At six in the evening, within a certain country club in Rivodia, the place was already teeming with a steady stream of customers.
“Ms. Strauss has arrived!”
“Good evening, Ms. Strauss!”
“Ms. Strauss…”
A flamboyant woman in a long red dress, heavily made up, briskly walked down the corridor. In response to the greetings of the attendants, she merely nodded. She was smiling as she gave out instructions.
“We have important clients today, so we must ensure there’s enough wine. If it’s not sufficient, make arrangements to get some from the headquarters in advance. Also, regarding the women, we need only the best,” she said.
She was full of vitality, exuding an overwhelming aura.
“All right! We’ll do as you say, Ms. Strauss!”
The woman swayed her hips as she walked into a spacious private room. Her face was exuding an air of languidness when she said, “What time is it? You’ve called me here so early. I’ve just woken up.”
She flung herself onto the couch, and the person opposite her sat down with their back toward her. It was a woman, her voice languid. “I really envy you, still having the mood to sleep. The whole Rivodia is about to turn upside down, yet here you are, at leisure.”
“If the sky were to fall, there would be tall ones to hold it up. What use would I, a woman, be? It’s better to mind my own small territory.”
“Rachel, you truly are at ease,” the woman sneered. “What if I told you that you knew the person turning Rivodia upside down?”
Rachel lifted her eyelids, finally showing some reaction. “Who is it?”
“Josie.”
Rachel instantly opened her eyes, her entire being becoming incredibly lucid.
“Josie has returned,” the person said, slowly turning around. “It’s been almost half a month. Hasn’t anyone informed you?”
Rachel sat up straight, her expression serious. “No one has said anything. There’s not a single piece of news.”
“Oh, it seems that Arnold has still kept you in the dark.”
In an instant, Rachel thought about many things. She paced anxiously around the room. “Why has she returned? Instead of going to Wavery, why come to Rivodia? I thought she would never come back in her lifetime.”
“Of course, she would return. This is her home,” the other person said. “However, now that she’s here, you’ll be the one without a home. I’m curious to see how long you can hold on to this shabby country club.”
“No way! Arnold promised me that as long as he’s around, I can keep going. I’ve put so much heart and effort into this. It can’t all be for nothing… Josie… Josie is…” Rachel fell into an unprecedented panic.
“Rachel, what are you panicking about?”
The woman was puzzled. “The sky hasn’t fallen yet, has it? Have you lived in comfort for so long that you’ve forgotten everything? Have you forgotten how she humiliated you two years ago? You mustn’t be afraid. You have to stand up to her!”
A single remark brought Rachel back to reality, pulling her back to when she was treated like a target of scorn. Her eyes turned red when she said, “Of course, I haven’t forgotten. Yes. Her return is timely. I will avenge the grudge from the past. I certainly will.”
Rachel bit her finger, forcing herself to calm down. Then, sitting in front of that person, she demanded, “Tell me. Who did she come back with? What does she want to do?”
“A child.”
“What?”
“She brought a child home, Dexter’s daughter, who is two years old. At present, she has already found Paul.”
Rachel scoffed. “A child… That’s indeed a real bargaining chip. That’s capable of controlling Dexter for the rest of his life. What a clever move!”
“I’m telling you all this because I can’t stand to see Arnold keeping you in the dark. However, I caution you, don’t act rashly. After all, Arnold hasn’t given the order yet. If you seek her out and ruin his plans, he won’t let you off lightly.”
When Arnold was mentioned, Rachel closed her eyes, as if her lifeline was being manipulated. “I understand what you mean. I’ll keep that in mind.”
