Chapter 88
Rain bit the inside of her cheek to keep from scowling. ’This woman,’ she thought, her mind racing with possible ways to deal with this situation. Sarah’s intentions were clear now—this was no simple mistake but a deliberate attempt to mess with her. And Rain wasn’t one to let such things slide.
Feigning obliviousness, Rain cheerfully added more peanut butter to the stew. She wasn’t just going to let Sarah get away with this. For now, she played along, but she would have to deal with this troublemaker soon enough—and when she did, Sarah wouldn’t see it coming.
There were CCTV cameras in every corner of the kitchen, and Rain suspected there might even be hidden cameras throughout the mansion. It made sense, given that Lancaster Group’s main business was electronics. Sarah probably didn’t realize just how advanced technology had become—there was no hiding from it anymore.
Rain acted normal, preparing everything with a cheerful demeanour. Sarah had outdone herself by suggesting pickles for the potato salad, but Rain knew she and her father-in-law would enjoy the meal.
“What’s that for?” Sarah asked as Rain began preparing some beef cuts.
“Oh, I’m craving this,” Rain replied casually as she started marinating the beef with lemon juice and soy sauce. Sanya had taught her the recipe, but it would be her first time cooking it. Alexander loved beef, so she hoped he would enjoy it later.
“Beef steak?” Sarah asked, and Rain nodded. “Are you pregnant, Mrs. Lancaster?” Sarah questioned directly, causing Rain to cough in surprise. Should she say yes? Would that make Sarah stop meddling with her? Or would it make things worse, given how much Sarah clearly disliked her?
“Hmm, I don’t know yet,” Rain replied with a timid smile. She should seriously consider a career in acting at this rate.
“Do you mean you and Sir? But I heard you two sleep in separate rooms?” Sarah questioned, her tone laced with curiosity. Rain’s face twitched slightly, but she couldn’t blame her. Who would believe her relationship with Alexander was genuine when they slept in different rooms?
“Oh, that,” Rain said, shrugging lightly. “I just prefer my privacy, but that doesn’t mean he’s not crawling into my bed at night,” she answered bluntly. “And we’ve slept together plenty of times in his penthouse before,” she added with a smirk, her cheeks tinged with a teasing blush.
She noticed how Sarah’s expression darkened. Rain couldn’t help but wonder if this woman had feelings for Alexander. After all, he seemed to attract older women like Madame Beck. It was funny to think of but it does happen.
While waiting for the beef to marinate, Rain excused herself from the kitchen to attend to some work. She quickly called Brandon for updates and made a few requests at the same time.
“I’m sorry if I’m asking too much,” Rain apologized over the phone.
“It’s fine, Rain. You know I’m always happy to help,” Brandon reassured her. They continued talking, and Rain began jotting down notes in her notebook regarding the Obsidian Order.
After finishing her conversation with Brandon, she called Matt. “Any updates on Luis’s death? We need to gather evidence that it wasn’t an accident but a planned murder,” she reiterated.
“I’m on it, Prosecutor Clayton. But aren’t you pushing yourself too hard? You’re on leave and need rest. Your concussion may not be life-threatening, but it can still cause discomfort if you overexert yourself,” Matt reminded her, his concern evident.
Rain smiled at his thoughtfulness. “I’m fine, Matt. Thank you for everything. I’ll see you on Monday,” she said before ending the call. It was too early to fully trust Matt, but it was still nice to hear kind and thoughtful words from someone.
For the first time, Rain allowed herself to relax, taking the opportunity to rest and sleep. She napped for about hours, and when she woke up, it was already late in the afternoon, around four. Her father-in-law had already arrived, so she headed to his study to let him taste the stew she had prepared.
“I tried cooking with Chef Sarah’s help, but I’m not very confident, so I thought I should let you taste it first, Father,” she said as she offered him a small bowl of beef stew. He smiled warmly as he began sipping the soup.
“Will you be going out again later, Father?” she asked curiously while watching him intently, wondering if he would notice the peanut butter in it.
“Nope, I’m done for the day, so I’ll just laze around here like you. Why? Don’t you want me to stay?” he teased.
After tasting the stew, his expression shifted to a frown. “This has peanut butter in it, and you plan to serve it to Alexander at dinner p>
Rain unknowingly smiled because she was impressed by how attentive her father-in-law was. He immediately recognized something harmful for his son.
“Rain, this is not funny. Why is there peanut butter in Alexander’s stew? Are you trying to poison him?” he asked, his tone stern and his gaze intimidating.
Rain, unfazed by his sternness, shrugged her shoulders. “I know, right? Chef Sarah should know this could harm Alexander. She’s been working here for ten years, after all. So, I wonder why she encouraged me to add peanut butter to the stew, saying it would make it tastier and that Alexander would enjoy it. And she also suggested adding pickles to the potato salad,” she explained with a frustrated sigh.
Her father-in-law’s face suddenly lit up, and he burst into laughter. Rain crumpled her face in mock annoyance and echoed his earlier words, “This is not funny, Father-in-law p>
“Alright, but what you’ve said could compromise Sarah’s job. Do you have any evidence to support your claim?” Rock asked with a grin.
Rain rolled her eyes and scoffed, “You can check the CCTV footage. I’ll give you the exact time it happened.” She handed him the details and added, “I’m sure you’ll clearly hear her cheerful voice as she talks about how Alexander will enjoy everything p>
She then intently glanced at her father-in-law and mumbled, “So, I’m wondering if there’s a deeper reason behind her resentment towards me. Is she just messing with me for fun, or is she some random woman with a crush on Alexander p>