?Chapter 302:


    “Mr… Mr. Dawson, we’re here to find someone. Sorry for the disturbance.”


    Eileen was wearing a hotel staff uniform, partly undressed. The people outside just assumed Bryan had a casual hookup with some staff member here.


    There had been whispers about Bryan’s downfalltely, so this scene didn’t shock them. They quickly apologized and left to continue their search. When the door closed, Bryan red at Eileen. She was avoiding eye contact, her head bowed.


    “Do you even understand danger?” Bryan growled. “Jumping from the Dawson family’s pit to the Freguson Group—what were you thinking?”


    Eileen remained silent, refusing to meet his eyes.


    She had nothing to say to him, and her thoughts were entirely focused on not exposing her pregnancy. Her growing belly was noticeable without her down jacket. A slight move from his hand on her waist would make him notice it.


    “Release me,” Eileen demanded coldly. Her wrist showed red marks from his tight grip. Bryan paused, then let her go.


    Eileen thought he would leave her alone, but he suddenly kissed her passionately again. Driven by either frustration or desire, he seemed to want to make love to her now. He held her face, making herply. As she started to melt into the kiss, his hand trailed down her neck.


    His hand suddenly stopped at her fuller breasts; he was shocked.


    “What’s wrong with you?” Eileen quickly regained herposure and pushed him away forcefully. She grabbed her jacket from the floor, hurriedly put it on to cover her pregnancy, and breathed a sigh of relief. Bryan stood there, puzzled.


    Had her body developed again?


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    “Leave!” Although Eileen couldn’t leave herself, she opened the door and pushed the bewildered Bryan outside.


    Bryan leaned against the hallway, took a deep breath to collect himself, and adjusted his clothes before heading downstairs.


    The bidding meeting had already started, with Apex Group presenting their proposal first.


    But Bryan was absent. Z tried to keep herposure, yet a few mistakes urred. When asked about a vital detail of the proposal, she didn’t know how to respond.


    The proposal was fundamentally weak. Despite her best efforts alongside Kian, they could not fully understand its intricacies. They had hoped to buy more time, but then the crucial question came up in front of everyone. Fortunately, just as Z didn’t know what to say, Bryan walked in. Z looked at him for assistance, but he ignored her,fortably seated, lost in the memory of his recent kiss with Eileen.


    Z eventually couldn’t rify the essential detail, her cheeks reddened. Then, she resignedly took a seat next to Bryan. She detected a subtle scent on Bryan and noticed a trace of pink lipstick on the corner of his mouth. His face disyed a mix of contentment and lingering desire. It was clear what had just happened. Z felt a sharp sting in her heart. Who could he have been with?


    Without Eileen around, would he really turn to just anyone? But why had he refused her?


    Julio was thest to present his pitch. Connecting hisptop to the disy, his proposal drew audible reactions from the crowd. Its core was strikingly simr to that of Apex Group, yet the details differed markedly.


    Julio’s approach was more thorough, borating on each aspect clearly and answering all inquiries confidently.


    As the government officials’ approval became evident, it was clear that Julio had surpassed Apex Group. Any talk of deliberation orter responses was merely a courtesy to save face for Apex Group.


    Once the meeting concluded, Bryan quickly left. Z gathered her things and hurried after him, but he had already gone.


    Z then overheard snippets of Kaysen’s people chatting about Bryan’s close encounter with a hotel employee in a secluded room. Enraged, she rushed to the underground parking lot and blocked Bryan’s car. Bryan’s car almost hit her, stopping just in time.


    Bryan’s cold eyes bore into Z, and from the half-open window, he said in a cold tone, “Do you want to die? Move out of the way.”


    “Where were you just now? Who were you with?” Z questioned, holding onto the window to stop him from leaving.


    “Is that any concern of yours?” Bryan answered sharply. “You should be worrying about how you’re going to exin your blunder to the shareholders of Apex Group—the one that cost thepany the government business cooperation.”


    He began to roll up the window, disregarding her hands still on it. Her fingers got pinched, causing her to scream, and the window automatically went back down. Z quickly pulled her hands back, and Bryan drove away, leaving a trail of exhaust behind.


    Her hands ached, and tears streamed down her face. Unable to drive herself, she called Kian for assistance.


    After seeing Z’s condition, Kian hurried her to the hospital. Once they learned her hand needed time to heal, he left the hospital determined to confront Bryan.


    At Apex Group, Bryan had his desk near the floor-to-ceiling windows. Every day, instead of working, he would lounge in his chair, soaking up the warmth of the sunlight.


    Even as everyone in thepany was warned about losing the project, he stayed calm, eyes shut in peacefulposure.


    Then, suddenly, the office door mmed open. Bryan’s eyes snapped open to see Kian storming in, grabbing his suit, and saying in a cold tone, “Bryan Dawson, who permitted you to harm Z? What has she ever done to you?”


    “She brought it upon herself,” Bryan’s expression remained unchanged, even as Kian gripped his suit. He continued, “I’m not sure if she wronged me, but she certainly wronged you.”


    But Kian, fueled by anger, didn’t listen to his words carefully.


    “What are you talking about? You’re so fascinated with Eileen that you’re ignoring Z’s efforts to help you. If you reject her help, don’t expect me to side with you over Brandon!” Kian eximed in anger.


    Bryan scoffed, a sly grin curling on his lips. “Do you really think you still call the shots in the Warren family? That you can side with whoever you like?”


    Kian paused, a momentary unease crossing his face.


    The new investor in the Warren Group remained a mystery, guiding Kian’s decisions from the shadows.


    Kian believed this investor truly had the Warren Group’s best interests at heart, which was why he hadplied without question.


    Yet, he was uncertain if involving himself in the affairs of the Dawson family would be approved by this secretive investor.


    He locked eyes with Bryan, who seemed amused. A sudden thought struck him.


    Kian’s grip loosened momentarily, but he quickly regained his resolve. “That’s impossible. Bryan, enough with your tricks.”


    “What’s impossible?” Bryan said, brushing off Kian’s hand with ease. He had been quietly acquiring shares of the Warren Group for some time.


    “If you were the investor behind the Warren Group, you would have dismissed me long ago. There’s no way you would have let me stay until now!” Kian said with conviction.


    Bryan casually smoothed his crumpled shirt. “The reason you’re still here is that there’s something you need to figure out for yourself.”


    Bryan wasn’t known for lying, and his words made Kian’s heart drop. Kian stepped back, staring at Bryan in shock. “I suggest you investigate the origins of Vivian’s illness,” Bryan said, grabbing his coat from the chair and exiting, leaving his words echoing in Kian’s head.


    “Vivian’s illness?” How had she gotten it?


    Z had mentioned that Vivian’s illness had been triggered by the shock of Bryan’s marriage. Kian remained still for a long while, hesitant to explore the troubling thoughts forming in his mind. Eventually, he left the office, pulling out his phone to make a call to Benjamin. “Arrange a meeting with Vivian’s doctor immediately!”


    The day following the bidding meeting, it was officially announced that the Freguson Group had been selected as the partner. The other party quickly set up a meeting with Julio to finalize the contract and formally initiate the project.


    For the next three months, the Freguson Group dedicated all their efforts to this project. With everything calming down, Eileen found herself mainly reminding others of potential issues; there were no immediate tasks for her.


    During their discussions about thepany’s future, Julio expressed his intention for Eileen to be the General Manager of Freguson Group after her childbirth in four months. He nned to personally oversee the stabilization of thepany’s international divisions, given Freguson Group’s significant global presence.


    “But if you wait four months, it might be toote,” Eileen said. “It would be better to secure the domestic operations first and then move on to managing the international side.”


    Julio was uncertain andcked someone reliable to lead Freguson Group. “Given your current visibility issues, I need to prioritize the domestic front.”


    As the seasons changed from winter to spring, Eileen’s pregnancy became increasingly evident as she no longer wore her bulky down jacket. Her condition kept her confined to her home. While the Dawson family’s focus was primarily on Bryantely, it didn’t ensure her safety.


    Eileen even hesitated to visit the mall for baby supplies.


    After careful consideration, she suggested, “If you really trust me, I could go abroad to stabilize things for three months, though I’d need six months before I could return.”


    As she spoke, her heart felt a pang, and thoughts of Bryan rushed into her mind out of the blue. His tight hug and kisses at the hotel that day still lingered vividly in her mind, disrupting her sleep and haunting her dreams. Yet, she knew she had to leave.


    “Of course, I trust you, but with your current condition, would your family approve of you going abroad? The workload is intense,” Julio replied, expressing his concern about her ability to handle the demanding tasks overseas.


    “If I make the decision to go, I’ll find a way to manage everything, including my family matters. All you need to do is agree,” Eileen reassured him.


    “Alright, I agree,” Julio quickly said. “The role of General Manager of Freguson Group will await your return. Keep in touch with me, and should any issues arise, your safety will be my top priority.”


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