Chapter 27
"Mandy, what's up?" Emily asked, noticing Mandy looked a bit off.
Mandy quickly turned off her phone and mumbled, "Oh, nothing. Just my mom asking when I'll be back. I'll text her later."
Emily bought it and turned her attention to Michael, not suspecting a thing. Once Emily was distracted, Mandy nervously reopened her phone, the message from her friend still bugging her.
Her friend, who was also at the Red Maple Lodge today, had sent a worrying update. She had seen Michael chasing after Rachel, the two of them having a long, private chat by a car.
Mandy's heart raced as she watched the attached video. It was clear—Michael helped Rachel into her car and then got into the driver's seat himself.
Those ten seconds made Mandy break out in a cold sweat, her grip tightening on her phone. They were divorced, so why was Michael with Rachel again? And why would he lie about it?
Mandy remembered that night at the party when Michael seemed to be siding with her. But as soon as Rachel spoke, he gave her the 'Azure Heart' worth billions, saving Rachel from embarrassment. Now this. Mandy's panic grew—even if Michael divorced Rachel, she felt that he still wouldn't be hers. Was it that stolen things were destined to slip through her fingers?
Rachel woke up to sunlight streaming through her hotel window. Memories of the previous night came flooding back—caught in the rain, expecting to wake up sick, but feeling surprisingly good.
She remembered Michael insisting on driving her back to Starglow Valley Estates. In her groggy state, she vaguely recalled someone feeding her something. Was it Michael?
Rachel shook off those thoughts, quickly washed up, and left the hotel.
At the office, Rachel called Lily over. "The boss of Wisdom-Tech Group is coming to sign the contract. Get it ready."
Lily's eyes widened. "Ms. Williams, you sealed the deal with Wisdom-Tech Group?"
Rachel nodded. "Yep." Though she hated to admit it, if Michael hadn't shown up in the private room yesterday afternoon, George wouldn't have agreed to take on Skyline Corporation's order. She owed Michael one.
"Okay." Lily nodded and hurried off to prepare the contract.
Rachel took off her coat and hung it up. Just as she was about to dive into the documents Lily had brought, her desk phone rang.
She picked up. "Hello?"
The receptionist said, "Ms. Williams, Mr. Anderson wants to see you. Do you know him?"
Rachel replied, "Send him up."
Soon, there was a knock on the office door, and the receptionist led Joseph in. He was dressed in comfy, loose, casual clothes. His hair was slightly curled at the ends, and his features were flawless. He looked both handsome and dashing. His eyes scanned the office before landing on Rachel.
"Ms. Williams, you adapt quickly," Joseph said, pulling out a chair and sitting across from her. "You've been at Skyline Corporation for only a few days, yet you already carry yourself like a seasoned leader. Hard to believe you were a housewife for six years."
"Mr. Anderson, and I never expected the infamous playboy to be the mayor's son," Rachel shot back.
Joseph chuckled. "Ms. Williams, I was just complimenting your transformation, and you throw shade?"
"I'm complimenting your charm," Rachel countered.
Joseph, unfazed, leaned back in his chair. "I know Skyline Corporation has an overseas order and you're planning to use Wisdom-Tech Group's factory. But I have a better option."
Rachel raised an eyebrow. "You want to introduce me to a resource? Why?"
Joseph's voice was lazy and casual. "We have a partnership, don't we? I have good resources, so I introduce them to you as a gesture of goodwill!"
Rachel wasn't buying it. "Mr. Anderson, we've met once. We're not friends. Our collaboration is purely business. Skyline Corporation is struggling; no one's offering us anything without ulterior motives."
Joseph regretted answering Michael's call last night, knowing how suspicious Rachel was.
"I did lie to you. Actually, I don't want you to work with Wisdom-Tech Group," Joseph said earnestly, pulling out his phone to show Rachel a photo. "This is my girlfriend, but she's with Mr. Clark's son now. They went abroad together."
He spoke with a look of deep affection. "I love her very much. I gave her cars, houses, and jewelry, but she ran off with another man. If I don't get revenge, am I even a man?"
Rachel studied the photo. "She's pretty. Didn't think you'd be the one getting cheated on."
Joseph ignored her sympathetic look and continued, "Yeah, being cheated on is intolerable! So I want to get back at Wisdom-Tech Group. None of my friends are allowed to work with them. Since you're my partner, you can't work with them either."
"This factory is better at handling overseas goods than Wisdom-Tech Group. Trust me," Joseph said, fiddling with his phone. "I'll send you the contact for the head of Wonderworks Technologies."
Rachel's surprise was palpable. Wonderworks Technologies was renowned, their schedules booked solid. If she could partner with them...
"Are you serious?" Rachel asked.
"Dead serious. Call them." Joseph began peeling a mango from a box on her desk.
Rachel dialed the number and quickly found herself speaking to the company's representative. Their conversation flowed smoothly, her confidence and eloquence making even Joseph take notice. In the end, Wonderworks Technologies agreed to produce her order, provided she visited the factory on Thursday to finalize details.
After hanging up, Rachel felt relieved. She smiled. "Joseph, you've helped me a lot."
"As long as you steer clear of Wisdom-Tech Group, we're good," Joseph said, finishing his mango. "These mangoes are fantastic, by the way. Michael's gift?"
Rachel's expression darkened slightly at the mention of Michael. "No, we're long divorced. A friend sent these. If you like them, take some with you."
"Really?" Joseph raised his eyebrow and looked at her with a deep, meaningful gaze.
Rachel felt inexplicably uneasy under his gaze. She checked the time and spoke up, "Mr. Anderson, if you don't have lunch plans, let me treat you."
"Sure, I'll pick a good restaurant," Joseph said, following her out of the office.
As soon as Rachel stepped out, she heard a familiar voice shouting and causing a commotion outside. "Rachel, you bitch, come out here! I'm gonna teach you a lesson!"
She looked up to see Emily standing not far away, hands on her hips, cursing at her. Employees tried to calm her, but she was having none of it. Rachel, composed as ever, approached her. "Mrs. Emily Smith, is there a problem?" she asked coolly.
"Bitch, you finally showed up!" Emily roared, storming up to Rachel with a raised hand, ready to slap her hard across the face.
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