Chapter 359 Attending The Engagement Ceremony


    Hearing his taunt-filled words, Rachel blushed and said, "I won''t do that again. This is thest time."


    "Okay. Put down the note. I''ll sign itter." The director raised his hand and knocked on the desk.


    This signified that he was done speaking. However, just when Rachel turned around to leave, he


    called her back. Pretending like something urgent hade up, he said, "By the way, there is an


    exchange meeting in


    Brookmount City next week. I nned to go there myself, but with my packed schedule, I can''t


    manage it."


    She clearly knew he was lying.


    He was justzy to attend it. Even though she despised him with all her heart, she nodded her head


    and said, "I''m free next week. I am more than willing to fill the slot."


    He always got his way. He was aware Rachel wasn''t the type of girl who would refuse to anything.


    Hence he constantly took advantage of her, overworking her.


    "Okay, that''s good."


    Once she was out of his sight, Rachel rolled her eyes. Like a deted balloon, she sat on her work


    chair and texted Jack. Then she tidied up the medical records scattered on the table. By the time


    she was done, Jack was there.


    As soon as she got into the car, she began toin profusely. "Thanks to you, I went to ask for


    leave and now I am stuck with an exchange meeting in Brookmount City next week. "


    Disappointment was evident in her tone.


    "How long?" Jack asked.


    She shook her head and said, "I don''t know yet. I haven''t seen the meeting agenda."


    Seeing the depressed look on her face, Jack raised his hand and gently rubbed her head. With a


    smile, he suggested, "I happen to have nothing to do in theing next week. How about I


    apany you?"


    His words instantly lit her up. Meetings were dreadfully boring when done alone. But it would be


    different if Jack was with her. In fact, it would look more like a vacation!


    In the past, she didn''t mind spending time alone. She would fill her spare time with books and other


    activities. Ever since Jack came to her life, the thought of being separated brought sorrow to her


    heart. Knowing he would be with her, her heart was ovee by happiness.


    She had read about lovers wanting to spend all their time together. Back then it made no sense.


    However now that she was experiencing it, she realized it was all true. Two people who loved each


    other deeply indeed wished to be together all the time.


    After the two of them reached home, they got changed and drove to the hotel. Once the arrived,


    their eyes scanned the parking areas. All kinds of cars were parked. It took them a couple of


    minutes to find an empty spot. Jack took Rachel''s hand and got out of the car. He carefully fixed her


    hair which seemed to have gotten messy due to the wind. "Let''s go in," he said and they both


    entered.


    The bride''s name was Jenny Zhou, and her father, Edmund Zhou, was JX Group''s CEO. In the


    evening, besides the new couple''s friends, most of guests were his business partners. Rachel


    caught sight of some familiar faces that she had seen in other banquets.


    The engagement ceremony was done in Chinese style. After entering the hall, they saw a round


    table, leaving a passage in the middle for people to pass through.


    There was a small card in the middle of the round table, containing the names of the guests. After


    searching for a while, Rachel realized she had been arranged to sit at the main table, along with the


    new couple and their parents.


    Facing people''s inquisitive eyes, Rachel smiled faintly. Jenny Zhou sat next to her. Even though she


    didn''t know her, she felt a sense of familiarity.


    But she felt no recognition in the bride''s face. She shrugged it off thinking she had mistaken


    someone else for Jenny.


    "What''s wrong?" Jack whispered in her ear.


    Rachel shook her head, took out the gift from her bag, put it on the table and said, "Congrattions,


    this is a gift from me and Jack. I hope you like it."


    She had picked it up from the nearby shopping mall this noon. It was a simple but elegant bracelet.


    She smiled and said, "I don''t know your preferences, so I chose something simple."


    Jenny Zhou didn''t bother to look at it. Instead, she handed it to the staff standing near her with a


    trace of arrogance. "Thanks, I''ll open it after the function."


    Before Rachel could react, an emcee in a ck tuxedo walked onto the stage with a microphone


    and began to speak.


    Rachel nced at him for a while, but since she didn''t know the couple, she had no interest in


    listening. Bored out her of wits, she nced at her phone.


    She had just received a message from Bill informing he had arrived at the airport. Soon, he would


    be off to France. There was only ten minutes left before the ne took off, so he took this


    opportunity to text Rachel


    "Have a nice trip!" she typed and hit the send button. She nearly forgot Jack was sitting next to her.


    His maic voice whispered, "What are you looking at? Don''t you want to enjoy the function?"


    "No. It''s nothing."


    She quickly switched off her phone, while a guilty smile yed on her lips. Rachel thought she was


    doing a good job trying conceal her panic. However, Jack saw through it. Her fear was evident to


    him.


    He frowned, unable to decipher the reason behind this sudden change. Lately, she had been acting


    a bit weird. But he hadn''t asked her about it. Instead, he convinced himself that he was simply


    overthinking.


    Patting on Jack''s shoulder, Rachel said in a low voice, "Stop looking at me."


    He shifted his gaze to the LED screen on the stage. Photos of the new couple in various poses


    were being disyed. From childhood to adulthood, every photo that had them was being shown.


    The crowd watched it with pleasure.


    However, something on the screen froze Rachel''s smile. Presently, the screen disyed a selfie of


    Jenny Zhou and her fiance, but behind them stood three people.


    Other people paid no heed to the three figures that stood in the background. Their focus was on the


    bride and groom. However, Jack''s eyes remained fixed on them. These three people were none


    other than Bill, Andy and Rachel. This photo was taken on the day they took Andy to the hospital for


    examination. It was the moment where Andy was speaking sentimental words to them.


    In the photo, Rachel and Bill were holding hands.


    Looking at Jack''s obsidian-like eyes, which were shining with cold and sharp light, Rachel''s heart


    thudded against her chest. She felt the fury that was emanating from him. She bit her lower lip and


    whispered, "It''s not what you think."


    Jack didn''t answer. He began to clench his fist and his lips were pursed. It took him a lot of effort to


    hide his anger. He could lose it any second.


    Since he didn''t want to make a scene here, he tried to remain calm.


    Rachel tried to hold his hand, but he dodged. Even his chair moved a little, but thankfully nobody


    noticed.


    Her heart sank thinking how hard it would be to convince him her innocence. Even in her wildest


    dreams she hadn''t imagined something like this would happen.


    Rachel was a little flustered. Once again, she mustered some courage and looked up at him,


    wanting to exin the whole story. But Jack wouldn''t give her a chance. To avoid her, he looked


    straight at Edmund Zhou, who was sitting opposite to him. "Mr. Zhou, I used to hear you talk about


    your daughter at meals and worry about her future. Now you can rest assured."


    "Exactly!" Edmund Zhou raised his ss and smiled. "I''m finally relieved."


    Jack had never been a talkative person and rarely took the initiative to strike up a conversation. But


    today, he began to talk profusely with everyone near him. It seemed like he wanted to relieve his


    depression. This way, he could ignore Rachel.


    Rachel''s hands twisted uneasily. If she had any idea this would happen today, she wouldn''t have


    hidden the truth from Jack.


    This ce began to feel chaotic. Seeing everyone raise their ss to celebrate, Rachel''s


    uneasiness intensified. Looking at the emotion in Jack''s eyes, she knew that he had


    misunderstood her.


    After a while, Edmund Zhou stood up with a ss of wine in his hand and said loudly, "I''m very


    happy you all made it today. Come on, let''s drink together!"


    As soon as the words left his mouth, several people raised their sses, getting ready to drink.


    Rachel, however, lowered her head, looking uninterested in the celebration.


    She stood like a sore thumb and everyone''s eyes fell on her. Jenny Zhou made a distasteful


    expression.


    N?velDrama.Org content.


    Touching her shoulder, Jack whispered, "Everybody is staring at you. Don''t make them wait."


    His voice was t and emotionless, but it definitely got Rachel''s attention. She shivered a bit. Soon,


    his eyes apologetically looked at the bride''s father. "That''s how she is. She keeps getting lost in her


    thoughts,'' Jack said, making her sound like a child.


    "It doesn''t matter," said Edmund Zhou, taking no offense. Today was the best day of his life. Nothing


    could make him unhappy.


    Rachelposed herself, raised her ss, smiled and said, "I''m sorry."


    Once the wine made its way to her throat, she felt a burning sensation. Even without looking at


    herself in the mirror, she knew that her face must have been flushed.


    Taking advantage of this opportunity, she said, "I''m sorry. I feel a bit unwell so I will get going. Once


    again, congrattions on your engagement."


    After saying that, she left the spot. She didn''t even bother to nce at Jack. In her hurry, she forgot


    her jacket behind but she wouldn''t go back to take it. Once she was outside, she felt relieved at


    leaving behind all the hustle-bustle. The ominous wind was freezing her, but she continued to walk.


    The hotel was located a little far away from the central of Ninwell City. Almost everyone came here


    by their own car. She couldn''t expect to catch a taxi there. Standing there for a while, she wondered


    what to do. She had no courage to go back in and get her coat. Just when she was thinking about


    this dilemma, she saw Jack stepping out of the hotel, her coat in his hand.


    His lips were pursed and the displeasure he felt remained undisguised. He walked past her and


    went straight to the parking lot.


    She almost wanted to call his name, but his ice-cold face stopped her.


    A trace of bitterness appeared on her face. ''Is he nning to leave me stranded here?'' she couldn''t


    help but wonder. She rubbed her arms, hoping that would warm her up. Suddenly, Jack mmed


    the brake and stopped the car right in front of her. He rolled down the window and said, "Get in the


    car!"


    The sky was dark. It was bereft of any light. One couldn''t even spot the moon. The despair she felt


    in her heart was reflected in the weather.


    Author''s note


    G°°se fiSEQ


    Trantor: Scarlett5555