My Darling, My Dearest
Chapter 451 I'll Make You Change Your Mind

"How can I not be nervous? How could that woman..." Julie stopped talking when she saw the expression on Rachel's face change. She stood up again and said, "Miss, you didn't eat anything at the hospital today. I'll go and prepare some for you."

Jack's voice suddenly resounded from the door. "Let me do it, Julie. Please go and help Rachel up the stairs so she can take a rest."

Jack came in with several bags in his hands. He shot a look full of adoration toward Rachel, who was seated on the sofa. "Let me guess-you're probably craving a bowl of fish head soup right now, correct? I just bought some."

Rachel was surprised at Jack's insight, which made him guess correctly. Her expression a bit odd, she refused the offer. "No, you don't need to-I have no appetite."

With a slight smile on his face, Jack headed straight for the kitchen and began to cook.

Although Rachel remained aloof, her attitude right now was infinitely preferable to her leaving. Everything that had happened was his fault, so he deserved whatever treatment Rachel saw fit. He screwed up, and so he would do everything to make amends, even if it took begging on his knees for forgiveness for a thousand times.

While waiting for the fish head soup to be ready, Jack sat at the table using his mobile phone to look up articles and references on caring for pregnant women. He jotted down everything he found of note on a piece of paper.

Steam gradually began to escape from under the casserole lid. Jack set his phone aside, rearranged the lid so that a small gap remained, and turned down the stove to its lowest setting.

He was about to take a spoon to the pot to taste the soup when his phone rang.

Jack put down the spoon and picked up the phone. At the sight of the name flashing on the screen, he frowned and asked the caller, "Mom, what's wrong?"

"I should be the one asking that. What's wrong with Scarlett? How could you let a young woman go to that sort of place?" Tracy snapped.

Jack raised his hand and rubbed his aching temples. He knew for sure that Scarlett would complain to his mother.

He was expecting the call, but he did not think that Scarlett would act that fast. He had barely set foot inside the house when Tracy called.

He said in a deep voice, "Mom, I'll be there in about an hour. I have something to tell you face to face."

Tracy demanded, "Come here now."

Jack turned his head and looked at the casserole. Without saying a word, he cut the call and placed his phone on mute. Then, he put it aside and continued with what he was doing. Rachel was lying on the bed reading a book. Every once in a while, she stretched out a hand to massage her aching ribs.

She wanted to sit down, but Julie didn't let her, insisting that Rachel must lie on the bed and rest. Unable to cajole the other woman, Rachel had to listen to her. She had been lying on the bed for nearly a day and a night and couldn't fall asleep, so she picked up a book and started reading it.

However, not a single word registered to her.

She had been thinking of Jack for the better part of the day. Rachel knew exactly what she felt for the man. She still loved him deeply, but Scarlett's presence prohibited her from doing anything about it. Moreover, she found herself getting more confused about Jack.

Her train of thought was interrupted when the appetizing smell of fish head soup wafted to her nose. She looked up and saw Jack coming in with a bowl of soup in his hand. "I tried it downstairs. It's good." Without conscious thought, Rachel reached out to take the bowl from his hand but then changed her mind. She said in a low voice without turning her head, "Take it away. I don't want it now."

"I spent a lot of time cooking it. Don't you want to at least have a taste?"

Jack asked in a low voice, his head bent forward. He looked as pitiful as a kicked puppy.

Every time the two of them quarreled, he seemed to use this to soften her heart. However, these tactics were getting old.

Rachel smiled silently. "Jack, you don't have to talk to me like that, and you don't have to cook personally to make me happy. We have come to this point. It doesn't matter what you do I will never turn back." He was not like this. There was really no need for him to do these things to please her and put on such a pitiful look to win her sympathy.

In the past, such a trick would have made them just laugh about it together.

Now, the divorce agreement lay waiting inside that suitcase. When the time came, the two of them would go their separate ways. There was really no need for him to do such meaningless things. Besides, too many things had happened, and Rachel could not just let them go. Maybe she was overthinking it-Rachel didn't know. She sighed slightly. "Jack, let's just try to get past this period peacefully and divorce once the time is up so we can relax."

The air around them suddenly became a little awkward.

Jack said in a hoarse voice, "Let's talk about the divorce later. Let me take good care of you during this time—"

Rachel interrupted him. "I don't need you to take care of me. Your care will only make me suffer more."

The existence of one Scarlett caused her nothing but fear and panic. She really didn't want to deal with a second or even third one like her.

Rachel really didn't want to talk to Jack anymore. She put down the book and said that she wanted to rest, hinting at him to leave her alone.

Looking at her closed-off expression, Jack licked his dry lips and said in a low voice, "Rachel, don't mention divorce for now. During this period, I will make you change your mind and stay with me." 'Change? How do you change something that's set in stone?

Your mother wouldn't agree if I changed my mind, and she would continue to hurl other women at your head to get rid of me.' Rachel knew that she would never change her stance until, by some miracle, Jack could address these concerns. Otherwise, remaining married under the circumstances would be torture, with divorce being the inevitable outcome.

Pulling the quilt over her body to hide half of her face, Rachel said lightly, "Please close the door when you go out."

"Okay,"

Jack replied in a soft voice. When he came out of the bedroom, his face suddenly darkened. He slowly clenched his slender into fists and punched the wall hard.

Tracy paced back and forth in the living room. Her phone was warm because she was holding it for a long time.

Jonathan adjusted his glasses and coughed heavily. "Can you sit down? You're making me dizzy!"

"Then, you don't look at me!" Tracy retorted impatiently.

Earlier, she received a phone call from Scarlett, who cried hysterically and said that she was going to leave. After probing her for the details, she eventually told Tracy where she was going, but she refused to tell her why Jack was sending her there in the first place.

Tracy tried to call Jack, but he told her to wait for an hour before he could get there.

She was a bundle of nerves all throughout the wait.

Tracy kept on checking her watch. The hour was almost up. She was about to dial Jack's number when he finally arrived. She immediately ran up to him, grabbed his arm, and whispered, "What the hell is going on? Go upstairs with me and tell me clearly."

Jonathan had always disapproved of Scarlett, so Tracy knew that she couldn't let him hear this discussion.

Jack put his hand on Tracy's shoulder and said with a gloomy face, "Mom, let's just talk here."

"What?" Tracy had a bad feeling while looking at his face. She didn't know what to do.

Jack took Tracy's hands and gently led her to sit down on the sofa. In a low voice, he said, "Mom, I know you you've never really liked Rachel. I also know that you want me to marry Scarlett. Let me tell you right now. I won't marry any woman other than Rachel."

"Don't be silly!" Tracy said in a dismissive voice. Several emotions chased each other across her face. When she saw Jack's darken face, her heart skipped a beat. "Are you serious?" she asked.

"I would never make a joke about something like this," Jack said solemnly. Jonathan nodded with satisfaction. He took a sip of the tea and said, "You should finally get it into your head."

Tracy was starting to recollect herself, but she froze upon hearing her husband's voice. She snorted and said, "I will never agree to that. Rachel doesn't deserve to be your wife, and I don't even know if the baby in her belly-"

Jack cut her off before she could finish the sentence. "Mom, Rachel has never done me any wrong. If anything, I am the one who doesn't deserve her. I should be the one apologizing to her."

Jack had never spoken so harshly to Tracy before. Her eyes widened in disbelief. After a while, she looked up at him with tears in her eyes. "Are you saying that I'm wrong? Why am I being so persistent? I just want you to be happy in the future and have someone to take care of you."

Jonathan's face darkened at Tracy's sobbing voice. "They are all adults, so let them make their own decisions on their own lives. We don't need to worry about them!"

"At that time, you were the one who decided Rachel and Jack's marriage. Why can't I make the same decision now?" Tracy retorted. Jack rubbed at his nose, struck speechless by the low blow.

He picked up the walking stick on the side and sighed, "Whatever you want." Tracy sobbed and wiped the tears from her eyes. She grabbed Jack's hand and entreated earnestly, "Jack, you must be sensible. I have lived longer than you, and I know how to read people through my experiences. I know who is suitable for you. I'm not saying that Rachel is a bad woman, but she is too cold and indifferent. Your wife should be someone who knows how to take care of you."

Author's note

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Translator: Scarlett5555