The Husband I Loved for Eight Years Never Loved Me-Chapter 8: Looking at Your Sister’s Photo Again
Chapter 8: Looking at Your Sister’s Picture Again
He assumed Zane Shaw had run into an acquaintance, so he didn’t go over to disturb them. 𝘧𝓇𝑒𝑒𝑤ℯ𝑏𝓃𝘰𝑣ℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮
Suzanne Sullivan strode forward, but just as he reached out to help her up,
he was stopped by Zane Shaw. "Suzanne, leave her be. She deserves it."
Suzanne Sullivan helped her up anyway and asked, "Are you all right?"
Rachel Royce was in too much pain to speak. She didn’t look up at the man in front of her, only shaking her head before limping toward the thermal lunch box that had been sent flying.
Suzanne Sullivan looked at Zane Shaw and said, "Didn’t you see she’s pregnant? This is Tristan’s company. What if something had happened?"
Zane Shaw glanced at Rachel Royce’s broad back and sneered. "She looks fine, doesn’t she? And if something did happen, it’d be for the best if she lost the baby."
Hearing this, Rachel Royce’s body stiffened, and a sharp pain clenched her heart.
’For Zane Shaw to say something like that can only mean one thing: Tristan Sterling doesn’t want this child at all.’
Suzanne Sullivan couldn’t help but frown.
Just then,
a clear, pleasant voice called out, "Brother."
Snapped out of his thoughts, Suzanne Sullivan looked up to see Claire Ainsworth running toward him. The girl wore a beret, a high-quality wool sweater paired with a pleated skirt, and white boots on her slender legs. She was the very picture of youthful radiance—vibrant and beautiful.
Following behind her was a handsome man, the girl’s coat draped over his arm, his gaze fixed on her with utter adoration.
"Why are you running so fast? What if you fall?" Suzanne Sullivan chided.
Claire Ainsworth took Suzanne Sullivan’s arm and said coquettishly, "I’m not a child. It’s not that easy for me to fall."
Zane Shaw stepped forward. "If Miss Ainsworth were to fall, our great President Sterling would probably have to tear down the company and rebuild it."
Claire Ainsworth’s cheeks flushed slightly as she huffed, "Zane, what are you talking about?"
Tristan Sterling walked over. "Let’s go. Time for lunch."
Zane Shaw and Suzanne Sullivan had come here to wait for Tristan Sterling and Claire Ainsworth.
Claire Ainsworth let go of Suzanne Sullivan and reached out to take the hand of the man beside her.
The group headed toward the entrance.
They saw Rachel Royce struggling to squat down and pick up her thermal lunch box.
Tristan Sterling’s face was devoid of emotion, his expression indifferent.
Claire Ainsworth glanced at him instinctively before looking away.
The group walked straight out the company’s main entrance.
A car slowly pulled up.
A security guard stepped forward to open the car door.
Tristan Sterling carefully helped the girl into the car.
Two cars slowly drove away.
Looking utterly defeated, Rachel Royce picked up her thermal lunch box, turned, and slowly shuffled toward the elevator.
Back at her desk,
Rachel Royce had completely lost her appetite. She just sat there woodenly, not moving. She didn’t want to cry, didn’t want to feel sorry for herself. She had always been a strong person, someone who never wanted to show her vulnerable side.
’But right now, I just want to cry. I need to let it all out.’
After lunch, Tristan Sterling and his group went to a golf course.
Suzanne Sullivan was sitting on a chair in the rest area, staring at a pocket watch in his hand. Inside was a photograph of a girl about ten years old, wearing a woven hat and standing on a beach, holding a conch shell with a bright, happy smile.
"Looking at your sister’s picture again?" Tristan Sterling’s voice sounded.
Suzanne Sullivan closed the watch, slipped it into his breast pocket, and took a sip of tea. "It’s nothing."
’He wasn’t sure why, but the thought of that pregnant woman being bullied by Simon Shaw stirred a strange, inexplicable feeling inside him.’
Tristan Sterling looked at Suzanne Sullivan. The two had met while studying abroad and later co-founded a private equity firm.
In all the years they had known each other, Tristan Sterling was aware that he had a biological sister. He always carried her picture with him, a clear sign of how much he missed her.
Years ago, after his mother’s divorce, she had taken him with her when she married into the Ainsworth Family in Portington. The Ainsworths were a prominent and powerful family in Portington. Suzanne Sullivan had taken his mother’s surname and was personally groomed by Chairman Ainsworth. Now, he was the CEO of MK Group.
"Now that you’re in Kingsland, you’re not going to look for her?"
Suzanne Sullivan shook his head. "Seeing her would only bring more sadness. She probably doesn’t even remember having me as a brother anymore."
She was only nine the year his mother took him away. More than a decade had passed; he was likely just a blurry memory in Rachel’s heart by now.
’Even if we met, we’d just be familiar strangers. What’s the point of a reunion like that?’
"You don’t want to know what she looks like now?"
Suzanne Sullivan’s gaze fell on Claire Ainsworth in the distance, and as if seeing another person’s face through hers, a faint smile touched his lips. "She probably looks a lot like Claire. I wonder which little rascal will end up with her."
Tristan Sterling gave a faint smile and watched Claire Ainsworth walk toward them. "You can’t let Claire know you have a biological sister. If she knew you still thought about her so much, she’d definitely get jealous."
Suzanne Sullivan said, "While I don’t oppose you dating Claire, I certainly won’t allow her to move in with you until you’ve sorted out your own affairs."
A faint, silent smile played on Tristan Sterling’s lips.
"Brother, what are you two talking about?"
Suzanne Sullivan smiled. "Nothing much."
*
"Rachel Royce, what is your problem? Do you really think you’re so special?!"
Sandra Chapman slammed a stack of documents down in front of Rachel Royce.
Just moments ago, Sandra Chapman had, as usual, tried to palm off work that wasn’t Rachel’s onto her, but Rachel had flatly refused.
Rachel Royce looked at the furious Sandra Chapman and sneered, "Secretary Chapman, if you can’t even handle this little bit of work and have to get someone else to do it for you, I think you should just quit while you’re ahead."
...
The other colleagues in the office watched the commotion, stunned by Rachel Royce’s words. ’Looks like she really doesn’t want this job anymore. She’s got nothing left to lose.’
Hearing this, Sandra Chapman was so enraged that she strode forward and raised her hand to slap her.
But Rachel Royce reacted first, grabbing a glass of water from her desk and throwing it at Sandra Chapman.
Drenched, Sandra Chapman froze on the spot, then shrieked, "Rachel Royce, you shameless fat pig!"
"What’s all this noise?"
Mark Chapman’s voice cut in. Sandra Chapman stopped her lunge. Mark stormed over, saw Sandra’s drenched and sorry state, and demanded, "What happened?"
Sandra Chapman took a deep breath. "I assigned Rachel Royce some work, and she refused to do it."
Mark Chapman frowned, his eyes filled with deep displeasure as he glared at Rachel Royce. "What gives you the right to act special here? This is a company, not your home!"
Rachel Royce took the ID badge from around her neck, tossed it onto the desk, and stared coldly at Mark Chapman. "Fine. I quit, effective immediately. Is that good enough for you?"
With that,
Rachel Royce grabbed her bag, picked up her thermal lunch box, and walked out.
"Rachel Royce!"
Mark Chapman was livid. He never imagined Rachel Royce would have the audacity to do that.
Rachel Royce took the elevator downstairs. Just as she stepped out, she ran into Tristan Sterling, who was returning to the company. The moment he saw her, his face turned cold.
Rachel Royce saw him too. ’So he’s just now coming back to the office after spending time with his little girlfriend.’ She lowered her gaze, biting her lip to suppress the turmoil inside as she continued walking. She passed him without a word of greeting and walked straight out of the company’s main entrance.
Rachel Royce hailed a cab to the villa at Clearwater Bend. She was going to pack her things and move back home.
Back at the villa,
Rachel Royce didn’t see the two maids. She paid them no mind, went to her room, and took out a suitcase to start packing.
She had been living here for over half a year, so she couldn’t move everything at once. She would just take her essentials and clothes for now. After she and Tristan divorced, she could come back for the rest.
Just as she finished packing and was about to leave,
Lisa Lawson suddenly appeared at the doorway. Seeing her with the luggage, she asked disapprovingly, "What do you think you’re doing? The master is coming home tonight. Where are you going? Shouldn’t you be getting ready to prepare his dinner?"
’Tristan is coming back.’
’He’s probably coming back because Mark Chapman reported the fight I had with Sandra Chapman today. He’s likely coming to punish me.’
’Good. I can make things clear with him, too.’
She stared at Lisa Lawson and said coldly, "Are you the maid, or am I? Should I call the old madam right now and tell her you’re trying to be the mistress of this house?"
"You... you..."
Lisa Lawson’s face fell. ’The timid, obedient Rachel Royce from before is like a completely different person now. How dare she talk to me like that? Isn’t she afraid the young master will throw her out?’
"You’re being unreasonable! You’re a lunatic!" Lisa Lawson huffed before turning and storming off.
BANG.
Rachel Royce slammed the door to her room.
Lisa Lawson jumped in fright, then angrily pulled out her phone to call Sylvia Shannon.
Rachel Royce leaned against the back of the door, tilting her head back and gasping for air.
The feeling of being wronged suddenly overwhelmed her, and tears began to stream down her face.
That evening,
Tristan Sterling returned to the villa.
Lisa Lawson immediately ran to him to complain.
