The Bond Between Us novel Chapter 881

Anastasia hadn’t seen Herman this sharp in ages.

When was the last time he’d put someone in their place like that? Oh, right—it must’ve been when her hopeless ex, Cason Kirkwood, managed to get on Herman’s bad side. Cason was still behind bars, and honestly, he’d probably be there for a few more years.

After Cason got locked up, Demi—the girl who used to compete with Anastasia for his attention—vanished without a trace. Monica mentioned that Demi had probably gone overseas. As Monica put it, “With Cason in jail, if Demi didn’t take off fast, she’d be in there with him soon enough. No point crossing you, Ana.”

“You all chat. I need to finish the soup,” Anastasia said, leaving the brothers to their conversation.

Pattie jumped up. “Mom, let me help!”

Anastasia’s smile was full of warmth. “No need, sweetheart. Go play with your siblings. Or, if you’re bored, go to the lab and remind your mentor to eat—he’s been in there so long he might actually turn into a mushroom.”

Sometimes Anastasia wished Pattie weren’t quite so grown-up. It was sweet, but it made her heart ache a little.

Pattie grinned. “I’ll go get him!”

With Pattie off to the lab, Herman handed the kids over to Flynn without a second thought and rolled up his sleeves to join Anastasia in the kitchen.

She arched an eyebrow. “What are you doing in here?”

“Helping out. Back at Harmony Meadows, wasn’t I always the one carrying the dishes?” Herman said, cool as ever.

Anastasia felt her eyes go warm. “You remember?”

He gave her a gentle smile. “Bits and pieces. I’ll take these out first.”

“…Okay.” Anastasia’s heart soared.

If he was starting to remember, that was definitely a good sign.

Herman carried the dishes out, and Anastasia went back to her soup, the kitchen filling with the comforting smell of home cooking. For a moment, it felt just like the old days at Harmony Meadows—everything so perfect.

It wasn’t long before Herman wandered back in, leaning against the counter. “That stock you bought dropped again?”

Anastasia had been dabbling in the stock market, mostly following Monica’s lead. The Salstroms weren’t exactly hurting for money, so losses didn’t really matter, but Anastasia still played it safe. For her, it was just something to pass the time.

“It was up last week,” she said with a sigh. “Now it’s down again. I lost fifteen grand.”

“One of those parties with all the celebrities and socialites?” Anastasia asked, grinning. “Is this a sales event?”

Real luxury jewelry brands always brought in A-listers for their galas. At these events, the stars would wear the brand’s latest pieces and mingle with the rich and famous. If a socialite bought something, the celebrity got a nice commission.

No matter how big a star you were, in the world of big money, you were just another accessory.

Not long ago, a famous jewelry brand threw a gala in Beverly Hills. Some heiress hit it off with a young heartthrob and dropped half a million on a necklace—said it was just like treating him to a fancy coffee. Wild.

Anastasia used to count every dollar before buying a latte. Now, seeing how the wealthy did things, she was honestly speechless.

Herman nodded. “There’ll be a lot of big names. You love jewelry design—this’ll be good for you.”

“Alright, I’ll go with you,” Anastasia agreed.

Being part of this world meant these kinds of events were unavoidable. As Herman’s wife, she belonged at his side.

She’d been to plenty of high-society gatherings, so she didn’t think much of it. What she didn’t realize was that this particular gala would bring her one step closer to a nightmare she’d never seen coming.