The Struggle at the End of the Pact

That night, Leonard Winston slept soundly, while Rachel Saintclair tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep.

For the sake of survival, she endured humiliation and married Leonard Winston as a mistress hidden from the public eye. She signed a three - year contract to obtain the high medical expenses for her father. For money, she designed clothes for the woman he loved, making Elizabeth Collins shine brightly in front of the world.

Rachel Saintclair thought it didn't matter. As long as she could save her father, she thought it was all acceptable.

Her mother left her and her father when she was very young. For years, they had been living on the income from her father's small tailor shop. Later, perhaps influenced by her father, or perhaps due to her inborn talent, Rachel Saintclair had a special passion for fashion since childhood.

Although the cost of attending a fashion school was so high that a family like theirs could hardly afford it, Mr. Saintclair still secretly signed her up.

On the day before the school started, Rachel Saintclair cried. She secretly swore in her heart that she must become an outstanding designer, enabling her father to live a good life and no longer have to live frugally.

However, just as she was beginning to show her talent, her father had a traffic accident. The reason was that he suddenly fainted on the road, and when he was rushed to the hospital for rescue, kidney cancer was detected.

A series of blows came one after another. The burden of the family and her father's medical expenses all fell on Rachel Saintclair. She felt extremely confused.

If it hadn't been for Zoe's help, she wouldn't have met Leonard Winston, the man who appeared in time to save her.

Even though it was in such a way, Rachel Saintclair was still very grateful to him.

All along, she had been waiting for the end of the three - year contract.

But finally, when this moment was within reach and freedom seemed to be right in front of her eyes, Leonard Winston brought her such shocking news. She received the jewelry design from her ex - boyfriend, a design that was meant to please the woman Leonard Winston liked.

Even more ironically, this ring was a design that Henry Edwards hadn't completed back then, a design intended for his marriage to Rachel Saintclair.

The once sweet vows of eternal love, the lover she thought she could be with for a lifetime, and the once firm belief had all vanished into thin air because of the word "money".

Rachel Saintclair's heart ached. They had agreed that this ring was designed only for her and belonged only to her. But now, it appeared in front of her again in such a way.

After a while, Rachel Saintclair laughed self - deprecatingly.

Now, what right did she have to feel heart - broken or to blame?

It was she who had hurt Henry Edwards heartlessly and pushed him away. Henry Edwards hated her to the core. What was wrong with him taking out the design of this engagement ring and giving it to those who needed it?

Rachel Saintclair held the ring in her hand, feeling it was extremely burning. The ring designed for her by her ex - boyfriend was now going to be worn by the woman her husband loved, and she herself had to design clothes for this ring to match the woman her husband loved.

"Hehe..." In the cold wind, Rachel Saintclair laughed softly. She had finally turned herself into a joke.

The cold rain beat continuously against the window, also hitting Rachel Saintclair's heart, just like the heavy rain on the day she broke up with Henry Edwards. It was icy cold, leaving no room for warmth.

The next morning, Leonard Winston got up refreshed, dressed, and prepared to go to the company as usual. Rachel Saintclair, who had not slept all night, looked haggard and listless. Of course, Leonard Winston noticed her abnormal behavior, but he didn't mention it.

He was waiting, waiting for this woman to surrender.

After three years of getting along, he knew her temper very well.

"Leo, are you leaving?"

Sure enough, when Rachel Saintclair's voice came from behind him, the corners of Leonard Winston's mouth began to turn up.

Her gentle hands helped him straighten the buttons and collar of his shirt, tied his tie, and put on his coat. Everything seemed as calm as every normal morning, but the two of them had their own ulterior motives.

"Um..." As time passed by, Rachel Saintclair bit her lip and finally summoned up the courage.

"About what happened yesterday, can I... refuse?"

Leonard Winston looked at her, while she lowered her head in guilt, not daring to meet his eyes.

"Reason."

Rachel Saintclair bit her lip again. "The design for this clothing collection has been completed. Adding women's styles and jewelry suddenly is quite difficult..."

"Oh?" Leonard Winston raised his eyebrows. Rachel Saintclair lowered her head even more. She knew this excuse was really lame, but the thought of not wanting to see Henry Edwards prevailed, and she even dared to go against Leonard Winston's wishes.

"And... our contract is about to expire soon. I'm afraid I won't have enough time..."

She nervously twisted the corner of her clothes, not daring to look at Leonard Winston's expression at all. In fact, she had been thinking about these words all night, turning over and over in her mind how to refuse, but what came out of her mouth was so straightforward. Rachel Saintclair was already prepared to endure the coming storm.

After a long silence, Rachel Saintclair heard Leonard Winston's cold voice from above.

"Rachel Saintclair, don't forget your place. It seems that I didn't give you the right to say no in the first place."

Rachel Saintclair's heart sank suddenly. Oh no, she had made him angry.

However, what surprised her even more was what Leonard Winston said next.

"Thanks for reminding me about the expiration of the contract. You've been waiting for this for a long time, right? Don't worry. If you do this collection well, I'll give you a large sum of money. After that, disappear from my sight. Get as far away as you can."

Leonard Winston's easy agreement made Rachel Saintclair even more uneasy. She knew exactly what kind of person Leonard Winston was, and her palms were full of sweat.

Leonard Winston looked down at the little woman, feeling an inexplicable sense of annoyance and anger in his heart.

"Once you finish this collection, our contract will end. Of course, on the premise that I'm satisfied. Don't worry, the money I give you will be enough to cover your father's medical expenses for the rest of his life."

Seeing that Rachel Saintclair's head was lowered even further, Leonard Winston frowned, reached out, and pinched her pointed chin, forcing her to look up at him.

Seeing that she still wanted to avoid his gaze, completely different from her usual cooperative self, Leonard Winston felt extremely irritated.

How dare she mention that contract in front of him and remind him that the time was running out. What, was she that eager to leave his side? Or did she already have a new lover and was in a hurry to break off relations with him?

Whichever it was, it made Leonard Winston very angry.

"Remember, until then, you're still mine. You do whatever I tell you to do. When I tell you to leave, get out of here immediately and completely. But for now, you do what you're supposed to do obediently."

Leonard Winston was angry, very angry. Even he himself didn't quite understand where this anger came from, let alone Rachel Saintclair, who had been living in fear all the time.

If it were normal, Rachel Saintclair might have the mind to guess, and perhaps wouldn't have said the words of refusal so clumsily, thus provoking his anger. But now, Rachel Saintclair's mind was full of the name "Henry Edwards". When facing Leonard Winston, all she could think of and talk about in her heart was that man named Henry Edwards.

After saying that, Leonard Winston ignored Rachel Saintclair, took big steps, and walked away without looking back, as if even looking at her one more time was a waste.

The door was slammed shut heavily. With the sound of the door closing, Rachel Saintclair slumped to the ground, her body trembling uncontrollably.

Finally, it was finally time to part. She had finally obtained everything she wanted, the return for her efforts.

But she was more afraid than ever before.