The Husband I Loved for Eight Years Never Loved Me-Chapter 27: Giving Myself Closure

Chapter 27: Closure for Myself

By the time Rachel Royce arrived at Joanna Sutton’s hospital room, she had completely calmed down.

"Rachel, you’re here! You didn’t have to bring fruit."

She placed the fruit on the coffee table and looked at the half-empty IV bag. "Is there another one after this?" she asked.

"This is the last of it."

"You can’t drink like you did the other night anymore."

Joanna Sutton smiled. "It’s hard not to when you’re in a bad mood. You need an outlet. I’ll be more careful from now on."

Just as the IV drip finished, Julian Jennings also arrived at the hospital room.

The three of them had lunch together at a restaurant near the hospital, ordering light dishes.

Rachel Royce mentioned running into Teacher Fitzwilliam at the university the other day.

Julian Jennings said, "Teacher Fitzwilliam often goes back to campus. He says seeing all the young students makes him feel young again."

Joanna Sutton was surprised. "Rachel, you know Principal Fitzwilliam?"

Mr. Fitzwilliam had retired less than two years after mentoring Julian Jennings.

Julian Jennings said, "When I was mentoring Rachel, Teacher Fitzwilliam really approved of her. After he retired, he tutored her privately and took her to many seminars to broaden her horizons."

Joanna Sutton already knew Rachel was brilliant. Julian had told her about the double major in mathematics and finance, and the numerous international math awards she’d won during her time at university. But none of that was as shocking as hearing that Principal Fitzwilliam had tutored her privately.

"Rachel, you must be incredibly talented to have Mr. Fitzwilliam tutor you privately after he retired."

Principal Fitzwilliam was notoriously known as the "King of Failing." Every student he mentored was top-notch, but you couldn’t hope to get your diploma without him putting you through the wringer for five or six years. The only exception was an elite genius like Julian Jennings, who even managed to graduate early under him.

And yet, Rachel had been granted the special honor of being tutored by Mr. Fitzwilliam even after his retirement.

Rachel, however, only felt ashamed. Having fallen into such a state, she was too ashamed to bring up her past.

"Tristan Sterling must be blind. A pig can’t appreciate fine dining, and he’s only fit for scraps and garbage."

Rachel merely offered a faint smile.

Julian Jennings said, "Don’t forget the pain once the wound has healed. We’re in public, watch your words."

Joanna Sutton retorted, "I doubt he has supersonic hearing."

...

After lunch, Rachel planned to go straight to the yoga studio. Since Joanna had nothing else to do, she decided to go with her.

Julian Jennings instructed Joanna, "Take good care of Rachel."

Joanna pouted. "Hey, I’m still the patient here."

Julian Jennings said, "Do you want to go back to the hospital for another two IV bags, then?"

"Hmph. Never mind."

...

Rachel couldn’t help but chuckle.

They got in the car. Zachary Dudley drove the two of them to the yoga studio.

Joanna studied Rachel and said, "Rachel, with your features, once you have the baby, lose the weight, and get your nose reshaped, you’ll be an absolute knockout. You’ll blind a certain someone’s dog eyes."

Rachel subconsciously touched her nose. Before she got sick, her nose had been high-bridged and perfectly proportioned. She still remembered the autumn of her first year of high school.

She was taking pictures with a classmate in a ginkgo grove when a photographer snapped a photo of her profile and uploaded it, along with a video, to the internet. It went viral instantly, and someone contacted her about signing with an agency to become an actress.

Later, her father sent the photographer a lawyer’s letter. The photographer apologized and deleted the photo and video. She had no interest in getting into the entertainment industry anyway, so the hype eventually died down.

However, because she had gone viral, many students from other schools made special trips just to see her.

Naturally, Thomas Sterling became her "Flower Protector."

But later, when she got sick, her nose swelled up, causing her looks to take a nosedive.

Before starting her job at Cedarwood, she had some cosmetic procedures done.

But now, due to pregnancy hormones, her nose was even bigger.

Rachel smiled faintly. "Well, I’ll have to wait until after the baby is born for that."

「Two days later.」

Tristan Sterling was home in the evenings. However, he and Rachel barely saw each other.

’This is good, too.’

All she had to do now was wait to deliver the baby safely.

After the old madam’s scolding, Lisa Lawson and Frances Wyatt were much more well-behaved. They would prepare breakfast for her. After finishing work at the university, she would go straight to the yoga studio, where Florence Preston would be waiting for her early with dinner.

There was a famous path lined with ginkgo trees on the Kingsland University campus. By now, the leaves had turned a brilliant gold, like dazzling stars under the warm winter sun.

Students flocked to the path to take pictures.

From Rachel’s office in the administration building, she had a perfect view of the golden path below.

She hadn’t expected Mr. Fitzwilliam to come to the administration building today. When he saw Rachel, he once again asked her to read the newspaper to him.

Sitting in the office, Rachel read the newspaper to Mr. Fitzwilliam.

About forty minutes passed.

"Alright, that’s enough for today."

Rachel put the newspaper down. Noticing that the water in Mr. Fitzwilliam’s thermos was gone, she picked it up. "Let me get you some more water."

Rachel took the thermos to the water cooler, which was next to the floor-to-ceiling window. As she finished filling it, she glanced down and saw two familiar figures below.

Passing students would occasionally stop and turn back to look at the pair, their eyes filled with admiration.

It was the middle of the workday. Tristan Sterling had always been busy with work, yet now he could make time whenever he wanted to be with the person he cared about.

She lowered her gaze and looked away.

’How could it not hurt to see the dream of her youth living out a beautiful romance with another girl?’

"What are you looking at?"

Mr. Fitzwilliam’s voice broke her train of thought.

Rachel looked away from the window, a faint smile on her lips. "The ginkgo leaves are beautiful today," she said, walking over to place the thermos in front of Mr. Fitzwilliam.

Mr. Fitzwilliam looked at her and asked, "Julian tells me he’s recommended you to Stanford University."

Rachel hummed in affirmation. "I’ll have to wait until after the baby is born next year to go."

"Does your husband’s family approve?"

Rachel’s hands, clasped in her lap, tightened. She was silent for a moment before finally answering truthfully, "After the baby is born, I... I expect we’ll get a divorce."

She kept her head down, completely unable to face Mr. Fitzwilliam.

’If she had followed Mr. Fitzwilliam’s advice and pursued her doctorate, her life would be completely different now. She might have been shining on her own stage, not a failure with nothing to show for herself like she was now.’

’But did she regret it?’

’No, she didn’t.’

’Life isn’t always a smooth path. Some hardships are inevitable. She considered it closure for her youth. Though the ending was tragic, it forced her to see reality and stop indulging in fantasies. It was, in a way, a chance for her heart to grow.’

Mr. Fitzwilliam gripped his cane, his expression darkening slightly. "Did he ask for it?"

Rachel hummed in assent.

Mr. Fitzwilliam didn’t ask any more questions. "A divorce might be for the best. In that case, you can focus on your studies."

Rachel nodded, her voice firm. "I will."

Mr. Fitzwilliam didn’t stay much longer.

Rachel offered to see him downstairs, but Mr. Fitzwilliam refused. "No need to see me out."

Mr. Fitzwilliam went downstairs.

Jacob Archer accompanied him. "The ginkgo leaves are even more beautiful this year, Mr. Fitzwilliam. Would you like to take a walk?"

Mr. Fitzwilliam gazed at the vast expanse of golden ginkgo leaves. He saw a Bentley pull up slowly to the side of the road, the driver getting out to wait.

A man and a woman were walking toward the car.

Jacob Archer recognized Tristan Sterling at a glance. "That’s Young Master Sterling."

Tristan Sterling also saw Mr. Fitzwilliam at the opposite end of the path, and he paused.