Chapter 140: More Dazzling Than a Gem
"Aunt Evelynn might be busy for a little while longer. If lissa gets sleepy, you can go to bed first."
lissa said, "No, I want to wait for Aunt Evelynn to co back so we can sleep together."
Rachel Royce now coaxed lissa to sleep every night.
’If Tristan is heading ho tonight, I can just put lissa to bed before leaving. It wouldn’t be too late.’
"Aunt Evelynn will be a little longer. You be good, lissa."
"Okay, I’ll be good and wait for Aunt Evelynn to co back."
"Mm."
Rachel put down her phone and turned to see Julian Jennings walking out.
"All done with the appraisal?"
Julian Jennings grunted in affirmation. "I’ve signed it. Let’s go!"
Rachel had co in Julian’s car today.
"Heading ho?"
Rachel said, "Take to Silvermist Bay, please."
Julian looked at her. "lissa is waiting for you at ho."
"Yeah, I have to go see her and put her to bed."
Julian looked away without another word.
The car stopped in front of the villa’s main gate.
As Rachel got out of the car,
Julian asked, "Want to wait for you?"
Rachel agreed. "If you wouldn’t mind, Professor."
At her words, the tension in the man’s handso face subtly eased. "Mm, go on. I’ll wait."
Lifting the hem of her dress with one hand, Rachel walked into the villa.
In the living room,
she saw Lisa Lawson and Frances Wyatt sorting through packages that had arrived.
When the two won saw Rachel, they froze in place, stunned.
「Lately」
Rachel had been treating Lisa Lawson and Frances Wyatt as if they were invisible. Though they were still in the house, Tristan Sterling had forbidden them from looking after lissa, hiring two dedicated nannies instead. Whenever Rachel needed anything for lissa, she would speak directly to them.
As for Lisa and Frances, they naturally found Rachel as irritating as ever.
However, they no longer dared to openly antagonize her as they had before. They would even go out of their way to avoid her—out of sight, out of mind.
This was because, not long ago,
while Rachel was making breakfast for lissa, Lisa had been standing by, making passive-aggressive comnts.
Without another word, Rachel had slapped her squarely across the face—twice.
Unable to win a fight against Rachel, Lisa had run off to tattle to Sylvia Shannon.
Although Sylvia was deeply displeased with Rachel, she couldn’t interfere since Tristan had allowed her to stay and care for lissa. Besides, lissa adored her. Blood is thicker than water. Their years of companionship with lissa were no match for the bond Rachel had ford in such a short period.
So when Lisa ca tattling, Sylvia had simply told her to leave Rachel alone.
Seeing she couldn’t get any vindication, Lisa had no choice but to swallow her anger.
Rachel ignored the pair and headed for the elevator.
Once she was in the elevator,
Lisa snapped out of her stupor and couldn’t help but scoff, "Dressed like such a tart. I wonder what kind of man she was out trying to seduce."
Frances chid in, "Exactly. After she trapped the Master, what kind of decent woman could she be? How can he let soone like her keep looking after Miss lissa?"
The two took turns venting their frustrations.
Their back-and-forth was cut short by a cold, deep voice. "What were you saying?"
The words made Lisa and Frances jump. They whipped their heads toward the doorway to see Tristan Sterling standing there.
He was just standing there, but his expressionless face exuded an intense, oppressive aura.
Though they had watched him grow up, they feared him to their very core.
Frances and Lisa scurried forward, greeting him respectfully. "Master, you’ve returned."
Tristan lowered his gaze to them, his sharp, dark eyes looking as if they could pierce right through them.
Frances and Lisa kept their heads bowed, nerves stretched so taut they didn’t dare look up at the man in front of them.
After a long mont,
"Where’s lissa?"
the man asked.
Lisa finally dared to look up at Tristan, answering nervously, "Miss lissa is alone in her room. Ra... Rachel just went upstairs."
Tristan shot them a look before averting his gaze and striding upstairs.
Only when his figure had completely vanished did the two won let out a collective sigh of relief.
Rachel reached lissa’s bedroom.
She pushed the door open.
Inside, lissa was lying on her stomach on the bed, kicking her little legs as she flipped through a comic book.
Hearing the door open,
lissa turned. When she saw Rachel walk in, she froze completely.
Rachel walked over and sat on the edge of the bed. Seeing lissa gaping, too stunned to speak, she gave a doting smile. "lissa, what is it?"
lissa blinked her big eyes. A mont later, she snapped out of it, rolled over, and threw herself into Rachel’s arms. "Aunt Evelynn, you’re so pretty! You’re a fairy, even prettier than a fairy! And you sll so nice!"
lissa snuggled into Rachel’s embrace, rubbing against her affectionately.
Rachel stroked her little head. "Alright now."
"Aunt Evelynn, hold ."
Rachel stood and lifted lissa into her arms, holding her for a mont.
After a few minutes,
Rachel set lissa down on the bed and started tickling her.
lissa rolled around on the bed, shrieking with GIGGLES.
Rachel played with her for a bit before sitting up and letting out a long breath. "Okay, sweetie, ti for bed."
Suddenly, lissa exclaid in delight, "Daddy!"
Rachel froze.
She turned.
There he was, standing in the doorway. She had no idea how long he’d been there.
lissa scrambled off the bed and ran barefoot toward him. "Daddy, Daddy!"
lissa was so excited.
Tristan walked over, bent down, and scooped his daughter into his arms. He kissed her soft cheek, his voice gentle and doting. "Miss ?"
"I missed you, Daddy! You’re finally back!"
lissa planted a kiss on her father’s cheek.
Tristan raised a large hand and ruffled lissa’s hair.
Rachel sat on the edge of the bed, watching the tender mont between father and daughter.
Tristan’s gaze shifted to her. She sat quietly on the edge of the bed, her posture elegant and poised. The angle highlighted the graceful curves of her body. Her gemstone earrings refracted a dazzling light, but she herself, like a piece of exquisitely carved white jade, seed even more brilliant than the jewels.
Rachel t his gaze, her own expression turning a fraction cooler. Just as she was about to speak,
she heard him say, "Okay, how about you let Aunt Evelynn get you ready for bed? Daddy’s going to take a shower, and I’ll play with you all you want tomorrow."
"Okay," lissa agreed.
Tristan carried lissa over to the bed and set her down.
’lissa looked at her daddy and Aunt Evelynn, both right beside her, and her heart swelled with a joy she couldn’t express. A blissful smile spread across her face. ’It would be perfect if Daddy and Aunt Evelynn could both sleep here with ,’ she wished.’
"Goodnight, sweetie."
"Goodnight, Daddy."
Tristan stood up and looked at Rachel. "You’ll sleep here with lissa tonight."
Rachel glanced at him, then lowered her eyes, offering only a flat, emotionless "Mm" in response.
Tristan watched her for a mont before turning to leave, closing the door behind him.
After he left,
Rachel began to lull lissa to sleep.
It was already nearly ten o’clock.
lissa was truly exhausted by this point. After exchanging a few words with Rachel, she grew drowsy. Lulled by the sound of Rachel’s soft humming, she soon drifted off to sleep.
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