The woman from three months ago was found. She was at the Avery Hotel, and according to the information, she was getting married today. I almost had it all—looks, talent, everything except for a decent fiancé. On my wedding day, I was going to catch him with another woman.
“You’re about to get married,” a voice said from the hallway. “Aren’t you worried your fiancé will catch us? ”
“Why should I? She’s bossy and boring.
A workaholic. If it wasn’t for her money, I wouldn’t marry her at all. ”
I stepped into the room. “How dare you speak to me on my wedding day?
”
“Wait. Let me explain. ”
“Your breath. The wedding’s off.
You’ll pay the deposit. For anything else, you can deal with my lawyer. ”
I walked out, humiliated but free. The gossip about the wealthiest person in the city, the CEO of Edwards Group, was everywhere.
They called him a ladies’ man. Then my assistant found something. “Boss, the woman from three months ago, I found her. She’s at the Avery Hotel, but if my information’s correct, she’s getting married today.
”
I knew who he meant. The night I was set up, drugged, and nearly destroyed—she saved me. She refused to accuse me, said it was consensual, and disappeared. I never stopped thinking about her.
I rushed to the hotel and found her in the lobby. “At last, I found you. ”
“I’m married,” she said, confused. “Thanks for your help just now.
I deposit your salary onto this card. ”
“There’s really no need. ”
“Please, let me support you. By the way, your name?
”
“Derek Edwards. ”
She froze. “Wait. Are you the CEO of the Edwards Group?
Of course you’re not. What was I thinking? It’s ridiculous. ”
“Would it be that bad?
”
“Yes. I’ve heard that he’s a notorious playboy. If you were that guy, I would rather get a divorce. ”
So the gossip was true.
I couldn’t let her think poorly of me. “Never heard of him. ”
“What a coincidence. Anyway, thanks for saying yes when no one else did.
”
“My pleasure. ”
We married that day. She thought she’d hired a stranger for $20,000 a month to be her full-time husband. She had no idea who I really was.
My assistant, Connor, warned me. “Boss, I can’t believe you married her. ”
“I heard everything, Connor. She could have destroyed me that night, and she doesn’t even know it.
What’s more, I fell for her the moment I saw her. ”
“But why keep your identity a secret? ”
“She has some misconceptions about me. When the time comes, I’ll set the record straight.
Just stay away from me, and don’t spill my secrets. ”
That night, she showed me to the guest room. “You can use the guest room. ”
“Like what you see?
You’re paying me 20,000 pounds a month to be your husband. I want to make sure you don’t regret it. Darling, you can touch me however you want. ”
“This isn’t part of the deal.
”
The next morning, her father showed up. “How could you, Caitlyn? You turned down the perfect marriage your stepmother set up for you and hired a complete stranger to get married. ”
“Dad, let me explain.
”
“No. No need for explanations. Come home this instant. If you don’t come back, you won’t get a share of your mother’s company.
”
Her stepmother and stepsister were cruel. They mocked my wife for marrying a nobody, a kept man, a loser. Her stepmother’s nephew was the cheating fiancé, and they still wanted her to take him back. “Sorry, but I’m not going to divorce,” she said.
“As a man relying on your support, he’s a total loser. ”
“Don’t be angry, Dad. At least he’s a good-looking loser. ”
Her stepsister Jillian sneered.
“You got a point. I guess that’s why your good-looking boyfriend flirts with all those girls behind your back. You want me to show some pics? ”
I stayed quiet.
I let them think I was useless. But when Jillian bragged that her boyfriend was signing a deal with the Edwards Group, I made a call. The deal was canceled. Her boyfriend came storming in.
“The Edwards Group canceled our deal. How could this happen? The director said I should thank my girlfriend for losing the deal, you idiot. We’re done.
”
Jillian turned on Caitlyn. “Are you behind this? ”
“Yes, I am. I told the Edwards Group to back out of the deal.
”
“You’re pathetic. Stop badmouthing someone better than you. ”
Her father was furious. “Caitlyn, get out of here.
I will not recognize your marriage. ”
But Caitlyn stood her ground. “Given that I’m already married, it just makes sense that the company should come to me. It’s my mother’s company.
You have no right to judge this. The shareholders don’t trust you. ”
“Take my word for it. I’ll show you then.
”
She took over the Wilson Group. She worked hard, and I quietly supported her from the shadows. I canceled meetings to be home with her. I sent her a one-of-a-kind Chanel dress.
She was suspicious, but I covered my tracks. Her stepsister kept digging. “How did you get this? A gift from your kept man?
Did he get his 20 grand for this month yet? ”
“It’s none of your concern. ”
“You’re an embarrassment to yourself and the company. ”
But the dress was real, and I made sure she knew it.
“Not surprised that you don’t spot the real thing, but don’t make false accusations or I’ll sue you. ”
At the Edwards Group bidding, Jillian was confident. She thought she had a special connection with Mr. Edwards.
She thought she would win the project. “Mr. Powell, could you please let us know about the outcome? ” she asked.
“Everyone’s eager to hear it. ”
“Absolutely. The new partner is Miss Caitlin Wilson. ”
“What?
This cannot be happening. You had something to do with it. ”
“Miss Bailey, please stop making baseless claims. ”
Caitlyn won.
She came home triumphant, and we celebrated. But the secrets were piling up. My mother showed up unannounced. She’d been away on vacation and found out about the marriage.
“You get married in secret while I’m away. If Connor hadn’t let it slip, I’d be clueless still. ”
“Mom, please. Caitlin doesn’t know who I really am yet.
She’ll click to it eventually. I’ll tell her in my own time, okay? ”
“Well, from the looks of things, you still haven’t even won her over yet. You are hopeless.
Don’t you worry about it. Leave it to me. ”
My mother stayed the night. She made sure we shared a bed, and for the first time, Caitlyn didn’t pull away.
Then Caitlyn asked me directly. “If I were the Mr. Edwards from the Edwards Group, what would you say? ”
“Don’t be silly, Derek.
It’s not possible. He’s young and rich, but privately he’s a total womanizer. ”
“That’s not true. If he had a thing for Jessica, why didn’t she get the project?
”
“Maybe he wanted to keep their relationship under wraps. ”
“Absolutely not. You’re not Mr. Edwards.
”
“You didn’t answer my question. If I were him, what would you say? ”
“I told you before, if you were that guy, I would rather divorce. ”
I backed down.
I wasn’t ready to lose her. Her stepsister kept causing trouble. She gave Caitlyn a ruined painting to deliver to Mrs. Edwards, trying to destroy her reputation.
But I knew the real painting was in another room, and I exposed the lie. “You got Caitlin a fake painting. You’ve disrespected Mr. Edwards and his mother.
”
“It wasn’t me. I didn’t. ”
Then Jillian revealed her true evil. “Three months ago.
You were the one who drugged me. ”
“Yep, and I even set you up with a man and paid reporters to take pictures. If you hadn’t escaped, those reporters would have already caught you in bed and shared those photos everywhere. How would you still have a shot at inheriting the company?
”
“You make me sick. We’re both Dad’s daughters. Why can’t I own the company? Why should I be looked down on?
”
“You’re out of your mind. It’s my mother’s company. If you pull something like this again, I’ll call the cops. ”
I had Connor investigate.
He told me everything. “Your wife’s been through some hard chips. Mother died young. Father was a lowlife who spent the mom’s money on getting himself a mistress.
Since then, your wife’s been tormented by a stepmother and step-sister. Bit of a modern-day Cinderella story. Three months ago, the step-sister drugged her trying to frame her. But thankfully, she ran into you.
”
I was furious. I would make them pay. Jillian tried to ruin Caitlyn again, spreading rumors that she was my lover. She even attacked Caitlyn at a dinner, scratching her face.
My mother and I arrived in time. “Who’s been spreading rumors about my son? ” my mother demanded. Jillian was shocked to learn that Caitlyn’s “useless husband” was actually the CEO of the Edwards Group.
She begged for forgiveness. “You either quit your job and leave this city, or I’ll make sure you’re blacklisted everywhere. Your choice. ”
“Please, Mrs.
Edwards, please don’t make me do this. I’m so sorry. I’ll leave the city. ”
But Caitlyn still didn’t know the truth.
That night, she had a nightmare about the drugging. She woke up terrified. “Stay away from me. I’ll give you money.
Please don’t touch me. ”
“Derek. Don’t be scared. Please help.
I’m here. ”
She looked at me, gasping. “It’s you. It’s me.
Three months ago. It’s always been me. ”
“Three months ago? That was you back then?
”
“It’s me. I searched for you after that night. ”
“So why didn’t you tell me? Why did you keep this from me all along?
”
“I’m sorry. Would you have married any woman who slept with you that night? ”
“Derek, I don’t want a marriage based on lies. It’s over.
”
She left. I was devastated. I drank myself into a stupor. Connor called her to come pick me up.
“Is it true that Derek is the CEO of the Edwards Group? ” she asked. “No. No, there must be some sort of mix-up.
”
She believed the lie again. She took me home. But then thugs broke in, sent by Jillian’s mother, Ariana Clark. They were there to hurt Caitlyn.
“Someone’s paid us a lot of money to get her. ”
I fought them off, taking a hit for her. “You okay, sweetheart? ”
“Honey, I’m fine.
You really freaked me out. You shouldn’t have taken that hit for me. ”
“I realize now it’s completely wrong. I’ve been dying to see you all of these days.
I searched for you after that night because the first moment I saw you, I fell completely in love with you. And now I’ve spent all of this time with you, I realize you’re even more amazing than I first thought. I don’t deserve you. Can you find it in your heart to forgive me?
”
“I’ll let it slide this time. ”
I found out the thugs were sent by the Clark family. I decided to deal with them my own way. “It’s time to drive the Clark family into bankruptcy.
”
Her father and stepmother heard rumors we were divorcing. They demanded she give up the company or divorce me. “I’m not divorcing him. ”
“Without Dad’s blessing, your marriage means nothing.
”
“Fine. I’ll take you all out to dinner tomorrow. Radisson Hotel, private room, my treat. ”
“Derek, Dad, he’s just messing around.
”
“Well, if he wants to boast, he better get ready to face the music, because if he doesn’t deliver tomorrow, you’re going to have to divorce him. ”
“Deal. ”
“Why are you letting them pay like that? ” I asked her.
“Darling, why don’t you trust that I can actually make it? ”
“How can you afford it? ”
“My mother is a maid for the Edwards Group. She can get Mr.
Edwards to lend a little help. ”
“Really? Oh, that’s a relief. ”
The next day, at the Radisson Hotel, I revealed myself.
“Sorry. Let me reintroduce myself. I’m Derek Edwards, Caitlyn’s husband and CEO of the Edwards Group. ”
Her father was stunned.
“Mr. Edwards, I’m so sorry for how we upset you earlier. Please forgive us. ”
“A kept man?
A loser? Poor? What else did you call me? And don’t get me started on how you treated Caitlyn.
”
“I apologize. From now on, I will treat Caitlyn like my own daughter. ”
“Leave the city right now. And don’t come near Caitlyn again.
”
They left, humiliated. But Jillian wasn’t done. She came to my office. “Thanks to you, my family’s ruined.
Are you happy now? ”
“Please get out of my office. ”
“I have a secret to tell you, Caitlyn. You have no idea who Derek is, do you?
He’s not just a maid’s son. He’s actually the CEO of the Edwards Group. ”
Caitlyn came home. “Caitlin, there’s something I need to tell you.
”
“So, are you going to admit that you’re the CEO of the Edwards Group? ”
“You already know. ”
“Do you think it’s a game to deceive me? Watching me being tricked must be so entertaining.
”
“Caitlin, that wasn’t my intention at all. I realize now that I shouldn’t have kept my identity a secret. ”
“Derek, it’s over. ”
“Caitlin, the reason I didn’t tell you who I was back then is because I knew that you didn’t like Mr.
Edwards. ”
“Mr. Edwards, Derek, whoever you are, please, I can’t do this anymore. You even faked your identity.
What else have you lied about? ”
“I want to spend the rest of my life with you. The stories about me being a womanizer aren’t true. I never even been in a relationship before we were married.
I promise I’ll never hurt you again. Please, can you forgive me? ”
“Can I still trust you? ”
“I’ve asked Connor to set up a contract.
All my assets will be yours. If I lie to you again, I will walk away from our marriage with nothing. Caitlin, will you marry me? If I hurt you again, you can kick me out, okay?
”
“No. Unless you make another real effort to win me over. ”
“Thank you, my lovely. I’ll never hurt you again.
”
“I haven’t said yes to your proposal yet, so please refrain from calling me ‘my love. ‘”
“Sure thing, Caitlin. ”
I smiled. She was worth the wait.
I would spend the rest of my life proving it to her.
