The Moment I Realized I Can't Lose You novel Chapter 35

A heavy silence filled the car.

Joaquin frowned, opening his mouth to speak, but Audrey suddenly snatched the phone from his grip and hit the speaker button. "Not at all, Rainey!"

She smiled, forcing her voice into a sickeningly sweet, affectionate register. "We just woke up a little while ago and were just trying to figure out what to eat. Your timing is perfect. I was actually just craving the Royal Bistro too."

Clearly not expecting Audrey to be listening in, Rainey went dead silent on the other end. After a long, agonizing pause, she let out an awkward cough. "Is... is that so?"

"Oh, absolutely," Audrey purred, her smile dripping with fake sweetness. "We've been married for a year, and Joaquin has never once bought me breakfast. But thanks to you, I finally get to try the famous Royal Bistro!"

She looked up, meeting Joaquin’s thunderous glare. "I heard their breakfast sells out incredibly fast. It's past seven already—aren't you going to hurry up and go? We can't let your darling Rainey starve. She's a patient, after all."

Her words cast a heavy, suffocating silence over both ends of the line.

Finally, Rainey’s voice broke the quiet, trembling with victimhood. "Audrey, do you... do you really mean that? Are you mad at me? Do you think I shouldn't have called and bothered you two?" Her voice hitched, thick with unshed tears. "I really didn't mean to, I just..."

"Of course I mean it," Audrey cut off the crocodile tears with a light laugh. "Joaquin is right next to me. You can ask him just how genuine the smile on my face is right now. You're the patient. It's only right that he takes care of you and buys you breakfast. I'm not upset at all."

Rainey hesitated, her voice faltering. "Audrey, you..."

"Enough." Joaquin snatched the phone back, his brow heavily furrowed as he toggled off the speaker. "Do you want the usual?"

Rainey, who had been holding her breath in fear that Joaquin would reject her because of Audrey, instantly perked up. "Yes! The same as last time!"

"Fine." Joaquin hung up, turning to level a freezing glare at the woman in the passenger seat. "Did you really think that if I agreed to get her breakfast, I’d just drop everything and let you off the hook?"

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