Chapter 292: Chapter 292: Don’t Get Too Into Character
Chapter 292: Don’t Get Too into Character
Julian Jennings’s voice came through the phone. "Are you home?" Rachel Royce replied, "I just got home with Melissa. Professor, how are you feeling today?" Julian said, "I’m feeling much better than yesterday. Don’t worry, I’m fine now. You don’t have to come to the hospital to take care of me for the time being, Rachel." Rachel hummed in acknowledgment. "In that case, I’ll bring you lunch tomorrow at noon, Professor." Julian paused for a moment. "Okay." "Is there anything you’d like to eat?" "Anything light is fine." "Okay!" Rachel then asked, "Has President Quinn found anything out?" Julian Jennings answered, "He’s already identified the people involved. We should have results in a day or two." "That’s good." They chatted for a bit longer before hanging up.
Rachel Royce put down her phone, walked back to the sofa, and said to Florence Preston, "Mom, can you watch Melissa? I’m going upstairs to freshen up." "Okay, go on!" Rachel went upstairs, changed into some loungewear, washed up, and came back down to sit on the sofa, looking at her tablet.
Suddenly, her phone began to vibrate. She picked it up and saw it was a call from Tristan Sterling.
Rachel Royce answered the call.
"Hello!" A man’s gentle voice came through, asking, "What’s your favorite kind of chocolate?" "Why are you asking?" Rachel said. Tristan Sterling explained, "A friend of mine happens to be in Switzerland. He’s coming back tomorrow, so I asked him to bring back a few boxes of chocolate." "If you’ve already asked him to bring some, why are you asking for my favorite flavor now?" Tristan’s deep voice held a hint of a smile. "If there’s a flavor you particularly like, I can have him bring a little extra. But for the Läderach brand, I think the hazelnut is quite good, and Melissa loves it too." "Since Melissa loves it, just have him bring more of that." "Okay. What’s Melissa doing now?" "She’s downstairs with Bobby." "Melissa still doesn’t know she has an uncle who’s younger than her." Right now, Melissa knew Rachel was her mom, but no one had told her that Rachel had actually given birth to her.
’Maintaining the current situation is probably for the best for Melissa. That way, she won’t get fixated on asking why her mom wasn’t always with her.’
’Even though I had no choice back then, and no matter how much I hate Tristan Sterling, I can’t bring myself to destroy the image of a father in Melissa’s heart.’
’As far as Melissa is concerned, Tristan Sterling is definitely a qualified, good father. He loves Melissa—that’s undeniable.’
Rachel said coolly, "If there’s nothing else, I’m going to hang up." "Do you have work to do?" Tristan Sterling asked. "Is there something else you need?" "Nothing, really. I just wanted to chat with you. The house feels so empty with you and Melissa gone. I’m still not used to sleeping alone all of a sudden." Listening to him, Rachel felt he was making them sound like a warm, happy family, and himself like a doting husband who couldn’t bear to be apart from his wife.
She couldn’t help but let out a low, mocking laugh. "Tristan Sterling, do you even believe that yourself when you say it?" Tristan Sterling’s lips curved into a smile, his deep, magnetic voice tinged with a lazy drawl. "I’m just telling the truth." Rachel’s expression darkened. Just then, she heard the sound of running water from the other end of the line, followed by a loud SPLASH.
Rachel instantly realized he was taking a bath.
Just as her mind was wandering, the man’s deep, husky voice came through again. "I want to come see you right now." Rachel snapped back to her senses.
Her fingers tightened. "Tristan Sterling, don’t get too into character." Tristan Sterling walked barefoot to the vanity. On one side of the countertop sat an exquisite vase holding a bouquet of bright red roses.
