The Husband I Loved for Eight Years Never Loved Me-Chapter 176: When You Get Older, You Must Pay More Attention to Upkeep
Chapter 176: When You Get Older, You Have to Pay More Attention to Self-Care
Julian Jennings’s hands paused on the keyboard. He looked at June Jennings and asked, "Then what do you want?"
June Jennings said, "I haven’t thought of anything yet."
"Well, just let me know whenever you think of something."
"Alright."
Julian Jennings saw that she wasn’t leaving. "Is there something else?"
June Jennings lifted her chin slightly, her sharp gaze seeing right through her brother’s thoughts. "Bro, if you want to ask something, don’t keep it bottled up. There’s no need to be a stranger with me."
Julian Jennings gave a faint, helpless smile. He took off his glasses, leaned back in his chair, and wearily pinched the bridge of his nose before looking at June Jennings. "What did you say to Rachel?"
June Jennings told Julian Jennings everything in detail. 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝓮𝒘𝙚𝙗𝒏𝙤𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝒐𝙢
"I know."
June Jennings raised an eyebrow. "Wow, Bro, you really know Rachel well."
Julian Jennings said, "If Tristan Sterling had shown even a shred of compassion for Rachel back then, she wouldn’t be this resolute now."
Although June Jennings didn’t know the specifics of the pain Rachel Royce had suffered, just looking at Tristan Sterling now, she could tell he was an exceptionally cold person.
His attitude was certainly respectful, and he smiled when he looked at Rachel, but behind that smile was something that sent an inexplicable chill down one’s spine.
"Rachel must be in so much pain right now," June Jennings said, deeply worried.
The room was silent for two seconds.
June Jennings grinned. "Bro, now is when Rachel needs someone to comfort her the most."
Julian Jennings looked at his sister. "Alright, that’s enough. Go get some rest."
June Jennings pouted. "Okay, fine. You should get some rest early tonight too, Bro." Then, she added with a grin, "When you get older, you have to pay more attention to self-care."
"Are you looking for trouble?"
June Jennings stuck her tongue out, turned, and quickly left the study.
Julian Jennings watched June Jennings’s retreating figure. He sat quietly for a moment before shutting down his computer.
Back in his room, he looked at his reflection in the mirror. He certainly looked much more haggard, with a noticeable five-o’clock shadow around his mouth where he hadn’t shaved cleanly.
「The next morning.」
During breakfast, Tristan Sterling said to Rachel Royce, "Later, we’re taking Melissa to visit a pediatric cardiac surgery specialist."
Rachel Royce was startled and looked at Tristan Sterling.
Tristan Sterling gave her a cool glance and explained, "Melissa had heart problems when she was two. Professor Bellamy was the one who treated her."
Rachel Royce recalled seeing Melissa’s recent check-up report, which showed no abnormalities with her heart.
She didn’t ask any more questions.
But when she looked at her daughter, her eyes filled with even more love and compassion.
Melissa looked at Rachel Royce and said, "Daddy brings me to see Mr. Bellamy often. Daddy said that if it weren’t for Mr. Bellamy, Daddy wouldn’t have me anymore."
Hearing Melissa’s words, Rachel Royce’s heart clenched with belated fear. She never imagined Melissa had been through such a crisis, and she had never heard Thomas Sterling mention it.
’He probably kept it from me because he was afraid I would worry.’
After breakfast, Tristan Sterling drove Rachel Royce and Melissa to an old residential complex in the city center.
After they arrived, Tristan Sterling parked the car outside the complex. Rachel Royce got out with Melissa, and Tristan retrieved the gifts he had prepared from the trunk.
Seeing Rachel Royce holding Melissa, he walked over. "You carry the gifts, I’ll hold Melissa."
Even though she had only acknowledged Rachel Royce as her mother for a short time, in Melissa’s heart, she now had a mom and had become exceptionally clingy to her.
Melissa was now 1.2 meters tall, so Rachel couldn’t carry her for long.
Rachel Royce had no intention of handing Melissa over to Tristan Sterling. Cradling Melissa, she started walking toward the complex entrance and said coolly, "I’ll hold her."
Tristan Sterling said nothing and followed her with long strides.
They hadn’t gone far into the complex when Rachel Royce’s strength gave out. She put Melissa down and took her hand, and Melissa reached out her other hand to grab her father’s.
As they walked toward the apartment building, Melissa would occasionally swing between them, a constant smile on her face.
’At least I can make it up to Melissa in this moment,’ she thought.
When they arrived at Professor Bellamy’s home, Mrs. Bellamy wasn’t surprised to see Tristan Sterling and Melissa, but she was a little taken aback when she saw Rachel Royce.
"Tristan, Melissa, you’re here! Come in, quickly."
Professor Bellamy was eighty years old and one of the country’s top pediatric specialists. Although long past retirement age, he still held consultations at the hospital two days a week.
Today, Professor Bellamy was resting at home.
"Great-Mr. Bellamy."
Melissa called out politely.
With Melissa’s sweet nature, it was hard for elders not to adore her. Professor Bellamy couldn’t resist giving Melissa a hug. "Melissa, you’ve gotten taller again."
Melissa happily introduced her to Professor Bellamy, "Great-Mr. Bellamy, this is my mommy."
Rachel Royce stepped forward and greeted him, "Professor Bellamy, it’s a pleasure to meet you."
Professor Bellamy couldn’t help but study Rachel Royce for a moment longer. After all, in all the years Tristan Sterling had been bringing Melissa over, he had never seen her before.
"Melissa’s mother, hello."
"Professor Bellamy, would it be alright if I asked you about the circumstances of Melissa’s surgery at the time?"
Professor Bellamy glanced at Tristan Sterling, puzzled. ’She could just ask her own husband about this. Tristan is perfectly aware of the details. Then again, looking at the two of them, they don’t seem like a married couple at all.’
Of course, Professor Bellamy didn’t say any of this out loud, nor did he probe into the reasons. He simply replied, "Of course, you can."
Tristan Sterling glanced at Rachel Royce, then called to Melissa, "Melissa, come here. Mommy and Great-Mr. Bellamy need to talk alone for a bit."
Melissa said, "Oh."
Mrs. Bellamy came forward, took Melissa’s little hand, and led her away to play the piano.
Mrs. Bellamy was a concert pianist. Melissa already knew how to play, and after hearing her, Mrs. Bellamy had wanted to take the little girl on as a student.
So, Melissa went with Mrs. Bellamy to the piano room.
Tristan Sterling went out onto the balcony and slid the door shut, not wanting to disturb the two people talking in the living room.
He sat down on a wicker chair and took out his phone to handle some work matters.
Just then, a call came in.
Tristan Sterling stood up, walked to the railing, and answered. "Suzanne, what’s up?"
The two of them first discussed work for a while.
After that, Suzanne Sullivan asked, "When are you coming back to Kingsland?"
Tristan Sterling said, "I’ll be back in a couple of days."
Suzanne Sullivan hummed in acknowledgment. "I promised Miss Evelynn I’d have Claire stay in Portington to do some self-reflection."
Tristan Sterling grunted in response.
They didn’t chat much longer.
After hanging up, he looked back into the living room.
Rachel Royce was listening to Professor Bellamy, her brow furrowing from time to time. Her expression was one of unconcealable tension and belated fear.
But once Professor Bellamy finished speaking, her features relaxed.
After learning about the situation, Rachel Royce thanked Professor Bellamy profusely.
As she looked up, she inadvertently met Tristan Sterling’s gaze from where he was watching them. She coolly averted her eyes.
Seeing that they had finished talking, Tristan Sterling strode forward, pushed the door open, and walked into the living room.
"Professor, you’re done talking."
