Chapter 265 Just A Dream
Eight years ago, Hulbury was nothing more than a rundown city, with the streets filled with hooligans and troublemakers of all kinds.
There were no witnesses to the event back then, nor was there any surveillance footage.
However, Eric never stopped searching over the past eight years.
He had sent her abroad. Besides her asthma, his purpose was to let her leave, forget everything, and start
anew.
“Ah-”
Vera let out a piercing scream that seemed to tear at her throat. When Eric walked into the ward, he saw Vera huddled in a corner, clutching her head and shivering. She looked as if she were in a daze.
“Eric… Eric, where are you?”
Vera’s voice trembled.
Eric half-squatted in front of her, gently cradling her in his arms. “It’s okay now.”
His voice seemed to bring her warmth, stabilizing Vera’s emotions considerably. She could smell the faint scent of tobacco on him, and her hand tightened around his waist. “Z-Eric… I just had a terrifying nightmare. I was so scared… I dreamt that I was covered in blood. It hurt so much… I went looking for you, but… no matter how hard I searched, I couldn’t find you. The director said… you don’t want me anymore.”
“It was just a dream. It isn’t real.” Eric pulled back the curtains beside her, and light began to filter in. “It’s dawn now. I have completed the discharge procedures. It’s time to take you home.”
Vera was trembling, clutching Eric’s shirt at the chest. “But the dream was so real. It was terrifying.”
Eric gently stroked her hair, comforting Vera, who was trembling uncontrollably in his arms.
By the time Vera had calmed down, she wasn’t as pale as before. She quietly held Eric’s hand, and together, they walked out of the hospital.
As she sat in the pa*senger seat, Eric helped her fasten her seatbelt. The car then smoothly made its way back to Euphoria Condominium.
Eric meticulously cleaned up the bloodstains on the ground. After a tiring night, he only managed to sleep for four hours before heading to the office again.
Sharon was still in the hospital undergoing chemotherapy, so no one was at home to take care of Vera.
Thus, Eric had no choice but to take her to the office.
Meanwhile, Eileen arrived at school, only to find that Vera was not present, which was unusual.
Her absence continued for an entire week.
Yvette, along with Vera, had both become two missing persons.
Due to her family’s huge business, Yvette was groomed to be the successor For her, studying was just an additional task, let alone the fact that she was a gifted student, just like Benjamin.
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Apart from her rele
advantages. Even if she did, the only other thing she was good at was painting.
Thus, Benjamin and Jason had planned out the potential topics that might come up in the university
entrance exam for her.
Benjamin was considered a legend when it came to examinations. With his help, achieving success became much easier.
Just as Jason had said, the top scorer for that day’s university entrance exam might indeed be her, as Benjamin did not plan to participate in it.
In the blink of an eye, time flew by swiftly, and the days were unusually calm. Soon, the entrance exams for the Hulbury Central Art Academy began.
Not many people in the school knew about her upcoming exam. Besides Benjamin and Jason, Eileen only informed Natalie.
The two-hour break at Petalburg High School happened to coincide with Eileen’s exam time.
Thus, she decided to try her luck.
Moreover, she was nominated to fill the exam slot by none other than Gideon himself.
She had gotten to know him by chance from the writing competition she participated in.
If she hadn’t submitted anything in that competition, she wouldn’t have had this opportunity either.
Hulbury Central Art Academy had a more rigorous admission process than other schools. It was not a place just anyone could get into.
Benjamin drove her to the school gate.
Natalie handed over another can of milk. “Eileen, do your best! After your exams, we’ll come to pick you up, and in the evening… I have a big surprise for you.”
Jason rested his hand on the car window and waved at her. “Segunda, no matter how you do on the test, Ben and I are certain that you’ll be the top scorer in the liberal arts and science department this year. The mayor will personally present you with the award, so do your best!” After saying this, he made a cheering gesture at her.
Benjamin didn’t have much to say. All he could manage were two words-“good luck.”
After watching them drive away, Eileen turned around and headed for the examination hall, where she found her seat.
The moment she received the drawing paper, she tried her best to calm her mind and started moving the brush in her hand.
She had been painting for two lifetimes, yet this was the first time she was formally testing her skills. To say she wasn’t nervous would be a lie.
She had always loved painting since she was a child, but for some unknown reason, her father never allowed her to pursue it.
She could only sneak off to paint.
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Later on, after she got together with Jasper, no one stopped her anymore. She was free to do whatever she wanted.
In truth, rather than being the top scorer in the liberal arts and science department in Hulbury, what Eileen really wanted was to do what she loved.
She spent the next two hours sketching, matching colors, and painting…
By the time the exam ended, a considerable amount of time had pa*sed.
At half-past six, Eileen emerged from the examination hall.
Natalie ran toward her as she always did. “Eileen… Eileen… Eileen…” She called out the latter’s name joyfully. “How did the exam go? Was it okay?”
Eileen calmly curved her l*ps into a smile. “I think I did pretty well. I should be able to pa*s.”
Jason placed a hand on Eileen’s shoulder. “Let’s go celebrate together. It’s been a while since we’ve gone out to have fun.”
Eileen glanced at the time. “I’m afraid I can’t stay. I need to hurry back.”
Jason said, “Tsk-tsk, you’re not officially married yet, and he’s already keeping you on a tight leash?”
Eileen gave a slight smile. “He’s just worried about me. Let’s celebrate next time instead.”
With a wide grin, revealing her sparkling Blake teeth, Natalie chuckled. She held up Eileen’s phone and said, “Just now… I received a call from your fiancé. We’ve already spoken to him on your behalf, and he has agreed.”
Since she couldn’t bring her phone into the exam room, Eileen gave it to Natalie for safekeeping.
“Really?”
Eileen took her phone and looked at the message Jasper had sent a few minutes ago.
Jasper: Let me know when the party ends. I’ll come pick you up.
Eileen replied: Okay.
After sending her reply, she put away her phone and said, “Let’s go then.”
Natalie added, “Put the paintbrush in my bag. It’s tiring for you to keep holding it. I also have some milk here. Let me know if you want to drink it.”
“No need, I’ve already made several trips to the bathroom after drinking the milk.”
They got into Benjamin’s car together.
Inside, Natalie looked at Eileen anxiously. “Did it affect your performance? What if you don’t pa*s the exam? No, when I go back, I must visit Mount Shawrath to light a prayer candle for you. You must pa*s the
exam.”
Eileen smiled and said, I’m just teasing you No need to be so nervous.”
“Hey, don’t get too excited just yet. No matter how well we do in our exams, we’ll still enter the
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competitive job market after we graduate from university. The thought of completing three years of university life only to be exploited is quite depressing.”
Benjamin, who was focused on driving, smiled. “Boundless Tech is always open to all of you.”
Eileen gazed out of the car window at the pa*sing scenery, with the trees and buildings reflecting in her eyes. An unprecedented sense of anticipation for the future crept in.
This life has finally diverged from the last, and I won’t make the same mistake again!
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