Chapter 20
Arthur’s body went rigid, then he forced himself to relax. “Of course I won’t let her down.”
“Rachel,” Joanne tried to reach for her, “honey, just listen to Mom for a second…”
Rachel pulled the blanket up to her chin and closed her eyes, shutting her out completely.
Joanne could tell her daughter was done with her bullshit. She didn’t push it. After Arthur mumbled a few awkward words, they both left.
Rachel stayed in the hospital for one day, then discharged herself the next morning.
The internet had completely flipped in her favor.
Someone had leaked Quincy’s history of sexual assault, and suddenly women were coming out of the woodwork with their
own horror stories about him.
Quincy was facing a shitstorm of accusations.
And Arthur-of all people-was her lawyer, representing her publicly.
The irony was almost too much.
Arthur was actually fighting for her for once in his life.
That day, Rachel headed to the Rothschild estate to see Charles and officially end her engagement with Jaxon.
Rachel managed a small smile, nodded, and followed the butler into the massive house toward the old man’s study.
The study door was cracked open. Rachel knocked softly.
Hearing her, Charles looked up and pushed his glasses down his nose.
The second he saw her, he dropped his pen and broke into a huge grin. “Rachel! Come here, sweetheart. Let me get a proper look at you.”
They made small talk for a bit before he steered things toward her and Jaxon.
“Rachel, now that you’re back, we should start planning the wedding, don’t you think?”
Rachel’s back went stiff. She had no idea how to break this to the old man.
“Rachel, be honest with me-do you still care about Jaxon?”
Rachel took a deep breath and looked him straight in the eye. “I’m not in love with him anymore.”
Outside the door, a hand that had been about to knock suddenly froze mid-air.
Jaxon stood there, his face going white as a sheet.
He definitely hadn’t seen that coming.
“Why not?” Charles’s voice drifted out. “I thought you two were…”
“That was before,” Rachel cut him off. “I’m not the same person I was three years ago.”
Charles went quiet for a moment, then sighed heavily. “Is this about what happened to you?”
Rachel shook her head. “Not just that. I finally see things the way they really are.”
Outside, Jaxon’s hands slowly curled into fists.
“Charles, remember when you told me I could choose any man in the Rothschild family? Does that offer still stand?”
Charles looked surprised and hesitated. “Well, yes… though Jaxon is really the only eligible bachelor in the family…”
Rachel knew exactly what he was thinking. Nobody would expect her to go after Nicolas-the family’s untouchable king.
Right then, Jaxon knocked and walked into the study.
He’d obviously caught Rachel’s little declaration and couldn’t figure out who the hell else in the Rothschild family would want to marry her.
Unless… was Rachel playing some twisted game?
Rejecting him first, then using Charles’s promise to manipulate him into proposing?
It was definitely possible.
Rachel had always been sneaky like that.
After a few more minutes, Charles started having a coughing fit.
Given his health, Rachel didn’t want to overstay her welcome.
When Jaxon walked her out, neither of them said a word.
That never would have happened before. Rachel used to talk his ear off every chance she got.
Now she was weirdly silent.
“Charles’s health has been pretty rough lately. You should come by more often when you can.” Jaxon tried to get a conversation going.
“Okay.”
Jaxon waited for her to say more, but that was it.
The Rothschild place was huge, and Jaxon was taking his sweet time, so it took forever to reach the front entrance.
From a distance, they could see some serious luxury car pulling up to the gate, practically screaming money and power.
Jaxon noticed her staring and casually explained, “That’s my uncle. He hardly ever comes around.”
Uncle?
Jaxon’s uncle… that would be…
“Nicolas?”
Chapter 20
“Yeah.” Jaxon nodded.
He had mad respect for his uncle.
But there was definitely some jealousy mixed in there too.
Because Nicolas was just on a completely different level.
When they finally made it to the entrance, Jaxon looked at Rachel hopefully. “Hey, want to stick around for lunch?”
He quickly added. “Charles would be over the moon if you stayed. He’s missed you.”
Rachel turned to face him, but her eyes went straight past him to that luxury car.
“Sure.”
Jaxon didn’t read into it-he was just psyched she was staying.
Once they got back upstairs, Jaxon went to talk to the kitchen staff, leaving Rachel alone in the living room.
Rachel sat quietly on the couch, waiting. It wasn’t long before a shadow fell over her.
Nicolas.
He grabbed her wrist and pulled her upstairs to some private room.
The next thing Rachel knew, she was pinned against the door, everything went dark, and she felt something warm and soft press against her lips.
