The Husband I Loved for Eight Years Never Loved Me-Chapter 68: Seeing Her Daughter

Chapter 68: Seeing Her Daughter

Julian Jennings handed the stroller to June Jennings. "You two go on ahead. Just call me if you need anything."

June Jennings said, "Okay. Stella, say goodbye to your uncle."

Stella waved at Julian Jennings. "Goodbye, Uncle."

Julian Jennings gently patted Stella’s head.

Thomas Sterling said goodbye to Rachel Royce. "Call me when you’re ready to go home. I’ll come get you."

Rachel Royce murmured in acknowledgment.

Thomas Sterling also said his goodbyes to Julian Jennings.

June Jennings placed the child in the stroller and headed into the mall.

June asked gossipingly, "So, are you two living together?"

Rachel Royce corrected her. "We live in the same residential community."

June Jennings gave a suggestive smile. "Oh, really? And what’s the difference?"

Rachel Royce gave her a serious look. "What are you trying to say?"

June Jennings’s eyes crinkled in a smile. "Nothing. Just curious."

Thomas Sterling used to visit Rachel Royce in the United States from time to time, so June Jennings had naturally gotten to know him as well.

Thomas’s intentions couldn’t have been more obvious, but Rachel was completely focused on her career right now and had no interest in romance. 𝘧𝘳𝘦ℯ𝓌𝘦𝒷𝘯𝑜𝑣𝘦𝓁.𝒸𝘰𝓂

’Which is fine by me.’

’I was hoping to set Rachel up with my brother, anyway.’

"By the way, do you have any idea how much buzz there is about you online right now?"

Rachel Royce was too busy with work to pay attention to online news. However, she had seen the trending topics that morning. Her popularity had skyrocketed after hosting a financial news program the previous night, which came on the heels of the attention she’d received for hosting a financial summit a couple of days prior.

She’d immediately called her contacts to get the story suppressed.

’She had no desire to become a public figure.’

"It figures. The moment our Miss Evelynn makes an appearance, she’s instantly the brightest star in the sky."

Rachel Royce shot her a look. "You’re that shallow?"

June Jennings laughed, her eyes raking over Rachel’s figure.

Today, Rachel Royce was wearing a blue, form-fitting, square-necked minidress. With her slender yet curvaceous figure, captivating aura, and beautiful face, even June, a woman herself, felt a little smitten.

Her gaze finally landed on Rachel’s chest. "Of course not. I appreciate your ’inner qualities’ too."

Rachel Royce turned June’s head away. "Don’t be a bad influence on the kid."

As she spoke, she took the stroller from her.

June Jennings laughed and stepped forward to wrap an arm around her waist. "When will I ever have your discipline to get a tiny waist like this?"

"Careful, I’ll report you for harassment."

"..."

The two teased each other as they walked into the mall.

After browsing the luxury womenswear section, they each bought two new-season dresses.

Afterwards, they went up to the children’s department on the third floor.

June went to the restroom.

Rachel took Stella to start looking. She saw some beautiful little dresses and, without even having Stella try them on, couldn’t resist buying two of them on the spot.

A sales associate recommended a casual, pale yellow, short-sleeved jacket with a bow that tied in the back. Rachel squatted down to help Stella try it on.

"Melissa, do you like this one?"

Hearing the familiar voice, Rachel’s heart clenched.

She glanced back and saw Claire Ainsworth through a rack of clothes.

And... Melissa Sterling.

The sight of her daughter’s fair profile made the suppressed longing rush over her like a tidal wave, and her heart ached with sharp pangs of pain.

Her gaze was fixed on Melissa Sterling, and for a moment, she was completely lost in a trance.

"Godmother!"

Stella’s voice rang out.

Rachel finally snapped out of it. She took a breath to calm herself and went back to tying the bow for Stella. It was the simplest of movements, yet it took her three tries.

"There, Stella. All done."

Her voice was noticeably hoarse.

"Tristan, what do you think of this one?"

Claire Ainsworth’s voice reached her ears again.

Rachel’s fingers clenched. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Tristan Sterling walk in through the entrance. She had long anticipated a scene like this.

But seeing it with her own eyes, she couldn’t stop a wave of bitter anger from surging through her.

"Godmother, what’s wrong?" Stella asked with concern, sensing that something was off.

Rachel took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down, and said with a smile, "It’s nothing."

She led Stella over to the mirror.

Squatting beside Stella, she straightened the little girl’s jacket. "Do you like it, Stella?"

Stella twirled around to look at the bow on her back and said happily, "I love it!"

Tristan Sterling heard the voice and caught sight of a familiar figure in his periphery. He turned his head and saw a woman gently and meticulously adjusting a little girl’s outfit, her eyes filled with doting affection.

As Rachel stood up, her gaze unintentionally met the man’s dark, bottomless eyes.

She coolly pulled her gaze away, as if she had just seen an inconsequential stranger. Bending down, she took Stella’s hand and led her to the register, ready to pay and leave.

Claire Ainsworth, of course, had noticed Rachel. Seeing Tristan’s gaze fixed on the other woman, she felt a sudden pang of insecurity.

’This Evelynn certainly had what it takes to attract a man.’

"That’s Evelynn. You wouldn’t think she’d have a child that old."

As she spoke, she looked at Tristan, but his handsome face wore its usual, unreadable expression.

"Daddy, look at my shoes."

Melissa had taken a liking to a pair of small red leather shoes, which a sales associate had just helped her put on.

Melissa kept looking down at her own shoes. With a clothing rack blocking her view and her short stature limiting her line of sight, she hadn’t seen Rachel at all.

Tristan lowered his gaze and knelt on one knee. As he watched his daughter happily swinging her little legs to show off her new shoes, the cold depths of his eyes instantly softened with a gentle warmth.

Rachel paid and took the bag from the sales associate. When she turned around, she saw her daughter sitting on a sofa, looking so happy and innocent.

’There was nothing more painful in the world than having your own daughter right in front of you, yet being unable to go to her, forced to act like a complete stranger.’

She suppressed the emotions welling up inside her and led Stella out of the store.

Just as they left the children’s clothing store, they ran into June, who was walking toward them.

"Done already?" June asked. Then, noticing that Rachel’s mood was off, she added with concern, "Rachel, what’s wrong?"

Stella looked up at her godmother, her eyes full of confusion. "Godmother!"

"It’s nothing. Let’s just go," Rachel said.

Once they were downstairs and a safe distance away, Rachel finally lost control, and tears began to stream down her face.

June was alarmed. She quickly steadied Rachel and asked anxiously, "Rachel, what is it? What happened?"

"Godmother, godmother, don’t cry!"

"..."

Rachel was speechless for a moment. After a long pause, she finally choked out, "I... I’m just going to the restroom."

When Rachel came out again, she had calmed down, though her eyes were still red.