Chapter 167
Joseph watched Rachel take the flowers and let out a sigh of relief. With a playful grin, he said, "No one out there compares to you. We're partners now, so it's only right to give flowers to keep our friendly vibe going."
Rachel smiled. "You sure know how to talk. Thanks, the flowers are lovely," she said, shaking the white roses in her arms.
Joseph pulled out a chair and sat down. "Glad you like them."
"What do you want to drink?" Rachel put the flowers aside and handed him a menu.
Joseph took the menu, glanced at it, and ordered a cup of coffee. Rachel went for a glass of milk. Soon, the waiter brought their drinks.
Joseph eyed the milk in Rachel's hand and remembered her pregnancy. After a few seconds of hesitation, he asked, "How are you holding up?"
"Huh?" Rachel looked up at him. "What do you mean?"
"I heard the first few months can be rough for pregnant women. Are you feeling okay?" Joseph asked, genuinely concerned.
Rachel noticed the concern in his voice and smiled. "I'm fine. Just some strong smells make me a bit queasy, but other than that, I'm good."
"That's a relief." Joseph nodded and stirred his coffee. "What are your plans for the baby? Did my friend share his thoughts with you?"
"Yeah," Rachel replied after taking a sip of milk.
Joseph looked at her. "So, what are you thinking?"
"I'm not planning to keep the baby," Rachel lowered her head and said softly.
Joseph was taken aback. "You're going to terminate the pregnancy?"
"Yes, I don't want my child to be illegitimate, so this is the only option," Rachel said, holding the milk cup.
Joseph nodded. "I get it." She didn't know the baby was Michael's and thought it was a stranger's. Her decision made sense.
Even if she knew it was Michael's, she wouldn't keep the baby. Having the baby would only complicate things between her, Michael, and Mandy, and her child would be the subject of gossip. Terminating the pregnancy might be the best choice.
"Since you've decided, I won't try to change your mind. Do you want me to go with you for the procedure?" Joseph asked with a smile.
Honestly, Rachel terminating the pregnancy wasn't a bad thing for him. Even though he liked her, it didn't mean he would like another man's child.
"No need. John will be with me for the procedure this weekend." Rachel smiled.
Joseph pouted. "Him? Can he handle it?"
"Alright, I didn't come to talk about this." Rachel waved her hand, clearly wanting to change the subject.
Joseph shrugged. "So, what do you want to talk about?"
Rachel took off her necklace and set it in front of him. Joseph looked closely. "Isn't this the necklace Charlotte wears?"
He had seen Charlotte in the parking lot when he accompanied Rachel to the hospital last time. He had noticed the necklace around Charlotte's neck then.
Rachel smiled. "Look closely again. Is this really Charlotte's necklace?"
Joseph raised an eyebrow and, after a careful examination, suddenly remarked, "There are a few differences."
"That's right. This isn't Charlotte's necklace, but it's closely related to hers. They are a mother-daughter set. Over twenty years ago, Ethan gave it to his eldest daughter, Grace," Rachel leaned back in her chair and explained.
Joseph suddenly got it. "But Grace is dead, right? How did you end up with this? You aren't Grace, are you?"
Since the Anderson family planned to deal with the Brown family, he had done his homework on the Browns and knew about the drama between the two families over twenty years ago. So, he wasn't shocked to hear Grace's name.
"Don't be ridiculous. I'm not Grace." Rachel rolled her eyes.
Joseph stared at her face. "Honestly, your eyes really look like Charlotte's."
"It's just a coincidence. Lots of people look alike. Doesn't mean they're related," Rachel said calmly.
Joseph laughed. "Fair point."
"This necklace was taken from Grace by my dad and has been in my family ever since. Did you see the announcement from TriStar Corporation looking for the girl with the special necklace?" Rachel asked, looking at him.
Joseph nodded. "Yeah, I saw it."
"Because I found this necklace and asked about it at the store, Charlotte speculated that Grace might still be alive. TriStar Corporation released the announcement to find Grace."
"I get it now. I thought Ethan was looking for a mistress." Joseph suddenly understood.
Rachel was amused by him. Seeing her smile, Joseph's eyes darkened. He quickly coughed and looked away. "But if Grace is dead, what can they find?"
"Not necessarily. I also doubt whether my dad drowned Grace back then. So, I came to you today to find out if she's really dead. If not, where is she?" Rachel frowned.
Suddenly, a voice came. "Ms. Williams, Mr. Anderson, you're here too?"
A trace of disgust flashed in Joseph's eyes. Rachel pursed her red lips and looked up to see Mandy walking over.
"The annoying person is here." Joseph sighed. Rachel took a sip of milk and smiled faintly.
"Are you on a date?" Mandy approached them, her eyes lighting up when she saw the roses on the table, and asked in surprise.
Joseph propped his head and glanced at her. "Yes. So, Miss Brown, could you leave us alone? You're interrupting."
"Sorry, I didn't know." Mandy smiled awkwardly.
At that moment, footsteps were heard again. ''Mandy?''
Mandy waved towards the door. "Michael, I'm here!"
Michael looked over and was surprised to see Rachel. What was she doing here? Then he noticed a man with his back to him. Was it John? Were they on a date? Frowning, Michael walked over. As he got closer, he realized it wasn't John but Joseph.
Joseph noticed the surprise in Michael's eyes and waved with a smile. "Michael, what a coincidence. You brought Miss Brown for coffee too?"
Michael responded, noticing Rachel sipping her milk, a hint of jealousy in his tone. "Are you two on a date too?"
"Yes, there are flowers on the table." Mandy held his arm and pointed at the flowers.
Michael's eyes narrowed. "A date?"
"Of course." Mandy nodded with a smile, her eyes gleaming with pride.
Rachel noticed this and gave a cold glance. Before she could speak, Michael interjected, his tone noticeably cold. "Rachel, does John know you're on a date with Joseph?"
Michael was angry. Even before the divorce, she had so many men around her. Now that she was with John, she was dating another man. She was still so promiscuous.
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