The Husband I Loved for Eight Years Never Loved Me-Chapter 73: She’s Jealous of Melissa

Chapter 73: She Was Jealous of Melissa

Rachel Royce walked out of the office and glanced back inside. She saw the man’s profile, cold as frost, as he opened the envelope and saw the summons. The corner of his mouth curled into a deeply sarcastic smile.

"Aunt Evelynn, I’ll take you to my secret base."

Rachel Royce’s expression softened. "What secret base?"

"You’ll know when we get there."

Rachel Royce told the photographer and crew to go downstairs and wait for her.

Rachel Royce then followed Melissa Sterling from a hallway next to the children’s play area, heading upstairs. This section of the office had been heavily renovated.

When they reached a room upstairs, Melissa Sterling skillfully entered a passcode and pushed the door open.

Seeing the scene before her,

Rachel Royce was stunned.

Before her was a miniature botanical garden. The entire space was temperature-controlled, with holographic projectors creating a natural environment. Standing there felt like being in a real forest. There were all sorts of rare flowers and plants, rockeries and ponds, with koi swimming freely in the water and birds flitting through the leaves.

Melissa Sterling pulled Rachel Royce further inside.

Although she had heard from Thomas Sterling that Tristan had transferred half of his assets into Melissa Sterling’s name, Rachel was still shocked to see the true extent of Tristan Sterling’s love for his daughter.

’So, for a man like Tristan Sterling, he can give all his love to the people he cares about. But for those he doesn’t, he can be utterly cold-blooded and merciless.’

Melissa Sterling led Rachel Royce to a flowerbed. "Aunt Evelynn, can we make a flower crown together?"

Rachel Royce slowly crouched down, looked at Melissa Sterling, and asked, "Melissa, can I give you a hug?"

Melissa Sterling readily agreed, "Of course you can."

As she spoke, Melissa Sterling threw her arms around Rachel Royce’s neck and dove into her embrace. Rachel wrapped her arms around her daughter, feeling her small, warm body and her sweet, milky scent.

Countless emotions swelled in her heart, and she felt a prickling in her nose, fighting back tears.

’This was her daughter. The daughter who had been with her in her womb through countless difficult nights.’

「At the same time.」

The man in the president’s office watched the scene in the botanical garden unfold clearly on the surveillance monitor. His dark, deep, inscrutable gaze was fixed on the two people on the screen.

Rachel Royce noticed the flashing red light of a surveillance camera in the room. She didn’t dare hold on for too long. After composing herself, she let go of Melissa Sterling.

She helped Melissa Sterling weave a flower crown.

Tristan Sterling stopped watching the monitor and went back to his work.

「As noon approached.」

There was a knock on the office door.

"Come in."

Immediately, Claire Ainsworth pushed the door open and entered. She looked gentle and lovely in a white dress, and she carried an insulated container in her hand. Seeing the man at his desk, she walked over and called out softly, "Tristan!"

Tristan Sterling looked up at her. "You’re here."

Claire Ainsworth had called him before she came. She walked forward and placed the insulated container on the wooden desk.

"I brought the honey-glazed chicken wings Melissa loves. Where is she? I don’t see her."

She had just finished asking when Melissa’s voice came from outside the office.

"Daddy, Daddy."

Claire Ainsworth looked toward the door and saw Melissa Sterling run into the office, a beautiful flower crown on her head.

Just as she was about to greet Melissa, she saw Rachel Royce following behind her.

Claire Ainsworth’s expression stiffened.

Rachel Royce saw Claire Ainsworth as well.

Their eyes met.

Rachel Royce’s face showed little emotion, save for a faint smile.

"Miss Claire, when did you get here?"

Melissa Sterling seemed a little surprised to see Claire Ainsworth.

Claire Ainsworth walked over to Melissa Sterling, bent down slightly, and said with a warm smile, "I just arrived. I came especially to bring lunch for Melissa. Your flower crown is so pretty."

Melissa Sterling touched the flower crown on her head and said happily, "Aunt Evelynn made it for me."

"Did you thank Aunt Evelynn, Melissa?"

’From her words and tone, anyone would have thought she was Melissa’s mother.’

"I already did," Melissa Sterling said.

Claire Ainsworth stood up, looked at Rachel Royce, and said in a gentle tone, "Miss Evelynn, you’re very talented."

Rachel Royce smiled faintly. "I’m just glad Melissa likes it."

Melissa Sterling ran to her father to show off her flower crown. The look in Tristan Sterling’s eyes as he watched his daughter was always one of pure adoration, as if laying all the treasures in the world before her would never be enough.

Claire Ainsworth watched the father and daughter.

Although she hid her feelings well, Rachel Royce still caught the strange emotion that flickered in her eyes.

’A woman’s intuition is rarely wrong.’

’She was jealous of Melissa.’

’Jealous of the love and care Tristan Sterling showered upon her.’

As if sensing Rachel Royce’s gaze, Claire Ainsworth turned to look at her, her expression back to normal. "Miss Evelynn, are you here for work today?" she asked.

Rachel Royce had a work ID hanging from her neck.

"I’m here for an exclusive interview today," Rachel Royce said.

"I see. Are you finished then?"

’The implication was clear: she wanted her to leave.’

’How could Rachel Royce not understand?’

Even if she couldn’t bear to leave her daughter, she had no reason to stay any longer.

She gave a brief reply, then looked at Tristan Sterling and said, "President Sterling, I’ll be taking my leave now."

Before Tristan Sterling could reply, Melissa Sterling quickly interjected, "Daddy, can we have lunch with Aunt Evelynn?"

Rachel Royce was startled.

’She had just politely refused Melissa Sterling’s request.’

’She hadn’t expected Melissa Sterling to ask Tristan Sterling directly.’

Tristan Sterling looked at Rachel Royce, his dark, deep eyes seeming to probe her.

Claire Ainsworth was also watching her, her gaze clearly wary.

Rachel Royce’s expression was calm as she looked at Melissa Sterling and said, "Melissa, I can’t have lunch with you today. I still have work to do."

Melissa Sterling ran back to Rachel Royce, hugged her waist, and pouted. She suddenly became stubborn. "But you have to eat lunch even if you’re busy! Let’s eat now. My tummy is hungry."

Helpless, Rachel Royce looked up at Tristan Sterling.

"Melissa!" the man called out, his voice stern.

Melissa Sterling looked back at her father, her little face full of grievance. "Daddy."

"Aunt Evelynn has work to do. Miss Claire will be with you today."

Hearing this, Rachel Royce’s heart sank.

Claire Ainsworth walked in front of Rachel Royce, bent down to pick up Melissa Sterling, and stroked her little head, coaxing, "There, there, Melissa. Let’s not disturb Auntie’s work. Miss Claire will be with you today."

Melissa Sterling was visibly unhappy. She looked at Rachel Royce.

’Seeing her daughter’s pleading little face...’

’Rachel Royce felt a sharp pang in her heart.’

’But she really couldn’t stay any longer.’

"Goodbye, Melissa!"

With that, Rachel Royce nodded to Tristan Sterling and left without a moment’s hesitation.

Only after walking out of the company building did Rachel Royce finally release the breath she had been holding. She looked up at the sky, blinking hard and wiping the corners of her eyes. Once she had composed herself, she walked toward her parked car.

She called Lawyer Walsh as she walked.

The call connected.

"Lawyer Walsh, has the court summons been sent?"

Lawyer Walsh replied, "It should reach Mr. Sterling’s hands today."

"Okay, I understand."