Rachel instinctively took a step back as Tyler leaned in.

“It’s not your card anyway, Mr. Hunt. So I don’t see how it’s any of your business.”

She was genuinely confused. Tyler wasn’t the type to stick his nose where it didn’t belong.

But his next words cleared that up.

His eyes bore into her. “Do you really think I’d keep someone with a suspicious background around me?”

Rachel’s eyes lit up. “Does that mean you’re planning to replace me?”

Their eyes met again. His gaze was now blank. Gone were the emotions from before.

“Rachel, why are you in such a hurry to distance yourself from me? Or is this just how people from the Lloyd family operate, burning bridges once they’ve crossed them?”

Rachel pouted slightly. The intense stare sent a chill down her spine. She turned her face away instinctively, only for Tyler to grab her chin and force her to meet his eyes.

“What’s the matter? Feeling guilty?”

She was caught off guard by the direct eye contact. Staring into the dark, unreadable depths of his gaze, her heart began to race uncontrollably.

She had thought that after everything she had been through in the past five years, she was past being shaken by any man. Plenty of men had pursued her over those years, but she had felt nothing for any of them.

She used to believe her heart only raced around Tyler out of guilt, because back then, she was still married to William. Getting too close to another man never felt right.

But now, even with that history behind her, why did Tyler’s presence still make her heart pound?

She lowered her gaze and steadied herself.

“No. Mr. Hunt, if you’re concerned about my background, you can replace me. I meant what I said. I’ll pay the penalty outlined in the contract. If it helps, I’ll stay on until you find someone new.”

“I don’t have any plans to replace you, and I’d advise you to stop having that thought, too.”

With that one sentence, he shattered her last ounce of hope.

Five years ago, she didn’t understand this man. Now, five years later, she still couldn’t read him.

Since she couldn’t figure him out, she stopped trying and decided to ask directly.

“Why me, then? Why insist on keeping me?”

“Because your singing is the worst I’ve ever heard. I doubt I’ll ever find anyone worse.”

Tyler rubbed his forehead while teasing her.

Rachel pursed her lips. She wanted to slap herself. She should’ve known better than to expect a serious answer from this man. Why did she even bother asking?

She turned away and looked out the window, choosing silence.

Outside the car, the wind picked up, blowing Rachel’s hair gently through the open crack. A soft, fragrant scent filled the space around them.

Tyler frowned slightly. Something about the scent was strangely familiar.

He reached out, curling one of her stray strands around his finger, and brought it to his nose.

“What shampoo are you using?”

Rachel was lost in thought about Jim when she suddenly felt his breath against her ear, hot and intimate. Her whole body jolted.

“W–Why do you want to know that?”

Tyler raised an eyebrow.

“Why are you so jumpy? Just answer the question.”

“It’s just some random brand from another country. If you like it, I can send you the link later.”

“Good. I’ll transfer the money. Get it for me.”

Tyler picked up his phone, tapped a few times, and moments later, Rachel’s phone pinged with a WhatsApp message from him.

She looked down at her phone in surprise. “How did you get my number?”

“That’s hardly a challenge.”

Tyler smiled as if to say it was a piece of cake.

When Rachel thought about it, it made sense. She had been abroad, and she had signed a confidentiality agreement. The company had gone to great lengths to hide her whereabouts and any information related to her.