Chapter 54 Another Dream About Myself
Rachel stared at the message, her eyes wide with disbelief.
The five million dollar breakup fee was nothing compared to the twenty million dollar villa.
What really threw her was that Steven would actually break up with Nancy.
He had defended Nancy at work before, so why was he dumping her now?
Could it be because she had hinted that Nancy wanted to harm the baby she was carrying?
Her chaotic thoughts were interrupted as she walked to the study door with her phone in hand.
Steven's study was separate from hers, but adjacent. Both of them liked quiet, so the doors in the villa were all magnetic silent sliding doors.
The soundproofing was also pretty solid.
Rachel gently pulled the door open and discovered it was unlocked. She opened it slightly to eavesdrop.
Steven's desk was to the right of the door, partially blocked by an ornate wooden screen. She had already started recording, and Steven's voice, tinged with anger, came from inside.
"You're innocent about today, but what about the photo Sarah posted in the group yesterday? Wasn't that taken by you?"
"Didn't I tell you that we can't let Rachel find out about us? And you're not allowed to do anything that could hurt her or damage my relationship with her! Nancy, this is my bottom line!"
Rachel couldn't hear what Nancy was saying on the other end, but she could imagine Nancy's pitiful, tearful face, claiming she was wronged.
Her heart sank.
Steven had made such an agreement with Nancy.
Even without solid evidence, he had decisively broken up with Nancy just because she might have harmed Rachel.
Was she touched?
Happy?
Thrilled to know she was more important to him than Nancy?
She only felt sadness and bitterness, a pain that spread through her entire body, turning into a numbing ache.
Steven's love was real, but so were his infidelity and betrayal.
If he wanted to make up for his mistake now by cutting ties with Nancy completely, and she chose to act oblivious...
She still couldn't come to terms with Steven's betrayal.
The images of him passionately kissing and hugging Nancy were vivid in her mind. She feared that every endless night, she would dream of those moments, reminding her of the heart-wrenching pain she felt at the time.
In her youth, she believed love could conquer all.
Now, she finally understood that love was worthless, no matter how deep, it would always end in regret.
Lost in thought, Steven's cold, resolute voice floated into her ears again.
"That's it, stop crying. Let's part on good terms. I'll transfer five million dollars to you tomorrow as a breakup fee."
Nancy, on the other end, couldn't believe he was breaking up with her. She cried her heart out, "I really didn't do it. Why won't you believe me? Did Rachel say something to you?"
Steven frowned, feeling a twinge of sympathy at her tears.
This was the decision he made after weighing the pros and cons.
Recalling Rachel's suspicions from the previous day, he regained his resolve and said coldly, "I still maintain that you should never do anything that harms Rachel."
Nancy's soft, tearful voice came through, "Steven, we've been together for so long. Don't you know me by now? I really didn't do anything to hurt Rachel."
Steven glanced at the clock, calculating the time Rachel would be out of the shower. He didn't argue with Nancy further. He hung up the phone and blocked her number.
Rachel seized the moment and walked in, hiding the pain in her eyes. The word "honey" stuck in her throat.
"Steven?"
Hearing her voice suddenly, Steven's hand shook, and he quickly put down his phone, walking towards her with a gentle smile. "Hey, what's up? Finished your shower?"
"Yeah." Rachel looked at his face, "What were you doing?"
Steven smiled calmly, "Just reading some emails from overseas. After you went to shower, I called the family doctor. He said you shouldn't take any medication while pregnant. We should use a cold compress first, then a warm compress after 24 hours. I've got the ice pack ready. Let me grab it."
Seeing his calm demeanor, Rachel felt a blockage in her chest, making it hard to breathe.
Afraid her words would betray her emotions, she simply and coolly responded, "Okay."
Steven remained incredibly patient with her.
Even though the house had heating, the ice pack was still cold. He wrapped it in a towel and gently pressed it against her bruise. When she winced in pain, he chatted with her to distract her.
After about fifteen minutes of icing, he put the ice pack away. When Rachel said she was hungry, he quickly made her some pasta.
He moved swiftly, and his cooking skills were impressive for someone who managed a company.
In about forty minutes, she had a steaming, delicious bowl of pasta.
The pasta was al dente, the beef tender, and the flavor was excellent.
Steven's cooking had improved greatly, but after a few bites, everything tasted blank.
She put down her utensils and took a sip of warm water.
Steven noticed, "Done eating?"
"Yeah."
Steven smiled and took the bowl. Rachel knew what he was going to do and frowned slightly, looking away. "I'm going upstairs. I want to lie down."
"Go ahead, sleep if you're tired."
That night, Rachel slept deeply.
In the middle of the night, she felt like she was falling into a dark abyss, her body suspended in the air. She frantically reached out in fear and panic.
Suddenly, the darkness dissipated, the sky turned blue, the sun blinding, and the lake sparkled.
Rachel's eyes scanned the area, landing on a woman standing by the shore. She wore a black dress, her long hair blowing in the wind. She walked into the lake, empty-eyed and distant.
The water reached her ankles, calves, knees.
Rachel wanted to call out to her, but no matter how loudly she screamed, the woman didn't react.
Until the water reached the woman's waist, Rachel suddenly saw her face clearly.
The empty, despairing eyes and the pale, gaunt face.
It was her!