Defying Fate: The Unstoppable Eileen



Ophelia had had enough. Yanking Eileen by the arm, she stormed out.

The entire drive back, Ophelia's tirade was relentless.

Eileen, not daring to provoke her further, would sheepishly hand over a bottle of water when Ophelia's scolding gave way to fatigue, cooing, "Long day, huh? Here, have some water."

Snatching the bottle, Ophelia barked, "It's not long, it's cursed! I must've been a sinner in a past life to deserve this!"

Eileen shrank, barely whispering a word.

After guzzling two bottles, Ophelia's fury simmered down. Glancing at the clock, she instructed, "Where do you live? Tell the driver your address, we'll drop you home."

Eileen, startled, felt a shiver, quickly saying, "Don't worry about it... I drove here, my car's at the office. Just drop me there!"

Ophelia squinted at her.

Eileen nervously chuckled, trying to laugh it off.

Soon, they pulled up to the office. Ophelia added, "When you get home, take a picture with the trophy and post it on Twitter!"

Eileen obediently nodded, "Sure."

"No rambling," Ophelia warned. “Just say something about striving for better. Not one word more."

Again, Eileen nodded fervently, "Got it!"

"Now go," Ophelia dismissed her. And then Eileen scampered out of the car.

No sooner had Eileen stepped out than Ophelia remembered something else. She rolled down the window to add a few words, only to see Eileen, clutching her skirt hem, already gone.novelbin

Ophelia was left speechless. Could she be that terrifying?

After retrieving her car, Eileen sped home.

As soon as she entered, she started searching frantically.

The housekeeper emerged from the kitchen, inquiring, "Ms. Lopez, what are you looking for?"

Hands on hips, Eileen demanded, "Where's Egbert?"

The housekeeper blinked, "The young master? He's not back yet."

Not back yet? Eileen frowned, glancing at the clock - it was past one. The ceremony had ended at eleven, and after the delay, she'd gone back to the office for her car.

She thought she was late, yet Egbert was still out?

As the housekeeper spoke again, “His assistant dropped off something earlier, right there in the living room."

Eileen saw a red box on the coffee table. Opening it, she found a sleek crystal trophy inside.

Eileen's brow furrowed. The trophy was back, but he wasn't?

Recalling Ophelia's request, Eileen, still annoyed, took a photo with the trophy and tweeted it.

After posting, she considered calling Egbert.

The housekeeper chirped, “Ms. Lopez, are you hungry? I made dessert to celebrate your award. Care for some?" Egbert was promptly forgotten as Eileen eagerly replied, "I'm starving! They don't feed you at those ceremonies!" Laughing, the housekeeper offered, "How about some sweets before bed?"

"Absolutely," Eileen beamed.

Soon, a platter of desserts arrived, and Eileen indulged heartily.

An hour later, full and content, the housekeeper retired to bed, leaving Eileen alone with the ticking clock.

By now, it was nearly three. Egbert was not coming home tonight, was he?

Time ticked away, and soon it was four in the morning.

In the silver car cruising the streets, Egbert lounged in the back seat, massaging his temples, looking utterly exhausted. His assistant drove quietly while Gilbert sat beside him.

Gilbert grumbled, "Barton sure loves to talk. Can't he discuss scripts during the day? Kept us up till the wee hours."

Egbert kept his eyes shut, remaining silent.

Glancing at Egbert through the rear-view mirror, Gilbert asked, "So, you're really taking the role?"

Egbert lazily opened his eyes, a hint of lethargy in his gaze, "The script's good."

Gilbert persisted, "Good or not, it's Barton's movie. The man's known for grinding actors down for a single scene. Remember his 'Ode to My Father'? A classic, sure, but it took seven years! Eats up an actor's prime."

Egbert stayed quiet.

Knowing Egbert well, Gilbert pressed, "What if this one takes 7 years, too? Are you staying single?"

Egbert paused.

The assistant snickered, "Mr. Reed doesn't even have a girlfriend."

Gilbert, more eager than ever for Egbert to be tied down, lamented, "What's the use of being so handsome if you can't find a girl..."

"I found one," came Egbert's cool reply.

The car fell silent, the weight of his words hanging in the air.

Ten minutes later, the car pulled back into the gated community where the Reed family's sprawling estate was located.

Gilbert sat in the passenger seat, still trying to wrap his head around Egbert's bombshell announcement.

He's got a girlfriend now, and it's Eileen... Damn it, why did it have to be that jinx Eileen?

Gilbert felt dizzy, like he was walking on clouds. His mind was so flooded with the name "Eileen" that he was starting to see things.

Pointing towards a figure standing under the streetlamp, dressed in pajamas with her hair cascading over her shoulders, he said, "Is it just me, or does that person look a lot like Eileen?"

Egbert furrowed his brow and peered out the window.

The assistant also looked and then exclaimed with excitement, "That's indeed Ms. Lopez! Oh my God, Mr. Reed, is Ms. Lopez waiting up for you? I never would've pegged her for the domestic type, but since she started dating you, she's like a whole new woman. She really, really loves you, Mr. Reed!"

Egbert, whose eyesight was sharper than Gilbert's and the assistant's, studied the figure of Eileen in the distance for a good while. Then he said with a heavy tone, "Turn the car around and head back. She's holding a butcher knife."