?Chapter 258:


    Bryan told Bailee, “Request the hotel staff to scour the premises for any clues and verify if all employees are on duty.” After ending the call with Bailee, Bryan called Raymond to ensure the hotel staff would assist Bailee.


    Soon, the hotel manager appeared in the lobby and shouted, “Excuse me, which one of you is Bailee Brooks?”


    A startled Bailee quickly responded, “Me.”


    Following Bryan’s instructions, Bailee had the entire hotel staff assemble in the lobby.


    Once everyone was there, the manager reported to Bailee, “Indeed, there is a new employee who is not here.”


    Bailee, anxious, inquired, “What’s her name?”


    “Megan Beckett,” the manager replied.


    Bailee felt a wave of panic. Before she couldpose herself, the hotel’s security team reported finding a clue in the underground parking area.


    “This USB drive was discovered in the underground parking lot.” The manager took the USB drive from the security team and handed it to Bailee. “Ms. Brooks, can you confirm if this is your sister’s USB drive?”


    Bailee, recognizing the USB, nodded. She recalled how, after the seminar, they had realized the USB had not been packed and that Eileen had simply pocketed it.


    The discovery of the USB in the underground parking lot confirmed Eileen had been there.


    rmed, Bailee quickly used Eileen’s phone to call Bryan.


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    After briefing Bryan on the situation, her voice shook with emotion. “Bryan, nothing bad will happen to my sister, right? You’ll find her and bring her back, won’t you?”


    The storm’s fury lit up the hotel, mirrored in her eyes—every worry and tear painfully evident. Bryan, caught in the tempest, reassured her despite his prospects. “I will,” he said. Visibility was abysmal on Bryan’s side, a single wrong move threatening to send his car spiraling into an unseen chasm.


    The heavy downpour had erased any traces on the road, yet it was undeniable that the car Ewan had seen was carrying Eileen. It had left the hotel.


    Bryan was not sure how long he would need to drive on this dangerous road.


    Bailee’s voice was tinged with worry as she spoke to Bryan. “Be cautious, and return safely. I await your good news.”


    Regaining herposure after ending the call, Bailee dered, “Megan endangered my sister’s safety. With this storm sealing her in the hotel, finding her is crucial. We need to confront her once my sister and her boyfriend return.”


    The hotel manager, aware that Bryan was Bailee’s partner, promptly directed the staff to search every room without dy.


    Meanwhile, Megan, now changed out of her uniform, sought refuge in a room.


    The relentless rain drumming against the window pane heightened her fear of what could happen to Benjamin and Eileen. She said, “Could the storm cause an ident? I think I saw a car go out just now; Bryan must have discovered something!”


    Kian, rxed by the window with wine in hand, responded indifferently, “It’s toote for Bryan to do anything anyway. Benjamin has been at the lodge for half an hour already; what’s done is done.”


    Hearing this, Megan quickly approached Kian. “Really? Kian, you promised me that if I managed this task, you’d invest in my family and not make me marry that old man. You will keep your word, right?”


    Kian replied, “Of course. Even without this, your family is connected to mine; I can help anyway.”


    Megan exhaled, relieved. A smug smile crossed her face. Her family’s crisis was solved, and she had sessfully harmed Eileen. The deal was a sess, leaving her puzzled about why Stuart had declined it.


    A chilling cold awakened Eileen. As she regained consciousness, she found herself in an ice-cold bath, her body gradually slipping beneath the surface.


    As her head submerged underwater, water started to fill her mouth and nose.


    “Eileen!” Benjamin entered hastily and pulled her out of the chilling grasp of the water.


    The sounds of sshing water echoed over the storm outside as he lifted her from the bathtub.


    Clutching Benjamin, Eileen gasped for air, her coughs violent from the water she had swallowed, her face turning slightly red.


    Benjamin led her out of the bathroom, patting her back gently.


    “Sit here for a moment. I’ll get you some warm water,” he said. Soon after, a cup of warm water was offered to Eileen, who hadposed herself.


    Eileen’s memory snapped back, recalling how she had ended up unconscious in the hotel’s storage room. She didn’t know what had happened after that.


    The room she was in now didn’t resemble the hotel, and she found herself wearing a barely-there spaghetti strap nightgown. Luckily, she was covered by a white bathrobe outside the nightgown. The bathrobe was already wet, making her feel cold. But she could feel that something bad had happened. She asked, “Why am I here? Did you bring me here?”


    Benjamin, noticing she hadn’t touched the water he had offered, ced it in a nearby cab.


    “Megan handed you over to Warren, and Mr. Warren ordered me to bring you here,” Benjamin exined. “You should understand his intentions by now—it’s a test to see if Bryan truly trusts you.”


    The scenario lookedpromising—Eileen disheveled, Benjamin in a bathrobe. The scene could easily spark the wrong ideas.


    Benjamin continued, “Thendy changed your clothes, and your old ones are gone. Don’t worry. Aside from moving you from the car to this room and carrying you to the tub to hasten your awakening with cold water, I’ve done nothing more.”


    Benjamin’s restraint was thest vestige of his kindness. He had done everything else Kian had told him to do.


    Eileen felt aplex mix of emotions toward Benjamin now. She didn’t feel grateful to him, but she didn’t despise him either.


    She took the ss of warm water, drinking it swiftly, but it did little to warm her.


    “Anyway, I should still thank you. Could I possibly use your phone?” she asked Benjamin.


    Eileen believed that Bailee and Bryan must be worried sick, especially considering the storm outside. Bryan would probably go out to find her.


    “Of course,” Benjamin replied, handing her the phone and then positioning himself by the window, his gaze fixed on the storm outside.


    Outside the window, only a faintly visible road stretched ahead, its distance marked by approaching lights.


    Eileen held the phone in silence, contemting for a while before deciding to send her location to Bryan via text, saying nothing else.


    Despite not knowing if Bryan was aware it was Benjamin’s number, the location alone would be enough for Bryan to make his way here. After she had sent the message, Eileen handed the phone back to Benjamin.


    Benjamin, looking puzzled about her message to Bryan, asked, “Just the location? Maybe you should have asked for someone to bring you some clothes first.”


    It would be hard for anyone to believe nothing had happened between them considering their current state. “There’s no need for that,” Eileen replied sinctly.


    Kian had likely arranged everything here, and Eileen believed no one would be able to bring her clothes.


    With the storm raging outside, any dy would be risky.


    Besides, after spending this much time alone with Benjamin, changing her attire wouldn’t alter the suspicions of those inclined to distrust.


    Suddenly, Benjamin pointed outside, “He’s here.”


    A car had pulled up. The door swung open, and a dark figure emerged, sprinting through the downpour straight into the hotel. Just a few steps in the rain were enough to soak Bryan’s shirt and dampen his hair.


    He entered with an icy demeanor, his presence chilling the room more than the autumnal night air outside.


    Thendy, caught off guard, stuttered, “Sir, can I help you with anything?”


    “Where is she?” Bryan asked, his eyes sharp.


    Thendy understood something and quickly stood up to lead Bryan upstairs. “Please calm down, sir. I’ll take you up there. The woman inside is your wife, right? She came here with a man, and it’s been quite a while. Whatever was going to happen has likely already urred. Please, there’s no need for violence; it would disrupt my business.”


    Her words sounded like she was trying to calm Bryan when, in fact, she was actually trying to make him angrier.


    Without knocking, she unlocked the door with her key card and stepped aside to let Bryan enter.


    Bryan could see Benjamin standing near the window inside.


    Bryan’s hand tightened into a fist at his side. In a swift motion, he was at Benjamin’s side, his fist connecting sharply with Benjamin’s face again and again.


    Eileen’s voice cracked through the tension as she emerged from a corner, clutching at Bryan’s arm desperately, trying to stop him.


    “He didn’t harm me! Please, you’re going to kill him if you don’t stop!” Eileen eximed.


    Despite Eileen’s pleas, Bryan continued punching Benjamin relentlessly.


    Did Bryan not trust her?


    Eileen, struggling to hold Bryan back, cried out. A tear fell on the back of Bryan’s hand.


    Bryan paused, released Benjamin, and turned to Eileen. Seeing her red eyes, he pulled her into a protective embrace.


    Noticing that she was soaked, Bryan quickly removed his coat to cover her, embracing her tightly, wishing he could merge her into his warmth.


    “I know. I hit him to make things easier for him to deal with Kian, not out of anger,” Bryan said.


    His warmth enveloped Eileen, heating her chilled body. He then released her, scanning her carefully from head to toe to ensure she was unharmed. The warmth in his eyes faded into a stern chill.


    “Thank you, Mr. Dawson.” Benjamin, bruised but not severely injured, watched them.


    He had previously given Bryan crucial information about Jonathan, which spared him from Bryan’s wrath.


    Bryan understood that if it hadn’t been for Benjamin’s involvement, it might have been someone else, and Eileen might not have been this fortunate.


    Resolute, Bryan dered, “Let’s leave. We’ll sort this out properly and hold the right people ountable.” Holding Eileen’s wrist gently yet firmly, he guided her out of this ce.


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