Stuck in you

Rachel was in no hurry, draining the coffee leisurely like a lioness stalking her prey, waiting to pounce. Although it was Celine who'd taken upon herself to ask Rachel for a talk, it seemed that it would be Rachel who'd take matters into her own hands and initiate a conversation.

Celine pinched her thigh under the table again.

She dared to be willful in front of Jack because of how he'd spoiled her. But her antics fell short in front of Rachel, for Rachel was Jack's lawfully wedded wife.

Even though Jack had proclaimed that his marriage was in name only, Celine still felt ashamed of herself in front of his wife.

'That is going to change today, ' Celine thought to herself.

'Rachel is Jack's legal spouse. But he doesn't love her at all. He loves me!'

At the thought of this, Celine felt more confident. Looking at Rachel, she tried to adjust her mood and looked as leisurely as Rachel.

Celine failed to notice how ridiculous she looked in Rachel's eyes.

"Rachel, I need to tell you something."

Rachel sat back and observed Celine steadily. Raising her chin ever so slightly, she simply said, "Go on."

Celine felt her composure slipping, and she felt dismayed as her confidence left her under Rachel's piercing gaze.

Celine threw away all the plates and asked, "Rachel, tell me, what on earth is your relationship with Jack?"

Rachel smiled, "Miss Duan, don't you know that we are a couple?"

Hearing the word "couple" jolted Celine. She exclaimed in annoyance, "Jack said it! He doesn't love you, nor do you love him!"

Rachel smiled, "Every man who is unfaithful to his wife gives the same reason to his mistress. Miss Duan, don't you know that?"

Celine felt at a loss of words, caught off guard she couldn't seem to refute Rachel. She inhaled sharply and hurled her question at Rachel like an accusation. "What kind of a couple are you? How many times do the two of you meet? Does he love you? Are you aware that he has been sleeping with me all these year, Mrs Fu?" Celine mockingly pronounced the last two words, as if daring Rachel to respond.

looked

that it was ridiculous. Celine never

naive

her smile vanished, making Celine feel smug about herself. She felt as if her words had somehow made

her an

was humiliated. Clenching her fists and drowning her anger, she inquired in an even tone,

her head. "Go on. What's your point? Even if it's true

and she collected her things to leave. She looked down at Celine in a scornful stare, using the height to her advantage.

" As long as my name and his appear beside each other on the wedding certificate, you

her ears and block out Rachel's voice but felt immobilized,

stop and continued, "Don't kick yourself. Jack has had a lot of mistresses till now, but I think you might've

malice. Leaning down, she went on saying, "As long as I don't want a divorce, I'll remain his only wife. Oh, right, I don't have to love him. I can have a child with him, and we can have an open marriage. So, you'd better be

up her bag and departed, not even sparing Celine a second

remained sitting stiffly in her seat. Her face was pale as

the fact that she'd struck at

Jack

past five years, Rachel's existence had

since she found out that Jack was married, Celine's world crumbled around

poor family. Before she met Jack, she was just an ordinary waitress in a hotel.

When he began to shower her with interest,

got together, she thought that he wasn't serious, but then he'd gone extra lengths for her time and time

felt tumultuous to Celine, marred by self-deprecation and diffidence on her part. And when things became better, she

Jack and Rachel and initially felt heartbroken. Her fairy tale had been violently ripped

he promised to get a

and then years, but Jack never got a divorce.

slept

felt less aware and uncomfortable with being a mistress. He had professed

made Celine feel better. She felt confident that Rachel didn't amount to a wife because they weren't in love. Sooner or later, Jack would leave Rachel for her. However, occasionally, Celine would overhear gossips at her expense accusing her as a homewrecker, the accusations saddened her.