Chapter 53 Steven's Breakup Fee
Rachel stepped forward, blocking Nancy's view, and whispered with a hint of annoyance, "Why are you so late?"
That evening, Steven knew Rachel had to work late, so he sent the driver home and decided to pick her up himself.
She had told him to be there around 7:30.
She hoped he would catch the latest drama and see Nancy's hypocrisy and acting skills.
"Traffic was a nightmare during rush hour, it held me up for twenty minutes," Steven explained, frowning as he gently held her arm and examined the bruise. "What happened?"
Rachel smiled, "It's nothing serious. Just now, during an inspection, a girl behind me tripped and accidentally bumped into me."
Steven's eyes darkened behind his glasses, and he instantly became tense. "Are you okay? The baby... is the baby okay?"
"I'm alright. The baby's okay. I used my arm to brace myself."
Steven still wasn't reassured. "No, we need to go to the hospital for a check-up."
With that, he started to pull her away.
Rachel's heart tightened; her first reaction was that she couldn't go to the hospital. Otherwise, her fake pregnancy would be exposed.
"I'm really fine. Would I joke about something as serious as our baby? Don't be so nervous." She held his arm, speaking softly, "I just need some ointment for the bruise."
Rachel's skin was already delicate, and the bruise had a reddish tint around it. The more Steven looked, the more it pained him. He couldn't help but lean down and gently blow on her injury. "Does it hurt a lot?"
His warm breath on her skin gave Rachel goosebumps.
She frowned, not used to it, and pulled her arm back, hiding her discomfort and disdain with a look of embarrassment.
She teased, "It's much better now. Besides, everyone's staring."
Steven sighed, knowing she was shy. With Carol and several other colleagues nearby, he gently squeezed her hand. "I'll go buy the ointment. You wait for me in the office."
"Okay."
Nancy watched their intimate and loving interaction from the side, feeling a sharp pang of jealousy. Steven's tenderness and concern for Rachel were glaringly obvious.
A wave of discomfort washed over Nancy.
Steven had left her behind because of Rachel last night and didn't even bother to explain afterward. He hadn't answered her calls during the day either.
They had been together for over a year, and this had never happened before.
Her heart was not just filled with displeasure, but also with jealousy and hatred wrapped in anger.
She had fallen too.
But it was as if Steven didn't see her.
Her eyes filled with tears, overwhelmed by a whirlwind of emotion she just couldn't hold back.
Nancy quickly wiped away her tears and deliberately exposed her injured hand, her voice soft and tearful. "The nearby pharmacies are hard to find. You probably won't be able to find one. Let me go instead. You stay with Rachel."
Hearing her voice, Steven finally looked at her, his gaze accidentally sweeping over the scrape on her palm. He frowned slightly.
He held back his worry, glancing at Rachel, and just asked, "What happened to your hand?"
Nancy immediately looked at her hand, then hid it behind her, smiling and shaking her head. "It's nothing, just a small issue. I'll go get the ointment."
Having cried, her cheeks and nose were flushed like she had applied blush.
Combined with her tear-filled eyes, she looked both innocent and alluring.
Steven's heart softened, guessing she got hurt while trying to help Rachel. The doubts that had arisen in his heart the day before faded.
He called out to her, "I'll go. Just tell me where."
"It's fine."
Nancy could see from his eyes that he was concerned, and a feeling of joy began to replace the negative emotions.
Rachel also noticed Steven's concern and worry for Nancy.
She knew Nancy's little tricks.
She didn't know if it was pain or bitterness, but her mind felt numb and detached.
A man feeling concern and worry for a woman was enough to prove that the woman held a significant place in his heart.
His heart could indeed be divided.
Nancy liked to play the victim to gain sympathy. Well, let her play it to the fullest.
"Let Nancy go. Her hand needs to be disinfected anyway. Who knows how long it will take you to find the ointment."
Rachel clenched her fist, then slowly released it, smiling at Nancy. "Thank you, Nancy."
Nancy paused, her tear-filled eyes glancing at Rachel, then she put on an innocent and pitiful look. "It's no trouble. I'll go now."
As she walked past them, she glanced at Steven, her eyes downcast in apparent sorrow.
Steven pressed his lips together, his gaze not following her, but instead, he took Rachel's hand and led her to the director's office on the third floor.
"What happened to Nancy's hand?"
Rachel turned to face him, her eyes calm and gentle.
Guilt flashed across Steven's face. He picked up her cup and poured her some warm water. "I saw both of you were injured and wanted to know what happened."
"I was just thinking about how to explain it to you. Why are you so nervous?" Rachel laughed.
"I'm just worried about what you might be thinking."
Rachel snorted, taking the cup and sipping the water. Once her throat was moist, she recounted the day's events.
When she mentioned that Sarah had seen Nancy's foot sticking out, Steven's expression changed.
His eyes darkened, a sharpness replacing the earlier tenderness and concern.
"Do you think Nancy tripped Sarah on purpose?"
Rachel observed his changing expression and thought for a moment, looking troubled.
Then she slowly shook her head. "I don't think so. I've known Nancy for so many years. She's not that cruel. Besides, my pregnancy doesn't conflict with her interests. She even said she wanted to be the godmother of my child."
Interests?
Steven immediately thought about his relationship with Nancy.
Could it be because of him?
Rachel's hesitant voice continued. She sighed, "But I know Sarah too. She's not the type to lie."
"That spot happens to be a blind spot for the cameras, so it wasn't caught on tape. Listening to their argument, I couldn't make a conclusion and was afraid of wrongly accusing someone, so I let it go."
Steven frowned. The doubts that had faded now resurfaced, even deepening.
He squeezed her hand gently. "No matter what they argue about, you're the one who got hurt. Look at this bruise. They should both be docked some pay!"
"Okay, then dock each of them two hundred dollars!"
Steven laughed, "What good is two hundred dollars?"
Rachel tilted her head, "I can't dock them thousands of dollars. Their salaries aren't that high. I don't want to be a heartless boss."
They hadn't chatted for long when Nancy returned with a bag of ointments.
As soon as she entered, she saw Rachel leaning on Steven's shoulder, the two of them chatting and laughing.
The sight was like a blade, stabbing into her heart inch by inch.
It hurt too much.
She suppressed her emotions and deliberately raised her voice. "Watch your image, you two. This is a workplace, no public displays of affection allowed."
She took out a tube of ointment and handed it to Steven, showing generosity. "Here, apply this to Rachel's bruise. Make sure to rub it in well to activate the ingredients."
Steven looked at the ointment. "Promotes blood circulation?"
Nancy felt a pang of anxiety but nodded. "Yes, the store clerk said this one works best."
Promotes blood circulation?
This kind of ointment could cause abdominal pain and bleeding in pregnant women, posing a high risk of miscarriage.
Rachel took the ointment and checked it, frowning slightly. "Didn't you ask the clerk if this is safe for pregnant women?"
Nancy met her gaze, her heart racing.
In fact, she had specifically asked for an ointment that promotes blood circulation.
She had hoped that Rachel and Steven wouldn't know about the risks.
Her innocent and pretty face still looked clueless and confused. "I didn't ask. I just bought it because it was recommended. Is there a problem?"
"An ointment that promotes blood circulation can cause a miscarriage," Steven explained.
Nancy was shocked, her face turning pale. She hurriedly explained, "I... I didn't know. I really didn't know it wasn't safe for pregnant women. I didn't ask. I'm sorry, Rachel. Please believe me, I had no other intentions."
Seeing the suspicious looks from them, Nancy's eyes filled with tears again. She quickly took out another tube of ointment. "Look, I was worried you might not want to use it if it hurt, so I bought two other kinds. The clerk said this one can be used with other medications."
Steven took the ointment and gently said to Rachel, "We don't know these medications. She didn't ask the clerk. Let's just use a warm compress tonight. I'll call our family doctor to check."
Rachel watched him make excuses for Nancy.
Even when he suspected Nancy of trying to harm their baby, he still defended her?
Rachel suddenly remembered that strange dream.
Now it might just come true.
As Nancy became more important to him, her own importance would diminish, even to the point where he could abandon their child.
She handed Nancy some tissues, teasing, "Stop crying. It's such a waste. We're not blaming you. Look how worried you are."
Nancy took the tissues, giving Rachel a sideways glance and pouting, "How can I not be worried? Sarah just accused me of trying to harm you, and now I bought the wrong ointment. No matter what, I can't clear my name."
She wiped her tears and instinctively looked at Steven. Seeing his cold, unreadable expression, she couldn't guess his thoughts.
"As long as you don't misunderstand me. I have some work to finish, so I'll go now." She reminded, "You took a fall earlier. Rest early. Your health is important."
"Okay."
Watching Nancy leave the office, Rachel turned to see Steven already holding her coat and bag.
He took her hand, "Let's go home."
Rachel nodded, discreetly pulling her hand away and taking the coat.
When they got home, it was already past eight. Steven ran a bath for her, suggesting she soak for a while.
Rachel lay in the bathtub, eyes closed. The day's events flashed through her mind, leaving her physically and mentally drained.
When she came out of the bathroom, steam followed her, and her almond-shaped eyes were misty, searching for Steven's figure.
Her phone, charging by the bed, suddenly chimed with a text notification.
Her heart tightened, and she quickly walked over.
[Steven is in the study on the phone with Nancy. He's planning to break up with her and will transfer five million dollars to her account as a breakup fee tomorrow.]