Chapter 24
Her voice was quiet-only Rachel could hear her.
Rachel gave her a puzzled look.
Hadn’t Sienna always been the one bitching about Rachel chasing Jaxon? Always saying she wasn’t good enough for him? They’d had screaming matches over it.
What was with this sudden personality transplant?
Catching Rachel’s stare, Sienna rolled her eyes and glared back. “Don’t get any ideas. I still think you’re trash for my cousin, but that Sophie chick? She’s even worse!”
Ah, there was the Sienna she knew.
Looking down on literally everyone except her precious cousin Jaxon.
“Your family’s completely fucked up,” Sienna continued casually. “Treating the adopted kid like a princess while treating their actual daughter like garbage. That takes some next-level dysfunction.”
Rachel had heard Sienna’s venom before. Three years ago, she would’ve thrown hands over a comment like that. Now? She actually thought Sienna was right on the money.
When Rachel didn’t bite back, Sienna looked bored. “God, you really have changed. How depressing.” She started to leave, then paused. “Seriously though, grow some balls. This whole doormat thing is gonna eat you alive.”
She gave Nicolas a polite nod as she passed, shot one last disgusted look at Sophie draped all over Jaxon, and strutted off.
Nicolas’s eyes found Rachel, who was just standing there like absolutely nothing had happened.
Something dark twisted in his gut. This wasn’t right-she shouldn’t be this… dead inside. She should be raising hell, fighting back. He’d deal with whatever shitstorm followed.
Not standing there like some broken doll.
“Mr. Leroix,” Nicolas said, his voice sharp with irritation, “that deal we talked about? Your call.”
Arthur went stiff as a board. He’d just spent the last hour trying to negotiate with Nicolas, who’d dropped a bombshell of a
demand.
“I… I need time to consider it,” Arthur managed.
Sophie looked curious but Arthur shut her down with one look.
With Nicolas looming nearby, the rubberneckers scattered fast. Arthur grabbed Anita and hauled her away, his grip vicious enough to leave marks.
Once they were alone in a deserted hallway, Arthur’s civilized mask completely slipped.
“Anita,” his voice could have frozen hell over, “I told you to stay the fuck away from Rachel. Did you think I was bluffing?”
Anita collapsed to the floor, shaking. “I’m sorry! It wasn’t my idea-Rachel made me do it! She wanted me to blow up the truth about three years ago and destroy Sophie!”
Chapter 24
Arthur’s expression turned murderous.
Meanwhile, Rachel found herself a quiet corner by the windows, avoided by everyone like she was radioactive.
Her phone buzzed with a text from Sophie: Sister, meet me by the pool downstairs. Need to talk about the Leroix-Rothschild
deal.
Rachel frowned. Why would Sophie want to discuss business she wasn’t supposed to be involved in? What had Nicolas and Arthur talked about?
She shot a quick text to Nicolas: What did you tell Arthur?
No response. Rachel headed downstairs, unease building in her chest.
The hotel’s lower level had an ornamental koi pond surrounded by elegant landscaping. Sophie was waiting there, her back
turned.
“You know what Nicolas’s condition was?” Sophie asked without turning around.
Rachel assumed it was about money or percentages-the usual business negotiations.
Sophie laughed-a sound that was completely unhinged. “He wants me to marry him!”
