Chapter 94 Supporting a Mistress for Her Husband
Rachel felt the cold touch from his palm and frowned slightly. She resisted the urge to pull away and forced a smile onto her face.
"Really? Then I want to go abroad to see snow-capped mountains." As she spoke, the smile gradually faded from her face, replaced by a look of regret. "But I can't go right now."
"What's wrong? Why can't you go?" Steven asked with concern.
Because tomorrow afternoon at Scenic Bay Estates, there would be a good show she couldn't miss.
She wanted to see with her own eyes Nancy being scorned and falling into disgrace.
Besides, she didn't want to travel with him anyway.
Just thinking about all the moments between him and Nancy made her feel sick to her stomach.
"You forgot - Autumn and Leo's joint exhibition is about to start. As the gallery director, I can't leave." She pulled her hand back to check the timeline. "It opens on the 19th of next month, runs for a month, and by the time it ends, it'll be almost New Year. Looks like we can only go next year."
Steven looked at the disappointment and helplessness in her eyes, seeming to feel her need for him. The empty place in his chest felt like it was being filled bit by bit.
He knew Stargaze Gallery meant a lot to her, and he couldn't force her to abandon her work to go have fun. That thread of guilt surged over him like a tide.
He lowered his head and murmured sincerely, "I'm sorry, Rachel."
Rachel met his gaze and instantly understood what this "I'm sorry" meant.
Sorry for letting her down, sorry for betraying her, sorry for deceiving her, even sorry for hurting her.
But she couldn't bring herself to smile and say "It's okay."
The scars on her heart still sent out fine threads of pain even now. Though not intense, it was enough to remind her of the agony of being betrayed by the two people closest to her.
She suppressed her emotions and smiled. "There's no rush. We can go abroad next year - we'll still be able to see the snow-capped mountains.
By then my physical condition will be more stable too, with less risk."
Hearing this, Steven instinctively looked at her flat abdomen, his eyes gentle. "You're right. We'll listen to you and go next year."
He hesitated, then said softly, "Honey, you don't seem to have much morning sickness."
Rachel was slightly stunned. She had thought about this.
But there was no way she could pretend to be throwing up constantly every day. Too exhausting, and she didn't have that kind of acting skills.
Better to have no symptoms at all.
She smiled and said, "It is strange. My biggest pregnancy symptom is probably just not being able to stand oily or fishy smells, and being picky about what I want to eat. Nothing else really."
Steven's face was full of tenderness. He bent down and gently placed his hand on her abdomen, imagining what the child would look like.
He smiled. "Not giving mommy a hard time - what a good baby. When you're a bit bigger in mommy's tummy, daddy will tell you stories every day, okay?"
Tell stories?
Rachel looked at his affectionate, gentle, fatherly appearance, feeling something indescribable in her heart.
He really seemed able to act as if the affair had never happened.
As if, as long as she also pretended not to know, they could still spend their lives together.
Too bad she wasn't that noble, and didn't have his acting talent.
She couldn't do it.
Rachel forcibly suppressed the subtle mockery in her eyes, pushed his hand away, her voice unconsciously becoming duller. "What's the rush? The baby is only a little over a month old."
Afraid he might detect something, she urged, "Go wash up quickly. I'm a bit tired and want to sleep."
Pregnant women tire easily.
Steven chuckled softly, looking at her with deep affection, reaching up to brush the hair from her forehead. "Okay, you sleep first, don't wait for me. Honey, I do love you. You'll always be the most important person to me."
That last sentence - she didn't know if he was saying it to her or to convince himself.
She had heard these words too many times.
Maybe what he said was true - he did love her.
But he also couldn't give up Nancy's body. That was also true.
It didn't matter.
Rachel thought this to herself, but could only pretend to be annoyed and give him a look. "Alright, I know. Go wash up."
"Okay."
Watching him enter the bathroom, the smile on her face instantly cooled, and a deep fatigue welled up inexplicably.
Both physical and mental.
Her phone on the nightstand suddenly chimed.
[This Sunday through next Thursday, Lachlan will transport those 20 pounds of drugs back from Maple Grove City in six batches, still hidden in fruit and imported snacks.]
Rachel's whole body froze, and all the melancholy and complexity in her heart instantly solidified.
These past days, reports about the Stellar Voyager transport ship running aground and sinking hadn't stopped.
The police issued an official statement the day before yesterday explaining the cause of the grounding, but most netizens weren't buying it.
In recent days, quite a few families of the deceased and injured had been holding up banners outside the Grey Group, demanding that the Grey Group give them justice and an explanation.
The Nelson Group had conveniently stayed hidden.
She didn't know if these 20 pounds of drugs were directly related to the shipwreck, but this was no small matter.
Moreover, based on her analysis, the text message warnings were always meant to prevent her and Benjamin from suffering losses or harm.
Although she still wasn't clear what kind of hidden connection existed between her and Benjamin, she should still tell Benjamin about this.
WhatsApp chimed with a notification.
She gathered her thoughts - it was Benjamin's reply: [Tomorrow morning I need to go to the men's prison, I'll be back around 1 PM.]
Before Steven came back, she had messaged Benjamin on WhatsApp to meet tomorrow morning to discuss the Radiant Beauty Spa account books.
Back around 1 PM?
After they finished talking, it would be after 2 PM at least.
Tomorrow's show at Scenic Bay Estates - she didn't know what time it would start.
Rachel thought for a while, then typed: [About Lachlan's 20 pounds of drugs, I have a new lead. Want to have lunch together tomorrow and talk in person?]
On the other end of the phone, Benjamin furrowed his brow.
A new lead on the drugs?
His eyes sharpened as he replied: [Send me the address.]
Rachel searched online for restaurants near Scenic Bay Estates.
Finally she chose a seafood restaurant and a barbecue place, sent both to Benjamin, and asked which he preferred.
Benjamin didn't really like seafood, so he chose the barbecue.
The next day around 12:40 PM, Rachel arrived early at the barbecue restaurant.
This place was less than a hundred yards from the entrance of Scenic Bay Estates. She deliberately chose a window seat, from which she could see the community entrance, though not completely.
She frowned slightly, feeling a bit disappointed.
She had hoped to secure a perfect vantage point for watching the show.
After waiting about half an hour, Benjamin appeared in her field of vision. They exchanged brief greetings and ordered their food.
After the waiter left, Rachel sent him all the photos of the real account books she had taken yesterday.
"Is the chain of evidence complete now?"
Benjamin carefully scanned every transaction on them, thinking. "Not quite, because you don't have video evidence from the scene. But it's fine - as long as the police can catch them red-handed after we report it."
He paused, looking up at her. "What you need to do now is completely distance yourself from your shareholder identity. Have you thought about how to do that?"
How to do it?
Rachel's heart sank slightly.
Her hand under the table unconsciously moved to her abdomen.
Actually, she had already had a rough plan.
Once Heather finished dealing with Nancy, she could act.
Benjamin noticed her gesture and suddenly thought of her fake pregnancy.
He was about to say something when the waiter came over with their food, and he had to swallow his words.
Rachel picked up a piece of pork and placed it on the grill. The fat sizzled. Just as she was about to flip it, oil splattered onto the back of her hand. The slight pain made her instinctively pull back.
Suddenly, a hand longer and broader than hers reached over.
Benjamin took the tongs. "Let me."
Rachel was stunned for a moment, watching him skillfully turn the pork. When it was done, he cut it into small pieces with scissors and put them all on her plate, then continued grilling other meat.
She opened her mouth, an indescribable feeling creeping into her heart, and smiled lightly as she thanked him.
Once all the dishes were served, she brought up the drugs. "From this Sunday through next Thursday, Lachlan will transport the drugs from Maple Grove City back to Dawnlight City in six trips. But I don't know the specific times or vehicle numbers."
Benjamin's grilling motion paused.
After returning from Maple Grove City, he had actually been secretly investigating this matter. He had found several people who had contact with Lachlan, but as for where he had hidden those drugs, there had been no leads.
He hadn't expected Rachel to know first.
The cloud of doubt that had been lingering in his mind had never dissipated.
How did she know so much?
"That's enough. I'll find out the rest." His voice was cool, yet seemed tinged with a bit of warmth. "Thanks."
Today was Thursday - three days until Sunday.
Finding out about the Nelson Group's transport vehicles wouldn't be hard.
Rachel was stunned.
This time again, he didn't ask how she knew.
When had they started trusting each other like this?
She stuffed a piece of grilled meat in her mouth, not dwelling on the question.
When they were almost done eating and Rachel was about to pay, Benjamin had already handed his card to the waiter.
Rachel opened her mouth. "I should have paid for this meal."
"There's no should or shouldn't." Benjamin put away his card. "Let's go."
Coming out of the barbecue restaurant, it was already 2:30 PM.
The nearby parking lot was in the same direction as Scenic Bay Estates. As they walked over, quite a crowd had already gathered at the community entrance.
From a distance, Rachel saw a very conspicuous rose-red banner in the air.
[Nancy, who deeply loves my husband - as his wife, I'm here to keep Nancy as a mistress on my husband's behalf.]