?Chapter 230:


    Bryan’s kiss stirred Eileen awake, and his warm breath and the refreshing scent of his shower gel filled her senses. Almost instinctively, she responded to his kiss, intensifying his desire.


    Just as they were about to do something more intimate, the doorbell abruptly chimed, its sound reverberating throughout the house. Hastily, Eileen pushed Bryan aside, fastened her pajamas, and smoothed her long hair to conceal the blush on her cheeks before answering the door.


    “Mom?” Eileen was taken aback to find Ruby standing outside. Ruby had arrived on her own, with the door across from Eileen’s ce still open. She gestured toward it. “Eileen,e over for breakfast…”


    Milford had already gone for breakfast. He and Bailee both assumed that since Eileen was still in bed, Bryan must have been at her ce. However, unaware of this, Ruby hade over to knock on Eileen’s door while Bailee was preupied.


    As soon as she finished talking, Ruby noticed a mark on Eileen’s neck. Though faint, it was unmistakable to her keen eye. After a brief pause, Ruby’s expression turned awkward, and she quickly shook her head, saying, “No. I should go.”


    “Not, Mom!” Eileen stammered, feeling the embarrassment of being caught in a romantic encounter like a young girl. Seeing Ruby hurry away, she refrained from following, fearing Ruby might stumble in her haste.


    Watching Ruby enter her house and shut the door, Eileen was about to turn and head back inside when the elevator doors suddenly opened. Raymond emerged from the elevator, meeting Eileen’s gaze for a second before approaching.


    “Ms. Curtis, I’ve brought some clothes for Mr. Dawson,” he said. “Please,e in.” Eileen stepped aside to allow him entry. Despite her burning ears, her demeanor remainedposed.


    Raymond paused at the doorway, handing Eileen Bryan’s clothes. “I won’te in,” he said. “Mr. Dawson’s grandmother wants you back for lunch. Make sure to remind Mr. Dawson of this.”


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    Expressing gratitude, Eileen epted the clothes and watched Raymond leave before returning to her room. Since it was still early, Eileen nned to address some issues, but Bryan was adamant about fulfilling his desires. After tempering his immediate desires to a certain extent, Bryan changed into the clothes provided by Raymond.


    Despite his initial fatigue, Bryan now exuded contentment, tinged with a lingering sense of desire. They enjoyed breakfast outdoors, and Eileen purchased gifts tailored to Ste’s preferences. In a sense, this marked her first official visit. Although she had visited the Dawson Mansion numerous times before, her sentiments this time were vastly different.


    As the car approached, the gates of the Dawson Mansion creaked open, and Bryan eased the car inside. Gardeners meticulously tended to the verdantwn while the grand vi’srge windows offered glimpses of the busy servants within.


    Bryan pulled the car to a stop directly in front of the vi, where Jarred was already positioned at the door, ready to wee them. “Miss Curtis,” Jarred greeted. Eileen nodded politely and greeted him as well.


    Hand in hand, Bryan and Eileen entrusted the gifts to a servant before entering the vi. “Is Eileen here?” Ste descended from upstairs, her face breaking into a smile. Assisted by a servant, Ste approached, grabbing Eileen’s wrist and guiding her to a seat in the living room. Bryan waspletely disregarded, his expression inscrutable as he trailed behind them.


    “Madam is merely putting up a front. Bryan hasn’t set foot home since his return to Ennd, and she has talked about seeing him on multiple asions,” Jarred said. Now that Ste hadid eyes on Eileen, she ignored Bryan, but that was just an act.


    Once seated, Ste shot a re at Jarred. “I miss him. He’s been back for days and hasn’t bothered to visit, as if he has no grandmother.”


    “He’s busy,” Eileen said in defense of Bryan.


    Ste countered, “Who isn’t busy? He’s busy enough to neglect his own grandmother?” Ste’s dissatisfaction with Bryan was palpable. “I need a light bulb reced in my greenhouse. Go and attend to it,” Ste instructed Bryan, dismissing him.


    Casting a fleeting nce at Eileen, Bryan ascended the stairs. In the living room, only Eileen, Ste, and a few bustling servants remained. “Before you came into the picture, he still made time for me, no matter how busy he was. But ever since you entered his life, my standing has diminished,” Ste remarked, her frustration palpable.


    Eileen hadn’t anticipated that Ste would be the first woman to feel jealous because of her. “He treats me with great kindness, but he holds you in equal regard. He’s been genuinely upied these past few days, scarcely responding to my messages,” Eileen said. Upon hearing this, Ste responded without hesitation, “I’m happiest when you two get along. I’m simply expressing my thoughts, not really upset with him.”


    After a brief pause, Eileen whispered, “That’s why it’s not right to hide the matter about the marriage from him. I want to tell him.”


    “That’s beside the point,” Ste waved her hands in frustration. “He loves you so much; he won’t be upset with you. He might be upset with me! You must understand that all these years, I’ve been subtly pushing you toward him. I’ve been the mastermind behind it all, orchestrating things. He’s bound to hold it against me.”


    Eileen felt resigned. “If he’s not upset with me, he won’t be upset with you.”


    “He will be. He might even turn my coffin over a centuryter,” Ste dered firmly.


    Ste had invested so much effort into anything in her life as she had in the past seven years of nning. She continued, “If you didn’t bring it up when you first got together, it’s best not toplicate things. It’s better to steer clear of trouble.”


    Ste’s words made sense, but Eileen still felt uneasy. She said, “I didn’t mention it at first because I didn’t know that he hadn’t seen my name when he signed the divorce papers.” Eileen was still puzzled by that. Had Bryan signed that with his eyes closed?


    Ste’s body tensed briefly before rxing. “He signed it in haste and probably overlooked it. The important thing is that the situation was urgent, and we couldn’t risk anyplications in your rtionship. I only wish for you both to marry smoothly and have children. Then, the Dawson family will be secure.”


    Truth be told, Eileen had been bracing herself for Bryan’s anger. After a prolonged silence, Ste conceded, “Put this aside for now and revisit it after your wedding. You two should form a united front.”


    The notion of presenting a united front briefly swayed Eileen. They whispered in the living room for a while, oblivious to a lurking shadow nearby, moving stealthily with a duster, constantly hovering around them. From that matter to discussions about children, Ste skillfully diverted Eileen’s attention, making her somewhat confused.


    Luckily, Bryan descended the stairs, breaking the flow of their conversation. Lunch was ready; Bryan and Eileen escorted Ste to the dining room.


    Suddenly, a noise erupted in the courtyard, prompting several individuals to peer through the floor-to-ceiling windows at the sight of a car arriving at the gate. Z got out of the car first. Usually haughty, she now acted more humble as she opened the car’s door for the people inside. A woman in her forties, with long hair, appeared fierce; she got out.


    From the passenger seat emerged a man radiating authority and sharing a resemnce to Bryan. However, his demeanor sharply contrasted with Bryan’s; while Bryan exuded a cold, aristocratic air, Brandon appeared somewhat bitter and petty,cking the dignity befitting a man.


    Soon, they stepped into the vi. The dynamic between Brandon and Lydia appeared intimate on the surface, yet their demeanor suggested otherwise. They both exuded a certain feigned air of nobility.


    “What a bother! I can’t enjoy a peaceful meal,” Ste grumbled, giving Eileen’s wrist a gentle pat. The neers went inside, face to face with Eileen and the others.


    Brandon’s gaze bore into Eileen, as if attempting to prate her soul. “Bryan is here as well. It’s been ages since we all dined together,” Lydia eximed with a radiant smile.


    However, while Lydia retained her charm in her age, she fell short of Eileen’s expectations. Eileen had assumed that someone capable of persuading Brandon to sever ties with Bryan must be a “young temptress.” Bryan’s expression remained neutral. Apart from a fleeting exchange of nces with Z, he didn’t bother to acknowledge them.


    Brandon and Bryan looked less acquainted than strangers, and the atmosphere was tinged with an invisible tension. “Since you’re here, let’s dine together,” Ste said with a hint of indifference, her expression almost conveying an unwee demeanor. She ushered Eileen to the second seat to her right, with Bryan seated beside her.


    Brandon and his wife upied seats opposite them, while Z sat in the corner beside Lydia. “Look, there are quite a few dishes my son enjoys. It’s a shame he’s not here,” Lydia said, breaking the silence at the table. “Don’t bring him up here,” Ste said coldly.


    Eileen listened silently, realizing that Lydia must be referring to the son she had with Brandon. Years ago, Eileen had heard about Bryan’s younger half-brother, who had grown up abroad. Lydia chuckled, covering her mouth. “What are you saying? My son is also a Dawson. Why can’t he be mentioned?”


    “Be quiet!” Ste reprimanded Lydia, a look of disdain on her face.


    Lydia wasn’t offended. Instead, her gaze lightly settled on Eileen for the first time since entering the room. Eileen possessed a quiet elegance, disying delicate beauty while exuding a striking presence. Lydia believed Eileen’s pure yet captivating appearance made it understandable why Bryan was captivated by her.


    She said, “An outsider can enter the Dawson family, yet my son’s name can’t be mentioned here. Why is that?”


    “Because she’s mine,” Bryan’s voice, cold as ice, slipped from his thin lips. His dismissive nce at Lydia caused her throat to tighten.


    After a brief pause, Lydia said with a smile, “Bryan, it’s been years since west saw each other, and your temper has certainly grown. Remember how you used to chase after Z every day, eager to marry her? And you’ve been enchanted by nobody.”


    Bryan’s face darkened, his body subtly shifting and the veins on the back of his hand bulging, but Eileen calmed him down with a gentle touch. She subtly shook her head at him, suggesting they should be mindful of Ste’s feelings.


    Besides, it was not appropriate for Bryan, as a man, to argue with a woman. Eileen believed she should say something to retort. With a smile, she looked at Lydia, her tone innocent. “Even a nobody knows one cannot speak without thinking. It seems that some people’s intelligence doesn’t even measure up to that of a nobody.”


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