Perhaps the great pressure they had faced before made it difficult for Rachel to get pregnant. She knew very well how important this child was to William. Even if she said anything, she would only get rebuffed. He would end up claiming that she didn’t understand him.

She turned to Cecilia and said, “Take me there so I can sit and get some rest.”

The two of them were about to leave when Samantha called out to Rachel. “Rachel, are you not feeling well? You don’t look too good. I can lend you the oxygen can.”

Samantha stuffed the can in Rachel’s hand as she spoke.

Rachel was not feeling good, but what made it laughable was that even Samantha could tell that she was in discomfort and had difficulties breathing. On the other hand, William, whom she had spent seven years with, remained blissfully ignorant.

From the corner of her eyes, she saw William tense up the moment Samantha handed the oxygen can to her. She may be mistaken about other people, but certainly not about William.

Instead of returning the oxygen can to Samantha, Rachel received her gesture of goodwill.

“Thank you, Ms. Judd.”

Rachel barely felt the tension in her chest relieved after two puffs of oxygen when she saw William standing before her.

“Rachel, Samantha hasn’t been feeling well these few days. Why don’t you go over there and get some rest? She’ll be at risk without the oxygen can. I promised her mother I’d protect her well. If anything were to happen to her, I wouldn’t be able to answer to her mother.”

Rachel looked up at William, feeling her heart clench as though it was pierced by a needle. She suppressed the pain she felt and simply nodded.

After the pain in her chest faded, she finally mustered the strength to say, “Is there something between you and her mother?”

William didn’t know how to answer Rachel’s question. His lips were pursed in a hard, straight line, the muscles in his jaw tense.

He pulled Rachel away by her arm.

“Rachel, I know you don’t feel good about this, but Samantha’s mother doesn’t have many days left to live. You’re someone who cares about even the cats and dogs on the streets. Shouldn’t you care about a human being?” he lectured.

Seeing the accusatory look on his face, she grew amused. Unable to hold back, she quipped snidely, “How kind of you.”

William gave her a sideways glance. “Isn’t that basic of a human being?”

Rachel’s heart grew cold at his remark; her ragged breathing suddenly worsened, making her feel suffocated. She pried William’s hand away and placed the oxygen can back in his arms.

“Take good care of her, then. Don’t let her mother down,” she muttered.

There wasn’t an ounce of anger in her; she and William looked as if they were having a harmless chat.

Rachel turned to call out to Cecilia. “Let’s go, Cecilia.”

From the looks of it, Cecilia guessed that things had gone south and hurried over to Rachel. The two of them continued trudging forward.

William retracted his gaze, sensing something was off with Rachel’s attitude. Yet, he couldn’t quite put a finger on it.

He turned around and handed the oxygen can back to Samantha.

Chapter 185

+25 BONUS

“Wait for me. I need to make a call.”

Samantha didn’t know where William was going, but she nodded anyway and stayed where she was.

William walked over to the other side and called Arsen. “Check if Mrs. Lewis has been up to anything strange, or if she’s preparing to go somewhere.”

“Yes, sir.”