"It's fine. She's generous and not that petty. Think of it as a welcome gift from me. Rachel is really good at what she does. If you work with her, you'll learn a lot," William said, his voice full of concern for Samantha.

From a distance, Rachel overheard his words, and her heart sank.

Generous?

In William's eyes, she could give up everything—the project, her design work, even her mother's last wish. And now, she was even giving up her husband. She could feel the weight of her own humiliation, even without looking in the mirror.

"Rachel Lloyd, how did you end up like this?" she asked herself quietly.

Just then, a teasing voice interrupted her thoughts: "I wondered why you suddenly wanted to work with me. Turns out, your husband has found someone new."

Rachel jumped back in shock. Her heel slipped, making her lose her balance and start to fall backwards. Her mind raced, fearing the worst. But in the next moment, steady hands gripped her waist.

For a moment, she was relieved that Tyler at least seemed a bit compassionate. But then, she saw the mocking smile at the corner of his lips, and his hands suddenly left her waist.

Rachel couldn't believe it—he was playing with her.

In that split second, a burst of strength flowed through her. Just as she was about to hit the ground, she grabbed onto the edge of Tyler's suit jacket. His deep eyes showed a flicker of surprise before he reluctantly caught her again, pulling her back.

She stumbled into his hard, firm chest. Looking up with a frown, she was met with his intense, unreadable gaze.

"Are you trying to use me as a cushion?" he teased.

Rachel couldn't stand this man, especially after the way he had played with her. She pushed against his chest, trying to create some distance between them.

She couldn't admit it was intentional, so she muttered, "It was just a reflex. I'm sorry, Mr. Hunt."

If it weren't for him messing with her, this near-disaster wouldn't have happened.

Rachel clenched her fists, trying to stay calm. She still needed him for the Oasis Project. For now, he was like her only lifeline!

She took a deep breath, letting the tension leave her body, and forced a smile back onto her face. "Mr. Hunt, you must believe me now, right? I'm not a spy sent by Lewis Enterprise. I really want to work with you."

Tyler tucked his hands casually into his pockets as he lazily replied, "Who knows? Maybe you and your husband are just playing me."

Rachel pursed her lips tightly. This man had a trust issue the size of a mountain. She imagined any woman who married him might never even get a chance to talk to another man.

She smiled wider, trying to stay patient. "Why would I bother? Besides, we both know you could uncover the truth with one phone call. You've got that kind of reach."

Everyone at Nevalis University knew about Samantha and William's past relationship.

After a moment, Tyler spoke again, his tone reluctantly serious.

"If you're determined to work with us, let me make one thing clear. Once this project is under LS Enterprise, William will eventually find out about you. Once that gets out, it will cause a scandal for us at LS Enterprise. Who knows..."

He paused, leaning slightly closer to her. His warm breath brushed against her ear as he whispered, a dark chuckle escaping his lips.

"People might say you and I are in this together. Do you think you can handle that kind of accusation, Mrs. Lewis?"

Rachel stiffened, the weight of his words hitting her hard. She understood exactly what he was saying. If she pushed too hard now, she could burn everything down. But as long as she could finish the project before leaving, the gossip wouldn't matter.

Slowly, the tension in Rachel's face began to fade. She knew what she had to do.

"That's hardly your concern, Mr. Hunt. You're a businessman. As long as this project turns pure profit, nothing else should matter," she said.

She could tell Tyler wasn't the type to fear William's wrath. The man had an air of confidence that made him seem unafraid of anything or anyone.

With a faint smirk, he dropped his scrutinizing gaze and slumped back into his signature lazy posture.

"Hey," he called out to her.

Rachel looked up at him. "Yeah?"

His eyes moved past her, landing on the other side of the room. His voice took on a playful tone as he added, "Your husband seems to be staring right at us."

Rachel froze. She quickly turned her head, and sure enough, William was looking straight at her. The moment their eyes met, they both froze. William's face showed a flicker of surprise when he saw Rachel, but when his gaze landed on Tyler next to her, his expression darkened.

Samantha completely missed the odd look on William's face as she cheerfully came over to greet Rachel.

"Rachel, what a coincidence! If I had known you were coming, I wouldn't have joined William. Oh, but don't misunderstand. I just came along as a favor because he didn't have a plus-one."

Samantha seemed a little flustered as she gestured toward Rachel, her face turning pink as she nervously stole a glance at her. Her eyes showed signs of discomfort, and Rachel couldn't help but feel like some kind of a wicked stepmother, as if she had been deliberately bullying Samantha.

Just then, William seemed to snap out of his thoughts.

He walked over and took Rachel's hand. "I thought I told you to rest at home. Why did you come out on your own?"

For a moment, Rachel couldn't tell if he was concerned or blaming her. She kept her face neutral and said, "Remember I told you about the bracelet I designed for my graduation project? I heard it's being auctioned off today. Since you're busy with work, I decided to just take a cab and come."

When Samantha heard that, she instinctively tried to hide her wrist. However, Rachel's eyes landed on her wrist.

"Ms. Judd, how did you end up with that bracelet?" she exclaimed in surprise.

Samantha tried to hide it, but Rachel grabbed her wrist, revealing the soft blue bracelet to everyone.

Tyler had taken a seat when William and Samantha came over. He leaned back in his chair, his arms crossed, clearly enjoying the scene unfolding.

The atmosphere grew tense.

Rachel then looked directly at William, raising her voice as she said, "I get it now. You secretly bought it and wanted to surprise me, right?"

William was momentarily stunned, but then nodded along with her. "Yeah, I thought I'd swing by after my meeting and pick it up for you. That bracelet's been sitting around for so long, so I thought I'd have Samantha try it on for you."

Rachel smiled widely, her eyes sparkling. "I knew it! You really went through all that trouble, huh? But since I'm right here, I can try it on myself."

Samantha's face turned pale with a mix of anger and embarrassment. Though she was clearly fuming inside, she couldn't say anything. Rachel extended her hand, and Samantha reluctantly removed the bracelet and gave it to her.

Rachel put it on her wrist, making sure to flaunt it in front of William and Samantha. She shook her wrist slightly. "How does it look?"

"It looks great," William replied patiently, as he always did.

Then, Samantha suddenly spoke up, her voice soft and sweet as she asked, "Wait, isn't this man Mr. Hunt? How did you end up with him, Rachel? I thought our company wasn't working with LS Enterprise."

Everything had seemed to be going fine, but things had now taken a turn. Suddenly, the spotlight was on Rachel and Tyler, making Rachel's heart skip a beat.

Everyone in the industry knew that Lewis Enterprise and LS Enterprise were rivals. In Yurelia City, only those two companies had the strength to compete head-to-head. Getting too close to the competition was bound to raise suspicion.

But as long as her acting was good enough, it wouldn't be a problem.

Rachel kept her calm and smoothly replied, "I accidentally stepped on Mr. Hunt's shoe earlier. I figured I should apologize. That's not too much, is it?"

Tyler casually responded, "That's right. Mrs. Lewis was about to apologize to me, but then you showed up, Mr. Lewis."

William glared at Tyler, his brow furrowing in frustration as his expression darkened. "You—"

"Mr. Lewis," Tyler interrupted before William could continue. "Since you're here, you apologize on your wife's behalf. I don't usually like to make things difficult for women."

Rachel stared at Tyler in disbelief. Did this man not have any shame? He nearly made her fall earlier, and now had the nerve to say he didn't like making things hard for women—with a straight face no less!

William stayed silent, his expression dark. Rachel felt something was off with him tonight, especially after meeting Tyler. He seemed more restless than usual.

A few moments later, Tyler rubbed his forehead and spoke again in a clearly impatient manner: "I thought the rumors said you treat your wife like a precious treasure. Were those lies?"

The words were casual, but the pressure in Tyler's voice was unmistakable.

There was a time when Rachel would've immediately stepped in to defend William. She hated seeing people push her loved ones around. People could mess with her, but she wouldn't let anyone mess with the ones she cared about.

But tonight, she just wanted to see what William would do.

She knew him well. He was an extremely prideful man who wouldn't just apologize to the competition. Plus, there were so many people watching. If word got out, it would be all over the news by tomorrow.

The tension in the air grew thicker.

"Mr. Hunt, it's not that big of a deal. It's just a pair of shoes, right? We can pay for them if you'd like," Samantha cautiously spoke up.

Tyler raised an eyebrow, a playful smirk tugging at his lips. "Is this young lady perhaps your next wife, Mr. Lewis?"

The words stung, and Samantha's face turned pale.

William quickly pulled her behind him. "I forgot to introduce her to you, Mr. Hunt. This is our new colleague, Samantha Judd."

Tyler glanced at Samantha briefly, then looked down at his watch with disinterest. "I see. Never heard of her."

Samantha's eyes filled with hurt, her cheeks flushed red. She clutched William's jacket, her voice thick with emotion, calling out, "William..."

William's jaw tightened, his fists clenching and unclenching as he took a deep breath.

"My wife made a mistake. As her husband, I should be the one to take responsibility. What do you want, Mr. Hunt?" he finally said, his voice low and strained.

Just then, a waiter passed by, and Tyler raised his hand to signal for him to stop. "If you drink this bottle of champagne, I'll consider this matter settled."

Samantha quickly reached out to stop him. "That won't do. William can't hold his liquor. I'll drink in his place, Mr. Hunt."

As she spoke, she reached for the champagne, ready to down it. However, William snatched it away before it touched her lips, his brows furrowed tightly.

"Don't be ridiculous! You're allergic to alcohol."

Rachel swayed where she stood, the words hitting her like a punch to the chest. She stumbled back two steps, her throat tightening. He remembered Samantha was allergic to alcohol, but forgot that Rachel was allergic to dust. Her fingers clutched the back of the nearest chair, knuckles turning white.

William drank the champagne in one go, while Samantha's eyes were filled with concern, watching him with evident worry.

Tyler looked like he was watching a show as he leaned casually against a nearby chair, his eyes never leaving William as he finished the bottle of champagne. Then, he clapped slowly, as if impressed.

"You truly have a remarkable tolerance for alcohol, Mr. Lewis."

After saying that, Tyler waved a hand carelessly, slipped his hands back into his pockets, and walked out of the auction hall.

William's stomach churned, the alcohol hitting him harder than he expected. However, he kept his composure and looked at Rachel with a pale face. He staggered over to her, grabbing her hand and trying to steady himself as he raised his hand to sign to her.

"Tyler isn't someone who should be messed with. Stay away from him."

Noticing how unstable William was, Rachel instinctively reached out to hold his arm. "You need to go home and take some medicine for this."

He nodded slowly, then turned to Samantha. "Take a cab home. Let me know when you arrive."

Samantha smiled sweetly and nodded. "Okay."

Then, she turned to Rachel and signed awkwardly, saying, "Rachel, please take care of William. His stomach is usually sensitive after drinking, and he gets severe stomach pains the next day. Also, can you make him some chicken soup?"

Rachel's breath hitched at Samantha's words. She didn't respond directly but gave a pointed reminder instead.

"Be careful on your way back, Ms. Judd. And from now on, call him Mr. Lewis in public. If someone overhears and thinks you're... something else, it could cause problems."

Without giving Samantha a chance to argue, Rachel guided William out of the room. Samantha stood there, staring at their retreating backs. She pursed her lips tightly together, eyes full of frustration.

As Rachel helped William toward the exit, she caught a glimpse of Tyler in the distance, casually leaning against his Bugatti. He had a cigarette between his lips, his head slightly lowered as he spoke into his phone.

When he turned his head slightly, his cold, dark eyes met Rachel's. Her heart skipped a beat, and she quickly looked away. As she opened the car door and helped William inside, Tyler's car drove past them, the two vehicles mere inches apart.

As Rachel got into the backseat, a strange, uncomfortable sensation crept over her. It felt like needles pricking at her back, like someone was watching her. She couldn't shake the feeling.

She didn't understand why Tyler acted that way toward William. It was clear to anyone that it was a deliberate attack.

William had been in the business world for so many years, and she had never seen him act so uneasy around anyone. It made her wonder if something had happened between William and Tyler that she wasn't aware of.

William looked miserable. After downing an entire bottle of champagne, it was no surprise that he wasn't doing well. The strong smell of alcohol filled the car, making Rachel wrinkle her nose. She fought the urge to gag and rolled down the window to let the air circulate, and the feeling of unease gradually subsided.

When they got home, Rachel and Arsen Smith helped William to his room.

Arsen noticed how drunk William was and said, "Madam, I'll prepare some hangover remedy. You take care of Mr. Lewis."

"Go ahead," Rachel replied, glancing at William.

She saw how cracked and dry his lips were, and was about to get up to pour him some water when she heard him mumbling something.

"Don't go… Don't leave me… Once I'm rich, I'll marry you, Samantha…"

Rachel felt her heart, which had been adrift all evening, plummet into an abyss.

She had always believed that William's drive to inherit the company, to earn his grandfather's approval, was for her. She thought he was working so hard to give her a better life, to make up for the pain she had suffered as a child.

Through his toughest times, she had stayed by his side. She had been there through every all-nighter, every brutal negotiation. Even that time she landed in the hospital with alcohol poisoning after attending a social event with him, she hadn't voiced a single complaint.

But now, he was telling her that his true motivation had been Samantha.

It had been that woman all along.

Then, what about Rachel?

What did that make her?

William had a terrible night.

Unable to sleep well, he woke up with a pounding headache and a heavy, uncomfortable feeling all over his body. When he opened his eyes, his stomach was empty and aching. He turned over, but the space next to him was empty. He rubbed his temples, trying to ease the pressure in his head.

"Rachel…" he murmured softly.

The door creaked open, revealing Arsen in the doorway.

"Mr. Lewis, you're awake."

William pushed the covers off and sat up. "Where's Rachel?"

"She left early for the office, sir," Arsen answered.

William got out of bed, got dressed, and walked into the dining room. The table was set, but there was only some bread and milk served.

"Where's the chicken soup?" he asked with a frown.

Arsen lowered his head. "Sorry, Mr. Lewis, I don't know how to make chicken soup. Mrs. Lewis said she was busy with work and didn't have time to make it. She said you could just eat whatever's here."

William felt a wave of frustration he couldn't explain. Whenever he had a hangover, Rachel always made sure he had his favorite chicken soup. It didn't matter how busy she was, or even if it meant waking up at four or five in the morning to cook it for him.

This was the first time he had woken up to find the table empty, without her there.

His stomach hurt again, sharper this time. He hunched over, instinctively pressing his hand to his stomach.

"Get me my stomach medicine," he said.

Arsen began looking around, clearly flustered. "Mr. Lewis, where do you keep your stomach medicine?"

William realized suddenly that Rachel was always the one who placed the medicine on the table for him whenever he had stomach issues.

He raised his hand. "Text Rachel. Ask her where it is."

Arsen sent Rachel a message, but there was no reply. He tried several more times, but there was still no response. After a few moments, he put the phone down, unsure of what to do next.

"Mr. Lewis, Mrs. Lewis didn't reply," Arsen said.

The pain in William's stomach only made his mood worse. Add to that the fact that the house felt cold and empty, and he couldn't shake off his growing irritation.

"Forget it. Just go out and get me some stomach medicine and chicken soup," he snapped.

"Yes, sir," Arsen replied quickly.

But the chicken soup from the restaurant was nothing compared to the one Rachel usually made for him. He wouldn't know, but she always considered his weak stomach. She would wake up at three in the morning to prepare it for him. It would simmer for hours, turning thick and fragrant, just the way he liked it.

The chicken soup Arsen had bought was from the most expensive restaurant in Yurelia City, and was nothing like Rachel's. William took two sips, then put his spoon down in disgust.

"It's awful," he muttered.

-

Meanwhile, Rachel was sitting calmly in a café, sipping coffee and enjoying breakfast. When she saw the name flashing on her phone screen, a cold smile tugged at her lips.

Her love for William had always come with one condition—he had to be just as devoted to her.

But clearly, that wasn't the case anymore. He wasn't just physically with someone else, his heart had left her a long time ago too. She wasn't foolish enough to keep holding on.

In less than ten days, she would finally be free from this broken relationship.

But she still had one last obstacle to overcome. She needed to convince Tyler, who was as tough as concrete. He didn't care about anything but results, and he never let personal feelings get in the way. The only way to get through to him was to offer terms he would find acceptable.

No matter what, she couldn't give up until the last moment.

Rachel checked her watch, finished her coffee, and stood up to head to the office. As soon as she walked in, she saw a crowd gathered around Samantha, all of them looking at her with admiration.

"Samantha, that necklace is beautiful! I remember seeing it at the auction; it's one-of-a-kind, right? Must be really expensive."

Samantha was smiling brightly, her clear, fair face glowing with happiness. Gone was the awkwardness on her face at the auction the night before. She was gently touching the necklace around her neck, clearly proud of it.

"You're right. My boyfriend bought it for me," Samantha said. "He said if others have it, his little princess should have it too."

The other women gasped, their eyes wide with admiration.

"Your boyfriend really loves you," one of them said, a dreamy look on her face.

Samantha's eyes lit up with a shy, girlish gleam. "My boyfriend said that when I get pregnant, he'll get an even bigger gift for me."

Rachel, standing a little further away, froze. It felt like her whole body had gone stiff, like rust was creeping over her.

A sharp-eyed colleague spotted Rachel and quickly walked over with a slight sense of panic. "Good morning, Ms. Lloyd."

Rachel snapped back to reality, her expression neutral. "Good morning."

One of the employees hurried over and started signing, saying, "Ms. Lloyd, look at that necklace on Samantha's neck. Isn't it gorgeous?"

Rachel's gaze followed, landing on the silver necklace around Samantha's neck. A small, tight smile tugged at her lips.

Wasn't that the Eternal Heart necklace from the auction?

William really was playing both sides, trying to please everyone. On top of managing the complex issues with Lewis Enterprise, how did he keep up?

Rachel's voice was calm and measured as she replied, "It's very beautiful. But I noticed that your boyfriend wasn't at the auction yesterday, Ms. Judd. Maybe next time, you can bring him along so we can meet him."

Samantha grinned brightly and said, "I'll introduce him to you when I get the chance, Rachel."

Rachel's gaze stayed fixed on the necklace, and she reached out to lightly run her fingers over the cool chain. "This necklace must've cost quite a bit. I'm guessing your boyfriend is someone well-known in the industry. Would it be alright to know his last name? Maybe I know him."

The surrounding colleagues leaned in, their curiosity piqued.

"Yeah, if he's someone in the industry, Ms. Lloyd would definitely know him! Come on, tell us about him!"

"That's right, tell us!"

Samantha, who had been smiling just moments ago, felt her smile slowly fade when Rachel asked about her boyfriend's name.

Rachel's sharp eyes watched closely as Samantha's face tightened, just a little.

"What's wrong? Not comfortable saying his name... or is there something else going on?"

Rachel's question was enough to make everyone pause. After all, if Samantha's boyfriend was so well-known, why would she be shy about mentioning his name? Unless, of course… there was something she didn't want anyone to know.

Nobody here was an idiot; it wasn't hard for them to guess what might be going on.

Suddenly, a voice broke the tension from behind: "Why are you all gathered here? Don't you have work to do?"

"It's Mr. Lewis!"

Everyone quickly straightened up and returned to their seats.

William's hands were in his pockets, and even though he still looked a little tired from the hangover, he couldn't hide the sharp, striking features of his face. His eyes were as intense as an eagle's gaze.

He walked up to them, eyes landing on Rachel as he lifted his phone slightly. "Why didn't you text me back?"

Rachel instinctively glanced at Samantha before responding, her voice calm.

"I didn't notice. We were just talking about the Eternal Heart necklace Ms. Judd is wearing. She said it was a gift from her boyfriend. Do you know him?"