The Heiress' Husband

A few days after she got discharged from the hospital, Raelynn sat curled up on her couch, fingers lightly tracing the rim of her coffee cup. The warm ceramic grounded her, but it did little to dull the tension sitting heavy in her chest. The soft hum of the city outside her window should have been comforting, a reminder that life moved on, that she could move on. But then her phone rang.

Jake.

Her grip tightened around the cup. She let it ring twice, debating whether to answer. She knew it wasn't concern that prompted this call, Jake never did anything without a reason.

Still, she swiped to accept.

"What?" she said flatly.

"Well, hello to you too," Jake drawled, voice smooth, casual. Like everything was normal. Like he hadn't completely humiliated her. Like he hadn't paraded Stella around while she was unconscious in a hospital bed.

Raelynn said nothing.

A beat of silence stretched between them before he exhaled sharply. "I wanted to let you know about the upcoming shoot. The campaign for Celeste."

She blinked. That's why he called?

"The one we were supposed to do together?" she asked, voice deceptively calm.

Jake hesitated. "Yeah. There've been a few changes."

Of course there had.

Raelynn shifted, resting an elbow on the armrest, tilting her head. "Let me guess. Stella's in."

Another pause. Then, a chuckle. "See? This is why you were my favorite."

Were. Past tense. The word dug deep, but Raelynn refused to let it show.

"You're not serious," Nessa muttered from across the room, looking up from her laptop, barely restraining herself from snatching the phone.

Raelynn held up a finger, keeping her focus on Jake. "So, just to be clear, you're replacing me in a campaign that I was originally booked for?"

"Not replacing," Jake corrected smoothly. "Shifting focus. You'll still be part of it, of course, but Stella will be the main face. It's a better fit, you know? The public loves a fresh story, and with all the buzz…"

Raelynn almost laughed.

She should have known. The moment he decided to go public with Stella, she became old news. Her years of work, her reputation, her loyalty, none of it mattered.

"You expect me to just go along with this?" she asked.

"I expect you to be professional."

Raelynn's nails dug into her palm.

"Raelynn," Jake sighed, as if she were the one being difficult. "This isn't personal. It's business. You understand that better than anyone."

Business.

She pressed her tongue to the roof of her mouth, biting back the anger that threatened to burst out of her.

"Right," she said finally, voice eerily calm. "Nothing personal."

"Glad we're on the same page."

She could hear the smugness in his tone, like he thought he'd won.

"I'll see you at the agency. We need to finalize details," Jake added before hanging up.

Raelynn stared at her screen, jaw clenched.

"That bastard," Nessa seethed, shutting her laptop with a little too much force.

Raelynn cut in, "Nessa, prepare my things, let's go to the agency."

Nessa looked bewildered. "You're not actually…"

"Oh, I'm going," Raelynn murmured, setting her phone down.

Nessa frowned. "Rae…"

"I want to look him in the eye," she said, standing. "I want him to see exactly what kind of mistake he just made."

Nessa exhaled, rubbing her temples. "I love when you get like this. It's like watching a lioness decide which throat to rip out first."

Raelynn smirked. "I don't rip throats. I dismantle egos."

"Same thing," Nessa muttered, grabbing Raelynn's coat.

Raelynn didn't walk into the agency. She owned the space with every step, her heels clicking sharply against the polished floor, echoing through the lobby. Every head turned as she passed, whispers trailing behind her like a second skin.

She wasn't sure if it was because of the scandal, her unexpected return, or the storm brewing in her expression, but no one dared to stop her.

She pushed open the glass doors to the main office with a sharp flick of her wrist.

Jake was there. So was Stella.

They were laughing.

The sight of them, so at ease, so utterly unbothered, sent a fresh wave of fury burning through her veins.

Jake turned first, surprise flickering across his face before he covered it with that easy, polished smile of his. "Raelynn," he drawled, leaning back in his chair. "Didn't expect to see you here so soon."

"I'm full of surprises," Raelynn said smoothly, stepping fully into the room.

Stella arched a brow, crossing her legs. "You're looking well. Rested."

Raelynn met her gaze head-on. "Funny. You don't look like someone who just got dragged on social media for stealing another woman's man."

Stella's jaw tightened, but she recovered quickly, flipping her hair over her shoulder with an infuriatingly amused smirk. "People will say anything. We both know the truth, don't we?"

Raelynn's lips curled. "We do."

Nessa let out a low whistle. "Wow. You guys are even faker in person."

Jake sighed, rubbing his temples like this was all a mild inconvenience. "Alright, let's not turn this into a scene."

Raelynn's eyes moved to him, lazily. "Sure."

Jake's expression cooled. "We're moving forward, Raelynn. You should too."

"You mean you're moving forward," she corrected. "I don't remember anyone asking for my opinion."

Jake countered. "You're being dramatic now."

"Dramatic?" Raelynn echoed, something sharp and dangerous lacing her voice. "You cheated. Then, while I was unconscious, you went public with her. And now you expect me to smile and step aside like a good little model while you hand over my career?"

"Your career?" Stella scoffed. "Don't be so stuck up, Raelynn. The industry evolves. New faces rise, old ones fade."

Raelynn turned her full attention to her, stepping closer. "You think you're the new face?" she asked, voice light, almost amused. "You think that sitting pretty in my campaigns makes you me?"

Stella smirked. "I don't need to be you. I just need to be better."

Nessa gasped, hand over her heart. "Damn. She really thinks she has a shot."

Raelynn's laugh was slow, deliberate. "Sweetheart," she said, tilting her head, "we both know the truth. You are nothing but a cheap knockoff."

Stella bristled, but Jake cut in. "Enough," he snapped. He stood, adjusting his watch. "This isn't personal, Raelynn. This is about business. Stella brings fresh engagement, and the public wants this story."

Raelynn nodded slowly. "You're right," she said. "It is business."

Jake relaxed slightly. "I knew you'd see reason…"

"But," she continued, stepping even closer, "you made one terrible mistake."

Jake frowned. "And what's that?"

Raelynn leaned in, voice a low whisper.

"You bet against me."

Jake's jaw twitched. Stella's smirk faltered.

Nessa beamed. "God, I love this."

Raelynn straightened, dusting imaginary lint off her sleeve. "Enjoy the campaign. I'll be watching, cheap knockoff."

With that, she strode out of the office, Nessa right behind her.

As the doors swung shut behind them, the sound of Stella's furious shrieking echoed through the agency.

Nessa wiped a tear from her eye. "That was better than reality TV. Rae, i love you."

Raelynn smirked. "I know."

And for the first time in days, she felt like herself again.