The Heiress' Husband

Raelynn Lancaster stared at herself in the mirror, reaching out with one hand to adjust the pearl earrings she had on. Satisfied that they were in place, she smoothed a hand over her custom-tailored crimson red dress, the silky fabric hugging her curves in all the right places. It was a dress meant to make a statement—one that whispered elegance, confidence, and undeniable allure.

Tonight, she wanted everything to be perfect.

Behind her, Nessa, her assistant and closest friend, zipped her into the dress with an approving nod. She let out a low whistle, stepping back with a grin. "He's going to be so swooned when he sees you. I tell you, Rae, no man can resist a woman in red."

Raelynn smiled, barely concealing her excitement. Tonight was special—her fifth anniversary with Jake. Five years of love, growth, and being together. Five years of believing they were building something real, something permanent. Five years of having each other's backs, no matter how tough things got. Five years of her growing in the modeling industry and using her influence to help Jake land opportunities. Not that she would ever tell him.

He had pride. So much pride. He liked to believe that every success was his alone, that his struggling agency was rising purely because of his efforts. And Raelynn let him have that. She never once told him about the strings she had pulled, the doors she had quietly opened for him, the way she subtly introduced him to the right people at the right time. She wanted to see him win, not just for himself, but for them. For their future.

She reached for a small velvet black box on her dresser. Inside, a sleek silver watch gleamed under the soft lighting. Jake had admired it in passing months ago, and she had gone through great lengths to track it down, ensuring tonight would be unforgettable.

"You ready?" Nessa asked, grabbing her purse as she headed for the door.

Raelynn exhaled softly, checking her reflection one last time. "Yeah. Let's go."

Before long, they were on the highway, the city lights flashing past in a blur. Traffic was starting to build up, but Nessa, ever the skilled driver, maneuvered her sleek black Audi with ease. The hum of the engine was the only sound for a while before Nessa spoke again.

"By the way, are you sure it's fine? You not calling him before going?"

"Yeah, it's fine. I want to surprise him. We've barely spent time together lately, and I miss my man," Raelynn said, running her fingers over the gift box. "I already asked one of the security guards to inform me when he's home. The guard called, so it's all good."

More than that, she missed how things used to be. The lazy mornings in bed when he would trace absentminded circles on her back, the way he used to text her before big shoots just to remind her how beautiful she was. Jake had been swamped, coordinating his agency, always too busy for her. But tonight, she would remind him of what they had.

Nessa pulled up in front of Jake's house in Riverside Park, the gated community exuding its usual air of exclusivity. Raelynn glanced out the window, intending to greet the security guard she had spoken to earlier, but he was nowhere in sight. Strange. He was usually stationed outside at this hour, always offering a friendly nod whenever she arrived. She made a mental note to check on him later.

She hadn't seen Jake in almost two weeks. Work had consumed him, and while she understood, the distance had started to wear on her. But tonight, she was going to remind him of what they had, what they had built together.

"That reminds me, Ness. Wait a bit, I need you to help me take something back to my place," Raelynn said, stepping out of the car. She had placed an order for a set of books the week before, and they had been delivered to Jake's house.

Nessa groaned dramatically, tapping her fingers on the steering wheel. "Rae, please don't take forever. Just grab whatever it is and bring it out. Unlike you, I don't have a man waiting to sweep me off my feet tonight. I'd like to be in bed, dreaming about one, at least."

Raelynn chuckled as she adjusted her dress, smoothing down the fabric before heading toward the front door. To her surprise, it was unlocked. That was unusual, but she figured Jake had probably left it open, expecting her.

As soon as she stepped inside, a strange feeling settled in her gut. The air felt heavier, thicker. Something was off.

First, there were the unfamiliar high heels carelessly discarded by the door—cheap, tacky, and most definitely not hers. Then, there was the scent—overly sweet and artificial, clinging to the air like a warning. It wasn't just perfume. It was the scent of betrayal, thick and suffocating.

Then she heard it.

A woman's laughter, light and teasing.

Raelynn's stomach twisted. Slowly, she climbed the stairs leading to Jake's bedroom, each step feeling heavier than the last. And then she heard it—soft moans, intimate and unmistakable.

Her breath caught in her throat.

She moved forward, heart hammering against her ribs. The door to the bedroom was slightly ajar. With trembling fingers, she pushed it open.

The sight before her was one she would never forget.

Jake, half-dressed, tangled in the sheets with Stella—another model from his agency. Their bodies pressed together in a way that left no room for misinterpretation.

For a moment, her mind refused to process the image. It was as if time had frozen, and she had stepped into a nightmare.

Stella was the first to notice her. Instead of panic, a slow smirk curved her lips. She tightened her grip on Jake, deliberately drawing his face closer to her neck.

"Jake!" Raelynn's voice cracked, a mix of disbelief and anguish lacing her tone.

Jake's head snapped up. His expression shifted from shock to guilt—but not panic. No desperate excuses, no frantic apologies. Just guilt. As if he wasn't sorry he did it, only sorry he had been caught.

"How long?" Raelynn's voice was eerily calm, though her hands trembled at her sides.

Jake swallowed hard but said nothing.

The silence was deafening.

His silence told her everything she needed to know. This wasn't new. This wasn't a mistake. This was a pattern.

Stella, ever the instigator, let out a chuckle as she stretched lazily. "Well, this is awkward."

Raelynn's nails dug into her palms. "Five years, Jake. Five years of my life. For this?"

"Aww, boo-boo, are you crying?" Stella cooed mockingly.

"Oh, shut up, you homewrecker."

Stella rolled her eyes. "Homewrecker? Sweetheart, you lost him a long time ago. Little Miss 'My Career is Important'—you think a man waits forever?"

Raelynn's gaze darted back to Jake, searching for something—anything—but he still said nothing.

Enough.

She turned sharply on her heel and strode out of the room, her breath coming in ragged gasps. The air felt thinner, as though she couldn't get enough oxygen. Her vision blurred, but she refused to let herself break down. Not here. Not now.

But Stella wasn't done. She followed, taunting. "Oh honey, don't feel bad that Jakey came to me. You had to know that men like Jake don't wait forever."

Raelynn stopped abruptly, her hands clenching into fists. "Do you think this is a joke?! Do you?"

Stella laughed. "Oh, honey, it's always been a joke. You were just the last one to realize."

Raelynn blinked back another round of tears, forcing herself to move. She just needed to get out, to escape this nightmare. Keep walking Rae. Keep moving. Don't break down.

Then—

A sudden pressure.

Raelynn felt the slightest nudge against her waist. A whisper of movement.

One misstep, and gravity yanked her down.

A sharp gasp escaped her lips as she lurched forward, arms flailing, fingers grasping at empty air.

Weightlessness. But then, a hand, too slim to be Jake's, so Stella.

Fingertips grazing her wrist, just for a second.

A whisper of pressure. Not enough to catch her—just enough to unsteady her.

Then, impact.

Pain exploded through her spine as she crashed onto the first step, the breath ripped from her lungs. Another jolt—her shoulder slammed against the cold tiles, white-hot agony searing through her.

She tumbled, limbs twisting, body colliding with brutal force. The edges of the stairs bruised, battered, broke.

Pain exploded through her spine as she crashed onto the first step, the breath ripped from her lungs.

Somewhere in the distance, a scream.

"RAE!"

Nessa's voice—shattered, desperate.

Panic.

Jake stood frozen at the top of the stairs, eyes wide.

Oh, so he cares now?

The bitter thought barely formed before the final impact—her head snapped back, striking the last step with a sickening crack.

White-hot pain. Of all the ways she imagined tonight going, she never envisioned this.

Then, darkness.