My Darling, My Dearest

The Western restaurant was well decorated. Its romantic style gave off a very warm and homey feeling, suitable for couples going on a date or for friends to meet for a cup of coffee.

It was strange that so many people gathered here. What was even stranger was the atmosphere. They weren't communicating with each other.

Jack didn't speak because he felt the others didn't like him.

He understood why Eric didn't like him. But he couldn't figure out why this beautiful woman, Lea, disliked him too.

They didn't know each other, and so there was only one reason why she disliked him.

It was because of Rachel.

She was one of Rachel's friends, and Rachel must have said something about him to her.

It was easy to guess why she had treated him so coldly.

Jack wore a poker face. He wouldn't let their hatred get to him.

Eric was sitting opposite Jack. He sometimes mocked Jack, and sometimes talked with Lucas, as if they were good friends.

He asked about Lucas and Rachel's campus life. ■d

Lea joined their conversation, leaving Jack out of the loop. He had no idea what they were talking about.

Jack had no chance to join their conversation.

So he continued to enjoy his meal in isolation and peace.

Eric was determined to keep Jack out of the conversation.

But he didn't expect that the man would sit there so comfortably in solitude. He continued to eat his food without minding everyone else.

Eric was very disappointed and struck up a conversation to attack him. "Mr. Fu, you must be very busy these days. How is it that you even have time to have dinner with us?" Jack knew if he didn't answer his question, Eric would not let him go.

Rachel silently groaned. Eric needed to stop being such a bully. The air was already harboring a lot of tension. There were more opportunities in the future for him to pick a fight with Jack.

It was not a good time for them to talk and she wanted to close the door to deal with her family matters. She feared that if Jack held a grudge against Eric, he might do something to hurt him. She was very sure about this.

Eric was not smart at all. But before Rachel could say something to calm him down, Jack suddenly placed his knife and fork down.

His good-looking lips curved into a faint smile. "No matter how busy I am, I still have time to spare ■d

for a meal."

Eric's legs turned limp, Jack's poker face annoyed him. But he knew when to back down and had to admit that he was spineless. He had no comeback to retort.

The reason why he was so brazen to provoke Jack was because he knew Jack wouldn't do anything to him in public.

This was his advantage. But, he was still not as intimidating as Jack.

Although Eric was angry, he didn't dare to continue taunting him.

He peeped at Rachel and found her calm face. It didn't seem like she heard their pugnacious conversation.

Lucas started a conversation with Jack. They were not familiar with each other, but they were both mature and rational people. They wouldn't lost their minds like Eric. The two men had a pleasant conversation, especially when it came to financial stocks. Both had a very keen insight on the matter.

Eric looked at Jack and Lucas, who were chatting happily. He suddenly felt sick.

He looked at Rachel sympathetically, trying to seek comfort. She did not disappoint him. She patted his arm under the table to assure him that she was there. When he was confused, a greasy little hand reached out from the other side and handed him a piece of spaghetti. "Eric, here you are!" said Mendes, ■d smiling.

Eric laughed and looked at the spaghetti in the child's hand. "Thanks, you go ahead. I have my own."

Lea grabbed Mendes1 hand and took the spaghetti from him. Rachel wiped his hand with her wet tissue and said helplessly, "Don't grab food with your hand." Lucas stopped talking with Jack and turned to Mendes, looking very disappointed. "Mendes, have you forgotten what I've told you?"

Lucas had already discovered that Mendes had some bad habits. Perhaps it was because no one had taught him before. Fortunately, Mendes was smart and listened to what he said. After Lucas had mentioned it twice, he had corrected himself. However, he caught Mendes doing it again. Lucas warned him, "You can't grab your food again. Do you hear me?" Mendes made a face and stuck out his tongue at Lucas. "Got it."

Rachel chuckled and helped him wipe his hands clean. "Okay, then start eating your meal properly."

She took a look at Eric and warned him, "There is a kid here. Don't let him laugh at you."

Eric understood what Rachel meant. She asked him not to talk about bad things in front of the child.

But he didn't expect that there was someone ■d

who felt more uncomfortable than him.

Jack's eyebrows twisted. He glanced at Lucas and Rachel coldly.

It seemed that they were a family.

A strange feeling flew through Jack, and he asked, "Where are his parents?"

The table grew silent, all eyes plastered on him, including Mendes1.

Jack didn't know why they were all looking at him, as if he said something negative. "What's wrong?"

Lucas coughed, breaking the silence. "Both of his father and mother work outside."

Noticing that they all looked a little strange, Jack realized something was wrong. He thought this kid's parents might have died.

When he looked Mendes' innocent gaze, Jack swallowed and didn't continue the topic.

Eric snorted slightly and was about to say something. Rachel frowned in his direction, warning her with his eyes.

He swallowed back the words that were already on the tip of his tongue, silently cursing Jack.

Lea became the quietest among them. She looked at the people around her. She could feel the obvious hostility between Eric and Jack, as if they were enemies.

Lea thought for a while and believed that she had a lot of things to ask Rachel. ■d

It seemed that a lot of things had happened to Rachel while she was gone, especially between her and Jack.

If there were people who didn't know what had happened, they would have believed that Lucas, Rachel, and Mendes were a family of three.

Jack observed them secretly, but didn't find anything wrong. He suddenly thought of another idea. What did Rachel agree to with his father, in order for the divorce to happen?

Was she in love with someone else?

Jack couldn't describe how he felt, his palms started to sweat. He had been determined to divorce Rachel, and he still felt that he owed her a lot.

He became more curious about why she agreed to get a divorce.

If it was because of his father, then his feelings for Rachel would become more complex.

Rachel followed his father's arrangement to get married and get divorced after. It all depended on his father's decisions.

Jack felt that not only he himself, but the Fu family also owed her a lot.

He felt it ridiculous to let Rachel marry him just because the Fu family had raised her. Years ago, he had mentioned it to his father, but his father only told him that Rachel had agreed.

At that time, Jack hated Rachel. But after some time, he found more about her. She was very independent, and was not the type that was easily ■d

bound up by a debt of gratitude.

He remembered that his father had told her that the Fu family owe her.

Jack felt something was wrong, but he couldn't figure it out.

If Rachel promised to divorce because of following his father's opinion, Jack would treat her as his own sister and would try his best to compensate her.

If she fell love with someone else, Jack would feel better, at least feel less guilty.

Whenever he met Rachel, he felt guilty.

It was all his fault. He, as a member of Fu family, was the one who should be blamed for all this.

He knew so little about this woman, and his experience told him that she was not willing to tell him about her past.

He never had a reason to find out before. However, he was getting curious about her now.

After pondering over what kind of person she was, Jack once again glanced at Lucas.

The table fell silent once again, with only the faint sound the knife and fork colliding decorating the ambiance around them.

Rachel glanced at Jack, worried and wondering about what he was thinking of.

By the end of the dinner, Jack and Lucas politely exchanged business cards with one another. ■d

Lucas left with Mendes.

Eric took a look at Jack, who was still standing beside them. He approached Rachel and whispered in her ear, "Why is he still here?"

She glumly answered, "I guess he will be staying at my place tonight."