Chapter 26
Standing by the car in the freezing wind, Rachel felt dizzy and wobbly while on the phone. Michael's eyes darkened with annoyance as he grabbed her phone and ended the call. Ignoring her gasp, he scooped her up and moved to the other side of the car.
Rachel's feet left the ground, and the umbrella almost slipped from her grip. Instinctively, she clutched Michael's shirt, her voice rising in indignation. "Michael, put me down!"
Michael ignored her, opened the passenger door, and shoved her inside.
"Mr. Smith, have you had enough?" Rachel said coldly as he reached for the seatbelt. "I can call for a ride service; I don't need your concern!"
Their six-year marriage had rarely seen Michael show her any genuine concern, their interactions minimal and cold. Yet, since the divorce, he seemed to be everywhere.
Watching the stubborn defiance on her face only deepened Michael's irritation. "The weather is miserable. Even if you call for a ride, no one will come."
Rachel shot back, "That's none of your business."
"Rachel," Michael leaned in closer, his eyes filled with anger, "do you have to be so stubborn?"
The car's interior was cramped, and as he leaned in, Rachel had nowhere to dodge. Her face grew colder, and just as she was about to retort, she accidentally glanced at his back and realized that he had gotten wet while carrying her into the car without an umbrella. It was pouring outside, and most of his back was soaked.
Rachel swallowed her words and quickly looked away.
Michael glanced at her and continued to pull the seatbelt over, but he accidentally brushed his fingers against Rachel's heaving chest.
Both of them froze. Rachel quickly snatched the seatbelt from his hand and fastened it herself, her cheeks burning. "It's okay. I know you didn't do it on purpose," she said, mocking him. "Mr. Smith, you're such a considerate person."
Ignoring her sarcastic remarks, Michael quickly got into the driver's seat and started the car.
"Where do you live?" Michael asked.
"Starglow Valley Estates," Rachel replied coldly, looking out the window.
Neither of them spoke again, and the car was silent except for the faint swish of the windshield wipers.
Rachel, having been caught in the rain, felt very uncomfortable. Now, with the car's heater on, the alternating hot and cold made her feel even worse, and she soon slumped in her seat.
The car had already arrived at Starglow Valley Estates, but Michael didn't know which building Rachel lived in. Seeing her face flushed, he guessed she had caught a cold and drove around looking for a pharmacy. He got out and bought a box of cold medicine.
Returning to the car, he called her name softly, but she didn't respond. He tapped her cheek gently. "Rachel, take the cold medicine."
Rachel remained unresponsive, her breathing shallow and irregular. Frowning, Michael pried her mouth open and fed her the medicine. His fingers briefly brushed her cold, soft, and alluring lips. Michael found it hard to control himself and kept getting closer, finally wrapping his lips around hers.
Suddenly, the phone on the car's armrest vibrated, snapping him back to reality. He glanced at Rachel's slightly swollen lips, then realized what he had just done, feeling a flicker of surprise in his eyebrows as he reached for his phone to answer the call.
"Michael, have you finished your meeting?" Mandy's gentle voice flowed through the speaker.
Michael replied, "Yes, it's done."
"Can you come to Starglow Mall to pick up Mrs. Emily Smith and me?" Mandy said. "We went shopping, and it suddenly started raining. The driver went to pick up James from school and can't come, so I called you."
Michael glanced at Rachel in the passenger seat and replied in a low voice, "Okay, I'll be there in fifteen minutes."
Mandy cautioned, "Drive safely."
The car smelled faintly of Rachel's perfume, a scent that was both familiar and distracting. Feeling increasingly irritable, Michael stepped out to call David and asked him to come to the south gate of Starglow Valley Estates.
When David arrived, Michael handed him the keys and brief instructions. "Drive her car to the Grand Hyatt Hotel. Make sure she's taken care of."
David's eyes widened slightly but didn't question. "Got it."
Michael drove to Starglow Mall, occasionally thinking of Rachel's stubborn look and her cold yet soft lips, which made him feel even more agitated. He rolled down the window a bit, letting the cold wind in, which made him feel better.
When he arrived at Starglow Mall, he quickly spotted Mandy and Emily standing at the entrance, each holding several shopping bags.
He got out of the car with an umbrella and walked over quickly. "It's so cold. Why didn't you wait inside?" he asked.
Mandy smiled faintly. "We just came out, and you arrived so quickly."
Emily chuckled. "We just came out because Mandy knew you were coming and wanted to wait for you! Don't be fooled by all the bags; she only bought a coat for herself. The rest are clothes for you."
"Mrs. Smith, please!" Mandy blushed, her smile widening.
"We're all family now. No need for formalities," Emily laughed, a mischievous glint in her eye.
Michael guided them to the car, ushering Mandy in first, then helping Emily.
"Mandy, look how Michael dotes on you," Emily quipped. "He let you in first and then got me. If you two get married, I worry he won't even see me anymore!"
Mandy's smile grew wider, and to avoid more teasing from Emily, she changed the subject. "Is this David's car?"
"Yes," Michael replied, his eyes flickering, "David took my car to the shop for maintenance."
Mandy nodded with a smile. "No wonder you're driving his car to pick us up."
At this point, Emily chimed in, "I heard from Mandy that you were at Red Maple Lodge for a business meeting and were supposed to bring her some traditional pastries. How many boxes did you buy? Let me try some, too."
Michael had been preoccupied with confirming that the person in George's room was Rachel and then following her out of the lodge. He had completely forgotten about the pastries.
Michael said, "I was too busy with the meeting and forgot. I have the owner's number; I'll have them send a few boxes to the house tomorrow."
"Honestly, Michael, you should be more considerate," Emily whined, "Mandy goes shopping and always thinks of you, buying you so many things, and you forget to buy her pastries."
Then, she took Mandy's hand and smiled, "Mandy, have dinner at my house tonight. You just recovered, and I will make some soup to nourish you."
Mandy smiled faintly. "Thank you, Mrs. Emily Smith."
At that moment, her phone vibrated a few times. Mandy took it out to check, and when she saw the content on Facebook and the accompanying picture, her smile froze.
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