The Husband I Loved for Eight Years Never Loved Me-Chapter 72: Pretty Auntie

Chapter 72: Pretty Auntie

Rachel Royce walked into the office with a composed expression.

But the sight before her still made her freeze in place.

The vast office was filled with traces of a little girl. The clean, white walls were covered in a child’s drawings and stickers.

Building blocks were scattered on the carpet.

There was also a Minion robot.

...

Tristan Sterling was at his desk, working.

Melissa Sterling was sitting obediently on her own little sofa, speaking to the robot in English.

Hearing the door open,

Tristan Sterling raised his eyes and saw the woman who had entered.

Rachel Royce was dressed formally today in a white blouse and suit trousers, her hair pinned up. Her features were delicate, and she projected an air of sharp competence.

The moment the man looked at her, Rachel had already composed her expression, forcing herself not to look at Melissa Sterling.

Melissa Sterling lifted her little head, and the moment she saw Rachel Royce, her eyes lit up. She put down the storybook in her hands and happily ran toward Rachel. "Pretty Auntie!"

Rachel Royce froze.

Before she could even react,

Melissa Sterling had already thrown her arms around her waist.

The impact jostled Rachel, who quickly steadied herself. She instinctively bent down and placed a hand on the child to support her, her gaze falling on little Melissa’s pretty, adorable face. Her big eyes were clear and bright, like dazzling black gems.

Rachel’s body went rigid. Her heart was pounding uncontrollably, and for a moment, she didn’t know how to react.

She only heard Melissa Sterling’s sweet voice as the little girl introduced herself. "Pretty Auntie, my name is Melissa Sterling. What’s your name?"

It was clear at a glance that she had a lively, cheerful personality—a little girl who had grown up surrounded by love.

Rachel Royce slowly crouched down to look at her daughter, her voice gentle as she asked, "Melissa, do you know me?"

Melissa Sterling answered obediently, "I saw Pretty Auntie during a video call with Daddy the other day. Then I was watching TV with Daddy, and I saw Pretty Auntie again. Daddy said I would get to see Pretty Auntie today, and you really came!"

The joy on Melissa Sterling’s face was plain to see.

Hearing her daughter’s voice, Rachel’s heart melted. ’I really want to hug her.’

She never expected little Melissa to remember her; this was a great comfort in its own way.

Rachel Royce smiled, sunlight reflecting in her eyes and warming her expression. "Thank you for liking me, Melissa." As she spoke, she took a pearl bracelet from her wrist. "How about I give this to you?"

Melissa Sterling took it with her small hands, exclaiming excitedly, "Thank you, Auntie! I have a gift for Pretty Auntie, too."

Melissa Sterling turned and ran back to grab a gift box she had prepared earlier.

As Rachel watched her daughter, she noticed the man who had remained seated behind his desk. He was just watching them quietly, his handsome face serene. She reined in her emotions, composing herself slightly.

Little Melissa walked up to Rachel and presented the gift to her with both hands.

Rachel reached out and took it. "Thank you."

"Pretty Auntie, open it and see if you like it!"

Rachel opened the box. Inside was a sunflower made of beads. The craftsmanship wasn’t particularly refined; it was clearly something Melissa Sterling had made herself.

’Countless emotions surged through her heart. She even felt like crying.’

But she restrained herself, saying with genuine emotion, "It’s beautiful. Thank you, Melissa. I love it."

Melissa Sterling smiled, her eyes curving into crescents. "I’m glad you like it, Auntie."

"Alright, Melissa."

Tristan Sterling’s voice cut in.

Rachel Royce slowly stood up, watching as the man rose and walked around his desk toward them.

Melissa Sterling looked back at her father and said, "Daddy, I want to talk with Pretty Auntie."

Tristan Sterling walked forward and picked up his daughter, saying gently, "Daddy and this auntie have work to do. Why don’t you go play outside for a bit?"

Melissa Sterling glanced back at Rachel, then looked at her father. "Then how long will you be working, Daddy?"

"Not too long. Be a good girl."

Melissa Sterling didn’t insist. "Okay, then!"

Tristan Sterling had the nanny come in to take Melissa out. Melissa went over and took Rachel’s hand, tilting her little head up to say obediently, "Pretty Auntie, I’ll just be playing outside. You and Daddy can focus on your work. I won’t disturb you."

Rachel Royce smiled and hummed in agreement. "Okay."

The nanny led Melissa Sterling out of the office.

The moment Melissa Sterling walked out of the office, the man’s entire aura turned noticeably colder.

Rachel looked at him and said in a professional tone, "President Sterling, thank you very much for agreeing to this interview today."

It was as if the unpleasant argument they’d had over the weekend had never happened.

Tristan Sterling glanced at her with his long, dark, fathomless eyes, then turned away. "Have a seat," he said, his voice cool and distant.

The man strode to the sofa and sat down, gathering the children’s English books from the cushions and placing them on Melissa Sterling’s dedicated bookshelf nearby.

Rachel Royce stood primly to the side, watching in silence.

She watched him lean back against the sofa, his long legs casually crossed. His refined, handsome features were as indifferent as frost, and he possessed the natural, imposing aura of a man in power, making one’s nerves instinctively tighten.

Tristan Sterling looked at her.

Rachel Royce offered a faint smile, then sat down properly across from the man. The photographer was positioned behind her.

Everything was ready.

"Thank you, President Sterling, for taking time out of your busy schedule for our interview. In the current economy of the digital and intelligent era, data, algorithms, and computing power are increasingly becoming new, decisive strategic factors..."

The main theme of the interview was domestic development and the global economy on the path toward this new era of digital intelligence.

During the interview,

Tristan Sterling gave in-depth answers to the questions she posed and offered his own insights.

Listening to his answers, Rachel’s tense nerves relaxed temporarily. ’Setting aside Tristan Sterling’s personal life and character, as a top leader in his industry, his ability and foresight were absolutely beyond question.’

Of course, it was precisely because she was facing such an authoritative man that Rachel Royce dared not slack off in the slightest; she had to maintain her utmost professional demeanor.

The half-hour interview proceeded very smoothly.

As it drew to a close,

the office door was suddenly pushed open.

A small head peeked in. Melissa Sterling looked at her father and asked in a soft, sweet voice, "Daddy, are you not done yet?"

"Come on in."

Tristan Sterling said, his voice tinged with a fond-yet-resigned indulgence.

Melissa Sterling pushed the door open and ran in happily. Instead of going to her father, she sat down next to Rachel Royce, swinging her little legs. Looking up at her, she asked, "Pretty Auntie, you didn’t tell me your name just now."

Rachel Royce said, "Evelynn!"

Melissa Sterling called out, "Aunt Evelynn."

Rachel Royce curved her lips into a smile and hummed in acknowledgment, but hearing the word "Aunt," she felt an indescribable emotion well up inside her.

’She never thought she would meet her own daughter this way.’

She turned her head to look at Tristan Sterling, only to hear the man say in a deep voice, "That will be all for today."

Rachel Royce didn’t say anything more. ’In any case, the day’s work was done, and it had gone more smoothly than she’d expected.’

’Thinking about it now, today probably went so smoothly because of Melissa Sterling.’

"Aunt Evelynn, since you’re not busy now, can you talk with me?"

Rachel looked at the man again, and seeing that he said nothing, she agreed.

Melissa Sterling happily hopped off the sofa and took Rachel’s hand. "Then let’s go outside so we don’t disturb Daddy while he works."

Feeling the warmth from her daughter’s small hand, Rachel’s heart felt as soft as water. She said her goodbyes to Tristan Sterling, picked up her tablet and files, and left with the photographer.

At that moment,

Mark Chapman knocked and entered. He walked briskly to Tristan Sterling and handed him a file folder, saying, "This is a summons from the court."

Hearing this,

Rachel Royce’s nerves tightened.