My Darling, My Dearest

Rachel was easily persuaded by Jonathan because she never imagined that even Jack agreed to the proposal, he wouldn't be so obedient as to stay at her place.

However, it was not until she gave her promise that everything turned a little different from her expectations.

Jack showed no intention of agreeing to his father's request at all.

Rachel found that she fell into Jonathan's meticulously woven plot.

She could not renege on her word, so to keep her promise, she tried convincing Jack into the agreement.

Not that she didn't mind living with Jack, but Rachel also had her reasons.

She never proposed divorce before simply because Jonathan didn't want them to. From when she was eight until she turned eighteen, the Fu family raised her like their daughter. When she was orphaned, her relatives from her mother's side refused to take care of her while they failed to contact her father's only sister, who was living out of the country.

She remembered how helpless she had been. When no one was willing to accept her, the Fu family embraced her. ■d

Rachel was grateful for the generosity of the Fu family during those ten years. More so, Jack's grandfather had worried about her future and arranged the marriage before he died.

He asked Jack to marry her to ensure that she would always be taken care of. She knew that Jack only agreed to please his grandfather.

She did not know why the elderly worried so much, but she felt his genuine care for her.

Since then, she had always kept in her heart their kindness towards her and wished to repay them one day. Then again, the Fu family was extremely wealthy.

She had no means of repaying them apart from saying yes to the wedding.

Unfortunately, the marriage failed.

She did not understand why Jonathan insisted on them continuing the arrangement even if it gained no fruition. It seemed he still believed that she and Jack might have a chance of becoming a real couple. She dared not say that the idea was unreliable, but if Jonathan did not agree with the divorce, she would not even think about it.

Firstly, she was still young and not in a hurry. Secondly, she had no real relationship with Jack. They only saw each other on a few occasions and pretended for appearance. It was only a paper marriage. Thirdly, she had not met someone she loved who would make her decide to take the initiative and settle this fake marriage. ■d

Even before she could wait for it to happen, Jonathan had unexpectedly allowed their divorce.

The fact that it had strings attached wasn't even surprising for Rachel.

He wouldn't just permit them and surely had something in his mind. She did not object at all.

He laid out his plan but didn't force them to do so.

Besides, there were glaring loopholes with the agreement that she didn't understand why Jack, who was cunning as a fox, had not made a fuss about it.

Even though she agreed to divorce, he could deduce some conspiracy theory to bend the rules. With such a brilliant and insidious mind, she couldn't fathom why he couldn't find a way out. Was he going to be so compliant and follow through the conditions?

No matter how meticulously crafted Jonathan's plan was, it could still be solved.

What Rachel foresaw was that Jack would make a statement and then move his things to their house just for show.

Jonathan was well aware it would be impossible for them to do precisely as he wanted. Nevertheless, they were still willing to put an act if it would please him.

Rachel might sign the divorce agreement within a couple of days, but she never anticipated to be entangled deeper into the plot.

At that moment, she was clueless about what ■d

would happen in the future.

After receiving the call from Jack, she began cleaning the guest room once she took off duty.

Eric was on holiday and played in the living room with Mendes beside him. The little boy was eager to try the game and kept on stealing the controller. Pestered by the kid, Eric changed the game mode to easy and then tossed the controller to Mendes. Afterward, he stood up, looking for something to eat. Mendes didn't understand the game. He was just happy to see the character on the screen move under his command.

Eric went to the kitchen and checked out the fridge. Rachel's fridge was usually empty, but now, it was full of fruits, healthy snacks, and a variety of fresh food. He also found a pitcher of orange juice.

He felt the hem of his clothes pulled while he poured himself a glass. He looked down and saw a small hand gripping his shirt. He didn't realize Mendes followed him.

'Wasn't this guy playing in the living room? Why is he suddenly here?' thought Eric.

He held the barely full glass and then asked with his eyebrows raised, "Why are you here? Weren't you playing?"

Mendes pouted, "It's no longer fun. I want to drink that too." His chubby little finger excitedly pointed to the glass in Eric's hand.

Eric took a smaller cup and poured him another ■d

one. "Here, take it."

Mendes reached out and received the cup with his hands. He took a sip and squinted in satisfaction, smiling at Eric like a greedy cat.

The boy looked pudgy but charming.

His baby fat didn't resemble that of the Michelin tires but more of a bubble or a bun. He looked like a little white bun that made people want to pinch his cheeks.

His cuteness made Eric forgot his annoyance earlier. He didn't know Rachel had the tolerance to raise a kid.

Mendes competed with him and always followed him closely like a little tail. He was not used to it and found it annoying.

Thinking about Rachel, Eric decided to check on her. He brought his glass of juice and headed for the stairs. Mendes followed immediately while still holding his cup. After a couple of steps, Eric stopped and looked around.

"Are you not going to play the game?" Eric asked. "Why are you following me?"

"I want to come with you,"

Mendes replied meekly. "I'll go wherever you

^^ii

go.

Eric was lost for words.

He cleared his throat and said, "You can go back downstairs and play. I need to see Rachel."

"I'm going, too."

Mendes ran past him and walked toward the guest room.

Eric let out a chuckle as he saw his little butt dashing off.

Rachel was busy cleaning the guest room that Jack would use. A housekeeper visited every month to help maintain the house, so she only needed to tidy a bit.

The room was almost empty and needed furniture. She decided to leave the task to Jack.

Then again, she only expected Jack to stay for a couple of days or a month at most until the agreement was signed.

Rachel was looking around the room, holding a rag in one hand when Eric and Mendes came.

Eric and Mendes crowded at the door, peeking inside the room curiously. The little guy had no idea what they were doing but decided to join the fun anyway. When Rachel turned her head towards the door, she saw the two of them staring. She felt like an animal enclosed in a zoo being watched by visitors.

"What are you doing?" Eric asked. A sweet and fruity smell floated inside the room. Her gaze dropped to the drink Eric was carrying.

Rachel freshly squeezed the orange juice for Mendes. The kid was obsessed with eating junk food and kept asking for snacks the first night he stayed with her. Although she refused him, she decided to buy him plenty of fruits and vegetables to add to his meals. She also found the juice maker that was not used at home and made the orange juice for him. ■d

Eric also knew that she didn't usually have so much food in the fridge.

"Why are you drinking his juice?" Rachel raised her chin accusingly.

'It took me a while to squeeze the juice from oranges,' she secretly whined.

"There's no name written on it in the refrigerator," Eric excused feebly.

The corner of her mouth turned up. "In my house, everything is either mine or prepared for Mendes. Since you drank his juice, you need to pay me in exchange. Go and clean the two bookcases." Rachel extended her hand and gave the rag to Eric.

Eric didn't know what to say.

'Just tell me if you want me to work for you, no need for an excuse,' he thought with a frown, looking at the rag.

"Nobody uses this room. Why should we clean it?" Eric asked as he noticed the room was empty.

Mendes tiptoed and reached for the rag, wanting to join, but Eric declined and raised his hand.

"Be a good boy." He patted the boy's head.

Rachel smiled and then asked the question back, "Why do we need to clean it if no one lives in?"

"Is it for me?" Eric piped in, his whole face lightened in excitement.

"You wish."

"Then, for whom?" Eric knitted his eyebrows. 'Was it for Mendes?' ■d

Rachel said, "Have you forgotten what this house is for?"

"What?" Eric became confused.

"This was bought as a wedding house for Jack and me."

Eric froze for a moment as he understood what Rachel was saying. Whenever it came to Jack, Eric got irritated. After his initial surprise, he said gloomily, "So what? He never lived here." "Well, he will."

Eric blinked as her words struck him. "Now?" His face screwed up, he could not believe what he heard. "You mean Jack will live here with you?"

"Yes," Rachel replied calmly.

Eric would never forget that Jack almost had his hand cut.

They loathed each other. "After he moves in, you need to call me before you come here," she instructed.

Rachel meant it as a precaution to avoid both of them from bumping into each other, but Eric misunderstood.

He began to worry. "But why? Why would Jack suddenly move here? He might be plotting something, Rachel, you need to be careful! Don't you think it is strange?"