Chapter 489

Chapter 488:

“Thank you,” Justin said smoothly. “We’ll take a moment p>

They were alone. Justin reached into his breast pocket and produced two items: their marriage certificate folded into a leather folio, and his phone.

“Photograph this,” he said, handing her the folio. “The certificate. Both signatures. Clear and legible p>

Carmen’s fingers were numb. She did as he asked, positioning the document on the table and capturing the image with her own phone. The photograph showed the official seal, their names, the date.

“Send it to this number,” Justin said. He recited a string of digits she didn’t recognize. “It’s a family group chat. The Collins Clan — my father, my brother, my uncles. They’ll want to welcome you p>

Carmen looked at him. Really looked at him. His face was open and warm, the face of a devoted husband sharing his happiness with his family. But his eyes were doing something else entirely — watching her with a quality that made her stomach clench.

“You want me to announce our marriage,” she said. “To them. So they know it’s real p>

“So they know you’re real,” Justin corrected gently. “So they know you’re mine p>

The word landed between them. Mine. Not ours. Not Aaden’s mother. His.

𝖲а𝘷𝖾 у𝗼𝘂𝘳 𝖿аvоr𝗶𝘵𝗲 𝘯o𝘃𝗲l𝘴 о𝗇

Carmen typed the number into her phone. The group chat appeared — The Collins Clan — a family photograph as the icon: Elbert at the center, Gaston and Justin flanking him, various relatives arranged behind. She requested to join. Approval came instantly, as though someone had been waiting.

She attached the photograph. She typed two words: Married today. She pressed send.

The silence lasted thirty seconds. Then her screen lit with notifications. A thumbs-up from Elbert, followed by a message: Welcome to the family, Carmen. Justin has chosen well. More messages scrolled past — congratulations, welcomes, dinner invitations. The Collins machine activating around her, absorbing her, claiming her. She noted, with a strange sense of detachment, that Gaston had not responded.

Carmen set the phone face-down on the table and closed her eyes.

“Overwhelming?” Justin asked. His hand covered hers, warm and heavy.

“They don’t know,” she said, not opening her eyes. “They think this is real. They think we p>

“They think I finally found someone worth keeping,” Justin said, his thumb moving slowly across her knuckles. “Which is true.” He leaned closer, his breath warm against her ear. “Look at me, Carmen p>

She opened her eyes.

“You’re my wife now,” he said. His voice was soft and intimate and absolutely terrifying. “Not my girlfriend. Not my PR consultant. My wife. Which means certain things are expected. Certain appearances must be maintained. And certain—” He paused, selecting his word. “—privileges are now yours. Unrestricted access to Aaden, for instance. Legal guardianship proceedings beginning Monday. And my protection. My absolute, unconditional protection from anyone who might try to take what’s mine p>

Carmen pulled her hand free. She stood and walked to the window, staring out at the gray Manhattan afternoon.