Chapter 314: Chapter 314: A Guest Has Arrived
Chapter 314: A Visitor Arrives
"That’s my brother calling. I’ll go take it." "Go ahead!" June Jennings walked to a quiet spot to answer the phone.
"Hello, Brother." Julian Jennings’s exceptionally deep and stern voice came through. "You’re not back yet?" June Jennings’s heart tightened.
She had just recorded a video of Rachel dancing and specifically sent it to her brother for him to enjoy.
Hearing her brother’s tone now, June Jennings felt an inexplicable wave of guilt. "It’s still early!" she said. "It’s rare for us to get a chance to relax. Brother, what did you think of Rachel’s dancing? If I were a man, I swear I’d want to marry her on the spot." Julian Jennings’s voice grew several shades deeper. "Get back home. Now." His tone left no room for argument.
June Jennings’s heart skipped a beat, but she still mustered the courage to tease, "Brother, you’re not getting jealous, are you?!" "June Jennings!" He used her full name. ’He’s really not joking.’ June didn’t dare act so presumptuously. "Okay, okay, I get it. We’ll head back right now." "I want to see you at home in half an hour," he stated.
Then he hung up, leaving June Jennings no room to argue.
June Jennings pouted. ’I should have waited until tomorrow to send my brother that video.’
She returned to the main lounge.
Rachel Royce was sprawled languidly in her seat, her gorgeous eyes glistening. With her delicate features, she exuded an irresistible, captivating charm.
Even as a woman, June found her so captivating it made her own heart race.
She then noticed how many men around them were staring in their direction.
’Forget it.’
’We should just go home.’
They’d indulged enough for one night.
June Jennings walked over to Rachel Royce. "Rachel, it’s getting late. We should get going!" "It’s still early! We finally have a chance to let loose, we can’t waste this precious time." Rachel was only getting more excited the more she drank. In the short time June had been on the phone, she had already downed three glasses of high-proof liquor.
At that moment, she was experiencing true, complete abandon. The wild music blasted, and with the stimulus of alcohol and sound, her mind went blank. Only the excited clamor of her nerves remained, begging her to continue losing herself in this thrilling escape from the noise of the world.
Rachel Royce pulled June Jennings to have another drink, but it was clear she was already well on her way to being completely drunk.
June Jennings had no choice but to forcibly take her away.
As a result of drinking too much, Rachel started vomiting on the way back, so the driver took them straight to the hospital.
The doctors pumped Rachel Royce’s stomach and put her on an IV drip. She was now lying on the hospital bed, pale-faced and fast asleep.
Right on schedule, June Jennings received a call from Julian Jennings.
June Jennings’s heart pounded with dread. She hesitated for a moment before answering.
"Are you home?" She couldn’t lie; their bodyguards had been with them the whole time.
She could only tell the truth.
"Rachel drank a lot. She started throwing up on the way back, so now she’s at the hospital on an IV. She’s asleep now." Julian Jennings didn’t say much in response. "Rest well at the villa for the next two days. No more running around." "I know. We definitely won’t go drinking again." After a brief silence, he hung up.
June Jennings stayed in the hospital room for a while and changed Rachel into a hospital gown. Since the two children were at home, June couldn’t stay the night. She asked a nurse to look after Rachel, while the bodyguards stood watch outside the room.
She returned to the villa.
「The next morning.」
When Rachel Royce woke up, her head was pounding and muddled. The first thing she saw was a white ceiling, and the smell of disinfectant filled her nostrils.
She lay in bed for a long while, trying to get her bearings.
It wasn’t until a nurse came in to take her temperature that she suddenly remembered what had happened last night. The nurse helped her to the restroom, and after washing her face, she felt much more awake, though her stomach was still vaguely uncomfortable.
She still needed another IV bag of medication this morning.
Rachel Royce lay on the hospital bed as a nurse brought her a light breakfast.
Just then, her phone vibrated. It was a call from Melissa. Rachel answered, "Mommy’s okay, don’t worry." Melissa wanted to come to the hospital to see her, and there was no stopping her.
「An hour later.」
June Jennings arrived at the hospital with Melissa and Stella.
Rachel Royce had just finished her IV drip.
Melissa was relieved to see that her mother was all right.
The doctor prescribed some medication and gave them a few instructions.
Then, they all returned to the villa.
It was three days until New Year’s Eve.
They planned to return to the city the day after tomorrow in the afternoon.
For lunch, the villa’s housekeeper prepared a light meal.
In the afternoon, Melissa and Stella played in the yard with June Jennings keeping them company. Rachel Royce leaned back on a lounge chair, basking in the sun, feeling content and comfortable.
Just then, a servant walked up to Rachel Royce and said, "Miss Royce, there’s a visitor." Rachel was taken aback for a moment. "What visitor?" she asked. "They said they’re here to see Miss Melissa." Rachel was startled.
When she reached the villa’s entrance and saw the man standing outside, her steps came to an abrupt halt.
Tristan Sterling stood there, tall and straight-backed. A gentle breeze rustled his short hair as he lifted his dark, brooding eyes to stare at her. Despite the bright, sunny weather, the man exuded no warmth at all.
As their eyes met, everything around them seemed to fall deathly silent.
Rachel Royce clenched her fists and turned to walk away.
The man’s deep, cold voice suddenly rang out. "Where are you going?" Rachel Royce looked back at him and said flatly, "If you’re here to pick up Melissa, there’s no need. She’s doing very well here, and I’ll bring her back when it’s time." Tristan Sterling said, "Doing very well, you say? By leaving her alone in the villa while you go out and indulge yourself?!"
Hearing this, Rachel Royce couldn’t help but frown. She quickly realized what he meant. "You... you’re having me followed?" Tristan Sterling replied, "I don’t have that kind of time." Rachel Royce stared at him intently.
"Daddy!" Melissa’s cheerful voice rang out.
Rachel Royce quickly composed her expression. As Tristan Sterling looked toward Melissa, his gaze softened imperceptibly.
Melissa was wearing a pretty little dress that sparkled in the sun. She looked like a little sprite dashing out from the sunlight.
Melissa ran to her mother’s side and looked up at her. "Mommy, why didn’t you open the door for Daddy?" Rachel Royce gave a faint smile, walked forward, and opened the door.
Tristan Sterling stood outside without coming in.
Melissa ran out and threw herself into her father’s arms.
"Daddy! I missed you!" Tristan Sterling bent down and scooped his daughter up. The icy aura from before completely vanished, replaced by nothing but limitless tenderness in his eyes.
He planted a kiss on Melissa’s soft, rosy cheek.
Melissa gave her dad a big SMOOCH on the cheek. She had really missed her daddy.
Rachel Royce stood where she was, quietly watching the affectionate father and daughter. ’No matter how angry Melissa gets with her father, her feelings for Tristan Sterling will never change.’
"Daddy, Mommy was sick yesterday," Melissa said.
Tristan Sterling glanced sideways at Rachel Royce.
Rachel Royce snapped out of her reverie, and her gaze grew distant.
"Then how about you and Mommy come stay with Daddy, okay?" Without a moment’s hesitation, Melissa immediately agreed. "Okay." She turned to Rachel Royce and announced happily, "Mommy, we’re going to stay with Daddy today!"
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