All Chapters of SHATTERED VOWS : Chapter 51 - Chapter 60

RACHAEL'S POVThe next couple of days pass in a blur. I stuck to the routine Jake and I had agreed upon—work, home, repeat. I did my best to avoid Amy since every time we talked, she repeated the same warning: Jack is coming after us. Her concern only fueled my anxiety, so I made myself scarce whenever I could. Jake had reassured me that everything was under control; hence, I tried my best to stay calm.I started tagging along to Jake’s martial arts classes to keep my mind from spiraling. At first, it was just a way to kill time, but before long, I found myself looking forward to each session. There was something empowering about learning how to defend myself. Jake seemed impressed with how quickly I was picking things up. Every now and then, he’d toss me a compliment about my form or how I executed a move. I’d do my best to shrug it off casually, though inside, I was resisting the urge to blush like a schoolgirl.Jake, of course, was a natural. Watching him in action was... captivati

RACHAEL’S POVI didn’t know what came over me when I saw Jake talking to that woman. It wasn’t jealousy—not exactly—but something deep inside me flared to life, sharp and hot. At first, I thought I’d simply ask her to leave, but the words came out harsher, more possessive than I intended. The look Jake gave me after, was equal parts surprise and amusement, like he’d caught me pretending to be something I wasn’t—a jealous, insecure fake wife.When he smirked and asked if I was jealous, my defenses shot up. I snapped back when he teased me about my 'dirty dancing,' firing the same question at him. I couldn’t stop myself from hoping that maybe he was.Draining the last of my drink, I regretted my dramatics almost immediately. I stormed back to the dance floor, determined to pretend it didn’t bother me that Jake was chatting up a stranger. I didn’t expect him to follow me.The grip on my waist startled me at first, and I thought it was the guy I’d been dancing with. But when I turned, i

JAKE’S POV“Well, that was unexpected,” the words slip out breaking the silence that had stretched just a little too long.Rachael turns her gaze to me with a blank expression, we both nod and let out a laugh—a nervous, awkward kind of laugh that didn’t quite cover the enormity of what had just happened.I stand, pull up my trousers, brush sand off my knees, and tighten the belt as Rachael adjusts her dress. She looks as composed as ever, like nothing had happened. If I hadn’t been there—if I didn’t still feel the heat of her touch—I might’ve believed it.“Are we still waiting for the sunrise?” I ask, not sure what else to say. My voice comes out lighter than I expected, like I wasn’t just trying to fill the silence.Racheal exhales and turns to me, her voice steady but devoid of emotion. “we don’t have to talk about it, Jake. It was just…. The heat of the moment. We both know that.”Her words land like a punch to my gut, though I can’t show it. I nod, agreeing too quickly. “Yeah. It

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

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