The Silent Wife

Chapter 282
Charlotte was the only one out of the trio who didn’t know how to swim. After a few paddles, she stopped trying to move around.
“Why is the Curly Weirdo here too?” she said angrily as she splashed around.
Samuel ducked his head underwater without answering her.
Charlotte wised up to the situation when she saw him do that, and she promptly got angry enough to whack him. “Traitor!”
Naturally, Hernandez handed Rachel a towel when she got out of the pool.
“How did you know I’m here?”
“That’s a secret.” Hernandez glanced at the children in the distance and grinned. “Jolly told me that your father passed away.”
“Yeah.” With a dull gaze, Rachel lowered her head. “It happened last night. The funeral is supposed to be held next Wednesday.
You don’t need to console me; I feel nothing for the Hudsons.” Rachel immediately stopped Hernandez before he could try and
comfort her.
Hernandez waved his hands helplessly. “I haven’t even said anything.”
“Jolly asked you to come, didn’t she?”
“Of course not.” Hernandez’s brows furrowed. “I came to tell you that I just picked up a new piece of evidence while also coming
up with a new plan. Once you’ve settled your own business, you can leave for overseas with your daughter in tow.”
“What kind of plan?”
“Justin’s seeing a psychologist. He’s mentally unwell.”
Rachel’s went rigid. At once, a startled look came over her.
“He thought he was being sneaky about it, but unfortunately for him, my dream prior to becoming a lawyer and the chief legal
officer at SG was to become a detective,” Hernandez announced smugly. “A parent with mental illness is unfit to take care of
their child. When the time comes, all we need to do is whip out this piece of evidence, and his custody rights will be pulled out
right under his nose. And as Charlotte’s biological mother, you will have full custody rights over her.”

As she watched the two children playing in the distance, Rachel felt a myriad of complicated emotions.
“Hernandez, I’ll follow your plan for Charlotte, but now is not the time. Please help me with something else first.”
“What is it?”
“Hudson Pharmaceuticals’ next heir.”
Jefferey had been arrested because he was personally involved in smuggling. All assets under his name had also been seized
and frozen, but a large portion of the company’s stocks was still in Amber’s and the other investors’ hands. Although Hudson
Pharmaceuticals’ reputation was in the gutter and the company was on the brink of bankruptcy, it was still a listed company. A
listed company was still better off than one that had completely collapsed and vanished.
Logically speaking, Amber was supposed to inherit Hudson Pharmaceuticals after Jefferey’s death. All of Jefferey’s old guards
supported her. But now, Jefferey’s personal assets as well as his stocks had been confiscated. Whatever Amber had now barely
made a blip in the grand scheme of things.
“I want the rights to Hudson Pharmaceuticals,” Rachel stated.
Meanwhile, Charlotte was play-fighting with Samuel in the pool.
“You traitor! You said that you would help Daddy, but you’re helping the Curly Weirdo!”
Samuel darted around in the water since he knew how to swim. On the other hand, Charlotte ended up getting a face full of
water from all the waves and splashes he made while he escaped from her wrath.
“I don’t want to talk to you anymore.”
Seeing how Charlotte was actually angry, Samuel finally popped up from the water and grabbed her inner tube. “I’m not a traitor.
I just think that Justin will be more motivated with Hernandez around. Men like competition.”
“What did you just say?”
“Look, Hernandez was out of the country for a long time because of what I did. And what did Justin do? All he did was make
Mommy angry. So, I think it’s better that Hernandez is back,” Samuel said with a straight face. “Do you know what the catfish
effect is?”

Charlotte’s eyes widened. “Hernandez is the catfish.”
“Yep!”
Charlotte cheered up immensely after getting Samuel’s validation. She turned to look for Rachel, only to find no one by the edge
of the pool. “Where’s Mommy?”
Samuel turned around as well. Upon seeing the familiar figure, he immediately yelled, “Godmother!”
Jolly had shown up at the pool without them noticing earlier, soaking her feet by the edge of the pool in her patterned swimsuit.
Samuel swam over to her side, popping his head out of the water to talk to her. “Why are you here, Godmother?”
“I came with Hernandez, of course. I’ve been sitting here for a while now. It’s been a long time since I last saw you. Don’t you
miss me?”
Samuel was all smiles as he pressed himself close to Jolly. “Of course, I miss you.”
Charlotte paddled her way over as well. “Godmother, where’s Mommy?”
“She has something to discuss with Hernandez, so she left first. Now, you’ll be under my care tonight.”
“What?” Charlotte’s eyes immediately bugged out. “Why did they leave?”
In just a blink of an eye, they had left. What other reason could there be for a man and woman to leave together?
Jolly reached out and flicked Charlotte’s head. Charlotte doubled over in pain and grabbed her head.
“What were you thinking? Grown-ups naturally have grown-up things to talk about. You two better start thinking about what you
want for dinner tonight; I’m bringing you both out for dinner,” Jolly said. “How about fried chicken? Oh, and beer. But kids can’t
have beer. You’ll have to settle for a Coke.”
Jolly rambled to herself about tonight’s dinner, but Charlotte seemed distracted.
Nothing good could come out of Rachel following the Curly Weirdo.
Not long after, the night crept up on everyone. Meanwhile, Rachel was sitting next to Hernandez inside a restaurant.

“You were pretty fond of Asian cuisine when you were abroad. Jolly’s the one who recommended this place. It’s not half-bad.”
“I prefer your cooking. The dumplings, especially.”
Hernandez’s words amused Rachel enough to let out a giggle. “Fine, we can head back and make some dumplings once we’re
done.”
Rachel went to the bathroom alone before their food arrived. After she washed her hands by the sink, her phone buzzed in her
pocket. “Hello?”
“Mommy, are you having dinner with Mr. Curly Weirdo?” Charlotte’s angry question came blasting over the speakers the moment
Rachel answered the call. “How could you just leave me behind and go on a date with him?”
Rachel was exasperated. “It’s not a date. I’m just discussing some serious things with Hernandez. Isn’t Jolly looking after you
and Samuel?”
“You can’t date Mr. Curly Weirdo, Mommy. Anyone can tell that he’s a bad guy. Samuel said that he’s a womanizer!” Charlotte
reminded Rachel solemnly. Rachel laughed as she walked out of the bathroom.
“Don’t worry about that. Have fun with Jolly. I’ll be back later to pick you up.”
“Okay. Keep in touch, Mommy. Don’t ignore my calls.”
“Sure,” Rachel said helplessly.
Just after she hung up, two familiar figures cut past the hall and approached her. Immediately, Rachel’s eyes glazed over a little.
When did Justin get here together with Amber?
Justin was stunned as well. Evidently, he hadn’t thought that he would run into Rachel here.