Chapter 23: Swimming
The suite on the 11th floor was fantastic. There were precious oil paintings on the walls and large French windows through which she could see the boundless ocean.
Osmond met some business friends on the cruise, who asked him to come over and have a talk.
So, he asked Rachel to take care of Monica.
Rachel agreed happily, "Don't worry. I will take good care of her."
She cleaned herself and held Monica's hand and then walked downstairs.
The café was spacious and supplied palatable dishes from many countries. Having been pregnant for two months, Rachel craved for sour stuff. She liked the Spanish sour soup particularly and drunk several bowls of it.
At this moment, Monica dragged Rachel's clothes.
"What is it, baby?" Rachel asked and saw some children in swimwear walking in. It seemed like they would go swimming after having food.
Rachel understood and smiled, "Do you want to go swimming?"
Monica nodded, with her eyes full of desire.
Rachel went ask for the swimming pool's location and had the cook pack a box of sour plum cake for her before leave.
It was a large, open-air swimming pool built right on the deck. There were many children messing around, and the cabinet beside presented all sizes of swimwear and swim rings.
Rachel thought Monica couldn't swim and was going to get her a swim ring. Bur Monica jumped into the water and emerged from it seconds later, smiling at her.
So, Rachel let Monica play by herself in the pool and found a beach chair to sit down and relax. She began eating the sour plum cake and enjoying herself.
Gradually, many young pretty girls came to the swimming pool, wearing sexy swimwear and showing their slim body.
Rachel saw those girls and looked down at her chubby arms, thighs, and belly, feeling more upset.
Due to the pregnancy, she lost her figure. When the baby came out, would she look much older?
Rachel kept eating the cake in anger and suddenly heard a familiar voice which sounded like that of Kenneth's secretary.
Rachel saw Sabrina sitting on a beach chair that was not far from hers. Sabrina was shaking a man's arm and begging, "Mr. Francis, please think about the development plan of the western suburb. Please~" "Fine, I will give it some thought."
Rachel felt speechless.
Then she found a right timing and took out her phone to film them. Somehow, she felt offended by Kenneth's taste in choosing secretary.
She thought before that Kenneth got a great secretary. It turned out that she was just a social butterfly.
Sabrina and the man exchanged more sweet talks and then walked away, without noticing Rachel. Rachel unblocked Kenneth's number and was ready to send the video.
But she hesitated at this moment.
They had already got a divorce. What if he thought I was being a busybody?
To send it or not?
While she was struggling to make a decision, she saw among countless people that Kenneth was striding towards her. He was wearing casual clothes.
Rachel put her phone back in handbag immediately, laid down and pretended to be reading a magazine.
Kenneth came upon and sat next to her, asking, "Where is Osmond?"
"He is having business talk."
Kenneth frowned, "So, he just leaves you here?"
Rachel was at a loss.
When they were married, she could barely see Kenneth, and they didn't talk much. But after the divorce, she came across him now and then. Besides, his words were getting more and more.
"I feel comfortable lying here." Rachel attacked, "And he is much better than someone who comes home once a week and just sees home as a sleeping place."
Kenneth felt choked and his face darkened. He looked down at Rachel's belly, with his eyes full of suspicion and confusion.
After the bathroom accident, he got more and more suspicious.
They had just been divorced for less than two months. It was impossible that she had a new relationship with Osmond so soon. Besides, it was not that easy to get pregnant. So, he assumed that the baby must be his!
Rachel felt his eyes glowing and unconsciously covered her belly with hands.
Did he find out something?
Kenneth pursed his lips and asked, "When did you move to Osmond's place?"
"After the divorce."
"What?" Kenneth frowned and asked further, "When did you find out about the pregnancy?"
Rachel couldn't smile any longer.
Kenneth was dominating the conversation since the beginning, and kept leading her to his trap step by step.
Rachel was not stupid and answered calmly, "That's none of your business. We are not that close."
"Rachel, how long have you been pregnant?" Kenneth was running out of patience and questioned her.
"Mr. Kenneth, what do you think you are doing?" Rachel said, "You asked me once before in the bathroom. Now you want to ask me again. Are you too bored or something? What does our contract say? Don't you remember?"
Kenneth stared at her and his face was getting more complicated.
Yes, he said he didn't want a baby in four years for fear that it would make divorce complicated. But if Rachel was really pregnant, he didn't say he wouldn't take responsibility.
From the bottom of his heart, he wished the baby was his instead of some else's. It was true that they should not disturb each other now that they were divorced. But he only got more restless with each passing day after the divorce.
Especially when he came back home, the apartment was empty and everything about her was gone, including her cosmetics and clothes. There was not a single trace of her there. All of this made him feel hollow.
Besides, Rachel's always mentioning Osmond really pissed him off!
"Mr. Kenneth, excuse me." Rachel knew she couldn't win Kenneth, after all, he was a successful businessman. So, she left before giving the game away.
At 8pm when Osmond came back, Rachel accompanied him and Monica to the cafe and had another meal.
She got hungry quite easily after the pregnancy. Normally, she had several meals a day. Sometimes she even got up in the middle of nights to get something to eat, or she couldn't fall asleep. Osmond had some drinks before and didn't have appetite now, so he just watched Rachel eating.
Seeing that she only ate sour food, Osmond joked, "You can swallow such sour stuff. Are you pregnant?"