"Why do you already start to dislike me when you're so young?" Rachel couldn't help but roll her eyes. But honestly, Cora really does seem smarter than her sometimes.
"Aunt Harris might be new here, but she seems really kind. I've seen her helping old people carry stuff upstairs from the window, and I also saw her feeding a stray cat downstairs," Cora explained seriously.
She didn't just go knocking on random doors. She really thought Aunt Harris, the neighbor next door, was a kind old lady.
Cora had been through a lot with Rachel ever since she was little. Even though she acts playful, she's more thoughtful than most kids her age.
"Sit here on this chair and wait for me. We'll go home together when Mommy finishes work," Rachel said after dinner, bringing Cora into the lounge.
"Okay," Cora nodded obediently.
With her round little face, big shiny eyes, and soft voice, she really looked like a little angel.
She knew not to bother her mom while she worked, so she brought some picture books and sat on the chair quietly, occasionally glancing at her mom while she was busy.
Rachel came over as soon as she finished work, but at some point, Cora had already fallen asleep.
"Cora, wake up. Let's go home," Rachel kissed her on the forehead, her eyes full of soft, loving motherly affection.
Cora was just so good that it made people's hearts ache. She'd been sitting there reading picture books the whole afternoon. She must've gotten tired and fallen asleep.
"Mommy," Cora slowly opened her eyes and saw Rachel. She smiled sweetly and said excitedly, "You're done with work?"
"Yes, I am," Rachel smiled with endless tenderness. "Let's go eat."
"Yay!"
They walked out of the coffee shop hand in hand, ready to head to the car rental place and start their night shift driving.
"Let's do this!" Rachel hyped herself up in her mind.
She had to work super hard to save up enough money to buy her own car, so she wouldn't have to keep paying rental fees.
Then she'd work even harder to buy a house, just so she could finally give Cora a stable, safe home.
---
23rd Floor, Marriott International Building — CEO's Office
"President Elliott, here's Rachel's information," said Denise, President Elliott's secretary, as she walked in.
She wore a crisp white blouse with a sleek black pencil skirt that showed off her long legs and tall, graceful figure.
Her red hair was softly curled and draped neatly over her shoulders. Her makeup was flawless, making her look super polished and professional.
She placed a stack of papers respectfully on the CEO's desk.
"Rachel, from Blackwood City, dropped out of college in her freshman year and gave birth to a daughter, who is now five years old. She's been taking on odd jobs in Blackwood City, working at the mansion café during the day, and driving part-time for Chasing the Wind Taxi at night," Denise reported.
She honestly didn't get why President Elliott was suddenly looking into a regular woman like Rachel, especially one with a child.
President Elliott was like a total legend in the business world. Countless rich girls and socialites had tried to get close to him.
But Denise had worked with him for years and had never seen him show even a little interest in any woman.
Still, if the CEO wanted info on someone, she had to deliver it right away, detailed and complete, of course.
"Got it." Kellan's voice was low, and his expression was indifferent. He nodded, allowing her to leave.
Denise bowed and exited the room.
Kellan's office was spacious and decorated in black and white.
The leather sofa and the exquisite solid wood desk were all designed by famous European designers, unique and luxurious in their simplicity.
Kellan sat on the sleek leather sofa chair, tapping his long fingers on the table.
He was incredibly handsome, with sharp eyebrows, a straight nose, and a bold, domineering look in his eyes.
His tall and slender figure was flawless, dressed in an expensive black high-end suit. He looked like a noble prince, elegant and graceful.
The first time he fell asleep in a taxi, he thought it was just a random accident. But the second time, it happened again, and he had another deep, natural, and comfortable sleep.
Before that, he had been dealing with insomnia… except for that one night five years ago.
Could she be the girl from five years ago?
Kellan leaned lazily back in his luxurious office chair, picked up Rachel's file, and raised an eyebrow, his gaze calm and sharp.
Opening the file, the first page was a photo of Rachel, taken when she was 18 and filling out a school registration form.
Her youthful face looked clear and soft, with a faint smile at the corner of her lips.
He flipped through the file casually.
President Elliott's subordinates were clearly trained well, and they managed to gather really detailed information in such a short time.
Rachel was 23 years old this year. Her mother, Ophelia, had an affair and divorced when Rachel was two.
After that, she was raised by her grandfather, but he passed away when she was eight.
Then she was sent to live with her uncle Grady, and stayed there until she dropped out of school at 18 because of a pregnancy.
Further in the file were interviews with Rachel's old classmates from Harmony University, the top university in Blackwood City.
When Rachel dropped out, she was already three months pregnant, and her baby bump had started to show.
So of course, there were a lot of rumors flying around campus, people said she was being kept by a rich businessman.
Some of those rumors even sounded convincing, and the gossip had spread throughout the school.
But some neighbors also said she was a smart, polite girl who was hardworking and excellent in both grades and character.
It was just really sad that she was taken advantage of at such a young age.
Kellan's eyes darkened as he read, his expression turning colder and more distant.
His black eyes were like a demon's, scary and icy, enough to send chills down someone's back. When he first saw her driving, he thought she looked pure and distant.
But if that was true, how could she have casually entered his hotel room like that?
Turns out she was just a flirty woman.
The irony was that he could only sleep peacefully beside her. The thought of her being with other men made him feel annoyed for some reason.
---
The lively neon lights outside flickered like little elves dancing across the street.
Cora was super excited because her mom promised to reward her for delivering food yesterday.
They stopped by a toy store on the way, and Cora picked out a Dora plush toy with batteries, it could talk and say: "Hello, I'm Dora!"
"Mom, look, I'm Dora!" Cora giggled and hid behind the plush toy, pretending to be Dora.
"Don't be a troublemaker, don't be a troublemaker," Rachel played along with her.
Cora giggled happily, her smile blooming like a little flower. Rachel laughed too, joining in her joy.
Later, when they got a new customer, Cora obediently sat in the passenger seat and played with her Dora toy.
But when it got late, she fell asleep hugging it tightly.
"Chasing the Wind is taking your order."
Rachel picked up her phone like usual to check the pickup and drop-off points. The pickup was at RK Bar nearby, and the destination was Red Star Street.
Red Star Street was the road where her uncle's house used to be when she was a kid.
Rachel looked at the address and paused, a hint of nervousness flashing in her dark, bright eyes.
Her first instinct was to cancel the order. But after glancing at Cora, peacefully asleep with her little toy, she sighed and accepted the ride. She needed the money.
The car pulled up steadily into the alley beside the bar. Under the dim neon lights, drunk people stumbled around in the shadows.