Defying Fate: The Unstoppable Eileen



Eileen playfully tapped Isabel's nose and said, "Nonsense."

Isabel looked up at her aunt with her big, sad eyes and buried her face in her comforting embrace.

At that moment, Egbert took out a piece of candy from his pocket, unwrapped it, and popped it into Isabel's mouth.

As the sweet taste spread across her tongue, the tears that clung to her long lashes finally ceased to fall.

Eileen glanced at Egbert. He said in a low voice, "She likes sweets."

He often helped the Lopez family take care of Isabel and was quite familiar with her likes and dislikes. He then handed another piece of candy to Bain.

Bain took the candy, thanked him politely, but didn't eat it. Instead, he held it tightly, his eyes full of concern for Isabel.

Soon, the doctor finished bandaging Isabel's wounds, advising the adults, "Keep the bandages dry, change them once a day. You can visit any local clinic, or do it at home if you know how."

Once they left the doctor's office, Eileen cradled Isabel in her arms and thanked the doctor.

As they got outside, Bain, up on his tiptoes, offered his candy to Isabel, who was still nestled against Eileen. "Isabel, I want you to have my candy." Isabel looked from Bain to her aunt. Eileen smiled and said, "If you want it, take it."

Isabel hesitantly reached out and took the candy, whispering, "Thank you, Bain." Bain's face lit up with a smile.

The mood had dampened because of Isabel's injury, so the outing ended there.

When they got back home, it was already past three in the afternoon.

They had some fast food earlier at the amusement park.

Eileen settled Isabel on the couch, noted her still enjoying the candy, and asked, "Hungry?"novelbin

Isabel patted her tiny tummy and nodded honestly.

"I've got some stuff in the fridge," Eileen said. "I'll whip up something simple for now, and we'll have a proper dinner tonight, okay?"

Isabel immediately agreed, "Okay, thanks, Mom."

Eileen ruffled her hair.

Egbert, who was nearby, chimed in, "Thanks, darling."

Eileen gave him a sharp look, then marched into the kitchen without another glance his way.

Egbert just shrugged it off, used to her reactions.

Twenty minutes later, Eileen served up three bowls of pasta.

With both of her hands bandaged, Isabel needed to be fed.

As they sat at the dining table, Eileen told Egbert, "You eat. I'll feed her."

She scooped up a small spoonful of pasta and brought it to Isabel's mouth.

Isabel gobbled it up, her cheeks puffing out adorably.

Egbert fetched a spoon from the kitchen, scooped up some pasta, and held it to Eileen's mouth.

Eileen looked at him skeptically. He insisted, "You feed her, I feed you. Is that alright?"

Seeing Eileen's hesitation, he added a slice of sausage to the spoonful of rice and offered it again.

Eileen relented and opened her mouth, eating the offered spoonful.

The scene in the dining room took on a strange rhythm - Eileen feeding Isabel, Egbert feeding Eileen, like a game of pass the parcel. Then the doorbell rang.

It was a crew member from a local TV show, coming to check on Isabel's condition and to see if she was still up for participating in the filming.

Isabel, hearing that they might take her away, clung to her aunt and pouted, "I don't wanna go."

The crew member patiently explained, "We're not sending you away, sweetheart. Don't you want to see your parents?"

Isabel shook her head vigorously, "My mom and dad are right here!"

Egbert added, "Well, not exactly."

Isabel's eyes immediately filled with tears, and she looked on the verge of crying again.

Eileen hugged her tight, scolding Egbert, "Why do you have to tease her?"

He said nothing more, and the crew member, seeing Isabel's determination to stay, didn't press the matter.

In the evening, while Eileen was preparing dinner, Egbert's phone rang. He spoke briefly before bringing the phone to Eileen in the kitchen. "What is it?" she asked, puzzled, while stirring the pot.

"It's Terrence Lopez," Egbert said.

Eileen's hand froze for a moment, and Egbert took over the cooking, pressing the phone into her hand, "Take it."

Holding the phone, Eileen hesitated before bringing it to her ear.

On the other end, a calm and gentle voice said, "Hello?"

Eileen clutched at Egbert's shirt, seeking reassurance. He continued to cook with one hand and held hers with the other, silently bolstering her courage.

Eileen swallowed hard and responded, "Yes, this is me..."

The man on the phone said warmly, "This is Terrence, your fifth brother."

Eileen glanced into the living room where Isabel was playing with the cat, and quickly said, "I know, you're Isabel's father..."

Isabel was Terrence's child, but due to the nature of his work, he rarely appeared in public. As a result, Isabel had grown up under the care of her extended family.

Eileen had already met a few people of the Lopez family, along with her eldest brother and his wife, her third brother and his sister-in-law, and some nieces and nephews.

However, her second, fourth, and fifth brothers remained enigmas to her.

On the other end of the phone, the man's soft voice continued, asking, "I'm heading to you."

Eileen paused. She glanced toward the front door: "You... you..."

The man on the phone reassured her, "I'm almost there."

As soon as she hung up, Eileen squeezed past Egbert and, with a spatula in hand, began to stir-fry with urgency!

Egbert, nudged aside, watched her with a raised eyebrow, puzzled, "What's up?"

Panic-stricken, Eileen blurted out, "Fifth brother, he's about to arrive! Go wash up, those veggies, get them all cleaned and chopped! Hurry! Hurry! Hurry!"

Egbert was speechless.

Fifteen minutes later, the doorbell rang. Eileen was so startled she became all thumbs!

Egbert patted her head reassuringly, "It's okay."

Saying so, he went to open the door.

Standing outside was a man in a light grey shirt, smiling gently.

Unlike Blake's solidity or Chad's assertiveness, Terrence was the most refined of the Lopez brothers.

His features, leaning more towards their mother's, were of the handsome and delicate type.

Upon seeing who opened the door, Terrence greeted warmly, "Egbert."

Egbert nodded, casually inviting, "Come in to talk."

"Daddy?" Isabel, who had been playing with the cat, suddenly saw her father appear and stared wide-eyed in surprise.

Terrence beckoned to his daughter with affection, "Isabel, missed Daddy?"

Standing hesitantly in place, Isabel suddenly took a step back.