Chapter 45
Chapter 45
“Giving up already?” Nicolas shot her a sideways glance. “You know Maëlys’s reputation, right? When she was overseas, she publicly backed a designer with a criminal record-even personally vouched for him to get into a top-tier design team. Guy ended up making quite a name for himself.”
Rachel blinked in surprise.
She had heard about that, but… could she really pull it off?
Seeing her waver, Nicolas continued, “I’ve got some connections with her. Could make a call, get you in to
learn under her?”
‘No.” Rachel’s refusal was instant and firm.
Nicolas raised an eyebrow, caught off guard by her rejection, and waited for her to explain.
Rachel’s brow furrowed, then smoothed out as she lifted her head with newfound determination: “If there’s
going to be a competition, then I’m getting in the right way-through my own merit.”
‘Fair enough.”
Nicolas didn’t push. He knew her well enough by now-if he pulled strings to get her in, she’d only resent it.
Better to let her fight her own battles.
she wasn’t some delicate flower that wilted at the first sign of trouble. She was an eagle meant to soar-just needed time to spread her wings.
Rachel sank back into the sofa, absently tracing the rim of her water glass, lost in thought. Suddenly, she
ooked up at Nicolas:
‘Nicolas, want to make a deal?”
Vicolas had been lounging on the other end of the sofa, flicking his lighter open and closed. At her words, he
paused mid motion.
He turned his head, eyebrow arched with interest, a smirk playing at his lips: “What kind of deal?”
Rachel met his gaze head on, her voice steady but edged with ice: “Help me take down the Leroix family. I want them to pay.”
Nicolas’s other eyebrow joined the first. Her proposal definitely had his attention.
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Chapter 45
He chuckled, his tone amused: “Since we’re talking business, what’s in it for me?”
Rachel had been wrestling with this question, but honestly? She had nothing to offer that Nicolas Rothschild couldn’t already buy ten times over.
“I’ll do whatever you need.”
Nicolas laughed outright, shaking his head: “Whatever I need? Sweetheart, with Rothschild resources and connections, I can handle pretty much anything. Your help would be… nice to have, but not exactly essential.”
Rachel’s face fell slightly, her grip tightening on the glass.
She bit her lip, frustrated: “Then what do you want?”
I’m a businessman first. We deal in value-so I’d want something that’s actually worth something to me.”
Something valuable?
achel’s mind went blank.
What could she possibly have that Nicolas would want?
Ticolas studied her face, something unreadable in his expression. He stood slowly, moved in front of her, hen leaned down close to her ear, his voice dropping to a husky whisper: “What if I said… I want you?”
achel’s eyes went wide, her body jerking back instinctively, heat flooding her cheeks.
he stared at him, sputtering: “Nicolas! I’m trying to have a serious conversation here!”
Nicolas straightened up, clearly enjoying her flustered reaction, and broke into genuine laughter.
lis deep chuckle did something weird to her insides, making her ears burn.
Noticing her reaction, Nicolas leaned down again, getting right in her personal space, their faces inches part. He murmured against her ear, his breath warm and tickling: “I am being serious. So why are you ›lushing?”
Rachel’s face went from pink to crimson. She couldn’t take it anymore and tried to push him away, but he was like a brick wall-completely immovable,
She gritted her teeth, voice strangled with embarrassment: “You’re… you’re impossible!”
Nicolas looked at her completely undone state and grinned wider. He reached out and messed up her hair affectionately: “Okay, okay. I’ll behave.”
Chapter 45
He stepped back, eyes still dancing with mischief: “Social media’s blowing up about Maëlys right now. You should check it out.”
As his warmth disappeared, Rachel felt this strange, hollow sensation.
She ducked her head, avoiding his gaze, wondering how the hell he managed to flip from playful to professional so fast.
Nicolas noticed her silence but didn’t push, just gave her hair one more gentle ruffle before giving her space
to think.
After Rachel’s explosive exit from the funeral, chaos had erupted.
The place had been packed-practically half of New York’s power players were there. Now everyone had front-row seats to the Leroix family drama.
David looked like he’d swallowed glass, while Joanne scrambled to do damage control with a forced smile: “So sorry, everyone! Today was supposed to honor the old master, but Rachel… well, she clearly doesn’t understand proper behavior! I’ll definitely have words with her when we get home!
The Leroix family has always treated everyone fairly-we don’t play favorites! My daughter was just… emotional today. Please excuse the outburst…”
She kept talking, but nobody was really buying it.
People believe what they want to believe, and what they’d just witnessed was the Leroix family ganging up on Rachel while protecting Sophie.
Talking about “treating everyone fairly” now? Yeah, right.
Jaxon stood frozen, still processing everything.
Rachel’s words kept playing on repeat in his head.
She wanted nothing to do with him-hell, she’d burned bridges with her entire family.
But why?
He’d promised to marry her, hadn’t he? What more did she want?
Was this some kind of mind game?
Looking at how final her exit had been, that didn’t seem likely.
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He Stole My Ticket. 1 Flew Private: Revenge Served Sky-High
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Chapter 45
Which left only one possibility-she genuinely hated them all and had zero interest in forgiveness.
The thought made his blood run cold.
“Jaxon…” A soft arm slipped around his, making him tense up.
“Sister doesn’t want us anymore.” Sophie’s voice was barely a whisper, her nose pink, tears threatening to
spill.
She pressed her forehead against his shoulder, her perfume wrapping around him: “She even went off on Dad, called our whole family fake and manipulative.”
Jaxon’s throat worked as he swallowed hard.
Sophie’s warmth seeped through his suit, and suddenly he was three years ago, remembering Rachel clinging to him just like this, begging him not to let them send her to prison. But he’d just coldly peeled her
hands away.
Her tears had trembled on her lashes without falling. She’d asked him one last question-if he’d ever cared
about her, even a little.
What had he said?
“Rachel, quit being dramatic.”
“Jaxon?” Sophie’s voice cut through his memories.
She tilted her face up, mascara artfully smudged beneath her eyes: “You’ll help us, right? Sister’s really unstable right now. I’m scared…”
“Scared of what?” The words came out sharper than he’d intended,
His hands clenched at his sides, his mind still stuck on Rachel.
Sophie flinched at his tone, then managed to look even more pitiful: “I’m worried someone’s manipulating her. Mom and Dad have always been so good to her-she was their little princess. Why would she turn on us
like this…”
