Chapter 6: The Final Confrontation

I was somewhat speechless, standing on my balcony looking at the Hartford skyline:

"I'm already married. I'll inform my parents myself. I won't pick up any suit, and don't call me anymore. I'm afraid my wife will overthink."

Rachel Turner was stunned for a moment, then spoke sharply, her voice hitting frequencies that made my Bose speakers crackle:

"Are you crazy, Michael? Where did you get a wife? Did you hire an escort to make me jealous? I know you're unhappy about me and Lucas Shaw. He and I are really just playing around. Everyone knows I'm marrying you—it's been planned since we were in middle school. If I get married, I really won't have any freedom at all. You should understand me! I need to live a little before I'm stuck in Greenwich hosting charity luncheons."

I could imagine Rachel Turner's animated angry expression on the other end, probably pacing in her Louis Vuittons.

She'd been spoiled since childhood, favored like a show pony, fearless as someone who'd never heard "no."

Completely unable to care about others' feelings, acting like the world revolved around her Hermès belt, a domineering heiress straight out of a reality show.

"I'll ask you one last time, are you serious? I'll say it directly at the dinner table. You'd better not regret it when both our families disown you..."

Before she could finish her threat, I hung up.

Natalie had already walked over, sliding open the door, deliberately drawing out her tone:

"Oh, was that your fiancée calling? Should I be worried about some Dynasty-level family drama?"

I hugged her waist, laughing it off:

"Of course not. It was Rachel Turner calling. Family alliances involve many factors—mergers, acquisitions, maintaining the social register—but don't worry. I'll explain everything clearly soon. This weekend I'll take you home to meet my parents in Greenwich."

Natalie nodded thoughtfully, speaking very certainly:

"Actually if you marry me, your parents will only be more satisfied. My family owns half of Chinatown's real estate. We're new money, but there's a lot of it. And unlike old money, we actually know how to have fun with it."