Xander straightened his attire, his face calm and detached, showing no particular emotion.
"Rachael won't take it to heart," he said casually.
After all, Rachael had always been compliant. Ever since Xander lost his temper with her that one time when she complained about Milly, she never dared to voice any objections again.
But today, Rachael cast aside her habitual restraint and forbearance, her beautiful eyes slowly passing over both of them.
Her tone was composed and crisp as she replied, "Of course, I won't mind. But honestly, even if Miss Clark is an illegitimate child, I thought the Clark family at least raised her right. Yet by barging into a married couple's bedroom like this, others might assume she has a thing for married men."
There was neither dramatic shouting nor emotional sobbing. Rachael's seemingly casual remarks landed with force, ruthlessly stripping away their pretense.
Milly's smug smile stiffened on her face in an instant.
Meanwhile, Xander's face grew a shade colder.
"Rachael, what ridiculous things are you saying?" he snapped, and then turned toward Milly and lightly tapped her shoulder in reassurance. "Everyone knows we're best friends, and no one will misunderstand our friendship. Come on. I'll take you home first."
Only then did Milly's expression ease. She teasingly punched Xander's chest with her fist. "If my reputation gets ruined, I'll make sure you go down with me."
This prompted the man to laugh aloud. "Fine."
After seeing her off, Xander came back inside.
The smile disappeared from his face, and his well-defined brows knitted faintly. Sitting across from Rachael with his long legs crossed, he shed his former warmth and instead radiated the cold, commanding aura of the Spencer Group's CEO.
"Don't be narrow-minded and throw a tantrum before grasping the full picture. You spend most of your time shopping or staying at home, so you have no idea how bad the situation really is. The Spencer Group is in serious trouble, and it was Milly who used her distant ties to the Shaw family in Oniolens to get us invited to their banquet next week. That event is our only chance to build connections and keep the company from collapsing."
The Shaw family in Oniolens?
Upon hearing this, Rachael let out a silent, icy laugh inwardly.
Indeed, that banquet was meant to be the Spencer Group's lifeline.
But regrettably for Xander, things had already taken a different turn. No one expected that Rachael was the long-lost daughter the Shaw family had just found.
With the Shaw family's support, the Spencer Group wouldn't just succeed in going public—their stock would skyrocket, and Xander's wealth would multiply many times over.
However, Xander didn't deserve such fortune—not anymore.
Now, the banquet was no longer a lifeline for the Spencer Group but the first step toward its downfall.
Noticing that she remained quiet, Xander leaned in closer, his tone seemingly gentle and patient. "Rachael, this time we really owe Milly. If it weren't for my close relationship with her, things wouldn't have been settled so smoothly. In business, connections and family background are often the most valuable assets. I know you grew up as an orphan in the countryside with adoptive parents who understand nothing beyond farm work, so these things might be hard for you to grasp. But you should at least try to understand how difficult this is for me."
It sounded like an explanation, yet every sentence subtly diminished her.
In the past, words like these had easily driven her into self-blame. She would reflect on herself, thinking she was useless, that she couldn't help him, and that she shouldn't become another burden in Xander's life.
But her endless tolerance and compromise had only been met with lie after lie.
Even the marriage she had poured her heart and soul into turned out to be nothing more than an illusion.
She curved her lips slightly, her eyes calm and detached. "Yes, I know you're doing all this for the Spencer Group. Oh, by the way, dear, the bank called today. They said there's a problem with the paperwork for our joint account, something related to the marriage certificate. They suggested we go to the courthouse to verify it when we have time. When are you available?"
She fixed her gaze on Xander. The moment he heard the words "marriage certificate," his expression shifted noticeably. He awkwardly picked up the cup of water on the table. "Sweetheart, I've been extremely busy lately. Let's talk about it when I have some time. I'll have my assistant call them and deal with the document issues. You don't need to worry."
"Can an assistant really handle that? Aren't these documents supposed to be dealt with in person? Since it's still early, why don't we go now?"
Rachael toyed with him deliberately, like a cat teasing a trapped mouse, savoring the tension radiating from him.
After all, his remaining good days were already numbered.
Upon hearing that, his face darkened even more. "I said you don't need to concern yourself with this. Just focus on your own things, Rachael. Banking procedures are complicated, not something a housewife would understand. You can't just pop up without an appointment and demand service, alright?"
With his patience clearly worn thin, he leaned back against the sofa, crossing his legs once more.
Listen to him—still trying to control the narrative even as the truth pressed down on him.
Rachael could only regret how blind she had been, pouring her devotion into someone like him.
"I know I've neglected you recently. Once this busy phase passes, I'll make an effort to spend more time with you." He spoke from a position of superiority, as if he were handing out a favor.
Rachael had heard such hollow assurances too many times before, and not a single one had ever been fulfilled.
Sure enough, just as his words fell, the phone in his pocket began to ring.
