Chapter 78 Growing Old Together
“Look at the size of that wound! If Mr. Snow hadn’t noticed that you hadn’t returned home so late and went out to fetch you out of concern, what would you have done if something had happened to you outside?”
Eileen smiled in response. “I sl*pped and fell.”
“What? How did you fall? It’s such a big cut!”
“While I was practicing my dance, I accidentally cut myself.”
Sharon immediately frowned and said, “No, this is unacceptable. I need to inform Mr. Swan and have him move you to a different cla*s. What kind of irresponsible teacher is this? You got hurt and she just ignored you! I wonder how she even became a teacher.”
A warmth spread through Eileen’s heart. Whenever she was hurt, Sharon was always the first one to think of her.
“Sharon, I’m really okay. Please help me call Alan to come pick me up!”
Vera said, “Eileen, it’s already quite late. Why don’t you stay here for the night and leave tomorrow? Eric and I can’t help but worry if you go out alone.”
Eileen had drunk half a bowl of soup and was already feeling much better.
“That’s right! You, my dear, are always up so late and constantly skip dinner. You must be starving now. Let me cook you a plate of pasta.”
Eileen sat up to lean against the headboard, only to realize she was in Eric’s room.
“I’m not very hungry, so there’s no need to trouble yourself.”
Vera smiled warmly and said, “Eileen, you don’t need to be formal here. Just treat this place as your own home. It’s only right for Eric and me to take care of you. Or is it that you don’t want to eat pasta and would prefer something else? Should Eric and I go buy something else for you?”
Eileen was getting a bit of a headache from all the noise.
This was Vera and Eric’s home, not hers.
She would only feel increasingly suffocated if she stayed here.
Eileen lowered her gaze, her long hair loose around her shoulders. She looked down to see herself dressed in pajamas that belonged to Vera.
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She didn’t know when her clothes had been changed.
Her wallet and phone were both placed on the bedside table.
“I just need a moment to rest; I’ll be fine. You don’t need to worry about me.”
Eric spoke in a stern tone. “Vera, Sharon, let her rest properly. Boil some water and have her take the painkillers first.”
“All right then!” Still feeling worried, Sharon urged, “Eileen, if you feel unwell at any point, make sure to speak up. Don’t bear it in silence!”
Eileen nodded. “Understood.”
After Vera and Sharon left, Eric took one last look at Eileen, who was sitting on the bed. gazing out the window.
She appeared as quiet and well-behaved as a ragdoll.
Following that, he left and closed the door behind him.
Even though the door was fully closed, Eileen could still hear the laughter from the living room, where Vera was pestering Sharon to teach her how to make ravioli.
There was also the sound of the television.
Eileen surveyed the layout of the room. The grey and Blake tones of the room gave off a warm feeling.
On the bedside table was a photo of Eric and Vera.
Everywhere bore traces of Vera’s presence her left-behind hairpin, the toy alarm clock she had placed on the table….
“Sharon, you’re truly amazing! You know how to do everything! I can’t even make the simplest ravioli. I’m so stupid.”
“When Eileen was little, her favorite food was the ravioli I made by hand. She wanted to learn too, and in the end, she ended up with her face covered in flour…”
Eileen was thinking that if Sharon was doing well by Eric and Vera’s side, then there was no need for her to insist on Sharon leaving the Swan family with her.
Sharon is getting on in years, so staying on at the Swan residence is actually not a bad idea.
With Vera around, Eric probably wouldn’t make things difficult for Sharon due to the latter having spent most of her life serving the Swan family
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In that case, Eileen had nothing holding her back.
anymore.
Eileen was captivated by the winter scenery outside. Barefoot, she walked to the window, opened it, and stretched out her hand. Before the snowflakes could land in her palm, they had already melted.
In her previous life, when she had gone to City Hall with Eric to get their marriage certificate, the weather had been the same, with heavy snowfall.
Holding his arm while standing in the snow, she had said, “We’re together in this snow, and we’ll be together until our hair turns Blake. We’ll grow old together, I’m sure of it.”
But in the end, we didn’t grow old together.
In fact, not even a trace of the love you once had for me was left behind.
The only memento I have is that when it snows, I remember you.
She was just an ordinary girl, and her desires had always been simple to marry him and become his wife.
But before becoming his wife, Eileen’s only mistake was driving Vera to her death.
She used to be arrogant and domineering, willful and unruly, but not anymore. Even the sharpest thorn would one day be worn down.
The suffering she endured now was no less than how she used to bully and oppress Vera in her past life.
That was why, no matter what happened to her, she endured it all.
This was the cycle of cause and effect, the wheel of karma.
Eileen closed the window. From then on, she would no longer watch the snow, nor would she find joy in it.
Hugging her arms, Eileen curled up on the small couch, staring blankly at the corner of the wardrobe wall.
Finally, at midnight, Eileen received a text message.
Jasper: Happy birthday, Princess.
This was the first time she had received a text message.
Eileen was taken aback. How did Jasper know that today was her birthday?
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Not many people knew about her birthday, not even Eric. The birthday on her ID card was incorrect. Her actual birth date was the 26th of December.
The dark clouds in Eileen’s heart were quickly swept away as a beam of light pierced through, dispelling the gloom.
Eiicen quickly replied to the message: How did you know today was my birthday?
Jasper: That’s a secret. What do you want for your birthday gift?
Eileen: I want a huge, oversized, pink, limited edition Nini teddy bear,
However, she refrained from sending that message as Eric’s warning echoed in her mind.
You are not allowed to approach anyone from the Smith family in the future. If you disobey… You know the consequences.
Eileen quickly deleted the text.
The living room had fallen into silence, indicating that everyone must have gone to sleep.
Eileen hurriedly called Alan, asking him to come and pick her up.
Sharon had probably taken her clothes to wash, so Eileen had no choice but to retrieve a neatly folded blanket from the bottom of Eric’s wardrobe.
She was familiar with Sharon’s tidying habits, so she knew exactly where to find what she needed.
In truth, in her previous life, Sharon had taught her many things, including how to be a good
wife.
As a result, many of her housekeeping habits were the same as Sharon’s.
Eileen wrapped herself in a blanket and, before leaving the room, left a note and some
money.
The money was for purchasing a blanket, sl*ppers, and pajamas.
Eric didn’t like others touching his belongings, so he would discard anything that others had touched.
No matter what it was, Eileen didn’t want to owe him anything.
Eileen closed the door to the room. In the living room, the glow of a laptop screen illuminated the couch.
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Eric was still working on documents.
She had a*sumed that everyone was asleep.
Eileen moved quietly, not wanting to disturb him.
Just as Eileen reached the entrance and rested her hand on the doorknob, Eric’s serious, displeased voice resounded. “Where are you going?”
Eileen’s grip tightened. Tm sorry, but I can’t stay with you any longer. If you want Sharon to stay here, then let her stay! Eric… please be kind to Sharon. She hasn’t done anything wrong-
She would get accustomed to being alone.
“Goodbye.”
Eileen spoke softly, her tone noticeably distant. Eric could clearly perceive her deliberate. attempt to distance herself from him.
The door opened, allowing a rush of cold wind to enter.
Eileen braved the cold wind as she departed.
The house remained silent for about ten seconds.
Eric’s expression was grim.
An unintentional brush of the fingers later, and the chat window from one of the surveillance systems appeared on the computer screen.
The chat history was from five minutes ago.
Message content: Happy birthday, Princess.
