Chapter 1552:
“Hey, you. Is there something you need?” Corrine grabbed a pillow and tucked it beneath her head, leaning weakly back against the headboard.
Rachel’s lips pressed together briefly. “Nothing serious. I was just feeling a bit bored alone, and happened to hear you were back, so I thought I’d come and see you.”
Happened to hear she was back?
Who told her?
Nate?
A chill crept into Corrine’s expression at the thought of that man.
In truth, Nate had called Rachel himself, asking her to check on Corrine and remind her to take her medicine on time.
What could have been resolved with a simple phone call had instead required Rachel to make this visit. Rachel didn’t need to guess that the two had likely quarreled over something.
Noting Corrine’s subtle coolness, Rachel grew more certain of her suspicion, though she was uncertain how to approach the subject.
Corrine realized that even if Rachel was acting as Nate’s messenger, she shouldn’t direct her frustration at an innocent party.
This tension had nothing to do with Rachel, who had come with genuine concern.
With this awareness, Corrine drew a steadying breath, pushing down her inexplicable anger. She noticed Rachel’s slightly reddened eyes and frowned. “Why are you crying? Did you have a fight with Jules?”
Rachel blinked in momentary confusion. “Cry?”
She turned toward the glass window, catching her reflection and the telltale redness around her eyes. “No,” she explained awkwardly, “I was in the kitchen experimenting with new dishes before I came here. Probably got my eyes irritated while chopping onions.”
𝗔𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗶𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 gⱯ𝗅𝗇𝗈ν𝗍𝖊𝗅𝘀・ⅽ𝗼𝗺
Corrine found herself momentarily stunned into silence. She had thought Rachel was in a similar situation to hers—having a fight with her partner. “If Jules bullies you, feel free to tell us,” Corrine offered. “Neither my uncles nor grandpa would show mercy to him.”
At these words, Rachel tugged nervously at her clothes, her fingertips worrying the fabric. “I wish he’d pay more attention to me,” she confessed in a soft murmur, “even to ‘bully’ me.”
The wistful regret in Rachel’s expression prompted Corrine to raise an eyebrow. “Are we talking about the same kind of bullying?”
Rachel paused, her thoughts momentarily suspended. Then her eyes widened with sudden embarrassment.
Fearing a misinterpretation, she hastily clarified, “Jules treats me well, but it’s like he’s treating a guest—polite yet distant. I always feel there’s an invisible barrier between us. We seem close, but I don’t understand him at all.”
“Understanding someone doesn’t happen overnight.” Corrine rested her chin on her hand, gazing at the sunset as darkness gradually claimed it beyond the window. “But Jules is straightforward, without any complex thoughts. If you have something on your mind, tell him directly. It’s much easier than guessing and saves a lot of time and energy.”
Rachel nodded, and then, remembering her actual purpose, pursed her lips while carefully studying Corrine’s expression.
“But I’m not very good at being direct,” she finally admitted after a moment’s hesitation. “Could you perhaps show me how it’s done?”
A flicker of awareness passed through Corrine’s eyes. So Rachel had indeed been dispatched as someone’s messenger.
“Rachel,” Corrine said with a raised eyebrow and the ghost of a smile playing at the corners of her mouth, “feelings aren’t templates to be copied. They need to be lived through, heart and soul.”
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