Ophelia's POV,
"And why are you here, wife?"
I wanted to buck at him, to elbow him in the ribs and scream until every head in the room turned, but his mouth brushed my ear and his voice dropped into something sharp and cruel.
"Play along," he murmured, calm as a threat wrapped in silk, "unless you'd rather I ask the men outside to take turns with you."
My body went rigid.
For the next hour, I barely existed. I sat there like a decorative object, fingers trembling around a glass of brandy, taking careful sips so no one would notice how close I was to blacking out. Eyes followed me everywhere. Curious and measuring me.
I watched the man who had just claimed me as his wife, and to my horror, heat crept up my neck. He was infuriatingly handsome. Polished. Untouchable. I scolded myself for even noticing. He was a fool for choosing me of all people for his charade. Who would believe him? Me, of all women.
I watched him sign a deal, watched powerful men shake his hand, and watched the way his name bent the room to his will. Oh, to have such power one day, I thought. When he leaned in and pressed a kiss to my cheek, the room sighed as one.
"Meet me outside," he said aloud.
But his whisper followed, sharp and urgent. "Run. Don't look back."
So I did. I left the club with my heart slamming against my ribs and kept walking until the city lights blurred. I ended up on a bridge, fingers curling around the cold railing, the water below dark and inviting.
One step. That was all it would take.
I leaned forward.
Hands grabbed me.
~ ~
I woke up with my head pounding and gratitude burning my chest. Adrian. He had made Vesper pull me back that night. If he hadn't… I didn't finish the thought.
The relief faded quickly, replaced by something darker. Memories surfaced. A past I had buried with effort and rage. My former family.
I clenched my jaw.
I'll pay you back, I promised silently. Every single one of you.
~ ~
I was still reeling from the night when Calista almost ran through me, practically trembling.
"Ophelia! What is going on? Why didn't you tell me?" She demanded, holding up her tablet like it was a weapon.
I blinked, confused, still trying to process her energy and the left-over brandy taste in my mouth. "Tell you what?"
She shoved it toward me. "This!"
My brain stuttered.
I didn't move at first, just stared at the tablet Calista thrust into my hands. The words swam in front of me, bright, bold, screaming:
"CEO to Marry Longtime Secret Wife After Kidnapping Scandal."
"Video Leak Confirms CEO's Marriage."
I blinked. Blinked again. My stomach twisted as the first video played. There I was…well, a blurred version of me, wrapped in someone else's arms, a voice calling me "wife." And then the kidnappers' video: the demand for ransom, the hushed, cruel voices claiming I was Dante Vaughn's wife. I froze.
All at once, the office went quiet. My staff stared. They looked at me as if I had grown a second face overnight, as if the woman they knew didn't exist anymore.
Calista was frantic and practically bouncing on the balls of her feet, running around like she could erase the internet with sheer panic. "Ophelia, we need…damage control, NOW! This is… this is viral!"
I ran a hand over my face. "What… what are you talking about?"
"It's everywhere!" she cried. "The press, social media, tabloids, your office, your building. You name it. They're calling it… a love match! The videos—"
I pushed the tablet aside, glaring at her. "The videos? Calista, I didn't…what the fuck is even going on?Why didn't any of you tell me?!"
Calista follows me into my office.
"Why is this even coming out now?!" she wailed. "I didn't think you'd get married without telling m—"
Her words died as my phone buzzed incessantly. Lydia. She'd been calling me nonstop since the minute the first clip hit. I ignored it, though my teeth clenched.
And then Ivy appeared, pale, trembling. "Ma'am… there's… a visitor. He insists on seeing you alone."
Before I could process, or even decide whether to let the person in, the office door opened.
He walked in.
Dante Vaughn.
The air seemed to tighten around me. Every thought slowed. My pulse raced. My mouth wanted to form words, but nothing came. He didn't glance around or acknowledge anyone else. Just looked straight at me.
"Everyone leave" His voice was more dominating than I ever imagined.
"Everyone… but my wife,"
As soon as the last footstep echoed out of the office, I grabbed the nearest thing within reach, a stapler, and hurled it at him.
It clattered uselessly against his shoulder.
He barely flinched.
"You devil in disguise," I spat, glaring up at him. "Sent here to ruin me. To destroy my career!"
He didn't move away. Instead, he stepped closer and, before I could react, had me pinned against my own desk. His hands were firm, unyielding, holding me there so I couldn't turn or run.
"Listen," he said, low and dangerous, "and I mean every word."
I swallowed hard, my pulse hammering. He wanted my attention, my compliance. For now, I let him have it, though my chest still heaved with fury. He jerked my chin to look and through the floor-to-ceiling windows, I could see them, dozens of paparazzi surrounding the Vaughn building. Cameras flashing, microphones poised, the air thick with the smell of scandal. They wanted to know about the hidden wife.
"My mother has already been forced outside. She claims we aren't yet married but engaged"
Engaged?! Their family was just a bunch of liars.
I laughed quietly, bitter. "Nobody would believe it," I muttered. "After everything? After the past two years? I built an empire. One that directly threatens your market share."
Dante's jaw ticked, but his dark eyes didn't leave mine. "Exactly," he said simply.
I let my gaze wander to the city beyond the glass. Stockholders, investors, the global market. They had no idea what kind of storm was coming. And here we were, two CEOs, world-renowned rivals, caught in a lie the public wanted to call a marriage.
My phone buzzed. Calista. I swiped to answer.
"Ophelia," she said, panic threading her words, "we have to do a public interview. They want the two of you to talk."
I grimaced. "I want to go out there and just tell the world it was a ruse. That none of this is real."
Dante's laugh was sharp, a blade against my resolve. "How foolish," he said. "You don't know how the business world works. Deny it now, and the public will think I abandoned you, just after you were nearly killed. Investors won't touch a scandalized CEO. Stock prices will dip. Panic will spread."
I clenched my fists, tasting frustration. He was right. Of course he was right.
"Fine," I muttered, giving in. "We will meet again later with our teams."
He released me finally, stepping back. His gaze softened ever so slightly, unreadable beneath that cold exterior. "8pm in Primus," he said.
Primus was a popular restaurant among business associates. I watched him adjust his tie and said, "We do this on my terms. You caused it, it's only fair I gain more benefits."
He just looked at me, then scoffed as if deciding whatever I could think of wouldn't surprise him.
"Deal, Moretti."