Chapter 36
Chapter 36
“Rachel…” Rocco muttered, frustration in his eyes as he watched her walk away.
“Rocco!” Gracie stomped her foot angrily from the side.
“Gracie, why did you even go after Rachel? Don’t you know? The Sarratt family might have Rachel inherit the Sarrattop Group. I’m doing this for our future, trying to make things right with her, and yet you…” Rocco trailed off, shaking his head in annoyance.
Gracie clenched her teeth. “But she rejected you just now, didn’t she?”
“She’s just playing hard to get, throwing a little tantrum. You know how these rich girls are–sometimes you just have to spoil them a little,” Rocco said, his voice softening. “And Rachel’s like that too. She’s tough on the outside but soft on the inside. You should go to her, show her some affection, try to smooth things over. You’ve known each other for years. Maybe things will work out.”
Rachel stepped into the house, but before she could even breathe a sigh of relief, she bolted straight for the bathroom, her stomach turning. After a few moments of expulsion, she stepped out feeling a little better.
But as soon as she emerged, she froze. George was standing casually against the wall, watching her.
Her stomach flipped. She felt a twinge of embarrassment and guilt, and her eyes instinctively darted back to the bathroom door.
“Let me guess, you ran off to cry because of your ex?” George’s voice dripped with sarcasm as he casually threw the words at her.
Rachel blinked, momentarily speechless. Was he really thinking that she’d just rushed off to cry over Rocco? And when had he even arrived?
“Since when did you become such a fan of drama?” she shot back, her eyes narrowing.
“Drama? I’m not hiding, Rachel. I’m not interested in the soap opera between you and that… actor of yours. But when you make a scene like that, who wouldn’t notice?” George’s tone was more dismissive than anything.
“I didn’t see you. Are you hiding somewhere watching the drama?” Rachel said.
“Why hide? Your little soap opera is hardly my business. But the fact that you caused such a spectacle? Well, that’s hard to ignore,” George replied nonchalantly,
Rachel’s face flushed. Was it really her fault that she was getting a dose of unwelcome attention? She hadn’t planned on causing a scene, let alone with a group of fans tailing her.
Rachel shot him a glance, relieved that he hadn’t noticed she was dealing with morning sickness. She had almost opened her mouth to explain it was just a stomach bug.
But just as she tried to walk past him, George stopped her.
“Rachel,” he called out, his voice low but firm.
She paused, frowning. “What now?”
“Before you married me… what did you do? What was your life like?”
Rachel turned to look at him, her eyes flashing with amusement. “You never cared about my past when we were married. Now, you’re suddenly interested?”
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17:37 Sun, 23 Feb M
Chapter 36
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George’s expression faltered. He hadn’t asked because he was curious about her past. No, it was just that one comment she’d made about not having a family that had stuck in his mind. He assumed she was an orphan–someone with nowhere to
turn.
Deep down, he realized he hadn’t really seen her for who she was, not truly.
Rachel’s voice grew cold. “Before I married you? It doesn’t matter anymore, does it? It’s over.”
Without another word, she turned to walk away.
“Rachel,” George said again, but this time his voice lacked the certainty it had earlier.
As Rachel stepped outside, Herb came over to her. “You wanted me to look into how that picture of Rocco kneeling in front of you was leaked. It looks like it’s connected to Sybil.”
Rachel sighed. “I suspected as much. So it’s her. I guess that’s something.”
“What should we do about it?”
“Do we have any solid proof?” Rachel asked.
“Not yet. But from the photo’s angle and the IP analysis, it seems like Sybil might have been behind it. We’ve got a few leads, but nothing concrete.”
Rachel nodded as they walked inside. The welcome party was already in full swing.
“Seems like the Sarrattop Group is really pulling out all the stops for their new CEO,” Herb said, looking around at the lavish setup.
“Yeah, I heard even Martin Sarratt is here,” someone whispered nearby.
“Wow, so who is this new CEO, really?”
“I think he’s the eldest son of the Sarratt family. Supposedly the future heir to the entire group.”
“Wow.”
Rachel overheard their idle chatter and sighed inwardly. All this fuss? All this drama? It was all Bryant’s doing. If it weren’t for him, they wouldn’t be making such a spectacle of her.
It seemed everyone was fixated on her brother, none the wiser that the Sarratt family might have trusted her, a woman, to take over the role of CEO.
Just as she was about to slip further into the crowd, George appeared next to her again, holding a glass of wine.
Rachel walked past, unnoticed by anyone–she was, after all, the star of the show. Some people were busy greeting Herb, completely ignoring Rachel, who quietly slipped behind them.
Rachel couldn’t help but enjoy the peace and stayed at the back, watching it all unfold.
Meanwhile, George, who had entered behind her, noticed the scene. He stood still, silently picking up a glass of wine, taking a small sip. Then, he heard Lauren’s calm voice behind him, “Seems like Herb really does treat Rachel well, always bringing her along.”
George found her words grating, furrowing his brow as he asked, “You got an invitation too?”
“No,” Lauren replied casually, “But I figured I’d come see Rachel. Thought she’d be here.” She knew exactly what would rile George up–and that’s exactly why she said it.
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17:38 Sun, 23 Feb M
Chapter 36
George’s expression darkened, but what he didn’t know was that Bryant was quietly observing from a distance.
“Which one is George?” Bryant asked his assistant.
“The one holding the wine glass,” the assistant replied awkwardly.
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“Ah… Not bad looking, I see why Rachel likes this type.” Bryant chuckled, “Go get Rachel and bring her over, let them meet.”
The assistant hesitated, “Well, actually… Miss Sarratt does like him, but I heard he doesn’t like her back. He dumped her, so… meeting wouldn’t really help, would it?”
Few people knew the truth about Rachel and George–most just heard rumors. Yes, they had dated, but George had ended things.
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“What? He’s good looking, but clearly has terrible taste. Rachel is so much better than him! What a joke. If Rachel still likes him, we have to do something to bring them together.”
The assistant sighed, knowing that Bryant, while Rachel’s father, wasn’t exactly the sharpest tool in the shed. Compared to Rachel’s brilliance, Bryant was… well, not quite there.
Bryant leaned in close to his assistant and whispered something in his ear. The assistant’s mouth twitched, and he suddenly felt like his career might be over. If Bryant actually went through with it, he might as well start packing up his desk
tomorrow.
Meanwhile, Rachel, still walking beside Herb, noticed George reappearing with his wine glass in hand.
“Mr. Rowse, we meet again.”
“Mr. Fox really seems determined to show up in every corner of the Sarrattop Group, doesn’t he?” Rachel’s voice was icy. “I believe I’ve already made it clear–the Sarrattop Group doesn’t welcome you.”
George held up his invitation. “This is an invitation from the Sarrattop Group, it seems the president doesn’t exactly share your opinion, Herb.”
Herb glanced over at Rachel. She could only curse Bryant in her head. “Bryant, you really are his father.”
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