Chapter 45: You’re No Longer a Son of the Royce Family?
Rachel Royce had no plans to go out anymore. On nice days, she would take a walk by the lake, but she spent most of her ti indoors reading.
Florence Preston couldn’t return ho for now, so she could only speak to Wendy Royce on the phone. The acquisition of Wellspring was nearly complete.
She was much less busy now. Peter Preston, on the other hand, was out from dawn till dusk, having secured a partnership with Thomas Sterling’s company. Rowan had already signed the investnt agreent, and everything was heading in a good direction.
The two of them couldn’t help but bring up Rachel Royce and Tristan Sterling.
When Wendy Royce ntioned it, she felt a deep sense of unease.
Florence Preston couldn’t help but complain to Wendy Royce, "Our humble family just isn’t good enough for them. It’s as if the child Rachel’s carrying doesn’t belong to the Sterling family. Later, we’ll pay back all the money to Tristan Sterling, with interest, so it doesn’t look like we’re just mooching off his family."
Wendy Royce had been thinking the sa thing. Her original plan was to wait until the money from selling the company ca through, and after the two divorced, she would pay Tristan Sterling back.
But Peter Preston’s company needed investnt capital now, and she was very optimistic about it. More importantly, even Rowan valued it highly, so she decided to invest in Peter’s venture first.
In any case, she was keeping track of the debt and would pay Tristan Sterling back with interest when the ti ca.
"It’s just a pity about the child in Rachel’s womb."
At the ntion of the child.
The two of them fell into a heavy silence.
「That evening.」
Tristan Sterling made a rare appearance at ho for dinner.
The dining room was silent save for the clinking of cutlery. The two people at the table didn’t exchange a single word.
After Tristan Sterling finished his al, he got up and left the dining room.
Once Rachel Royce was done eating, she returned to the bedroom. After a mont of hesitation, she decided to go ask him about the divorce.
She had already confird with Julian Jennings that she would be going to the United States in early March.
The baby was due around the middle of the month at the latest. Once she signed the papers and the one-month cooling-off period was over, she could get the divorce certificate. Then she would be able to leave.
She would at least have a month with her baby.
Tristan Sterling was in the study at the mont.
Rachel Royce knocked on the door.
She heard a response from within.
Rachel Royce pushed the door open and walked in.
Tristan Sterling glanced up at her, then his gaze returned to his computer screen. "What is it?"
Rachel Royce walked forward and looked at him. "Have you told your grandmother and the others about our divorce?"
This was their first real conversation since he had accompanied her to a prenatal check-up. Now, there was nothing left for them to talk about except the divorce.
Tristan Sterling’s hand, which had been moving the mouse, paused. He looked up at the woman before him, his dark eyes deepening, making him impossible to read. "There’s no need for this to beco public knowledge just yet," he said in a low voice.
’That’s true,’ she thought. ’We can just tell Madam Sterling and the others after we get the certificate.’
"Then get the divorce agreent ready. I can sign it anyti."
With that said, Rachel Royce supported her lower back and slowly began to walk away. The pulling sensation in her lower abdon was growing stronger; she would be giving birth in a week at most.
When she reached the doorway, she steadied herself against the fra for a mont before continuing on.
Tristan Sterling watched her retreating figure until she was gone, then lowered his gaze.
「anwhile.」
Inside a luxury villa.
Suzanne Sullivan had just returned ho when he was called into a room by Jane Sullivan.
Suzanne Sullivan seed to know what she wanted to talk about. He looked at her with a blank expression, not speaking first.
Jane Sullivan looked at her son and sighed helplessly. "It’s not that I want to stop you, but Suzanne, it’s been more than a decade. It’s ti to let it go. We all have our own separate lives now, so we shouldn’t disturb each other anymore."
A couple of days prior, Suzanne Sullivan had passed by the old villa neighborhood and couldn’t resist going in for a look. He parked his car in front of the main gate and happened to run into the lady of the house as she was coming out.
Suzanne Sullivan approached the woman and asked about the original owner. The answer he received was, "The original owner’s company was mismanaged. I heard it went bankrupt and they had to sell this villa last year to pay off their debts."
After hearing this, Suzanne Sullivan had soone investigate the matter, but Jane Sullivan found out and had the investigation shut down.
Suzanne Sullivan looked at his mother and retorted, "Don’t I even have the right to know how my own father and younger sister are doing now?"
Jane Sullivan’s expression hardened. "And what if you find out? Could you even reunite with them now? You are no longer a son of the Royce Family!"
A sarcastic sneer ford on Suzanne Sullivan’s lips. "Then am I one of the Ainsworths?"
Seeing her son staring at her with such a look, an unconcealable pain surfaced in Jane Sullivan’s eyes.
When she had left with Suzanne Sullivan all those years ago, he was already fourteen. After they arrived in Portington, he argued and fought with her every day, trying every thod he could think of to return. It took her nearly a year to get him to settle down, but he still tried to run away secretly a few more tis after that, only to be found and brought back from the airport or the high-speed rail station.
She had no choice but to arrange for people to watch him 24 hours a day. Even now, she still had her people keeping an eye on him.
Jane Sullivan softened her tone. "Suzanne, it’s been over ten years. Your father has surely started a new family by now. If you really still think about them, the kindest thing you can do is not to disturb them."
Suzanne Sullivan let out a low laugh. "Mom, you’re so cold-blooded. It’s a sha I didn’t inherit that trait."
"Suzanne!"
Suzanne Sullivan turned and strode toward the door.
When he opened the door, he saw Claire Ainsworth standing there.
Claire Ainsworth was startled by Suzanne Sullivan’s grim expression. "Brother."
Suzanne Sullivan looked at Claire Ainsworth, but in the end, he said nothing and strode away.
Claire Ainsworth stood frozen in place for a long mont before she ca to her senses. She walked inside, saw her mother sitting on the sofa, and went over to her. "Mom, what happened with you and Brother again?"
In her childhood mories,
her brother and mother were always fighting. When she was little, her brother didn’t like her and would say she wasn’t his sister.
As ti went on and they grew up, her brother ca to accept her and was very good to her. They had beco a warm, happy family, so why were he and their mother fighting again today?
Jane Sullivan forced herself to calm down and reassured her daughter, "It’s nothing. Just a small disagreent, that’s all. It will pass quickly."
Claire Ainsworth hugged her mother. "I don’t want to see you and Brother fight."
"Okay, we won’t."
"..."
Claire Ainsworth stayed with her mother for a while before going to find Suzanne Sullivan. He was drinking alone. When he saw her, he said, "Claire, let your brother cool down for a bit. Please leave be for now."
Although his tone was still gentle, Claire Ainsworth could clearly feel the distant aura surrounding him. She didn’t dare disturb him further and returned to her room.
Upset, she gave Tristan Sterling a call.
*
Rachel Royce was sitting on the sofa, watching television.
Thomas Sterling called her, wanting her to try a little ga his company had developed. They stayed on the phone, playing online together as Thomas taught her the ropes.
Rachel Royce just happened to make a mistake while playing.
Thomas Sterling scoffed at her. "I’m starting to think you were a dumb pig in a past life."
"Thomas Sterling, are you asking for a beating?"
"..."
As Tristan Sterling ca downstairs, he heard Rachel Royce’s voice.
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