Chapter 175

Howard seized the chance to grab Rachel’s ankle.

“Ms. Lloyd, is that all you’ve got? Are you actually trying to flirt with me?”

He bent his head forward to kiss Rachel’s neck. That was when she caught sight of a familiar figure a distance away. As though she spotted her savior, she immediately yelled for him.

“Mr. Hunt!”

Howard’s hand froze in mid-air, and he looked in the direction of Rachel’s gaze. However, there was nothing there.

He said mockingly, “Say, do you have feelings for Tyler? You should be calling out to William for help! Did you get the wrong man?”

Rachel was very sure she wasn’t mistaken. She was certain she saw Tyler.

But why did he turn a blind eye to her predicament?

For some reason, she suddenly recalled what he had said to her before. Indeed, he wasn’t one to poke his nose in other people’s affairs.

If she were the one imagining him to be a good and kind-hearted person, that would be her mistake.

At that moment, all her hopes were dashed.

She only had herself to rely on.

Rachel waited for the perfect opportunity to lift her leg and kick Howard in his groin. Unfortunately, Howard dodged it, and Rachel’s knee brushed against the side of his leg.

Suddenly, she heard a voice yelling her name.

“Rachel! Rachel…!”

Rachel’s eyes widened in surprise. It was Cecilia.

She yelled out loud, “Cecilia! I’m here!”

Howard was no fool. He knew that his plan was foiled now that someone was on her way here. It would only spell trouble if more people were drawn here.

He spat on the ground.

“What bad luck! Looks like we’ll have to keep our first time together for another day. Be good and wait for me, alright?”

With that, Howard stood up and dashed off into the woods.

Rachel heaved a sigh of relief, a bitter aftertaste still in her mouth. If Cecilia hadn’t rushed over in the nick of time, she wouldn’t have been able to escape.

She stood up and smoothed out her clothes. If others were to see the miserable state she was in, she couldn’t imagine the kind of rumors spreading around in the office the next day.

There were enough rumors about her spreading. She didn’t want more rumors, especially if they involved her and that bastard Howard.

Standing up, Rachel saw Samantha knocked out cold next to the rock she had hit her head on. Rachel checked on her.

“Samantha. Samantha, wake up.”

Just then, Samantha opened her eyes groggily. Seeing her stirring awake, relief washed over Rachel.

The next second, however, Samantha suddenly shoved Rachel away and wrapped her arms around her head in fear.

“Don’t hit me, don’t hit me… I won’t snatch William from you…!”

Rachel’s brows furrowed when she heard the nonsense Samantha was spouting.

“What on earth are you talking about?”

Before she could figure out what was going on, a figure dashed over, almost bowling her over. She lost her balance; as she fell on the ground, she saw William helping Samantha up with a worried look.

“Everything’s fine. No one can hurt you.”

Seeing him coming to her rescue, Samantha immediately threw herself into William’s arms. “Oh, William! I was frightened to death! Just now…”

William looked down and saw the wound on her forehead. His eyes turned dark and stormy.

“What happened?! How did you get hurt so badly?”

Samantha looked extremely aggrieved and in a miserable state, with her hair disheveled and unkempt. She looked at William with eyes filled with fear.

“William, don’t blame Rachel. This has nothing to do with her. She just accidentally pushed me, and I lost my balance.”