Chapter 68 A Really Big Surprise
Nancy was in her walk-in closet, debating whether to wear the white or red lingerie for the next evening, when Steven's video call came through.
At that moment, she was wearing a white strapless camisole, with no bra underneath, revealing a hint of cleavage as she moved.
Nancy eagerly picked up the two nightgowns and showed them to him, her face blushing and her voice sweet and soft. "Babe, which one do you like? I'll wear it for you tomorrow night, okay?"
Steven's eyes first caught sight of her alluring breasts, and as the camera panned up, it revealed Nancy's innocent and beautiful face. Her captivating eyes seemed to pierce through the screen, straight to his heart.
His eyes darkened immediately, and his Adam's apple bobbed as he felt a surge of desire.
Nancy noticed every subtle change in his expression, feeling both proud and excited, she raised her eyebrows teasingly.
Her sweet, soft voice was dripping with charm. "Babe, I'm asking you, which one looks better?"
Steven's voice was hoarse and low. "Nancy."
"Babe, I miss you too."
Two hours later, they were both spent.
Nancy lay on the bed, her feet slightly red, and said sweetly, "Babe, what time will you be here tomorrow? How about we go out for a nice dinner?"
Mentioning tomorrow seemed to bring Steven back to his senses, though a trace of desire still lingered in his eyes. He pressed his lips together. "I have to go back home tomorrow, so I can't come over."
Nancy was stunned and immediately sat up in bed, and she asked anxiously, "Why? You promised you'd come over tomorrow. How can you break your word? I haven't seen you in so many days, I just want you to hold me, kiss me, is that so hard?"
Seeing her tears start to fall, Steven felt a pang of guilt. "My fault. I'll make it up to you in a couple of days, okay?"
"How will you make it up? My heart was already hurt when you talked about breaking up, and now you're ditching me again. You're going back to be with Rachel, aren't you?"
Steven didn't respond, which was as good as an admission.
At that moment, Nancy felt suffocated, her chest filled with a rising tide of resentment.
Rachel again!
It's always her!
He was abandoning her for Rachel once more.
What could she do?
Nancy had no choice but to endure.
She clenched her fists, sniffled, and forced down the bitterness and grievance in her throat, trying to sound strong and magnanimous.
"Rachel's pregnant now, and especially in the early stages, you can't be careless. After all, she's carrying my future godchild. Go take care of her, I can wait, it's okay."
Her voice grew softer, almost as if she were consoling herself. She bit her lip, wiped away her tears, and forced a strained smile.
Having been with Steven for so long, she knew exactly where his weaknesses lay and what he liked about her.
Seeing her like this, Steven quickly tried to comfort her. "Baby, don't cry, be good. I'll come see you in a couple of days."
"You better keep your word this time."
"I promise."
Nancy pouted. "Then I'll wait for you. Love you."
After hanging up, the smile on her face vanished instantly, replaced by a look of hatred. She swiped her hand across the vanity, knocking all the bottles and jars to the floor.
Glass shards and various lotions and creams scattered everywhere.
The next afternoon, Steven arrived home straight from the airport, not even bothering to put down his luggage or change his clothes. He headed straight to the kitchen to start making the creamy mushroom soup Rachel had been craving.
He drilled Quinn about Rachel's daily routine, from her appetite to any pregnancy discomforts.
After getting all the information, he let Quinn go home for the day, took his luggage upstairs, changed his clothes, and went back to the kitchen to prepare dinner.
When Rachel came home, she could already smell the familiar aroma wafting from the house.
Just from the smell, she knew it was Steven's cooking.
He was back.
As soon as she walked in, she was caught off guard by his gentle eyes.
"Hey, you're back." Steven was wearing an apron with cute little bears on it, his voice warm. "Go wash your hands. It's really cold in Dawnlight City today, have some creamy mushroom soup to warm up."
"Okay. I could smell it from outside. What else did you make?"
Rachel suppressed her emotions, took off her coat, washed her hands, and smiled as she walked to the dining table and pulled out a chair. "What time did you get back?"
"I landed just before five. It was late by the time I got home, and I didn't want you to have to wait, so I got started right away."
His thoughtfulness and gentleness always shone through.
Rachel moved her lips but couldn't bring herself to say "honey." "You didn't even get a chance to rest, that's tough."
Steven smiled indulgently. "As long as you like it and you're happy, it's worth it. Try it and see if it's seasoned right."
Rachel took a spoonful and tasted it.
The soup was perfectly seasoned, with the delicate flavor of mushrooms and the richness of cream.
"Delicious."
Rachel's eyes curved in a smile. "You should sit down and eat too. Did you get everything sorted out at Brighton Harbor? Is it okay to leave things there?"
Steven shook his head. "It's fine, I arranged for someone to handle things there. Don't worry."
"That's good."
Steven felt a small sense of pride and teased, "I never realized you were so clingy. Just a few days apart and you're already crying."
Rachel paused, a wave of inexplicable resentment rising within her. She shot him a glare. "You know that, and you still have to tease me? You should sleep in the study tonight."
"No, no, my bad, my bad."
Rachel huffed, finished her soup, ate some potatoes, and then put her dishes in the sink before heading upstairs.
Passing the walk-in closet, she noticed the black suitcase by the jewelry cabinet.
She remembered the text about the bracelets Steven had brought back for her and Nancy.
She stopped, her expression darkening, hesitated for about half a minute, then walked over to the suitcase and laid it flat.
Inside, the clothes and toiletries were neatly arranged.
She moved a coat aside and saw two identical jewelry boxes in the corner.
Just as she touched the boxes, Steven walked in. Seeing what she was holding, his heart skipped a beat, and he quickened his pace.
He spoke calmly, "I was planning to surprise you, but you found it first."Buying the same gift for his wife and his mistress, how convenient.
A flash of sarcasm crossed Rachel's eyes, but she said genuinely, "A gift for me? Let me see, it's beautiful!"
As she opened the box in her hand, inside lay a platinum diamond bracelet.
Opening the second box, she found an identical bracelet. Her voice stopped abruptly, and she looked at him with confusion. "Why are there two identical bracelets?"