The Silent Wife

"Now what?"

"Now, someone's making a quick turn." Jolly wiggled her eyebrows at Rachel

Rachel stomped her foot under the table.

Jolly gnashed her teeth in pain. "Ouch! What are you doing?"

Rachel was smiling, but she had a murderous look in her eyes. Oh, so she's saying I'm turning back on my word and going back to the person I said I wouldn't, huh? Steven had no idea what had happened. All he knew was Rachel had a boyfriend, and it demoralized him. "I would have returned last year if I knew this would happen." Jolly smacked his head. "You still stand no chance even if you came back a year earlier. In your next life, maybe."

"Ow!" Steven held his head in agony and dodged her second attack.

Rachel looked at the time. "It's almost time, Jolly. We gotta go now."

Jolly stopped smacking him. "Sure."

"Where are you guys going? I wanna come too."

"You should get showered. You look like you rolled through the mud."

Steven shot back, "That's your fault! You sprayed mud at me!"

Rachel said, "We're going to a banquet for some business talk. It's not the kind of place for you. Just go back."

Steven looked a little dejected. "When are you guys coming back?"

"No idea. Maybe in a jiffy, or maybe after a few hours. Business is unpredictable that way."

"Alright, just ignore him." Jolly urged Rachel to leave. She didn't want to spend her time conversing with Steven. We still have important stuff to do, and he just appears out of nowhere. What a waste of time. Horse racing was an event held by the club. Instead of a race, it was more like a big social event, not unlike the banquet on the yacht. The difference was that the yacht banquet revealed more about human greed and desires. The guests wouldn't do anything that brazen in this event, though.

Rachel and Jolly talked about Steven during the banquet.

"Why'd they invite him? Are they planning on getting him to work with them?"

"Probably. Most companies in Riverdale are steeped in crimes. Hudson Pharm only got out of that pit, thanks to you. Julian holds half of Burton Group, so they're close to the club. Ryan... You know the case. They can't do anything about the Carter Family, though."

"So they're trying to rope their heir into this whole scheme."

"That's cunning." Jolly took in a deep breath and clenched her fists. "Who knows what might have happened if we didn't run into him today."

"Oh, right." Rachel was reminded of the diamonds. "So, how'd you deal with the diamonds?"

"They're at Ryan's, aren't they? I was going to tell him to let the Investigation Bureau take it. Wonder if he did that. I don't really want to spend a single time in his presence.

Rachel frowned. Yeah, I don't think Ryan's going to do that. He's not that kind of person. "I see. I'll tell Janice to keep an eye on them." Sutton Corporation was dabbling in crimes as well. Rachel thought she could use Ryan to find some dirt on the club.

"Miss Carter, Miss Hudson." A waiter came over and bowed to them. "Our boss would like you to see her."

Jolly and Rachel exchanged a look. It's her, alright. The horse race was merely a pretext to meet up with someone of interest. They were sure the moment Jolly showed up, the club's boss would seek her out. They had been trying to partner with Carter Enterprise. They had tried to convince them several times, but Jolly's parents did not care for them.

The staff led the ladies to a teahouse behind a side chamber. The banquet hall was right outside. The teahouse was soundproofed to the point the ladies couldn't hear the music outside. The woman wore an azure dress and donned a cape made from sheep's wool. Her forearms were left exposed, and they could see that her arms were fair but slender. The ladies thought her jade bracelet would fall out of her arm. This woman was none other than Mrs. Bowman, the boss of the club and the one who gave Jolly that gown.

The ladies came in, and the first thing they heard was her coughing.

Rachel and Jolly stopped in their footsteps.

"Oh, hi. Please, have a seat." Mrs. Bowman covered her mouth with a handkerchief. She coughed into it and told the ladies, "Don't mind me. I'm down with a cold, but it's not contagious. Don't be afraid." Jolly said, "You'll have to open the windows if you're down with a cold." It's the same thing with her room on the yacht. It's tightly sealed. Not even a window was in sight. It was more like a prison. What does she have in there? A national treasure or something?

Julia smiled. "You have a point. Have a seat." She still didn't get anyone to open the windows.

The ladies took their seats, and she poured them a cup of tea each. "I just made this. It's nice. I hope you'll like it."

"Thank you."

Julia regarded them closely. "My assistant told me you're here to watch the race. I thought he was merely imagining things to get my attention. Until I asked a waiter to invite you, ladies, here."

Jolly said, "I don't have much to do, so I came."

Rachel nodded. "Westhill's racecourse is famous. I've always wanted to come."

"Have you gotten a ride yet?"

"No." Rachel shook her head. "We don't know how to ride horses." Rachel had never ridden on horses before. Nobody taught her. Jolly's father kept her away from the sport for some reason, or she would have been here a long time ago.

"It's alright. We have a few docile ponies. I'll get someone to hold them, and you can ride around on them. Horseback riding is an interesting sport."

Jolly asked, "Do you like riding horses too, Mrs. Bowman?"

"No, but I like to watch the sport." She smiled. "We have a few decent riders in today's race, but they're no match for your father."

"My father?"

"Yes. Richard's the best rider out of all of us. It's a pity he quit horseback riding."

"Why?"

"Because..." Mrs. Bowman started, but eventually, her voice faded into silence as she didn't add to the topic. She smiled. "It's nothing. Interests change. Nothing odd about that. I heard you have a boyfriend now."

The whole world knew she had a boyfriend. He was Leroy, the big star. She had reporters following her even on a regular grocery trip. Well, it seems that the news she's been receiving is rather outdated. "Are you getting married soon?"

When Julia asked that question, Rachel discretely tugged on the hem of Jolly's shirt.

Jolly answered calmly, "That's the plan, but I need to talk to my parents. Would you like to join the banquet?"

"I'll have to decline. My health disagrees with me. However, do please wear that gown I gave you. It's a present."Text property © Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org.

As she heard that last sentence, Rachel started getting on guard as something didn't seem quite right.