novelraw Chapter 232: Don’t Come Looking for My Dad Anymore
Chapter 232: Don’t Come Looking for My Dad Anymore
Chapter 232: Don’t Come Looking For My Dad Anymore
Just as Claire Ainsworth arrived at Tristan Sterling’s office door with some pastries, she heard Melissa’s happy, excited voice drift out.
"What a beautiful bracelet! Mommy will definitely love it." Hearing this, a chill shot through Claire, starting from the soles of her feet and spreading throughout her entire body. It was followed by a wave of endless hatred.
’Melissa Sterling is calling Rachel Royce "Mommy"? Have they finally reunited as mother and daughter?’
’The bracelet she mentioned... it must be that purple jade bracelet I saw before.’
’I thought Tristan was going to give that bracelet to me. I was so miserable last night, but he never came to comfort me with it.’
’But judging from what Melissa Sterling just said...’
’...is he giving the bracelet to Rachel Royce?’
In an instant,
her eyes turned sinister. Her nails dug into her palms, but it was as if she couldn’t feel the pain at all.
Tristan Sterling came out with Melissa, and they saw Claire Ainsworth standing by the door.
"Claire." Hearing her name, Claire snapped back to her senses. She hurriedly masked the emotions in her eyes and forced a gentle smile. Crouching down to Melissa’s level, she said, "Melissa, it’s been a while. Auntie brought you your favorite blueberry cake. Would you like some?"
Melissa looked at Claire and said, "Miss Claire, can you please stop coming to see my dad? If my mommy sees you, she might get the wrong idea."
No matter how hard Claire tried to maintain her composure, she could barely keep her smile from cracking after hearing Melissa’s words.
Melissa paid Claire no mind, tugging on her father’s hand. "Daddy, hurry up and take me to Mommy’s."
Tristan Sterling looked at Claire. "Claire, you should head home for today."
Claire remained frozen in place. Long after the father and daughter disappeared from view, she still hadn’t snapped out of her daze. Her hatred for Melissa Sterling swelled, reaching a boiling point.
She got back in her car.
She pulled out her phone. After a moment’s hesitation, she dialed a number.
The line rang twice.
The call connected. "Can you really help me?"
"Of course."
"..."
Rachel Royce froze when she saw the jade bracelet again.
"Can I put it on Mommy?" Melissa asked happily.
Rachel snapped out of her daze. "Okay, say goodbye to your dad. Let’s head inside."
Tristan Sterling handed Melissa’s backpack to her, then said to his daughter, "Melissa, be a good girl, okay? Daddy has to get back to work."
Melissa suddenly remembered something. "Daddy, come over here. I need to tell you something."
Melissa pulled Tristan Sterling a short distance away, pointedly glancing back at Rachel Royce to make sure she was out of earshot before she stopped.
Rachel watched Melissa’s obvious attempt to keep her out of the loop and wondered what the little girl was plotting in that head of hers.
All she could see was Melissa’s little face, looking exceptionally serious as she warned Tristan Sterling about something. Her indignant expression made her look just like a miniature adult.
The man, so powerful and imposing out in the world, could only stand there and take a scolding from Melissa, not daring to talk back.
Only after Tristan Sterling promised her something did Melissa finally run back to Rachel Royce.
Tristan Sterling walked over to Rachel and reminded her, "Melissa’s been coughing a little lately. Make sure she stays warm at night so she doesn’t catch a cold."
"Got it."
Rachel’s tone was dismissive. She took Melissa’s backpack, led her by her small hand into the house, and shut the door in his face.
Tristan Sterling stared at the closed door for a moment, then turned and got into his car.
Rachel took Melissa inside.
Johnson Royce and Florence Preston were overjoyed to see Melissa.
Hearing the child call her "Mommy,"
Florence Preston and Johnson Royce were taken aback. Melissa took the initiative to explain, "Mr. Royce, Grandma Preston, I want Aunt Evelynn to be my mommy."
The two exchanged a look. It was clear that Rachel hadn’t accepted the title yet—it was just what Melissa wanted to call her.
’The way things are between Rachel and Tristan Sterling... it’s no different from a divorced couple raising a child. But with Melissa so desperate for them to get together, we can’t possibly let her know that Rachel really is her mother.’
’It would only make their divorce even more difficult.’
Melissa stayed with Rachel for the next two days.
Melissa knew Rachel was also going to Evelyn Fitzwilliam’s birthday party, so after school on Wednesday, she didn’t go back to her dad’s house, insisting on going to the party with her mom the next day.
Tristan Sterling called and asked, "You’re going to Thomas’s mother’s birthday party?"
Rachel said, "I have work to do tomorrow, so I’ll have to leave early. Once we get to the hotel, I’ll drop Melissa off with her grandmother."
Tristan hummed in acknowledgment. "Alright. Let me know when you arrive."
Rachel gave a noncommittal response.
「The next day.」
Since she really did have work to attend to, Rachel decided she would just stop by in the morning to drop off a gift. She gave Thomas Sterling a call.
"Yeah, I’m about to head to the hotel now. You can just meet me there, Rachel."
"Okay."
Less than ten minutes after hanging up with Rachel, Thomas Sterling pulled into the hotel’s underground parking garage.
As Thomas Sterling was waiting for the elevator, a figure suddenly appeared in his peripheral vision. He paused, then glanced to the side. When he got a clear look at the person, he felt a brief sense of dislocation.
"President Sterling." The woman greeted Thomas Sterling politely. "It really is you. Are you here on business today?"
As she spoke, she coughed twice. Though her makeup masked her pallor, she was clearly unwell.
"Yes, something like that," Thomas replied, his tone polite but distant.
She was, after all, Raina Willow, the popular young actress and spokesperson for his company’s new game.
When they were originally selecting the spokesperson, they had considered many actresses. He had ultimately chosen Raina Willow because she bore a slight resemblance to Rachel.
With her makeup and attire today, she looked even more like Rachel—at least a fifty or sixty percent match at first glance. But on closer inspection, her aura and actual features were a far cry from the real thing.
Raina Willow was here today for a brand event.
"Not feeling well?" Thomas Sterling asked.
Raina Willow said, "It’s just a little fever. But I couldn’t postpone today’s event, so I had to be here."
Thomas hummed in acknowledgment. "You should still take care of yourself."
Raina Willow gave him a small smile. "Thank you, I will. I was just wondering... about tomorrow’s shoot. I don’t know if you could be a little flexible, President Sterling."
Tomorrow, Raina Willow was scheduled to shoot new promotional material for Thomas Sterling’s game company.
"You just need to talk to the project manager," Thomas Sterling said.
Raina Willow nodded.
The elevator doors opened.
Like a gentleman, Thomas Sterling gestured for her to get in first, intending to wait for the next one.
Raina Willow stopped and turned to look at the man. "Aren’t you getting in, President Sterling?"
"Please, Miss Willow, go ahead," Thomas said.
Raina Willow didn’t insist. She gave Thomas a faint smile as her assistant pressed the "close door" button.
Before the doors could fully close,
Raina Willow suddenly crumpled to the floor, unconscious.
Her assistant panicked and frantically jabbed the "open door" button. Looking at Thomas Sterling, who was still standing outside, she pleaded, "Mr. Sterling, could you please help me get her upstairs?"
Thomas Sterling frowned. He glanced over his shoulder into the dim parking garage, but saw nothing. His gaze returned to the elevator. Raina Willow looked to be in a bad state, and her assistant, laden with bags, was struggling to support her.
Thomas Sterling strode into the elevator, and the doors slid shut.