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CHAPTER THIRTY~ SEVEN
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2024-12-03 23:14:16Related chapters
SHATTERED VOWS CHAPTER THIRTY~EIGHT
I knew better than to push him further. Instead, I watched as he served the food into two bowls and carried them to the dining table.Typical Jake. He gave me just enough to intrigue me but shut the door before I could dig deeper. Still, I couldn’t blame him. He’d already shared more than I ever thought he would.“This is delicious!” I exclaim, savoring another bite of the beef stir-fry paired with fried rice and a side of perfectly sautéed veggies. I was trying to lighten the mood after the heavy conversation earlier, but Jake’s stoic expression told me he wasn’t quite there yet. However, after a brief pause, his face softens just a little, and he surprises me by asking, “And what’s your story, Rachael?”I take a moment before responding. My story wasn’t as tragic as Jake’s, but it wasn’t exactly sunshine and rainbows either. “Well, Jake, I’m an only child. My parents are divorced, and my mom is...well...a complete narcissist.”Jake raises an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed. “You mean a
Last Updated : 2024-12-04SHATTERED VOWS CHAPTER THIRTY~NINE
JAKE’S POVSitting on my bed, I couldn’t shake the image of Rachael’s face when she saw the house for the first time. It was like watching a child unwrap their first Barbie doll—pure, unfiltered joy. Her eyes sparkled, her smile widened, and for a moment, the weight she usually carried seemed to lift. That moment alone made every painstaking detail worth it. If it wasn’t for the arrangement we had and the responsibilities demanding our attention, I’d give anything to see that look on her face every single day.Back at the dinner table, I’d surprised even myself. Words had tumbled out of my mouth about my past, and for the first time, I didn’t feel the need to guard them. No one, not a single soul, knew what Rachael now knew about my life. Somehow, it felt safe telling her, as though my story wasn’t a burden in her hands.But then she’d asked about my mom.That question had snapped me back, slammed the brakes on my willingness to open up. It wasn’t something I could talk about, not yet
Last Updated : 2024-12-04SHATTERED VOWS CHAPTER FORTY
Trigger warning!! This chapter contains themes of suicide and may be distressing to some readers.RACHAEL'S POV“That’s it, Jake. I’m going to bed. I think we’ve covered everything,” I stand up from the living room couch, ready to retreat to my room. We’d been up for three hours, plotting and planning every detail for the luncheon. There was still so much to do in the morning, and I desperately needed my beauty rest.Jake, on the other hand, looked like he could keep going all night. Adrenaline pumped through his veins, his eyes blazing with energy. He looked like a man on a mission, unstoppable.I was halfway up the stairs when a thought struck me hard, making me stop in my tracks. I turn back and face him.“Jake,” my voice firm as I walk back down. “I think I’ve been patient long enough. I can’t pretend any longer. I need the truth.”His eyes narrow staring at me, confusion flickering across his face.“What truth?” he asks cautiously.I sigh, locking my gaze with his. “What did the
Last Updated : 2024-12-05SHATTERED VOWS CHAPTER FORTY~ONE
Trigger warning!! this chapter may contain themes of suicide and may cause discomfort to some readers.JAKE'S POVThe sound of glass breaking jolts me into action when I see Rachael’s finger bleeding. Without thinking, I rush to my car and grab the first aid kit. By the time I return, she was sitting at the kitchen counter, holding her finger with a paper towel.“Let me take care of that,” I say softly, sitting beside her as I gently clean the wound. She winces slightly, but i don’t pull away. I wrap her finger with a bandage carefully, taking my time, partly to delay what I knew I had to say next.As I finish, I lean against the counter, glancing at her before speaking again. “I might as well finish the story,” Rachael nods without saying a word. “She didn’t die because of the attempt, you know. She called 911 herself, and they got to her in time.”Rachael looks at me, her expression now conflicted but curious.“The ambulance rushed her to the hospital, and they stabilized her.” I s
Last Updated : 2024-12-05SHATTERED VOWS CHAPTER FORTY~TWO
Rachael's POV“WTF. WTF. WTF!” I yell, pacing across my bedroom like a caged animal. My hands are on my head as if holding my skull together will somehow help me process the bomb Jake had just dropped on me.I sit. I stand. I lie down. Then I stand again, unable to stay still for even a second. My hands move to my mouth, and I start biting my nails, a nervous habit I thought I’d kicked years ago. This was too much. Way too much.Jake is Jack’s stepbrother?“Oh my God,” I groan, sinking to the edge of the bed. My head feeling like it might explode. If I’d known this before, I would never have agreed to this ridiculous plan. No way. Not in a million years.Jake… Jake wasn’t just seeking revenge—he was out for blood.I could see it in his eyes when he told me that story. He looked sad, yes, but beneath that sadness was something darker. Something lethal. Jake didn’t just want justice; he wanted to see the Crawfords burn, reduced to nothing but ashes.As for me? All I wanted was for them
Last Updated : 2024-12-06SHATTERED VOWS CHAPTER FORTY~THREE
Jake’s POVI lean back on the couch, the weight of the memories pressing down on me like a heavy fog.“I was never interested in reaching out to my real father,” I begin, my voice steady despite the storm brewing inside me. “Not until my grandmother passed away. After that, I was all alone. It wasn’t something I wanted, but eventually, I felt like I had to know but I didn’t know where to begin looking.”Rachael, who is seated across from me, her body tense, locks her eyes on mine as if she’s bracing herself for the next bomb to drop.“So, there was this day back in college,” I resume, “I was reading a business magazine, and I came across an article about the oil industry. That’s when I saw the word ‘Crawford’ for the first time.”I glance at Rachael. Her lips part slightly, her expression a mix of dread and curiosity.“I remembered one of my mom’s letters,” I continue, my voice tightening. “She mentioned how William was forced into the family’s oil business, and It hit me—this could b
Last Updated : 2024-12-06SHATTERED VOWS CHAPTER FORTY~FOUR
I had so much on my plate today—shopping, a trip to the hairstylist, and, if time allowed, a visit to Amy’s. I needed to talk to her. After all, I had essentially disappeared yesterday into a whirlwind of chaos, and I hadn’t spoken to her since.With no other options, I slip into yesterday’s dress, grab my bag, and head for the door. Jake was back in his room presumably asleep, so I didn’t see the need to wake him. I did, however, take one of his car keys, just as he’d instructed me to if I ever needed to go out.As I step outside, the sleek car in the driveway almost intimidates me. It was pristine, expensive, and way out of my comfort zone. The thought of scratching it or, God forbid, getting into an accident made my stomach twist. If anything happened to it, I’d probably have to sell everything I owned—including myself—to pay Jake back. With that in mind, I resolve to drive at a snail’s pace, safety over style.As I exited the estate, I find myself once again in awe of the neighbor
Last Updated : 2024-12-07SHATTERED VOWS CHAPTER FORTY~FIVE
JAKE’S POVThe day I had been waiting for was finally here—the luncheon. The day my carefully constructed plan would finally begin to unfold. Today was the day I would look Karen and William Crawford in the eye after years of fantasizing about it and envisioning how it would go.I pace the living room, checking my watch every few minutes. We needed to leave soon, and Rachael hadn’t come down yet. After her wine-fueled "relaxation day" yesterday, I’d been worried about how she’d hold up. When I’d gone to check on her last night, she was passed out on the balcony, an empty bottle of wine lying nearby and a glass still loosely held in her hand.I had to carry her to bed and leave a bucket on the floor, just in case the wine didn’t sit well overnight. I admit, I was annoyed. Who drinks like that in the middle of the day, knowing we have such an important event coming up? But then again, I couldn’t blame her. The emotional rollercoaster I’d put her on over the last twenty-four hours would
Last Updated : 2024-12-09
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SHATTERED VOWS CHAPTER SIXTY~FIVE
RACHAEL'S POVI couldn’t believe Jake had just come and gone without saying a word to me. He rushed out like he was late for something important, leaving me alone with my thoughts. I sat there on the couch, staring at the ceiling, trying to process the whirlwind of the past few days. The sun was already up, and boredom crept in like an unwelcome guest.I grab my phone and begin mindlessly scrolling through Instagram. As I flip through the posts, a photo of Amy and Ethan catches my eye. They look radiant, clearly on vacation somewhere beautiful. My chest tightens. The last time I’d spoken to Amy was at the Crawford luncheon. Since then, I have avoided her. She’d tried to reach out, but I hadn’t responded. I’d been a terrible friend.Taking a deep breath, I shot her a text: "Hey, how are you?"I bury my phone under a couch cushion, resisting the urge to stare at the screen, waiting for her reply. I needed a distraction, so I grab my laptop. To my surprise, an inquiry about my marketing
SHATTERED VOWS CHAPTER SIXTY~FOUR
JAKE'S POVWilliam’s silence surprises me as well. I expected him to fight back, deny everything or storm out. Instead, he sits there in silence, his face completely unreadable. Karen, on the other hand, is far less composed. She shoves the letter in his face, her voice trembling with a mix of disbelief and rage.“Did you know about this?”William exhales slowly and leans forward, resting his elbows on the table. “Elizabeth and I agreed she was going to… take care of it. I’m not surprised she didn’t that’s all.”His words hang in the air, each one more infuriating than the last. The calm demeanor I’d been holding onto begins to crumble. My temper is rising, threatening to spill over.“Wait,” my voice low and dangerous. “You knew she was pregnant?”William doesn’t flinch, his tone is detached. “Of course, I knew but like I said, I thought she got rid of it.”That confession hits me harder than I expect, a knot tightens in my chest. For a moment, I can’t speak.“I think she kept you bec
SHATTERED VOWS CHAPTER SIXTY~THREE
JAKE'S POVSleep eluded me. No matter how much I tossed and turned, my thoughts kept circling back to Rachael, all alone in that big house. No matter how angry I was at her, I couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling gnawing at my chest.I had also grown accustomed to not being entirely alone. Even though we slept in separate rooms, I always knew she was there. Her presence had become an unspoken comfort.I glanced at the clock on the nightstand. 2:00 a.m. There was no way I could go back to the house at this time without startling her. I sigh, staring at the ceiling, waiting for morning, waiting for a reasonable hour to check on her.Two restless hours later, I was up again, standing under the cold spray of the shower, hoping to wash away my tangled emotions. It didn’t help. The image of her face when I walked out on her lingered, tugging at something deep inside me.Sipping my coffee, I stared at the whiteboard from yesterday and I review my notes, fine tuning my plan to keep my mind occup
SHATTERED VOWS CHAPTER SIXTY~TWO
RACHAEL’S POVI spend the entire day trying to reach Jake. Call after call, voicemail after voicemail, but it is no use. He wasn’t picking up. He was sulking somewhere, letting his anger simmer, and left me to drown in the silence he left behind.I paced the living room, my nerves fraying with each passing minute. Where could he be? What is he doing? My mind began to spin with the possibilities.Had he gone to the police? Was he confronting the Crawfords?The unknown gnawed at me, clawing at my insides. If Jake had gone to the police, it would be over for me. I would be arrested for tampering with evidence, and no explanation I gave would matter. I was terrified of what he might do in his anger. Jake was impulsive, and I had learned the hard way that his anger was blinding.But it was already night, and he’d been gone for hours. If the police were going to come for me, they would have done so by now. That thought offers me a sliver of comfort, but it doesn’t ease my anxiety entirely.
SHATTERED VOWS CHAPTER SIXTY~ONE
JAKE’S POVAs I speed past the estate gates, my hands grip the steering wheel so tightly that my knuckles turn white. My blood is boiling, and no amount of deep breaths can calm me down. Rachael had betrayed me. The one person I thought I could trust. The one person I let in.I thought we were partners. I thought she had my back. “Damn it!” I slam my palm against the wheel in frustration. How could she keep something like that from me? There is only one explanation: she still loves Jack.My chest burns with a mixture of anger and pain, my head pounding not just from the betrayal but from the lingering hangover of last night. Why today, of all days, did she decide to drop this bomb on me? She couldn't have picked a worse moment.I had to leave the house before I did or said something I couldn’t take back. The anger was too raw, too consuming. The walls of that place felt suffocating. At least I still had my penthouse in the city—a sanctuary I could retreat to at a time like this.As I
SHATTERED VOWS CHAPTER SIXTY
RACHAEL'S POVJack’s deflection had said it all. He’d danced around the question with that smug indifference that only made him look guiltier than ever. It was time to involve Jake, even though I knew how this would go. He will be furious that I hadn’t shared this with him earlier. But what choice do I have now? Better late than never, I tell myself as I pull into the driveway, already bracing for the fallout.When I step inside, the house is quiet, except for the low hum of the fridge in the kitchen. Jake is sitting on one of the bar stools, pressing an icepack against his head. He looks like hell—disheveled, pale, and haunted, like the aftermath of whatever had driven him to drink is still clinging to him.“You good?” I ask, setting my purse down on the counter, trying to ease into the conversation.Jake nods silently, not even glancing my way. He looks like the angel of death had brushed past him and left him worse for wear.“Want to talk about what made you drink like that?” I ask
SHATTERED VOWS CHAPTER FIFTY ~NINE
RACHAEL'S POVI hadn’t spoken to Jake in days. Not because there wasn’t anything to say, but because I was avoiding him. Avoiding the guilt that gnawed at me every time I thought about the evidence I’d hidden. That jerrycan with the old Crawford Oil Industries logo felt like a bomb in my purse, waiting to explode. I’d been going in circles, debating what to do with it.The logical part of me knew I had to confront Jack. But the idea of calling him, of hearing his voice, twisted my stomach into knots. How would he react? Would he deny it outright? Laugh in my face? I wasn’t sure I was ready for the confrontation.When Jake’s name lit up on my phone, my heart skipped a beat. He never called me, ever. If he needed something, it was always a text or a face-to-face conversation. I hesitated for a while, but I finally answered.“Hello?”His voice was slurred, almost incomprehensible. “Rachael... I’m... I’m at the bar. Pick me up. I’m at...” he trailed off, mumbling the name of the bar befor
SHATTERED VOWS CHAPTER FIFTY~EIGHT
JAKE’S POVInside, the lobby gleams with marble floors and crystal chandeliers, its elegance only adding to the sour taste in my mouth. At the reception desk, a woman with a practiced smile informs me Mrs. Raymond had already left instructions. I was to be sent directly to her suite.As I ride the elevator up, my stomach churns. I feel like a cheap escort being summoned to perform a duty. The thought makes me sick, but I bury the emotion deep, locking it away where it can’t touch me. I remind myself why I am here. This is business. Nothing more.The elevator chimes softly, and the doors slide open. I walk down the plush-carpeted hallway, my footsteps muffling as if the hotel itself is trying to silence my guilt. Room 912. My hand hesitates on the door handle for a brief second before I swipe the keycard and step inside.The room is dimly lit; Mrs. Raymond is already waiting for me. She is sprawled across the bed in a silk robe and red lingerie that leaves little to the imagination. He
SHATTERED VOWS CHAPTER FIFTY~SEVEN
JAKE’S POVThe past few days had been a blur of chaos. Between insurance meetings, ongoing investigations, and trying to salvage what I could from the restaurant fire, I barely had time to breathe, let alone see Rachael. I would leave the house before she woke up and return long after she was asleep. It wasn’t ideal, but it had to be done.At least I was making progress.I’d managed to acquire a significant number of shares in Crawford Oil Industries (COI), and now, I was one signature away from becoming the majority shareholder. It was a risky game, but one I couldn’t afford to lose. I just hoped the Crawfords wouldn’t catch wind of what I was doing before it was too late.Tonight is crucial. I had arranged a dinner with the last shareholder, Mrs. Raymond, a shrewd businesswoman with a reputation for playing hardball. I picked one of the most exclusive restaurants in the city—an attempt to “butter her up” before dropping the offer. If I could convince her, my plan would finally fall
