?Chapter 343:


    As they spoke, Dalores bit her lower lip, her face flushing with embarrassment. Being the subject of their ridicule was the ultimate humiliation.


    “Julio, have you lost your mind?” She grabbed a ss of water from the table and threw it at Julio, hitting him in the face. His short hair became drenched, and the water trickled down his cheeks and onto his shirt.


    His hand, which had been casually resting at his side, clenched into a fist. His face, once filled withughter just moments ago, now darkened.


    “She’s pretty short-tempered, huh? No wonder you’re not into her,” Mabelmented casually.


    Dalores, feeling humiliated by Julio’s treatment, didn’t direct her anger at Mabel. After all, she didn’t even know the woman, and the real source of her frustration was Julio.


    Without another word, Dalores turned and left, leaving the breakfast behind. Since the light porridge would take another ten minutes to prepare, she waited by the entrance.


    Once the food was ready, Julio and Mabel walked out of the restaurant, just as the drizzle started again. He opened an umbre, shielding Mabel from the rain while leaving himself partially exposed.


    Dalores, without an umbre, watched them disappear into the distance before braving the rain to hail a taxi.


    Fortunately, the rain soon stopped, but as a luxury car sped by, it sshed dirty water from the road, soaking Dalores.


    In the car’s left-side mirror, Dalores caught a glimpse of Mabel’s smile and half of Julio’s face.


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    That was why Dalores waste.


    “The Group is facing some troubles. Julio is now desperately seeking a woman of matching family status for a marriage alliance…” Eileen began to exin but couldn’t finish.


    She couldn’tprehend Ste’s cold demeanor, nor her single-minded focus on power and wealth. But Julio, too, was in the same predicament. What could she exin? How was she supposed to make Dalores ept this harsh reality?


    “I’m not very familiar with high society, but I truly understand the gap between me and the wealthy. I genuinely care for him as a person, and I refuse to believe he doesn’t feel the same way about me,” Dalores said, her voice quivering.


    Tears streamed down her cheeks, a mixture of disbelief and hope swelling inside her. Could Julio possibly have feelings for her, despite all the pain and humiliation she had endured?


    After dabbing at her tears, she asked, “Ms. Curtis, do you think there’s a possibility that he cares for me, but he’s dating other women because of pressure from his family?”


    Eileen’s lips moved silently, but no words came forth. Should Dalores continue to hope, or face the harsh reality that she and Julio were ipatible?


    Eileen was unsettled by Julio’s unyielding rationality. He was a man who had endured nearly a decade of following his own mind.


    “Maybe you should speak openly with him and make a decision that’s make-or-break,” Eileen suggested quietly.


    Eileen suggested, unable to decipher theplexities between Dalores and Julio, leaving Dalores to gather the courage to confront Julio head-on.


    Dalores fell silent for a moment, then nodded. “Thank you.”


    After bidding farewell to Dalores, Eileen returned to the hospital room to find Bryan, who hadn’t eaten and was engrossed in texting. Upon her arrival, he quickly put his phone away. Then, on second thought, he handed her the phone, saying, “No worries, it’s just Raymond trying to reach me.”


    Eileen replied, gently pushing the phone away.


    Frowning, he offered the phone once again. “You should exercise your right to check up on me. Only then can I be free of guilt.”


    Eileen studied him briefly before epting the phone, casually scrolling through it with a smile on her face.


    Setting the phone aside, she sat down beside him. “The food is cold now; you didn’t have to wait.”


    Bryan confessed, “I was actually waiting for you to feed me.”


    Eileen nced down at his perfectly functional right hand. “You can eat with your right hand,” she remarked.


    Bryan raised his right hand, clenching and unclenching it before nodding seriously. “Indeed, while you feed me, I can feed you,” he said.


    With that, he picked up a pancake and held it to Eileen’s mouth. “Here, open up.”


    Eileen epted the pancake cautiously. Bryan then grabbed another one and yfully extended it to her. “It’s your turn to feed me now.”


    By that morning, Eileen had already grown ustomed to his yful behavior, and the two of them finished breakfast. She discreetly added painkillers to his anti-inmmatory medication.


    With the pain eased by the medication, Eileen nestled into his embrace, and soon they both drifted off to sleep.


    At noon, Bailee arrived with soup. Upon seeing them asleep, she silently ced the soup on the table and left quietly.


    At Freguson Group, without Eileen present, Dalores could have easily gone home directly. However, after delivering breakfast to Eileen, she decided to return to the office.


    Upon hearing that Julio had arrived, she wasted no time and headed straight to his office. Finding it empty, she assumed Julio hadn’t returned yet. As she turned to leave, she heard the faint sound of running water from the nearby lounge. The door was slightly ajar, and dim light flickered inside—Julio must have been taking a shower.


    So, she stood at the office door, waiting. After about ten minutes, Julio emerged, freshly showered and dressed in a suit.


    Spotting Dalores in his office, Julio paused briefly before striding purposefully to his desk and taking a seat.


    “Who gave you permission to enter my office?”


    “I need to speak with you, Dalores,” Julio said, taking a few steps forward while keeping a safe distance.


    Julio kept his head down, simply replying, “Go on.”


    Dalores gripped the edge of her garment tightly as she spoke with restrained emotion. “I admit, I like you, but my feelings have nothing to do with your money. So, I don’t want to hear you say things like you did today again. If you find me annoying, I’ll keep my distance.”


    She looked at Julio with a pained expression, her hand trembling at her side.


    Julio remained impassive for a moment before responding, “Keep your distance? Then why are you here now? Just to say these words?”


    Dalores’ voice faltered, her throat tightening. After a long pause, she gathered her courage to ask, “I believe you have feelings for me. Are you distancing yourself because of circumstances? You can tell me honestly.”


    “Enough!” Julio cut her off abruptly, standing from his chair and causing Dalores to step back in surprise.


    But instead of approaching her, Julio leaned against the desk, idly ying with a pen between his slender fingers.


    “Whether I like you or not is not a question that needs answering. If it brings you happiness to think I do, then think so. But let me be clear: I’m not ying games with you, nor am I interested in tragic dramas. The woman I marry will be someone like Mabel, from a wealthy background…”


    Dalores bit her lip forcefully, tasting the metallic tang of blood. She stared at Julio, whose words crushed her heart with his closed-off demeanor.


    “The pain I caused you before was to push you away from me. I didn’t expect you to end up working as Eileen’s secretary at Ferguson Group. It’s because you’re now entangled with us that I allowed your stay. Under her wing, she will protect you. Once this storm passes, you can leave.”


    Julio’s tone remained indifferent, his gaze lingering on Dalores before adding, “I can offer you a sum of money.”


    “I don’t want any of it!” Dalores suddenly became emotionally agitated, but quickly regained herposure. “Since I’m already working for Ms. Curtis, I’ll do my job properly under her. I don’t care about whatever is between you two; I just want to work peacefully and earn money. Since you’ve said all this, remember, we have no rtionship anymore.”


    Julio fell silent upon hearing her words.


    He watched as Dalores wiped away her tears, discarded the tissue into the bin,posed herself, and turned to leave.


    The air still carried a hint of Dalores’ fragrance. The pen in Julio’s hand fell to the floor, his gaze vacant as he stared at the spot where she had just stood.


    His phone suddenly rang—It was Mabel calling.


    “I’ve agreed to what you mentioned. When can we arrange for our parents to meet and discuss our ns?”


    Julio picked up the pen, his tone steady. “Meeting with me alone suffices. I’ll make my own decision about marriage. We’ll be engaged within seven days, married within two months, you can set any conditions, as long as they’re reasonable.


    Yes, I’ll begin arranging the engagement party.


    News of Julio’s engagement spread quickly, coinciding with the third day of Bryan’s hospitalization. Josue arrived with the news, along with soup prepared by Ruby. He wasted no time in sharing it.


    “He invited you, but with your head injury looking so bad, I fear we can’t attend,” Josue said, sounding somewhat pleased with the situation.


    Bryan, seated on the hospital bed, raised an eyebrow nonchntly. “Let my dear Eileen represent me?”


    “Dear Eileen?”


    Josue really wanted to swear, but he had to hold it in and retaliate differently.


    He retrieved his phone and showed Bryan a series of photos and videos of Gabri.


    “My goddaughter wasn’t feeling well a few days ago and wasn’t up for ying, but she’s better now. Look at her— that chubby little face. Oh, she’s so adorable,” Josue said.


    Eileen and Bryan paid little attention to Josue’s rambling, their heads close together as they focused on Gabri on the phone.


    Some of the initial photos showed her with a fever patch on her head, her dark eyes charmingly gazing at the camera. Theter photos captured her when she was clearly unwell, being cradled and on the verge of tears, appearing quite pitiful.


    “Why did she fall ill?” Bryan’s heart ached, remembering how just days ago she was lively and yful in his arms.


    “Where is the child’s birth mother?” Bryan raised his eyes to Josue. “Leaving the child with you, an inexperienced person, is such irresponsibility.”


    Josue looked at him, a hint of hurt in his expression, and murmured under his breath, “She’s taking care of you. If she were irresponsible, then you’d still be unaware that you have a daughter.”


    “I’m her godfather. I’m d to take care of her. You have nothing to do with her, so why do you care where the child’s mother is?” Josue retorted, proudly asserting his role as the godfather.


    Bryan fell silent for a moment before handing the phone back to Josue. Turning to Eileen, he said, “Don’t be jealous. We’ll have our own childter.”


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