novelraw Chapter 209: The Unpresentable Mistress
Chapter 209: The Unpresentable Mistress
Chapter 209: The Disgraceful Mistress
Dinner was finally over.
David led Rachel Royce out of the restaurant by the hand.
The moment they stepped out, David said to Rachel, "Why don’t we go back in and sit for a while longer?"
Rachel pulled her hand away and walked straight ahead. "I should be getting back."
David just smiled and strode to catch up with her.
David took Rachel home.
Only Thomas Sterling was home; Julian Jennings and the others hadn’t returned yet.
Seeing the bouquet of roses in Rachel’s arms, he couldn’t help but frown and ask, "Who sent these?"
"David," Rachel replied.
Although he knew Rachel would never say yes to David, he couldn’t help but ask, "Why did he give you roses?"
"Just for fun," Rachel said.
Thomas Sterling didn’t press the matter.
Just then, Rachel’s phone vibrated.
She picked it up and saw it was a call from Tristan Sterling.
Seeing she wasn’t answering, Thomas Sterling asked, "A call from my cousin?"
Rachel murmured an affirmation, took a deep breath, and finally answered the call. "Hello," she said flatly.
Tristan Sterling’s deep voice came through the line. "Have you decided when you’re coming back?" His tone wasn’t pleasant; it had that same old domineering edge.
"I have my own plans," Rachel said.
The other end of the line fell silent.
Just as Rachel was about to hang up, the man’s voice came again. "Don’t be naive enough to think David is serious about you. Compared to his other women, you’re nothing."
Hearing the man’s contemptuous words, Rachel gripped her phone tighter and scoffed. "I know my own worth. I don’t need you to call just to remind me. So, since I’m so ’unpresentable,’ why don’t we hurry up and set a date for the divorce? I’m clearly not worthy of being listed as your spouse. Wouldn’t want to insult the great Tristan Sterling, now would I?"
"Rachel, I’m trying to have a civil conversation with you," the man’s voice deepened.
The sarcastic smile on Rachel’s lips widened. "Sorry, but I really can’t tell you’re trying to be ’civil.’ But since you are, I have a question for you. Will you answer it?"
Tristan replied, "You’d do well to remember what I just said. If I see you’re still here in two days, I’ll have someone personally escort you back."
Before Rachel could say anything else, Tristan had already hung up.
Listening to the dial tone, Rachel wished she could reach through the phone and slap him.
Thomas, who had likely overheard the conversation, said, "My cousin must have seen David give you those flowers today."
Rachel rubbed her temples. "I ran into Tristan Sterling. And Alexander Sullivan and Claire Ainsworth were with him."
Thomas was taken aback for a moment, then said, "They really are inseparable."
Rachel let out a cold, mocking laugh.
「The next two days.」
Rachel had to confirm the funds from her equity transfer. The amount was large and the verification period was long. After completing all the procedures at the bank and deducting the relevant taxes, the final amount that arrived in her account was eighty million US dollars.
As she and Thomas Sterling left the bank, she received a call from Lina.
"Lina."
"Evelynn, you’re heading back tomorrow?"
Rachel hummed in agreement. "Yeah, it’s time to go back."
"I resigned from KU today, too," Lina said.
Lina had already told her about this when they’d spoken a couple of days ago. Her husband’s job was relocating him to Emberland, and she was going with him.
Besides, she didn’t think she could get along with the new manager who had been assigned.
For a moment, Rachel didn’t know what to say.
’All she felt was a wave of emotion.’
’The company they had fought for together... in just a few short years, everything had changed, and now they were parting ways.’
"I’m afraid it’ll be hard for us to see each other again after this. If you have time tonight, let’s have one last dinner."
"Of course," Rachel said.
"Great."
Lina arranged a time with her.
After she hung up, Thomas said, "Then I’ll go with you tonight."
Rachel knew what he was worried about. Things had indeed been quiet and smooth lately, but it was always better to be careful.
"Okay."
In the afternoon, the two of them went shopping at New York’s largest mall. Since they had made the trip, they definitely had to buy some gifts to take back.
Rachel spotted a necklace she wanted to buy for Florence Preston.
Just as she was asking the salesperson to wrap it up, a grating voice cut in, "I’ll take the necklace she wants."
The salesperson froze.
Rachel turned and frowned at the sight of Claire Ainsworth walking in.
Claire Ainsworth walked over and asked the salesperson, "How much is the necklace?"
"Five million," the salesperson replied.
Claire directly produced a black card. Rachel recognized it at a glance as the American Express Centurion Card, a top-tier black card known worldwide.
’For her to flaunt it like this in front of me... I don’t even have to think to know whose card that is.’
’So this is what she’s been reduced to—using such childish, tacky methods to show off in front of me. Of course, the fact that Tristan gave her the card is proof enough of how much he cares about her.’
’He doesn’t have time to be with her, so he compensates her with money.’
The sales staff was startled at the sight of the black card. A truly distinguished customer had arrived. They turned to Rachel and said, "I’m sorry, miss. With this card, she is entitled to VIP priority treatment in all the shops in our mall."
Claire looked at Rachel with contempt, her gaze sweeping over Thomas Sterling. "You really are shameless. Last night you were with David, today you’re with Thomas. I guess since you were too ugly before, no one wanted you. Now that your plastic surgery was a success, you’ve really gotten good at seducing men... Ah!"
Rachel slapped Claire squarely across the face.
The crisp sound of the slap echoed through the air.
The people around them jumped in shock.
"It seems your mouth still doesn’t know how to speak like a human being."
Seeing this, Claire Ainsworth’s bodyguards immediately stepped forward.
Thomas Sterling moved to stand in front of Rachel, his voice harsh. "You dare touch her."
Rachel reached out and snatched the black card right out of Claire’s hand.
"Bitch, what are you doing?"
Rachel easily pushed her away. "It seems you still don’t get it. You’re just a third party who inserted herself into someone else’s marriage, an unpresentable mistress. What right do you have to show off in front of me?"
Hearing this, the onlookers instantly understood.
This was a confrontation between the mistress and the original wife.
And the mistress was so brazen, daring to flaunt her status in front of the wife. It was clear just how much she was doted on.
Claire’s face flushed with anger. "You’re nothing but low-class trash, a woman who slept her way into her position...!"
"Claire Ainsworth, you watch your damn mouth!" Thomas Sterling roared, unable to listen to any more.
Claire’s face paled in fear.
Understanding the situation, one of the bodyguards took out his phone and immediately called Tristan Sterling.
"What’s all this commotion about?"
Another voice, one even more disgusting and repulsive, rang out.
Rachel looked up in the direction of the voice and saw Zion Alden emerging from a VIP room upstairs, a sexy woman on his arm.
His voice wasn’t loud, but it carried enough authority to silence the entire store.
Rachel frowned.
’So much for a few days of peace.’
’Just when I’m about to go home, all these disgusting people have to show up.’
Claire’s heart clenched. She turned to look at Zion Alden, and the moment she saw him, she froze, stunned. It was because the man before her was simply too handsome, his features so refined they seemed both wicked and bewitching.