Chapter 5

Rachel walked downstairs, where Cecilia was still waiting for her. As soon as she appeared, Cecilia rushed up to her.

"So, what happened?" she asked eagerly.

"It didn't work out. Just like the rumors say, he's impossible to get through to."

Not only that, but Rachel had almost exposed herself in the process.

As she was about to leave his office, she had heard Tyler's deep voice behind her: "I heard you went deaf because of Mr. Lewis back then, Mrs. Lewis. Looks like you're all better now."

Rachel wasn't sure if Tyler would keep her secret, but deep down, she felt that even if she asked him, he wouldn't help.

Cecilia looked at her with guilt and said, "I'm so sorry I couldn't help you."

"It's fine. Actually, I think I've caused trouble for you."

Rachel shivered as she remembered Tyler's words to his subordinate earlier. As she was about to speak again, she noticed Cecilia standing still, frozen in shock. Her eyes were wide open, and she seemed lost in thought.

Rachel waved her hand in front of her. "What's going on? Are you okay?"

Cecilia slowly turned her head, her face full of disbelief. "I… I didn't sign to you just now, but... you could hear me?"

Rachel quickly covered her mouth. "Keep it down. Come here."

Once they were out of earshot, Rachel explained what had happened. Cecilia's reaction was pure excitement.

"That's amazing! Why didn't you tell me earlier? I was over here looking like a fool, clumsily signing to you."

Cecilia wasn't great at sign language, but luckily, Rachel was smart. Even if the person Rachel was talking to wasn't fluent in sign language, she could roughly tell what they were saying from the shape of their mouth.

"But you need to keep this secret for me. Not even William knows. And tell your friend who helped set this meeting that there's a good chance they might lose their job over it."

Rachel's voice grew softer as she repeated Tyler's words to Cecilia.

Cecilia hung her head, clearly upset. "This is bad. Tyler really is as ruthless as they say. It looks like your plan is going to fall apart."

-

When Rachel got home, she sold the custom wedding dress William designed for her.

She had finally come to a decision. Whether or not she got the Oasis Project, she needed money for the future. She wasn't the rich daughter of the Lloyd family anymore; she was just an ordinary person now, and to survive, she needed money.

She thought it would take days for anyone to buy the dress, but to her surprise, within three minutes, someone paid an unbelievable price for it.

Five million.

She stared at the deposit notification on her phone, feeling a strange sense of satisfaction. She was already thinking about what to do with the money.

Just then, the door burst open. William walked in, sweat beading on his forehead. He knelt down in front of Rachel, looking desperate, his hands moving quickly as he signed.

"I saw you sold the wedding dress online. I designed that myself. Did I do something wrong? Are you mad at me?"

Rachel could see nothing but worry in William's eyes. She had always believed she understood him completely. From his gaze, she could read him like an open book. But now, as she looked into those same eyes, all she saw was insincerity.

She forced a smile, trying to sound calm as she replied, "No, I just think the dress is a material item. Remember that orphanage I told you about? It's in really bad shape; I want to donate money to them."

William looked at her with doubt in his eyes. "Really? It's not because you're mad that Samantha got the Oasis Project?"

Rachel pretended to be unaffected, patting his hand lightly. "Of course not. We're all alumni of the same school. Helping each other is the right thing to do. Don't overthink it."

After he heard that, William's tense face softened, his sharp features relaxing into a smile. "That's a relief. I knew you weren't that petty. Don't worry, I'll make sure everything goes smoothly with the project. I won't let anything go wrong."

Rachel almost laughed out loud. In William's eyes, he was being generous enough by giving away the most important thing to him. She knew now that getting him to give her the project was impossible. Her only chance was with Tyler.

Just as she was thinking that, William's phone rang. He glanced at it quickly, about to ignore it, but Rachel had already seen the name on the screen.

It was Samantha.

A bright, radiant smile crossed Rachel's face. "Who's calling? Why aren't you answering?"

William hesitated for a moment, then slipped the phone back into his pocket, forcing a smile. "It's just the company. But right now, I need to focus on you. You're much more important than work."

He spoke softly, a trace of affection in his eyes as he gently pinched Rachel's cheek.

However, she said, "Go ahead, take the call. It might be something important."

William didn't want to answer, but Samantha kept calling. He ruffled Rachel's hair, nodding toward the door to let her know he needed to take the call. She quietly watched as he walked out, the light in her eyes dimming little by little.

What she had once considered so important seemed to mean nothing to him, as it left his lips so casually. Had he forgotten what he had told her before? That as long as he was around, the project would be hers, no matter the cost?

Now, he had casually handed it over to Samantha with just the excuse of it being the higher-ups' decision.

The vibration of her phone pulled Rachel back to reality.

It was a message from Cecilia.

[I heard that Tyler will be attending the charity auction tonight. Not sure if he'll actually go, though. I heard he rarely attends events like this. You'll have to take a chance.]

Rachel wasn't sure if Tyler would actually be there, but she had to go. Maybe she would get lucky.

She quickly typed a reply: [Thanks.]

As soon as she sent the message, William came back into the room after his phone call.

He crouched down in front of her, looking anxious. "Hey, I've got to meet a business partner, so I might not be able to have dinner with you. But I'll come back as soon as I can."

Rachel quickly replied, "Don't worry about it. You go ahead. We can eat together another time."

She was actually glad he wouldn't be around tonight. She wasn't sure how to turn him down if he insisted on taking her out.

William couldn't help but kiss her forehead. "You're the best. When I get back, I'll buy that bracelet you liked at the auction."

"Alright. Go ahead," Rachel replied, playing the part of the understanding wife.

She turned her head, avoiding his kiss. Just the thought of those hands, that mouth, having touched Samantha made her feel utterly disgusted.

William didn't notice that something was off with Rachel. She could see how he was almost about to float off the ground with excitement. She knew she didn't want this forced relationship anymore, and couldn't bring herself to care about a love that didn't feel real.

Once William left, Rachel quickly grabbed some clothes from the closet and put on light makeup before rushing out the door. When she arrived at the charity auction, she took out the invitation. The brand had invited Lewis Enterprise, so it wouldn't be too hard to get in.

Inside, she searched the room but couldn't find Tyler.

Instead, she saw two familiar faces—William and Samantha. Samantha was adjusting William's tie, looking at him with eyes full of affection.

Rachel couldn't help but let out a bitter laugh. This was his idea of meeting a business partner?

But that wasn't the worst of it. What happened next left her stunned.

A staff member came over and handed William a beautiful red velvet box. Slowly, he opened it, took out a bracelet, and gently placed it on Samantha's wrist.

Rachel's heart skipped a beat, and her legs felt heavy as she stood frozen.

The bracelet meant so much to her—it was the first piece of jewelry she ever designed. Back when her mother couldn't afford treatment, Rachel had sold it. William had promised he would buy it back once it was up for auction.

But now, seeing this, she realized that his promises meant nothing. For a man, what he said one moment could mean nothing the next. He could be loving and caring, always saying he loved her, but then turn around and act the same way with another woman.

Rachel bit her lip hard, trying to steady her breathing. She didn't even notice the small trickle of blood from where her teeth pierced her skin.

She watched as Samantha smiled brightly and threw herself into William's arms.

"William, you're the best!"

Then, with worry-filled eyes, she added, "But if Rachel finds out, do you think she'll be upset?"