Chapter 103 John's Feelings
Victoria rolled her eyes at John. "I've had enough of seeing you all day. Now, all I see is Rachel. Come here, let me get a good look at you."
She grabbed Rachel's hand and circled around her, a flicker of concern in her eyes. She sighed, "You've lost a lot of weight."
Rachel gave a helpless smile. "No, Aunt Victoria, you're mistaken."
"You really have. Your face used to be much rounder," Victoria insisted.
Rachel explained, "I was a bit chubby back then, and now I look healthier. Alright, Aunt Victoria, let's go inside."
"Yes, yes, let's go inside," Victoria said, pulling her into the villa.
Once inside, it was just the three of them. Rachel asked curiously, "Isn't Uncle Ryan home?"
"He's out playing golf. Don't worry about him. Rachel, tell me about these past six years," Victoria said, eager to hear about Rachel's life since that press conference.
"Alright," Rachel nodded slightly and briefly described her time with the Smith family, trying to downplay it to avoid worrying Victoria.
But after listening, Victoria was still furious and couldn't help but slap the table. She said angrily, "The Smith family is too much! Rachel, why didn't you tell us they treated you like that? We're your support. With us, how dare they bully you!"
"Exactly, I told her before," John chimed in while chewing an apple, feeling both upset that Rachel endured the hardship alone and more so, pity for her.
Feeling their concern, Rachel's heart warmed, and her eyes moistened. She muttered, "I just didn't want to worry you."
To Rachel, after her parents passed away, the Davis family became the closest people to her. She could rely on them occasionally, but she couldn't depend on them forever. After all, they weren't blood relatives, and she didn't want to burden them, so she chose to bear it alone.
"You silly girl," Victoria gently tapped Rachel's forehead and sighed.
Rachel understood the affection hidden in her reproach and smiled, snuggling up to her.
Victoria's heart softened instantly, and she gently stroked Rachel's hair.
At that moment, John frowned and sniffed the air. "Mom, what are you cooking? The smell is so strong."
Victoria suddenly stood up, eyes wide. She exclaimed, "Oh no, my seafood!"
With that, she rushed to the kitchen to save the food. Fortunately, she discovered it in time, and the food was saved.
Victoria brought two glasses of juice and placed them in front of Rachel. She said gently, "Rachel, have some juice and watch TV. I'll make a few dishes, and dinner will be ready soon."
"Thank you," Rachel replied with a gentle smile and nodded.
Victoria turned to John. "You come to the kitchen and help me."
"Help?" John blinked in disbelief and pointed at himself. "Mom, you must be joking. I can..."
"Are you coming or not?" Victoria interrupted with a poker face.
John immediately gave in and reluctantly got up. "Alright, alright, I'm coming."
He followed Victoria into the kitchen, looking dejected.
Seeing this, Rachel couldn't help but laugh.
In the kitchen, John looked around. He asked, "Mom, what do you want me to do?"
Victoria rolled her eyes at him. "You can't do anything. I'm afraid you'll blow up the kitchen."
John pouted, feeling wronged. "Then why did you call me in?"
"I want to ask you about your true feelings for Rachel. Do you still like her?" Victoria looked at him, her tone gentle yet firm.
John's expression froze. He stammered, "Mom, how you..."
Victoria clearly guessed his thoughts and interrupted, "You want to ask how I know you like Rachel, right?"
John pursed his lips, silently admitting it. He'd had feelings for Rachel since they were kids. But he knew Rachel only saw him as a confidant, nothing more. So he never said anything, keeping it all bottled up, not expecting Victoria to see right through him.
"Actually, it was six years ago, on Rachel's wedding night, when you got drunk and let it slip," Victoria began.
She sighed, her voice tinged with regret. "Honestly, I was shocked. If I had known earlier that you liked Rachel and it wasn't just pure friendship, I would have done everything to bring you two together. But you hid it too well. By the time I found out, it was too late."
John rubbed his nose, his gaze dropping to the floor. He stayed silent, lost in thought.
Victoria kept picking vegetables, her hands moving methodically. She glanced up at John and asked, "Now tell me, do you still have feelings for Rachel?"
John turned slowly, looking through the kitchen door toward the living room. His eyes were filled with complex emotions. "My feelings for her have never changed," he said quietly, his voice barely above a whisper.
"That's perfect. Now that Rachel is single again, you should boldly pursue her and turn your fake boyfriend status into a real one," Victoria encouraged. She genuinely hoped Rachel could become her daughter-in-law.
John shook his head, his eyes dimming. "Forget it. Rachel doesn't like me that way. If I pursue her rashly, I'll only scare her off. This is just fine now."
He had seen too many friends fail in their confessions, most ending with the girl avoiding and distancing herself. After all, not everyone was willing to accept the transition from friends to lovers.
He didn't want to lose Rachel, nor did he dare to take the risk. He preferred to maintain the status quo. At least this way, he could still be by her side.
Seeing John's hesitant yet longing look, Victoria couldn't help but gently tap his forehead. She grumbled, "Look at you, overthinking and being so timid. No wonder you can't be with Rachel."
"Is that my fault?" John muttered, looking innocent.
Victoria rolled her eyes at him. "How can it not be? If you had confessed earlier, Rachel might have been your wife by now."
"It's not that easy," John lowered his eyes, a bitter smile on his face. "Not every girl can accept a friend turning into a lover."
"How do you know Rachel can't accept it if you don't ask?" Victoria pouted, clearly dissatisfied.
John was momentarily speechless.
Victoria impatiently waved her hand. "Alright, alright, get out of here. You're in the way and annoying to look at."
"You're the one who called me in," John argued, eyes wide.
Victoria couldn't be bothered to respond and directly pushed him out of the kitchen.
"Oh, John's so timid and unambitious!" Victoria shook her head helplessly. "Looks like I'll have to create opportunities for him."
With that in mind, Victoria took out her phone and dialed a number. "Hello, Tyler, I heard you have a ranch, right?"
A cheerful middle-aged man's voice answered on the other end. "That's right, why?"
Victoria smiled. "Can I borrow it for two days this weekend? I want to use it to help my son and his girlfriend get closer."
She planned to let John and Rachel spend two days at the ranch, with some cleverly arranged surprises and thrills, hoping to accelerate their relationship.
However, Tyler apologized. "I'm afraid that's not possible. It's already booked."
Victoria frowned, feeling quite displeased. Who dared to beat her to it?
"Are there many people who booked it?" Victoria asked.
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