“I also heard that William is always with another woman. Is your marriage on the rocks?” Yvette pressed.

Rachel pursed her lips. She had never been good at putting up a front before others, especially when Yvette’s words hit the nail on the head.

Yvette’s eyes lit up, as though she had discovered something groundbreaking.

“So it’s true!”

Rachel’s face flushed with embarrassment.

Just as the tension in the air was growing, one of the servants announced, “Mr. Lewis of Lewis Enterprise is here.”

Rachel heard it clearly. The servant addressed him as Mr. Lewis of Lewis Enterprise, not the son-in-law of this family. He was here, and not back home.

She had long gotten used to it, but the servants’ address of William was like a stab in her chest. The scar that had barely healed started bleeding once more.

William entered, carrying many bags. So was Arsen, who was behind him.

Sasha was shocked by their generous gesture. She immediately approached them with an ingratiating smile.

“Mr. Lewis, why didn’t you call us before coming? We’d be able to welcome you at the door.”

William knew Rachel had been at odds with Sasha, but as a businessman, he knew enough to respond to Sasha with courtesy and basic respect.

“Hello, Mrs. Lewis.”

“It’s been a while since you came back with Rachel. We were just asking her if you two have been fighting.”

As she spoke, Sasha’s gaze hovered over the bags in William’s hands. Rachel could feel her gaze penetrating through the bags into the contents inside. She looked like she wished she could see through the bags.

Rachel was disgusted by her greed.

Compared to her disgust over Sasha’s insatiable greed and gossipy nature, Rachel was more curious to hear William’s reply.

She stared at William, waiting for his response.

William approached Rachel and handed the bags to the servants.

He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and signed as he spoke, “I set off fireworks for her and gave her flowers as an apology for being way too busy at work and forgetting to keep her company. That’s why she’s angry. It’s understandable.”

Rachel looked into the eyes of the man who had spent every day and night with her over the past seven years, which were brimming with affection for her.

Yet she found them so unfamiliar, as if she were looking into the eyes of a stranger.

A wave of disgust washed over Rachel. She looked away, forcing a smile on her face.

“I didn’t say anything. You’re being too sensitive.”

William could sense the loathing in Rachel’s tone and pulled her nearer.

“I’ll take you out for a vacation in a few days. Haven’t you been wanting to see the ocean? I took leave from work. Take it as our anniversary surprise.”

Yvette’s face paled as fire burned inexplicably in her chest.

If Rachel weren’t helping her snag Tyler, she would have told William all about Tyler and Rachel’s secret meetings late at night. Yvette refused to believe that William didn’t sense something amiss.

The last time she told William she saw with her own eyes Tyler and Rachel entering a hotel room, William chose to give up midway.

Was William deliberately escaping and not willing to divorce Rachel? Why?

Did he love her too much?

How could he?!

What was so good about Rachel? She wasn’t a legitimate daughter of the Lloyd family, and hadn’t gotten herself pregnant over the years she had been with William. Why did William still treat her so well?

Rachel saw how upset Yvette was.

Rachel knew she was no saint. In fact, she was a very vengeful person. Even though she hated William very much right now, she knew he had something up his sleeve.

Jim could sense something amiss in the air, and stepped forward to smooth things over.

“Alright, it’s about time. We should go check if things are ready over there so that we can start lunch on time at twelve."

“Yes, yes,” Sasha chimed in. “Let’s head over and take a look: You youngsters should pay your respects to your mother.”