Defying Fate: The Unstoppable Eileen novel Chapter 408

On the ride back, Eileen’s head was practically throbbing from Ophelia’s scolding.

Ophelia stood over her, hands on her hips, jabbing Eileen’s forehead with her finger again and again, until Eileen was squashed into the corner of the car seat, hardly daring to lift her head.

“Look at you! Waltzing off without a word, breaking into someone’s house, and then getting into a fight! Who do you think you are, some kind of superhero? Do you even realize what your status is right now? I’m talking to you—answer me!”

Hugging three little bundles to her chest, Eileen squeezed her eyes shut.

In a tiny voice, she tried to explain, “It was… self-defense…”

Ophelia barked, “Janice told me everything! You threw the first punch! I don’t care what kind of grudge you have with that family, but you’re about to take your military academy exams! Now you’ve gone and caused this mess! Are you trying to get yourself expelled? Or maybe you’d rather go back to begging on the streets?”

Eileen looked like she was about to crawl under the seat, hunched over and not daring to make a sound.

Ophelia shouted, “Sit up! Why are you hiding? Don’t play the victim with me! Do you know how many calls Commander Dirk has made to me? Saying you’re not back at school, your leave is about to expire! He’s worried sick about you! And where have you been? Sit up straight, now! Back straight!”

Reluctantly, Eileen let Ophelia pull her upright, sitting as straight as a board.

But Ophelia immediately snapped, “Look at you, sitting up like that! What, you proud of yourself? Still think you did nothing wrong?”

Eileen’s eyes filled with tears. She mumbled, barely audible, “You told me to sit up…”

Ophelia gave a cold laugh. “So it’s my fault now, is it? You’re always right?”

Eileen didn’t even know how to respond. She stared at her hands, picking nervously at her fingernails.

Ophelia shot her a few more withering looks, then her phone started ringing.

She glanced at the screen and groaned, “See? There he is again!”

Eileen peeked at the phone, then reached out timidly to tug at Ophelia’s sleeve. “Ophelia…”

“Let go!” Ophelia slapped Eileen’s hand away.

Eileen instantly yanked her hand back into her sleeve and fell silent.

Ophelia cleared her throat, coughed a couple times, and finally picked up the phone.

The car went quiet. Eileen sat beside her, ears straining to catch every word.

“Yes, Commander Dirk, it’s me—Eileen’s manager. Oh, you called several times? Sorry, I was in a meeting. Just swamped with all kinds of things…”

Eileen stared, wide-eyed, at Ophelia blatantly lying through her teeth.

Commander Dirk’s voice came through the phone, asking why Eileen hadn’t returned to campus yet.

Ophelia sighed, sounding helpless. “I was just about to call you, actually. Is it possible for Eileen to return to school tonight instead? She’s ill, very weak, still coughing. I’m so sorry for the trouble.”

Eileen let out a muffled squeak, clutching her hands together, nearly trembling with excitement.

Commander Dirk didn’t sound convinced. “She’s ill? Really? Isn’t she the one who’s tougher than an ox? During the last exams, she went swimming in freezing water and everyone thought she’d catch a cold, but the next day she polished off five bowls at breakfast.”

Ophelia shot Eileen a glare.

Eileen shrank back, ducking her head.

Ophelia quickly said, “Well, she was flying for over twenty hours straight, barely slept, so her immune system crashed… Faking it? Of course not! We would never! No, no, of course not. You… you want to come check on her yourself? Er… fine, I’ll text you the address.”

After she hung up, Ophelia suddenly looked ten years older.

Eileen asked timidly, “Is Commander Dirk really coming?”

“You’ve got some nerve to even ask!” Ophelia fumed.

Eileen pouted. “So… what do we do now?”

Ophelia scowled. “We’re going to my place. Now.”

Half an hour later, Ophelia had dragged Eileen to her apartment, handed her some pajamas, and shooed her off to lie down.

Eileen sprawled on the bed, dazed, convinced she’d never get to sleep.

Five minutes later.

Ophelia found a thermometer and went to check on Eileen—only to find her huddled under the covers, mouth open, snoring away.

Ophelia: “…”

She grit her teeth, ready to go in and smack Eileen’s backside.

Suddenly, the doorbell rang.