Defying Fate: The Unstoppable Eileen novel Chapter 403

The smile on Eileen’s face froze instantly.

Her lips twitched as she glared at the scruffy little boy by her feet.

Egbert couldn’t help but laugh. He took Eileen’s hand and asked, “How much?”

The boy chirped, “It’s very cheap, very cheap! Only a hundred dollars.”

“What the heck?” Eileen was already in a foul mood. Now, hearing this little rascal ask for a king’s ransom, she snapped, “Not buying! Absolutely not!”

The boy looked pitifully at Eileen, then turned to Egbert. In a small voice, he said, “Sir, maybe you should find yourself a more generous girlfriend.”

“Hey, you—” Eileen was about to lose her mind.

“Alright,” Egbert said, pulling her close and chuckling. He fished a hundred-dollar bill from his wallet and handed it to the boy in exchange for the ragged bouquet.

The kid pocketed the money and scampered off.

Eileen stared at Egbert, scandalized. “You got totally ripped off!”

A hundred bucks—for that? You could buy so much good food with that money!

Egbert simply offered her the flowers.

Eileen turned her head away stubbornly. “I don’t want them.”

He raised an eyebrow. “Why not?”

She huffed, “Because I’m prettier than any flower.”

Egbert was silent for a moment, then couldn’t help but turn away, stifling a laugh.

Eileen shot him a glare. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

He quickly turned back, his tone gentle and placating. “Nothing, I swear. Not laughing.”

Eileen pouted, refusing to look at him, and stomped off in a huff.

The film festival itself was actually pretty fun. Besides the free movies, there were carnival games, souvenir stalls, and plenty of snacks and treats.

In the end, Egbert managed to win Eileen over with a giant triple-scoop ice cream cone and a box of strawberry-mango waffles.

Once she was fed and content, Eileen’s spirits bounced right back.

Around five in the evening, Galen called to tell them it was time to head back.

Today was the opening ceremony. Except for the red carpet—definitely the main event—the rest of the day was filled with interviews and socializing for the guests.

Egbert and Eileen had happily skipped out on most of the mingling, but Galen, ever the workhorse, spent the whole day playing social butterfly.

That night, on the ride back to the hotel, Galen rubbed his temples and sighed, “I think my face is about to crack from all the smiling.”

He waited for a response, but the car was silent.

Glancing back, he saw Eileen curled up in the backseat, fast asleep in Egbert’s arms after a long day of fun. Egbert, meanwhile, was calmly texting with one hand, the other gently wrapped around Eileen, lightly patting her arm to help her sleep more comfortably.

Galen’s lips twitched in exasperation.

Without even looking up, Egbert said in his usual calm tone, “She’s jet-lagged.”

Galen paused. Only then did he remember—Eileen had flown in for over ten hours just for this, and tomorrow she’d have to fly all the way back. More than twenty hours spent in the air, jumping right into work after landing, and then straight into more exams once home. No breaks, just a relentless schedule.

Galen pursed his lips but couldn’t bring himself to say anything else.

They soon arrived at the hotel.

Eileen stumbled out of the car, still groggy, rubbing her eyes sleepily.

Egbert led her up to their room.

The moment she walked in, Eileen flopped face-first onto the bed, ready to fall back asleep.

But after three seconds with her eyes closed, something felt off.

She peeked open one eye and spotted Egbert sitting down on the sofa, showing no intention of leaving.

“...What are you doing?” she demanded, her eyes narrowed suspiciously. “Listen, I’m a respectable woman. None of that funny business, okay?”

Egbert glanced at her, still holding his phone. His lips pressed into a thin line, and after a pause, he said softly, “Eileen...”

Silence fell between them.

Eileen grew anxious. “Egbert?”

He closed his eyes, rubbing his forehead. His voice was low and steady: “I can show you, but you have to be ready.”

Suddenly, Eileen felt a wave of unease. Her heart pounded. “I’m ready,” she said softly. “Show me.”

Egbert hesitated, but finally handed her the phone.

Eileen snatched it up.

The report was handwritten, each page a photographed image.

She scrolled to the entry Egbert read earlier. As she read, her face slowly went blank.

December 31st. Tomorrow is New Year’s Eve. Once again, I can’t spend it with them. My parents will understand, but that little rascal of mine will probably make a fuss… I got the test papers Dragon sent. The kid’s pretty smart—takes after me, I guess. Scored a hundred again!

Eileen had said she’d only look at one entry, but her eyes darted down to the attached photo: a wrinkled, torn, and bloodstained test paper, marked with a big “E” and a perfect score…

Egbert walked over and took her hand.

Eileen stared at the phone, dazed. “That’s my test paper…”

Egbert was silent.

She looked up at him with wide, pleading eyes. “Why did my dad… want my test paper?”

Egbert hesitated, not wanting to answer.

She clung to his sleeve, begging.

He finally whispered, “He… applied for it as a good luck charm.”

Eileen blinked, confused. “A good luck charm?”

Egbert nodded gently. “Soldiers on missions far from home all need something to hold onto. Your father missed you terribly. He asked his superiors for this ‘charm.’ He couldn’t risk carrying your photo in case it was found, and he didn’t dare keep your full name. Just a single initial—E. He folded your test paper up as small as possible and hid it in his necklace. He wore it until the day he… until the very end.”