Anne smiled and said in a seemingly joking tone, “Don’t tell me you two are a couple!”
Instead of getting mad or feeling awkward, a half-smile stretched across Tyler’s face. He even leaned closer to Rachel.
At that moment, Rachel really wanted to chase Tyler out. She could negotiate this deal herself.
It was clear that Anne had a thing for Tyler. Rachel noticed her gaze drawn toward Tyler right from the start of the meal. Anyone with eyes could tell!
Tyler asked Anne, “Do we look like husband and wife?”
Rachel reached out to pinch Tyler at his waist below the table. Was he here to chat or to hear Anne guess the status of their relationship? Why did he not have any sense of danger at all?
Anne rested her chin on the back of her hand and observed the two of them. She looked perfectly fine, but Rachel was a woman and was naturally sensitive about what another woman was thinking.
Rachel could sense the underlying discomfort in Anne. Some things couldn’t be seen from the surface but only through the subtle changes in one’s expression.
With a smile, Rachel said almost jokingly, “Ms. Charlton, you’re joking! How could Mr. Hunt and I be husband and wife? We aren’t even a couple. An outstanding man like Mr. Hunt isn’t someone an ordinary woman like me can dream of being with.”
Rachel’s words made the knot in Anne’s brows unravel. Although it wasn’t very obvious just now, Rachel could clearly see Anne’s body relax.
It was exactly as she had guessed.
Whether Tyler was willing or not, she had to secure this deal.
“Ms. Charlton, if you’re about done with the meal, let’s make a move. I’ll text you the address of the place you and Mr. Hunt will meet tonight. Can I add you on social media, please?” Rachel went on.
“Of course. I get along very well with you, Ms. Lloyd. I’ll probably chat with you quite a bit, too.”
Anne pulled out her phone to add Rachel on her social media. In actual fact, she wanted to get a hold of Tyler through Rachel.
After Rachel accepted Anne’s request, she checked her posts to make sure there was nothing related to Tyler.
Thankfully, Tyler wasn’t like other men who had requirements in this regard.
She had seen colleagues who had to change their relationship status and post about their relationship on social media, showing off their lovey-dovey side from time to time. Rachel couldn’t stand the mere thought of that.
It made her think of what people always say: love that is often publicly displayed dies earlier.
In the end, they broke up in less than two months and had to delete all the posts about each other. When they bumped into each other at work, they would look at each other red-eyed with animosity.
Rachel didn’t appreciate a relationship like that. She wanted a relationship where both parties treated each other seriously, and even their breakup would be amicable.
There was no need to be all dramatic during the relationship. Things didn’t need to turn sour after the breakup, which wouldn’t live up to their desire to be together in the first place.
Anne’s smile brightened as she took a napkin to wipe her mouth. “Thank you, Ms. Lloyd.”
“No problem. It’s what I should do.”
Tyler scoffed at the ingratiating smile on Rachel’s face. Rachel kicked his leg under the table, and he shot her a look.
Anne could sense the subtleties in the atmosphere.
“Tyler,” she asked, “do you feel unwell?”
“No. I’m full. I’ll head back first.”
“Sure.”
Tyler stood up to foot the bill, and the two women followed behind him.
Anne held the bouquet of roses with one hand and the box of perfume with another, looking just like a young lady in a budding relationship. Her smile was saccharinely sweet, and her eyes were shining–the very picture of a woman in love.
They each hailed a taxi to return to their respective hotels.
The moment Tyler arrived back at his hotel room, he removed his jacket and flung it on the bed. He tugged at his tie irritably, his jaw tense.
“Yale, leave us for a moment.”
Yale looked between Rachel and Tyler. “Yes.”
After Yale left, Rachel and Tyler were left alone in the hotel room.