The Husband I Loved for Eight Years Never Loved Me-Chapter 3: Indeed Unsuitable

Chapter 3: Truly Incompatible

When Julian Jennings looked up and saw the woman standing in the doorway, he was startled for a moment. He didn’t recognize her at first, not until Rachel Royce spoke, "Professor Jennings."

Julian Jennings subtly composed himself and said, "You’re here."

Rachel Royce took off her mask and walked into the office.

"It’s been a long time, Professor Jennings."

Julian Jennings smiled gently. "Long time no see. I almost didn’t recognize you."

Rachel Royce’s lips curled in a self-deprecating smile. "The way I look now, I was almost too embarrassed to come see you."

Julian Jennings stood up and walked around his desk. "It’s perfectly normal for your figure to change during pregnancy. Things will go back to normal after the baby is born."

"Have a seat."

Rachel Royce sat on the sofa.

Julian Jennings poured her a glass of warm water. "This will warm you up."

Rachel Royce took it. "Thank you."

Julian Jennings glanced at her baby bump and asked, "How far along are you?"

Rachel Royce said, "Twenty-five weeks."

Julian Jennings said, "In that case, school starts at the end of January next year, which is right around your due date."

Rachel Royce pleaded, "I was hoping I could ask for your help, Professor. Is it possible for me to defer my enrollment?"

’Giving birth was unavoidable, but she really didn’t want to miss this opportunity.’

Julian Jennings asked seriously, "Why do you want to go?"

Rachel Royce lowered her eyes. "After the baby is born, Tristan Sterling plans to divorce me. I don’t want to continue this disastrous relationship either. I want to start my own life over."

’Six months wasn’t a long time, but it wasn’t short, either. For her, though, it had felt like a lifetime.’

Julian Jennings couldn’t help but frown. ’The once sunny and adorable girl had changed so much in such a short time. It was clear what kind of mental and physical torment she must have endured.’

"I’m relieved to see you’ve thought things through and are ready to get back on your feet. You and Tristan Sterling are truly incompatible. I’m sure you’ll meet someone who genuinely loves you in the future."

Rachel Royce kept her eyes downcast and nodded.

’Back then, Julian Jennings had advised against her becoming Tristan Sterling’s assistant, but she had stubbornly insisted. In the end, she was the one who got hurt.’

She suddenly asked, "Professor Jennings, in your eyes, what kind of person is Tristan Sterling, really?"

Julian Jennings was silent for a moment before saying slowly, "He’s an unscrupulous man who will do anything to achieve his goals and puts profit above all else. A person like that is likely incapable of love."

"Is that so." 𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺

’But his tenderness toward that other girl couldn’t have been fake. He would only lower himself like that for someone he was madly in love with.’

’Only a beautiful, stunning woman is worthy of him.’

Rachel Royce didn’t ask any more questions.

"Since you’ve made up your mind, I can help you apply for a deferral when the time comes."

"Thank you, Professor."

Julian Jennings had her fill out an application form.

Rachel Royce finished filling it out.

"Will the child stay with the Sterling Family after it’s born?" Julian Jennings suddenly asked.

Rachel Royce gave a helpless smile. It was impossible for her to take the child, even if she wanted to. All she could do was fail her baby. "The Sterling Family will probably take good care of her."

Julian Jennings didn’t press further. "As it happens, I need an assistant. It’s just for a month. Do you want to give it a try?"

Rachel Royce agreed without a moment’s hesitation.

"Yes."

Ever since she got pregnant, Tristan Sterling had transferred her to an insignificant post in the secretarial office. Overnight, she went from being the president’s assistant to a complete nobody. All her hard work had amounted to nothing.

’She really did need a new job right now to distract herself and get her life back on track.’

’It was also the perfect way to prepare for her graduate studies.’

Since she had taken the day off anyway, Rachel Royce stayed and started working as the professor’s assistant. She had been a student of Julian Jennings, and with her previous experience from the high-intensity job at Tristan Sterling’s side, she picked things up remarkably fast, even after a few listless months. She handled her tasks with ease.

In that moment, Rachel Royce felt like she was finding her old self again, rediscovering her own true worth.

’Just as Julian Jennings had said, she was meant to shine in her career. Love shouldn’t be the be-all and end-all of life.’

「That night.」

Tristan Sterling didn’t come home, which was normal. He only came home occasionally.

’But she no longer cared.’

「The next day.」

She had prepared her resignation letter in advance.

Tristan Sterling was in charge of The Sterling Group’s financial sector, which included banks and investment fund companies. In such a cutthroat world of intrigue and ambition, he had managed to inherit the core of The Sterling Group’s business through his own efforts. The fact that he was constantly acquiring and expanding was proof enough. Not only did he possess an extraordinary mind and cunning tactics, but more importantly, he had a cold and ruthless heart.

When Rachel Royce arrived at the company, she happened to run into Tristan Sterling just as he was getting out of his car.

His posture was tall and straight, and he was impeccably dressed in a suit. Handsome and imposing, his wealth and status imbued him with a boundless, mature charm.

"President Sterling."

Employees respectfully bowed their heads and greeted him one after another.

Rachel Royce snapped out of her daze, quickly lowered her head, and took two steps back.

The man walked into the company as if he hadn’t seen her.

Rachel Royce handed her resignation letter to Sandra Chapman.

Sandra Chapman was Tristan Sterling’s secretary.

She had previously been Rachel’s subordinate.

How the tables have turned.

Now, Rachel Royce was working under her.

Everyone in the department had been surprised when Rachel Royce was suddenly demoted. She had become the president’s assistant right after graduating from university.

The position of an assistant required not only capability but also an equally important attractive appearance. Rachel Royce, however, was average in both looks and figure. The fact that she had been chosen was proof enough that her abilities overshadowed her ordinary appearance.

The perpetually strict president had even praised her highly.

But Sandra Chapman was certain she knew what was really going on.

’Rachel Royce was just a toad lusting after a swan, someone who tried to sleep her way to the top. No matter how capable she was, she was still trash.’

’That was why President Sterling despised her so completely.’

Sandra Chapman glanced at the resignation letter, her eyes sweeping over Rachel’s pregnant belly. A mocking smile touched her lips as she said, "It’s important for people to be self-aware. You should take a good look in the mirror once in a while. Don’t think you can latch onto a powerful family just because you’re pregnant. You should consider what kind of family the Sterlings are, and then consider who *you* are."

As for the fact that she and Tristan Sterling were legally married, no one at the company knew.