Cassian looked faintly surprised at her independence. Most women would use their new husband as a weapon against an A
“Three days, then,” he confirmed. “My driver will collect you and your belongings on Saturday morning. And we’ll arrange a proper meeting with Elisabeth. I look forward to meeting the woman who raised someone like you.”
“Thank you,” Rachel said softly, genuinely touched.
They’d just met and married, yet he was already treating her grandmother with more respect than Jasper had shown in three years.
She remembered how during their entire relationship, Jasper had visited Elisabeth exactly four times.
Each visit had been filled with ostentatious gifts and thinly veiled impatience to leave.
With newfound clarity, Rachel saw how she’d ignored countless red flags, making excuses for Jasper’s behavior.
At least now she’d seen through the facade to the hollow man beneath.
“Call me if you need anything,” Cassian said, his hand sliding to her waist as he guided her toward his waiting car. “Anything at all.” The double meaning wasn’t lost on her.
Rachel tensed briefly at his possessive touch, then consciously relaxed. She was his wife now. This was her new normal.
Life really was unpredictable.
Twenty–four hours ago, she’d been planning her future with Jasper. Now she was married to one of the most powerful men in New
York.
But as she slid into the leather seat of Cassian’s Bentley, Rachel felt no regrets. In fact, for the first time in years, she felt like she might be exactly where she belonged.
་་་་་་
Chapter 14
Back at the brownstone, Rachel tucked her ID and documents into her desk drawer.
The marriage certificate? That was another story.
Cassian had pocketed both copies with the ridiculous explanation that he was “preventing any unfortunate misplacement incidents.”
He’d insisted on storing them in his private safe at Rhodes Tower.
Rachel had rolled her eyes at his high handedness.
Whatever. It’s not like she needed it for her daily coffee run anyway.
She found Elisabeth in the kitchen, already prepping for lunch, the radio playing softly in the background.
Rachel slipped on an apron to help.
Despite being in her eighties, Elisabeth Paige still moved around the kitchen with the confidence of someone who’d been cooking for decades.
“There you are, sweetheart,” she said, handing Rachel a bunch of carrots to chop. “Playing hooky from work today? You should tell
Jasper to come over this weekend. I’ll make my lasagna–the one he raved about at Christmas.”
Rachel nearly cut her finger at the mention of Jasper’s name. “Got some personal stuff to handle this morning,” she said, recovering
quickly. “Heading to the office after lunch. Jasper’s crazy busy with the spring collection launch. Probably won’t see him for dinner
anytime soon.”
Elisabeth sighed, her disappointment evident. “That boy needs to learn to take a breath. You’re too good to him, Ana. Remember, marriage is a two–way street. Both of you need to bend a little or everything breaks.”
As her grandmother continued dispensing relationship wisdom, Rachel focused intently on dicing vegetables.
Understanding? Compromise?
Funny how those expectations had only ever applied to her, never to Jasper.
In three years, had he ever once compromised on anything important?
It didn’t matter now. By tonight, she’d be free of the need to make excuses for him.
After lunch, Rachel headed straight to J&R’s SoHo headquarters, mentally rehearsing what she would say to Jasper about her 40% ownership stake.
When they’d founded J&R Jewelry together, she’d insisted on maintaining significant equity–a business decision that had proven
wise.
Jasper, determined to prove his worth without his family’s connections or money, had eagerly part
dating for a year.
A with her after they’d been
What had started in a tiny studio with five employees had exploded into a company of over 120 staff, with their pieces featured in Vogue and worn at the Met Gala.
The company now had a full design department, but Rachel remained both Design Director and the brand’s signature creative force.
Her collections consistently sold out within days of release, driving the company’s remarkable 300% growth over the past two years.
Camo Over Mafia Ross! Now Pay in Blood For Killing Our Three Kids
10.2%
Chapter 141
Yet somehow, Jasper seemed pathologically incapable of acknowledging her contribution, crediting their success to his “strategic
vision” and “market disruption.”
His ego had inflated in direct proportion to their profit margins.
The success had finally earned him the approving nods from his father and brothers that he’d desperately craved.
But after today, everything would change.
