Chapter 98 Chapter 98
I nodded. “That was fast.”
“People like her don’t like being watched,” he said. “You did good work here, Tessa. Your identity doesn't matter, just the work. Keep it up,” he said with a smile.
“Thank you.”
By the time I left, my phone was already vibrating.
ALINA: \[Dinner tonight. Bring your laptop. We need to finalize some things.
I sighed; Zaiel probably gave his mother my number. My phone vibrated again.
KAI: \[You’re walking into a trap.\]
ME: \[You’re coming with me.\]
KAI: \[Obviously.\]
His parents’ house was chaos. My father and Anthony were sitting there quiet. There were fabric samples everywhere: swatches, menus, and seating charts. Alina looked like she was in her element, pacing, talking with her hands, and already halfway through a speech when we walked in.
“There you are,” she said, grabbing my hands. “Tessa, I found the most beautiful lace…”
“Mom,” Zaiel said gently, “breathe.”
She waved him off. “This is important.” Anthony just smiled from his chair like this was his favorite form of entertainment. Avani was there too. Sitting quietly on the sofa, phone in hand. Too quiet. She looked up when we walked in and smiled. Sweet, perfect, almost rehearsed.
“Hey,” she said. “So you’re finally making it official, huh?”
“The family already knows; they just haven’t met her,” he said.
“Oh, okay,” she said, eyes flicking to me. “You deserve that.”
I smiled back. Something about the way she said it felt… off. Not hostile in any way, like it was a calculated reply.
Dinner turned into planning. Alina talked about the perfect date, the venues, and the guest lists. Zaiel let her run, only stepping in when she went too far.
“And the announcement,” she said excitedly. “We’ll host an engagement dinner and announce it there. The family will finally be able to meet Tessa, the investors, and also close partners. Zaiel, you’ll introduce her properly as your wife,” she said.
I glanced at him, and he didn’t even look flustered or nervous.
“Of course,” he said without any hesitation, which made my chest tighten in a good way. Avani tilted her head. “Public announcement? That’ll stir things up,” she said.
“And,” Zaiel asked.
“Oh, nothing. I just hope everyone’s ready for it.” She said with that same smile.
I caught that; I filed it away for the future. Hannah, on the other hand, was nowhere to be seen. Later that night, back at the apartment, I kicked off my shoes and threw myself onto the couch.
“Your mother is terrifying,” I said.
He chuckled and dropped onto the couch beside me. “You love her,” he said, grabbing my feet and massaging them. I sat up and looked at him. Who was this man, and where was the possessive, dominant stalker I first met?
“I respect her from a safe distance,” I said.
He continued massaging my feet. “You did good tonight,” he said.
“I barely said a word.”
“Exactly,” he said. I tilted my head up. “Your sister though…”
He looked at me with a knowing look. “I’m watching her,” he said, and that was the end of that conversation.
The days leading up to the announcement passed fast. Alina took over everything. Dresses, security, guest confirmations. I focused on work, grounding myself in routine. Zaiel was busy too, but we always found time. Late dinners, early mornings. Quiet moments that reminded me why this worked and why I wanted him. One night we were lying in bed, and I traced the line of his arm.
“Nervous?” he asked.
“A little,” I admitted.
“About what?”
“Being seen,” I said. “Not by strangers, but by your world.”
He turned to face me. “My world already knows you. They just haven’t been formally introduced,” he said.
“You’re very confident.”
“About you? Always,” he said with a smile.
The night of the dinner, my dad was a mess; after I couldn't handle him, I sent Zaiel to him. He was worried about what would happen. We would be meeting the entire Rhyland clan.
I stood in front of the mirror, smoothing my dress down. Alina bought it for me, and I stared at myself in the mirror. I didn't look like me. This dress made me look like a billionaire. It was made from a liquid silk in a shade of midnight ink; the dress clung to me like a second skin. It had a sharp, asymmetrical neckline that gave me a dangerous, architectural edge.
There were thousands of microscopic black diamonds that were hand-sewn into the hem; they didn't sparkle, and instead they glowed like dying embers against the floor, while the back plunged to my waist, and it was held together by a single, delicate string of raw black opals. It was a masterpiece of "quiet luxury" that screamed I wasn't just joining the Rhyland dynasty; I was about to rule it.
He came up behind me, his hands settling on my hips.
“You look incredible, no wrong word. I don’t even have the words to describe how you look right now,” he murmured as he kissed my shoulder.
“So do you,” I said, meeting his eyes in the mirror.
“You ready?” he asked.
I nodded. “Even if I’m not, I know you are.”
When we got to the venue, I was nervous. He took my hand in his. When we walked in, everyone turned to us, and the whispers followed us. I kept my head high, his hand warm in mine. Alina clinked her glass, and Zaiel stepped forward.
“I don’t make announcements lightly,” he said calmly. “But tonight matters to me.”
The room went quiet.
“This is my wife,” he said, squeezing my hand. “Tessa Jansen Rhyland.”
There was no applause, just a collective shift. It was respect and recognition.
I let out the breath I was holding in. From across the room, Avani was standing against the wall watching us and smiling. And I knew one thing for sure: she was up to something; she hadn't lost her memory.
After that, everyone made their way over to introduce themselves. First came his family. Anthony dragged my father away to speak to some men.
“Incoming, my family.” He whispered.
“Ahh, the newest addition to the family, you are a doll. Let me introduce myself because my nephew won't. I am Ross Rhyland; this is my lovely wife, Tina, and our three, Dahlia, Andrew, and Shea,” he said.
“Welcome to the family,” Tina said.
“Thank you.”
“Ohh, looks like I have a new drinking partner,” Dahlia said.
“Stop corrupting people, you damn brat,” Ross said to his daughter, and the way he said it told me they were casual with their children.
“It’s nice to meet you all; hopefully we can sit down and have dinner, and I’ll get to know everyone more.”
“Ahh, you’re all here. Hello, sweetheart. Oh, you are so lovely. I am Zaiel’s aunt, Rosetta; this is my husband, Damion. These are our three miscreants. Damon, Michelle, and Kevin.” She said with a smile.
“It’s nice to meet you all.”
“Since when are we miscreants?” Kevin asked.
“Every damn day.” Damion said, hitting his son behind the head.