather in Wist Land.

Eileen's responses were equally succinct. She replied to every message, though her answers often amounted to a simple "Okay." The last message she had received from Bryan had cthat morning; he hadn't messaged at noon, and now it was already eight on Christmas Eve.

Images of Bryan looking lonely flashed through Eileen's mind, weighing heavily on her heart. Pressing her lips together, she stood up.

"You can all continue without me. I need to step away for a call." She gestured to her chair, offering it to Raymond. "Take over in the card gfor me. Whatever happens, win or lose, it's on me. Play boldly." By the French window, Eileen watched as fireworks burst in the sky, their myriad colors illuminating the night. She initiated a video call to Bryan, and he answered almost immediately.

He appeared to be walking; the backdrop of his hsetting was visible. In the background, Eileen occasionally caught snippets of Stella and Zola talking. Their voices dwindled into silence as Bryan ascended the stairs, the lighting accentuating the contours of his face, making them appear more defined than usual.

After entering the room and shutting the door, he said, "Seems like your conscience is weighing on you, doesn't it?" Bryan's messages to Eileen were often filled with unspoken affection, yet her terse replies left him feeling let down tand again. He considered that Eileen's excitement about Ruby's discharge from the hospital might be distracting her. He understood this but resolved that his patience would last only a day.

Stay connected at gVlnovs"Not at all," Eileen responded, her hands resting on the handrail. "You've stolen my heart. Until you return it, finding my conscience seems an impossible task.” Bryan froze for a moment, then his lips slowly curved into a smile. “I had no idea you were such a skilled flirt." It was a rare moment to hear such sweet nothings from her, far removed from their usual talk. Although Bryan could see Eileen's cheeks flush a deep red, he chose not to mention it.

"Planning to stay up late tonight?" Eileen shifted the conversation away from sweetness, something she wasn't comfortable with. She had missed him earlier, prompting her affectionate words. She also wanted to make up for not being attentive throughout the day.

"We don't usually do that here. But if you're staying up, I'll join you," Bryan replied. He flicked on the light and positioned himself in front of the French window, his gaze drifting to the fireworks illuminating the sky.

"My mom has to turn in early tonight. Here, it's a tradition to stay up on Christmas Eve. Phoebe, Raymond, and Milford are all here-it's quite the festive evening," Eileen said. This Christmas held significant meaning for her. She had officially becBryan's girlfriend, and Ruby had been discharged from the hospital. Her hwas bustling with people celebrating, and her face brightened with a joyful smile.

Eileen added, "I wish you were here." Regret shimmered in her clear eyes as she playfully pouted, leaving Bryan momentarily breathless. He felt a strong desire to rush to her side.

Speaking gently, he promised, "I'll be by your side for all future Christmases, Eileen. Have you thought about coming back to Onaland?" The project in Wist Land was temporary. Given that Stella was in Onaland, his stay in Wist Land wouldn't last indefinitely.

Eileen paused for a moment before responding, "Wist Land lies at the heart of the South. My education agency could really thrive if it expands into the surrounding cities. And for northern expansion, Onaland is strategically well-placed." Once they overcthe current challenges, her agency was poised to gain recognition through a free marketing boost. This exposure would likely increase the visibility and appeal of her programs. It was an opportune moment for growth.

Bryan shared his insights with Eileen after reflecting on the market dynamics of Onaland. Moving her agency to Onaland would present her with various challenges. She would need both tand expertise to establish and expand her agency in the city successfully. Nevertheless, Bryan had faith in her abilities. Preparing for such a move would require considerable time, but Eileen's extensive history in Onaland and her broad network there would undoubtedly aid her professional endeavors.

Eileen had been contemplating a return to Onaland for quite stime. This thought had solidified after she noticed Bailee still kept in contact with Huey. Both Bailee and Huey were quite young, with Huey placing a high value on his pride. He was unlikely to declare his feelings without som one's encouragement. Bailee had been visibly saddened and disheartened since Huey's departure from Wist Land, a fact that Eileen had noticed but chosen not to address.

Before he left, Huey had a private conversation with her, ostensibly about her career, but Eileen understood his real concern. His primary interest was in learning whether Eileen intended to move back to Onaland since he was bound to stay there. At times, he would casually inquire if Bailee was dating anyone, expressing his worry that she might be misled.

After talking to Bryan for a while, Eileen heard Milford urging her to return to their card game. Raymond was inexperienced at the game, and Milford, who partnered with him, consistently found themselves on the losing side.

"Go ahead, but don't hang up," Bryan told Eileen as he settled into his study, seemingly focused on something. Eileen slid her phone into her pocket and returned to the living room to rejoin the card game. As the clock neared eleven in the evening, Ruby appeared tired. Eileen and Bailee escorted her to her bedroom, helped her wash up and change into her pajamas, and tucked her into bed.

Eileen had previously set up a call device on Ruby's wrist. Whenever Ruby pressed the button, its ring would alert them. After Ruby drifted off to sleep, Eileen and Bailee quietly returned to the living room to continue their game.

Tpassed swiftly, and soon, it was midnight. Eileen suddenly remembered something and quickly retrieved her phone from her pocket. By chance, Bryan was also looking at her through the screen just as the clock struck midnight. He softly said, "Merry Christmas." Eileen responded with a smile, her heart warming at his familiar voice. After that, everyone retired to their rooms for the night.

As Bailee settled in, she noticed a message from Huey sent at midnight. "Merry Christmas. Wishing you happiness." Eileen and Bryan didn't end their video call; it lasted until their phone batteries depleted, disconnecting early in the morning. With no other relatives in Wist Land, Eileen had no obligations during Christmas, so she and the others spent three relaxing days at home.

On the fourth day, Adalina mentioned a classmate reunion and asked if Milford wanted to attend. Milford sought Eileen's approval first.

"You want to go, right?" Eileen asked, easily discerning his thoughts.

Milford denied it on the surface. “Adalina insists I calong. They're meeting in a club, and it's not safe for her to go alone." Eileen found his excuse amusing. “Sure, go ahead. I'll organize a get-together with my colleagues at the sclub. I can take you there." While she consented to Milford's participation, she felt concerned about him going by himself. Earlier, she had planned a dinner with scolleagues to address the ongoing online scandal, so relocating the meeting to the club felt like a suitable solution.

Excited, Milford hurried back to his room to respond to Adalina's message.

At five in the afternoon, Eileen escorted Milford to the club. She directed him to the private room where Adalina was waiting. Upon opening the door, she was greeted by a crowd of youthful faces. Inside, over twenty teenagers, aged around sixteen to seventeen, welcomed Milford enthusiastically and crowded around him. Eileen chose not to stay and headed to another room reserved for her colleagues. Shortly after, her colleagues began to arrive, though a few had made excuses for their absence.

"Ms. Curtis, we're here because we trust you. Obviously, you didn't plagiarize. But why haven't you taken steps to quell the rumors? We just can't wrap our heads around it," a seasoned teacher said as soon as she was seated.

Another colleague agreed, saying, "Exactly! The parents of our students have been bombarding us on Whatover the break. You should see the agitation in the parents' group chat. Sof the more irate ones have even resorted to insults." "And there's more-June showed us pictures of you with Mr. Dawson in Onaland. Despite the crisis, it seems you were still in the mood to visit your boyfriend," someone else added, their tone carrying a hint of disapproval, suggesting that Eileen should have kept them better informed.

Eileen nodded slightly and responded apologetically, "I truly apologize for the inconvenience, but divulging my strategy earlier could havetipped off the person orchestrating this. I want to catch them off guard. I'll send you svideos to share with the parents. Additionally, I've engaged a lawyer to take legal action against the celebrity and that renowned professor." Convinced it was tto fight back, Eileen detailed her strategy to her colleagues. Their expressions of surprise quickly turned to approval as they nodded in agreement.

After hearing Eileen's explanation, everyone felt reassured, their spirits lifted. They eagerly discussed the plan. The video clips Eileen shared NO had been secretly recorded in her office, capturing June sneaking in and illicitly accessing her course materials. The footage clearly displayed June's face and her interactions with Eileen's computer.

After the teachers shared these videos with the parents, they informed them that the educational agency planned to initiate legal td action against June, the celebrity teacher, and the professor involved.

This news brought an immediate hush over the previously agitated parents. During the gathering, Eileen received a call from Bryan. She excused herself, walked down the corridor to a partially open window, and answered the call.

"Are you not at home?" Bryan's voice cthrough, sensing the change in background noise on Eileen's end. "Yes, I'm at the club. Milford is here for a classmate reunion, and I've brought along scolleagues to discuss a matter," Eileen explained.

"Where exactly are you?" Bryan asked.

Eileen provided him with the address of the club. Out of the corner of her eye, she suddenly noticed June getting out of a nearby private room. Her presence caught Eileen off guard.

June was equally startled by Eileen and quickly retreated back into the room. Moments later, the door swung open again, and Vivian emerged. Spotting Eileen, Vivian flashed a smug smile and approached.

"I need to hang up now; something's cup," Eileen whispered into her phone before ending the call with Bryan. She might have missed Bryan's response, as she didn't catch it clearly.

Standing confidently with her arms folded, Vivian taunted, "Eileen, do you like the Christmas present I gave you?" Her tone was condescending, clearly referring to the plagiarism scandal.