Shrouded Affections Winning Back My CEO Wife

Chapter 261 Chapter 261: "It's a pleasure to finally meet you," Bailee said, pleasantly surprised by Stella's warm demeanor. With one hand holding Eileen and the other guiding Bailee, Stella led the tinto the building. Their laughter and lively conversation filled the air, instantly easing Bailee's initial jitters. The three-bedroom apartment greeted them with spaciousness and impeccable cleanliness. Yet, as the room filled with people and gifts, the cozy ambiance quickly turned bustling.

Since the moment the door swung open, Ruby had been in a state of awe. "Mom, this is Bryan Dawson. Remember him?" Eileen introduced Bryan to Ruby once they settled on the couch. Ruby hesitated briefly before nodding. "Ah, yes, from the elevator. I've seen him there." Bryan's encounter with Ruby had been confined to that brief elevator ride. “Nice to meet you," Bryan said, his posture stiffening as he got up, his serious expression indicating he was nervous.

Eileen then swiftly introduced Stella to Ruby, "This is Bryan's grandmother." Ruby's reaction caught Eileen off guard; she had assumed her mother understood the implications of her words about bringing someone home. Yet, Ruby seemed bewildered, as if not understanding the situation. “Stella... It's a pleasure," Ruby said, her effort to speak palpable.

Stella, sensing Ruby's difficulty speaking, opted for a gentle exchange of greetings, not wanting to rush her. "Hello. Bryan has no parents, so I'm here to handle their matters with you," Stella said.

No parents. Eileen's mouth twitched slightly, a pang of realization hitting her. Stella seemed to have overlooked her own son entirely.

"Excusefor a moment," Ruby said before she steadied herself on a walker and rose. "Come." Ruby navigated past the gifts, heading toward her bedroom with deliberate steps.

Read it all on gvl"I apologize, Mrs. Dawson. My mother may not be very talkative due to her health. I'll go check on her," Eileen explained to Stella, her attention momentarily caught by Bryan's clenched fist at his side, a sign of his nerves, which she found somewhat amusing.

In the privacy of the room, Ruby stood by the window. "Mom, what's-" Eileen closed the door behind her, lowering her voice. "You don't like Bryan?" "It's not like that..." Ruby shook her head. Bryan was clearly no ordinary man, and there was an aura about him that made him different from other men. Ruby's concern was evident in her question. "You... Didn't you marry Benjamin?" Eileen was dumbfounded. Her eyes widened in disbelief as she gazed at Ruby. It took a moment for her to process the misunderstanding. "What are you talking about? Benjamin and I are just friends and classmates. Before you fell into a coma, I showed you the marriage certificate between Bryan and me," Eileen clarified. Eileen and Bailee hadn't mentioned Bryan to Ruby before, so it was understandable that Ruby had little impression of him. Had Bailee's frequent mentions of Benjamin led to this misunderstanding? Ruby, equally stunned, questioned her own understanding. Had she mistaken Bryan? "When I brought you away from Onaland a year ago, I initiated divorce proceedings with Bryan. Our marriage then was just arranged, so we kept it private. But now that we're actually together, I wanted to officially introduce him to you. His grandmother has been urging us to get married for quite stime," Eileen explained.

Ruby suddenly understood everything. "Let's go back." The thought of leaving their guests waiting troubled Ruby. Without bothering with the walker, she allowed Eileen to help her swiftly exit the bedroom.

"Mrs. Dawson, I apologize for being rude just now," Ruby said with great effort in her anxious voice.

Stella offered a reassuring smile. “It's alright. I've been eager for them to marry, unwilling to wait until you've recovered more to visit you. My fault for rushing things. How about this: you listen, and if there's anything unsatisfactory, just raise your hand. We have the whole afternoon, and we'll surely be able to settle their marriage matters." With that, Stella settled beside Ruby, motioning for Eileen to take a seat next to Bryan. Stella continued, "I only have this one grandson in my family. I intend to throw a lavish wedding. I can't bear to see Eileen shortchanged. I've heard you'll be mobile again in about two months, and I know you'll want to be there for Eileen's big day. So, we'll wait until you're nimble enough to join us for the festivities." Leaning in close to Bryan, Eileen whispered, “I think Stella hasn't slept since she learned you were coming to visit my mom. She's probably been planning every detail of this marriage talk." "She did mention tobefore that she wants us to have the wedding after two months," Bryan whispered back. Eileen grumbled a bit, expressing her frustration that Bryan hadn't informed her earlier about such a significant matter. It would have been nice to be prepared, especially since two months wasn't long.

But as Eileen spoke, she noticed Bryan's attention was elsewhere. His gaze was fixed on Stella and Ruby, and he was fully engaged in their conversation.

Stella said, "I haven't decided the exact date for the wedding yet..." "Grandma, December 6th would be perfect for the wedding," Bryan interjected quickly. Eileen was left speechless.

Stella was taken aback. “You've already picked the date?” Had someone checked the date before? "As long as Eileen's mother agrees, we can settle on that date," Bryan replied, certain that Stella would have no objections.

All eyes turned towards Ruby, but Ruby redirected the attention to Eileen. "Ask Eileen," Ruby said, emphasizing her respect for Eileen's wishes regarding her wedding. Before Eileen could respond, Bryan gently covered her hand with his and flashed a reassuring smile. "She won't refuse. So, it's settled. The rest of the arrangements are up to you." Truth be told, Bryan would have preferred to get the marriage certificate with Eileen right away without a wedding. However, with Eileen's mother present, they had to follow proper procedures and etiquette.

Stella beamed with joy and retrieved several brochures from her bag. "These are wedding venues in Onaland. Since I'm getting old and you shouldn't exert yourself too much, let's choose a location nearby. Take a look and see which one is best." "Eileen, I'll go prepare lunch," Bailee said, sensing she was not needed in the conversation. But she was pleased to see them discussing this.

"I'll go help you," Eileen offered, realizing her input in the wedding planning was minimal. The date had been chosen by Bryan, and it seemed likely that Stella had also taken charge of arranging everything else for the wedding.

After Eileen and Bailee headed to the kitchen, Bryan soon followed them, causing the space to feel cramped. "You handle the ingredients; I'll take care of the rest. I'll grab sseafood from my place," Bryan said, noticing Bailee's discomfort and making an excuse to step away.

After telling Stella about this, Bryan left.

"Eileen, is Bryan this easy-going and private?" Bailee asked, her hands moving deftly as she prepared the ingredients. "Does he always have a poker face?" Eileen thought for a moment. Indeed, Bryan typically maintained a serious expression in public. And at home, he was much the same. Except-in the intimacy of their bedroom, his features would transform with passion and desire.

"Why are you silent?" Bailee nudged Eileen's arm. "What are you thinking about?" Eileen's cheeks flushed. She was relieved that Bailee hadn't noticed it. Clearing her throat, she replied, “Yes, he always has a poker face." "If he wasn't so considerate behind closed doors, I'd probably find him a bit too dull for me," Bailee mumbled. "True. He's not as smooth-talking as Huey, nor as adept at flirtation." Eileen tensed, making Bailee blush. After a moment, Bailee suddenly suggested, "Let's invite Huey over another day to have a meal with Bryan."

"You're getting too comfortable with Bryan," Eileen remarked, leaning against the cabinet. "You might not O know there's a tradition of changing how you address someone upon marriage. According to our relationship... Wait for after the wedding. When you call him Bryan, you'll receive a generous sum from him." Without hesitation, Bailee changed how she addressed Bryan. "Then I will call him Mr. Dawson until then!" Bailee had witnessed Bryan rushing into the rain to save Eileen yesterday. And she had been overly excited at the tand had changed how she addressed Bryan. But excitement wouldn't pay the bills-money would! As they finished their preparations, Bryan returned. "Then we'll leave this to Mr. Dawson," Bailee said to Bryan politely.

As Bryan entered the kitchen, he paused, glancing back at Bailee. The term "Mr. Dawson" felt awkward. "My Wait I sister said should wait until you get married to change how I address you; then I'll get a great amount of money from you," Bailee quickly clarified, sensing his discomfort was related to how she had addressed him. Bryan glanced at Eileen and said to Bailee, "From now on, callBryan once, and I'll give you ten thousand." Eileen's smile froze.

Bailee, taken aback, blurted out without hesitation, "Bryan, are you serious?" "Twenty thousand. I'll transfer the money to you later," Bryan replied, his lips curling slightly. "You can leave the kitchen tonow."

Excitedly, Bailee dragged Eileen back.

to the living room, where Ruby was being inundated by Stella's relentless chatter Findingend space for themselves, Bailee and Eileen headed to the balcony to bask in the sun. While Eileen dealt with swork, Bailee fiddled with her phone, occasionally chatting with Eileen. Suddenly, she cacross a breaking news story that had quickly climbed the trending charts. Too thrilled to contain herself, she shoved her phone into Eileen's hands. "Wow, Bryan doesn't hold back! Look at this! Kian has really been humiliated this time!" she exclaimed.