The Husband I Loved for Eight Years Never Loved Me-Chapter 134: You’re About to Lose Your Wife, So What Is There to Brag About?
Chapter 134: You’re About to Lose Your Wife. What Are You Showing Off For?
Over the weekend.
Rachel Royce took care of Melissa at Silvermist Bay Villa, taking her shopping. Tristan Sterling made time every day to video call Melissa, and the father-daughter duo would chat for quite a while.
On Monday.
Rachel Royce took Melissa to kindergarten.
It was the first day of school, and most parents brought their children themselves, but the air was filled with the sound of crying.
"Rachel!"
Rachel Royce heard the familiar voice and turned to see June Jennings and Stella.
The two children greeted each other upon meeting.
As it happened, Stella and Melissa were in the same class.
Rachel Royce and June Jennings chatted with the homeroom teacher for a bit and exchanged contact information.
Then they said goodbye to the children.
The two children were very well-behaved. They didn’t cry or fuss, simply following the teacher into the classroom hand in hand.
After leaving the kindergarten.
June Jennings asked, "When do you plan on letting Melissa know that you’re her mother?"
June suddenly felt sorry for Melissa. ’Her mother is right by her side, yet she can’t call her Mom, only Aunt Evelynn.’
Of course, she knew Rachel must have felt terrible. After all, who would want their own daughter to call them "Auntie?"
Rachel Royce sighed. "I’ll tell Melissa the truth after the divorce from Tristan Sterling is finalized."
’While it’s unfair for a child to live in a broken home, parents with no affection for each other would have an even greater negative impact on her growth.’
June Jennings could empathize more than anyone. But her situation was different from Rachel’s; she had gone through immense hardship to get custody of Stella, making Rachel’s chances seem even slimmer.
She couldn’t help but say indignantly, "Why on earth is Tristan Sterling dragging his feet and refusing to divorce you? He already has other women, doesn’t he? He’s playing the field out there. He’s just trying to drag this out so you can’t remarry and find your own happiness."
Rachel Royce thought about what Tristan Sterling had said before. She didn’t refute June’s words; he was definitely just stalling.
June Jennings asked again, "By the way, what’s Lawyer Goodman saying now?"
Rachel Royce replied, "He’s still negotiating with the court. Once Tristan Sterling’s lawyer submits the documents, holding the hearing this month shouldn’t be a problem."
"You need to make him bleed for it. Why should you be the one to leave with nothing? After the divorce, he’ll have lost nothing and still have a sweet daughter like Melissa. How did you ever fall for such a cold-blooded, heartless man in the first place?" June Jennings grew more furious as she spoke.
In one’s youth, a single breathtaking glance can feel like it will last a lifetime.
The illusion shatters the moment it becomes yours.
And the pain that follows takes the rest of your life to heal.
There’s no use for regret in life. What’s done is done, and agonizing over it is meaningless—it only adds to one’s troubles.
What matters is creating a better future. When that day comes, looking back on the unbearable past will make it all seem like a fleeting illusion.
In the days that followed.
No matter how busy she was, Rachel Royce always made time to pick up and drop off Melissa. If she absolutely couldn’t get away, she would arrange for Miles Sheldon to pick her up.
She had originally planned to take Melissa back to live at Hillcrest Villa.
But after school started, Melissa had private tutoring every day. Tristan Sterling had arranged extra lessons for her in language, arithmetic, and piano.
Tristan Sterling doted on Melissa unconditionally, but he was still strict about her education and didn’t just let her indulge in fun and games.
So Rachel Royce had no choice but to stay with her temporarily at Silvermist Bay.
She had spoken with the private tutors about Melissa’s progress. The tutors were all top-tier educators from both home and abroad, and they all gave Melissa high praise. Melissa had an excellent memory and grasped new concepts quickly, so learning was not a tedious affair for her.
Seeing how exceptionally bright Melissa was.
Rachel Royce’s heart swelled with pride.
One day.
On her way to pick up Melissa, she received a call from David.
Tristan Sterling was on a business trip to the United States with David. David had called her the other day and offered to see her, but she really hadn’t had the time.
"You cruel woman, my heart is wounded."
"Then should I introduce you to a chief of cardiology?"
"..."
"Once your divorce is finalized, I’ll come find you and we’ll celebrate properly."
Rachel Royce laughed. "Of course."
When David called today, he asked caringly about her work and life recently.
Rachel Royce knew he was currently at a high-society cocktail party in North America, so she was surprised he had time to call her from such an event.
Then she heard him say, "That guy Tristan Sterling is having a great time chatting up the Fix family’s daughter. I’d say Miss Fix is really quite taken with him."
The moment he mentioned Tristan Sterling,
Rachel Royce cut him off. "It has nothing to do with me if he’s happily chatting with ten women, or a hundred. I don’t want to hear about him."
David was taken aback for a moment, then he laughed. "Alright, then!"
In truth, he had partly made the call with the intention of "tattling."
That guy Tristan was just ridiculously popular.
For a moment, he was suddenly worried that Evelynn might be won over again and decide not to divorce him. After all, it was all too easy for a woman to fall in love with a man like that.
But hearing how resolute Evelynn sounded, he was relieved.
David changed the subject and made small talk with Rachel for a few more moments.
"David!"
Rachel Royce heard Tristan Sterling’s voice from the other end of the line.
David said, "Evelynn, I have to go."
"Okay."
David turned to greet Tristan Sterling.
"What were you talking about?" Tristan Sterling asked.
David just smiled, not looking guilty in the slightest. "Nothing much. You seemed to be having a great time with Miss Fix. I can tell she’s very interested in you. How about you stay here and marry into the family?"
Tristan Sterling had indeed come to the United States this time to discuss a partnership with the Fix Family.
The corner of Tristan Sterling’s lip curled up. "If I marry into the family, what does that make you?"
After all, they were the ones who wanted to form a marriage alliance with David’s family.
But David had absolutely no interest in her.
David raised an eyebrow at Tristan Sterling, grinning. "So, does that mean you’re interested? I could play matchmaker for you two. How about it?"
"Instead of wasting time playing matchmaker, you should focus on having a kid of your own."
David immediately caught his drift and retorted, not to be outdone, "So what if you have a daughter? You’re about to lose your wife. What are you showing off for?"
Hearing this, Tristan Sterling just gave a cool, enigmatic smile.
"..."
Rachel Royce picked up Melissa and returned to Silvermist Bay.
As soon as she walked into the living room,
she saw the person sitting on the sofa.
Sylvia Shannon turned her head toward the door. When her gaze landed on Rachel Royce, her expression was cold, but upon hearing Melissa’s voice, her face immediately softened.
"Grandma."
Sylvia Shannon rose and walked over.
Melissa trotted over to her grandmother.
Sylvia Shannon scooped Melissa into her arms, her eyes filled with adoration. "It’s been a while since you’ve seen Grandma. Did you miss me?"
"I did."
Sylvia Shannon sat on the sofa, holding Melissa.
"Then come over to Grandma’s house today."
Hearing this, Melissa seemed a bit reluctant. "But I want to stay home with Aunt Evelynn."
The smile on Sylvia Shannon’s lips faded a bit, and she said nothing more.
She had someone take Melissa to her lesson.
Only Sylvia Shannon and Rachel Royce remained in the living room.
Sylvia Shannon scrutinized her. Rachel was indeed a completely different person from five years ago.
Even so, she could never accept a woman like this as her daughter-in-law.
