Rachel fainted while modeling at Bryant's department store. She woke up in the hospital to find herself under the care of Dr. Russ Matthews. She mistakenly thought he was one of the upper-class Matthews, but he belonged to the middle-class branch. She set her sights on him and he didn't stand a chance. They were married, to the disapproval of most of his family.
Rachel got pregnant by Steve Frame, but when he refused to accept the baby, she passed it off as Russ's. Russ soon got the unmistakable impression that Rachel had married him for his money. When he found out he wasn't Jamie's father, it was all over for him and Rachel.
Russ and Rachel became good friends in later years.