The Husband I Loved for Eight Years Never Loved Me-Chapter 133: The Photo Frame Daddy Framed for Me

Chapter 133: Chapter 133: The Photo Frame Daddy Framed for Me

Chapter 133: The Photo Frame Daddy Put Together for Me

Tristan Sterling was waiting in the living room.

Seeing Rachel Royce return carrying Melissa, he stood and walked over, reaching out to take Melissa from her arms.

As Melissa lay in her father’s arms, she suddenly woke up. Her eyes fluttered open as she looked at Rachel, wanting to reach for her. Rachel quickly took Melissa’s small hand and said softly, "Get some rest, Melissa. Auntie is going home now."

Melissa quickly tightened her grip on Rachel’s hand. "Aunt Evelynn, don’t go."

Rachel caressed her little face, coaxing her, "Auntie has to work tomorrow. How about I spend lots of time with you when I have a day off, okay?"

As she leaned closer to Melissa, the man caught the scent of her light, elegant perfume. He lowered his gaze, his eyes falling on the woman’s beautiful eyes, full of gentle affection, beneath her long, wing-like lashes.

Melissa was especially clingy at bedtime and not easy to console.

She refused to let Rachel go, reaching out to be held, her eyes turning red.

Rachel had no choice but to take Melissa back into her arms.

Tristan Sterling said, "Take Melissa upstairs first."

Melissa was now clinging to Rachel, refusing to let go.

Rachel could only take her upstairs first. It wouldn’t be too late to leave after Melissa fell asleep.

She helped Melissa bathe, brush her teeth, and change into her pajamas. Then she laid her in bed, humming a song to lull her to sleep.

Melissa was truly exhausted today and quickly fell asleep once she was in bed.

After Melissa was asleep, Rachel didn’t rush to leave. She waited for a little while.

Finally, she placed a kiss on her daughter’s forehead before reluctantly getting up to leave.

When she went downstairs, she happened to run into Zachary Dudley coming in.

On the way back with Melissa, she had called Zachary Dudley and asked him to bring the gifts for Melissa to Silvermist Bay Villa.

Rachel walked over and took the bag from him.

"I’ll take that."

Tristan Sterling watched from the sofa.

Rachel turned and walked toward the man, placing the bag she was holding on the sofa. She also put a red envelope and a jewelry box on the coffee table. She addressed Tristan Sterling, saying, "These are gifts and a red envelope for Melissa from my parents and my brother. Remember to give them to her when she wakes up tomorrow morning."

After she spoke, Rachel turned to leave.

Zachary Dudley set down the box containing the robot and left with her.

Thomas Sterling had been waiting outside.

Rachel got into his car.

"Let’s go."

Thomas Sterling drove away from the villa.

August was nearly over, and the weather was gradually turning cooler.

「That day.」

She received a call from Tristan Sterling. The man’s tone was as business-like as ever as he instructed, "Melissa starts school next Monday, and she wants you to take her to kindergarten. I have a flight tonight for a business trip, so come pick her up from my company after you get off work and take her home."

Hearing this, Rachel paused for a few seconds before saying flatly, "I understand."

’No matter what, Melissa is still my responsibility.’

After relaying the information, Tristan Sterling hung up.

Since she had to go pick up Melissa, Rachel packed her things and prepared to leave as soon as her workday ended.

Just then, a knock sounded at the door.

"Come in."

Julian Jennings pushed the door open and came in. Seeing her, he said, "Getting off work?"

Rachel hummed in affirmation. "Professor, did you need something?"

Julian Jennings said, "Nothing important. I just wanted to ask if you have time tomorrow."

Rachel replied, "I’ll probably have to take care of Melissa this weekend. And I have to take her to kindergarten on Monday."

Julian Jennings nodded lightly. "It’s rare for you to have time with Melissa. You should spend it with her."

"Is Tristan Sterling away?" he asked.

Rachel said, "He called me this afternoon. He’s going on a business trip and asked me to go pick up Melissa now."

Julian Jennings didn’t say anything more.

Rachel said goodbye to Julian Jennings and took the elevator downstairs.

Julian Jennings returned to his office and picked up two tickets for an international orchestra’s concert tour from his desk.

His dark eyes stared intently from behind his glasses before he finally set the tickets aside.

Rachel drove to the Cedarwood Group.

She got out of her car and entered the company lobby.

Tristan Sterling was just coming down with Melissa.

Seeing Rachel, Melissa happily ran toward her. "Aunt Evelynn!"

Rachel quickened her pace to meet her.

Melissa ran up and hugged her legs, tilting her head up to look at her with a wide grin. Rachel ruffled Melissa’s hair.

Then she looked up at the approaching Tristan Sterling, and her expression cooled. Tristan, noticing the change in her eyes, handed her Melissa’s backpack. Rachel took it as he said, "I’ll be on a business trip for about a week. When you take Melissa to school on Monday, you should coordinate with her teacher."

He meant that Rachel would be responsible for dropping Melissa off and picking her up for the first week of school, and that she should exchange contact information with the teacher to stay updated on how Melissa was doing.

"Then you should give the teacher a heads-up, too."

"I’ve already called the teacher."

"..."

Their tones were devoid of any emotion, and anyone could sense the cold, detached atmosphere between them.

Rachel hummed in acknowledgment and said no more. She lowered her gaze to Melissa, who was looking up at them. "Let’s go, Melissa."

Melissa waved to her father. "Bye-bye, Daddy."

Tristan Sterling crouched down and took her small hand. His stern features instantly softened. "Remember to call Daddy," he said.

Melissa nodded. "I’ll call Daddy every day."

"Good."

Rachel left the company with Melissa.

Mark Chapman stood behind Tristan Sterling, watching them go. ’What’s not to understand? She’s Rachel Royce. Looking at her now, she’s changed so much compared to five years ago. If you don’t look closely, it’s hard to connect the person she was with the person she is now.’

’Judging by her attitude toward President Sterling, there’s not a trace of feeling left in her eyes.’

Rachel drove away with Melissa.

Melissa turned her head to look at Rachel and suddenly asked, "Aunt Evelynn, do you not like my daddy?"

Rachel froze for a moment, glancing at Melissa’s crestfallen little face. The child might not understand adult emotions, but she could clearly sense the difference in how "Aunt Evelynn" treated her daddy compared to, say, Mr. Ford. Aunt Evelynn never smiled at her daddy, and her tone was never gentle with him.

Rachel forced a gentle smile and said, "It’s enough that Aunt Evelynn likes Melissa! When we get home tonight, how about Auntie makes you dinner? What would you like to eat?"

She changed the subject.

When they got back to Silvermist Bay, Rachel had originally planned to pack Melissa’s things and take her back to Hillcrest Villa to stay for the weekend. But Melissa said, "Aunt Evelynn, can you stay with me at my house, please? We can go to your house next time."

Faced with Melissa’s request, Rachel found it really hard to refuse.

’Besides, Tristan Sterling isn’t here anyway.’

So Rachel had no choice but to agree.

When Frances Wyatt and Lisa Lawson saw that Rachel was staying, and that the young miss followed her everywhere she went, they didn’t dare say a word, no matter how much they disliked her or how resentful they felt.

Rachel personally cooked dinner for Melissa. Melissa wanted to help in the kitchen, and seeing that she couldn’t sit still, Rachel had her pluck the leaves off some vegetables.

After dinner, Rachel took Melissa back to her bedroom. Upon entering, Rachel’s eyes immediately fell on a photo frame on the nightstand.

The photo in the frame was from their outing last week. In it, she was dressed in the game character’s costume, holding Melissa.

"I had Daddy put it in the frame for me. This way, I can see Aunt Evelynn every day."

A wave of warmth washed over Rachel’s heart.