All Chapters of The Accidental Wife: Chapter 61 - Chapter 70

Rachel had been quietly observing Nicholas’ strange behavior ever since her mother told him about Catherine Belford’s rebuttal interview schedule. It was supposed to be an exciting moment—something they had both silently waited for, something that would give Nicholas the justice he deserved after being humiliated by Julia’s lies. Rachel had imagined Nicholas reacting with relief or at least some sort of curiosity. But instead, he simply curled up under the blanket after taking a warm soak, as if the news had nothing to do with him.She tried to understand it. Maybe he was exhausted? Maybe the entire ordeal from his childhood up until now was weighing far too heavily on him? Or perhaps he simply didn’t want to relive his painful story on national television for millions to dissect.Rachel took a slow breath. She herself wanted to watch the interview as soon as it aired on ABC, but Nicholas’ reluctance made her hesitate. It felt wrong to sit excitedly in front of the screen while he lay

“Of course that’s not gonna happen!” Rachel replied with an airy laugh, patting Nicholas on the back as if his harsh words hadn’t stung her at all. Her heart felt like it had been pricked with needles, but she forced the brightest smile she could manage.Then suddenly—“Stop! Stop!” she blurted.Nicholas froze mid-step, startled. “What now?”She quickly jumped off his back and stood beside him, breathless. “I left my phone in the pavilion!” she said in a panic, as if the world were ending.Nicholas snorted in disbelief. “Sloppy Rachel. Always.”“You don’t need to come with me,” she added quickly, waving her hands. “Just go back to the mansion. I’ll take it myself.”Nicholas narrowed his eyes with suspicion. “Why?”Rachel gulped, trying to think of something, anything, that wouldn’t sound like a lie. Just when she opened her mouth, she heard a voice from afar.A maid was waving. “Mr. Anthony! Granny is looking for you!”Nicholas glanced between Rachel and the maid. His suspicion didn’t

Rachel woke up far too early, and she knew instantly that it wasn’t because of the sun or the alarm or any noise in the mansion. It was nerves—pure, sharp nerves—shooting through her body like a sudden surge of electricity. Her chest felt tight, her heart thumping so fast she wondered if she had accidentally sprinted in her sleep.She pushed herself upright and looked beside her.Nicholas was sleeping peacefully, his face relaxed… too relaxed for someone who was getting married in a few hours. His breaths were slow and soft, the blanket gently rising and falling with each inhale. His hair, as always, was tousled carelessly, yet somehow he still managed to look like he stepped straight out of a magazine.Rachel stared at his face for a long moment. Something deep inside her stirred painfully. Today—no matter how fake, no matter the circumstances—she and Nicholas would be married. They would say vows, walk down an aisle, take photographs, cut a cake…Marriage is still marriage, she thou

Rachel spent the entire car ride to the airport lost in her thoughts, her gaze fixed outside the tinted window while her mind spun with questions. Nicholas had said he “lost a bet with himself”—whatever that meant—and she couldn’t stop replaying it. What kind of bet? Why had he sounded so strange afterward? And why did he look out the window like he was trying to hide something?Her chest squeezed as she tried to decipher it, but the more she tried to guess, the more confused she became.The limousine slowed to a stop, and before Rachel could gather her thoughts, the door swung open. One of Nicholas’s guards stood waiting.“Come on down,” Nicholas said casually.Rachel blinked. Then her jaw dropped. “Am I going to fly to Nihi Sumba in this wedding dress?!”Nicholas snorted. “Of course not. You’ll change on the plane. I already prepared clothes for you.”She stared at him. “You?”“Well… I mean, my staff. Same difference.” He flicked his chin toward the door. “Hurry up.”Rachel grumbled

“Who are you chatting with?” Nicholas asked, breaking the comfortable silence that had settled around them.They were having dinner together on the plane, the soft clinking of cutlery and the low hum of the engines filling the background. They had already been in the air for nine hours. According to the digital screen on the wall, they still had a long way to go before they would land in Indonesia.Rachel looked up from her phone. “Someone,” she replied lightly. “Even if I tell you his name, you won’t know him.”She dropped her gaze and continued typing.Chatting with Andrew Parker was… fun. He had a sense of humor almost identical to hers—sarcastic, a bit dramatic, and absurdly random. Most of their messages were about movies, food, and stupid daily things. She carefully avoided any topics that even smelled like romance or relationships. The last thing she wanted was to accidentally flirt when she was only using him as a distraction.She smiled as she typed another reply.Suddenly, N