Chapter 51
Chapter 51:
Jocelyn froze. He had heard that? How could he possibly know about the attic? She had never told anyone — not even Kieran. A chill ran down her spine. Had he hired investigators? How far did his research go? It was both terrifying and, in a strange way, deeply validating. He hadn’t just learned her public profile; he had learned her.
“Oh, that was Aspen,” Grandma said casually, chewing the fruit. “She was a wicked child. Locked our Joy in the attic for two days. Elouise said she ran away. Liars, all of them p>
Gaston’s hand went still. He looked at Jocelyn. His eyes were dark, filled with a sudden, intense rage that he quickly masked.
“Two days?” he repeated softly.
“I’m fine,” Jocelyn said quickly. “It was a long time ago p>
“We’ll discuss it later,” Gaston said. But the way he gripped the knife handle suggested he was quietly adding another name to his list of people to destroy.
The silence in the Porsche on the way home was heavy.
“You handled Grandma well,” Jocelyn said, trying to lighten the mood. “That line about me being the rule? Oscar-worthy p>
Gaston kept his eyes on the road. “It wasn’t a lie p>
с𝘩𝗂n𝖾sе ո𝗼𝗏𝖾l𝘴 𝗍𝗋а𝗻𝗌𝘭𝗮𝘵𝘦d 𝗈𝘯 𝘨а𝘭ո𝗼𝗏𝗲𝘭ѕ.𝗰om
“Come on, Gaston. We’re alone now. You don’t have to keep it up p>
He glanced at her, frustration flashing in his eyes. “Why is it so hard for you to believe that I might actually respect you p>
“Because,” Jocelyn said, looking out the window, “people like you don’t respect people like me. I’m a project. An investment p>
“You’re infuriating,” Gaston muttered.
“Tomorrow,” he said, changing the subject. “The parents meeting. At the estate p>
Jocelyn groaned. “My parents are going to be unbearable. They’ll ask for money p>
“I know. I’m counting on it p>
“What do you mean p>
“I have a plan to neutralize them. Permanently.” Gaston smiled — a sharp, dangerous expression. “But you need to look the part. There’s a box on your bed p>
When they got home, Jocelyn found the box. Inside was a dress — lavender silk, high neck, open back. Modest yet devastatingly elegant.
She held it up. It was beautiful.
“Wear it,” Gaston said from the doorway. “It’s the color of royalty. It reminds them that you outrank them now p>
“You really think of everything,” Jocelyn said.
“I try p>
That night, Jocelyn lay in bed staring at the ceiling. She thought about the ring in her purse. The platinum band.
She got up and walked to her door. She could see the light under Gaston’s door across the hall.
She knocked.
“Come in p>
He was sitting at his desk, surrounded by blueprints. He wasn’t wearing a shirt. His back was broad, covered in lean muscle. And there, on his left pectoral, right over his heart, was a tattoo.
J.W.
Jocelyn stared at it. Her mind raced. James? John? Who was J.W.? The person Gaston was protecting with this marriage — the real reason for all of it? His words suddenly echoed in her mind: “This marriage is a project I intend to succeed at.” Was she just a stand-in? A substitute for the real J.W. he couldn’t have? The thought settled in her gut like a shard of ice.
“What is it?” Gaston asked, turning around. He saw her staring at his chest and pulled a shirt on quickly.