Chapter 24
Rachel was driving to Red Maple Lodge when the skies just opened up, dumping rain like there was no tomorrow.
When she finally got to Red Maple Lodge, the underground garage was packed, so she had to park outside. She groaned, realizing she didn't have an umbrella, and used her bag to cover her head as she dashed through the rain.
Even though the lobby wasn't far, she was wet, and the cold wind cut right through her wet clothes.
A server noticed Rachel's drenched state and quickly came over with a towel. "Here you go," he said, handing it to her.
"Thanks," Rachel replied, shivering as she wiped off the excess water. "It's Friday, must be busy. Is Mr. Clark still playing cards in his usual room?"
Thinking Rachel was a friend of George Clark, the server nodded. "Yep, Room 1103 as always."
Rachel was glad to have gotten the room number. After the server left, she went to the front desk and ordered a pot of premium tea and some snacks. As she was carrying the tray toward the room, the glass front door swung open, and a few men walked in.
When Michael looked up, his eyes accidentally caught sight of a woman entering one of the rooms. Her slender figure looked really familiar. It looked a lot like Rachel.
"Mr. Smith?" The guy next to Michael asked cautiously, "Something wrong?"
Michael pulled his gaze back and said coolly, "Nothing."
Rachel had no clue Michael was there too. She walked into the room with a smile, carrying the tea.
Rachel quickly scanned the room, seeing four men sitting together in the classic-style room, playing bridge and chatting. Two of the men had young women with them. Rachel immediately spotted George, the boss of Wisdom-Tech Group. "Mr. Clark," she greeted politely.
George glanced up from his cards. "Who are you?"
"Rachel Williams from Skyline Corporation," she answered, setting the tea and snacks on a side table. "I came by to say hello. My friend mentioned your excellent card skills, and since our companies are collaborating, I thought I'd join you."
George grunted in acknowledgment, his focus back on his cards. The guy named Thomas Harris across from George, eyed Rachel up and down. He asked, "Is your father Henry Williams?"
Rachel nodded. "Yep, Henry's my dad."
Thomas smiled, giving Rachel a once-over. "Good man. We used to play bridge together. Quite the skilled player."
Rachel ignored the suggestive look and replied with a smile, "Yes, my dad's skills are indeed good enough to play with you, Mr. Harris."
As they chatted, the bridge game ended. Thomas stood up and waved Rachel over, "My back is a bit sore. Rachel, why don't you take my place?"
Rachel looked uneasy. "Mr. Harris, I don't know how to play bridge."
"Your dad is so skilled; you can't be that bad," Thomas insisted, waving her over. "If you really don't know, I'll teach you."
George also spoke up, "You can play for Mr. Harris. If you really don't want to, you can leave."
Rachel sensed the dissatisfaction in George's tone. Skyline Corporation was on the brink of bankruptcy, and no one wanted to acquire it. Wisdom-Tech Group had also decided that only they could handle Skyline Corporation's overseas goods, so Rachel had to plead with them, which explained their arrogant attitude.
Rachel's grip on her bag tightened, then she suddenly relaxed. She walked over to Thomas's seat, smiling. "If Mr. Harris doesn't mind, I'll play for you for a while. If I lose, it's on me; if I win, it's yours."
Thomas finally smiled and sat down next to Rachel, patting her shoulder. "Don't worry; I'll teach you."
Rachel shifted her body to the other side, avoiding his hand.
Thomas glanced at Rachel's messed-up cards. Seeing her randomly throw cards, he realized she really didn't know how to play. Instead of teaching her, he chatted with George and the others, his hand always resting on the back of Rachel's chair.
Even with Rachel present, the men spoke freely, saying whatever they wanted and occasionally using profanity. The conversation eventually turned to Rachel and Michael's marriage.
Thomas asked knowingly, "Why did you and Mr. Smith get divorced? Did you get a few billion from Mr. Smith?"
"We had irreconcilable differences, so we divorced," Rachel quickly replied. "The Smith Family assets belong to Mr. Smith. I didn't take any property when we divorced."
"Mr. Smith is really cold-hearted," Thomas said regretfully, looking at Rachel without restraint. "You slept with him for six years, and he didn't give you any compensation after the divorce."
Rachel inwardly scoffed. Michael wasn't cold-hearted; on the contrary, he was incredibly considerate, with his heart set on Mandy. They had been married for six years, and he had never touched her. If this got out, she would be the laughing stock of everyone.
Rachel felt the anger bubbling inside her, but she kept her composure. "I have Skyline Corporation. That's enough for me. Mr. Harris, you were friends with my father, so I hope you can help me in the future."
Thomas laughed heartily, "Alright, Rachel, since you've asked, how can I refuse?"
Rachel's card skills were indeed poor, and she lost every hand. Before the game was over, she had already lost the stack of cash she had brought.
She had gotten a bit wet earlier, and her thin sweater was half-damp. The men in the room were all smoking, and the windows were wide open. The cold wind made her head feel dizzy, but she kept enduring it.
Thomas noticed Rachel's slender fingers and moved his chair closer, placing his hand over hers. "Play this card," he said.
"Rachel, your hand is so cold," Thomas said, taking the opportunity to touch her hand a few more times. Rachel tried to pull her hand back, but Thomas held it tightly.
Thomas leaned closer to Rachel and coaxed, "Mr. Smith doesn't know how to take care of you, but I do. If you need anything, just come to me. You want Wisdom-Tech Group to handle that overseas order for your company, right? I'll talk to Mr. Clark and have him sign the contract with you!"
Rachel was already feeling unwell, and the smell of smoke and sweat from him made her want to vomit even more. She had been holding it in since she entered, but she couldn't take it anymore.
Rachel forcefully pulled her hand away, moved her chair, and said coldly, "Mr. Harris, I can't play properly if you do that."
The other men laughed, but Thomas's smile turned into a sneer. "What's wrong with you? I'm offering my help, and this is how you treat me?"
Rachel's patience snapped. "Helping? You just want to get me into bed. My company might be struggling, but I won't stoop that low."
"Your company can't even come up with emergency funds; it's only a matter of time before it goes under," Thomas sneered. "You're really pathetic. You've been married to Mr. Smith for six years, and he hasn't even helped you save it."
Thomas grew bolder with his words. "Skyline is a sinking ship. Besides using seduction and pulling strings, what other options do you have to save it?"
Rachel grabbed the teapot, ready to smash it over his head. Before she could act, there was a knock on the door, and then it was pushed open.
Everyone turned to see Michael standing in the doorway. George immediately stood up, his demeanor changing. "Mr. Smith."
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