Chapter 1

Tags: Secret Marriage, Surprise Promotion, Identity Reveal, Betrayal and Redemption

In the third year of our secret marriage, without telling my husband, Ethan, I transferred directly to his corporate headquarters as the new head of strategic development.

I wanted to give him a surprise.

I wanted to end our three-year, long-distance marriage for good.

I walked up to the front desk, gave my name, and said with a faint smile, "Hi, I'm Vivian Sterling. I'm the new head of Strategic Development—and your CEO's wife."

The receptionist sneered. Looking at me like I was something dirty, she shoved my paperwork right back across the counter, her voice rising sharply.

"I'm sorry, but our CEO's wife is Chloe Vance."

Before I could even process what she had just said, she held up her phone for me to see.

Her voice dripped with mockery.

"Mr. Hayes just named the brand-new downtown commercial plaza after his wife to celebrate their three-year anniversary. It's on our company's public portal. See for yourself."

On the screen, my husband, Ethan Hayes, had his arm wrapped affectionately around an unfamiliar woman, smiling with absolute radiance.

The woman was wearing a lavender silk button-down. On the collar was an embroidered hummingbird.

That shirt had been my birthday gift to Ethan last year. I designed it by hand. It was the only one in the world.

I froze. I pulled out my phone to call him.

As if reading my mind, the receptionist added, "Don't bother calling, Miss Sterling. Just last week at the gala, Mr. Hayes announced in front of all the press that Chloe Vance is the only true love of his life."

"He even said that any woman trying to use past ties to cling to him won't be shown an ounce of mercy."

My hand holding the folder went stiff.

If Chloe Vance was his public love, his true Mrs. Hayes...

Then what did that make me—Vivian Sterling, the woman whose name was actually on his marriage certificate?

The receptionist's sharp words echoed in my ears.

"Our boss's wife is Chloe Vance, not Vivian Sterling."

"Honey, pretending to be the CEO's secret wife to climb the ladder is an old trick! Mr. Hayes despises shameless women like you!"

The boss's wife?

Chloe Vance?

My mind went completely blank.

Ethan and I hadn't gone public with our marriage, but our close friends, family, and the company's founding board members knew all about it.

"There must be a misunderstanding," I said, swallowing the sudden wave of dread and trying to keep my composure. "I'm here for my first day of work."

"Ha! Still playing dumb?"

She scoffed, picking up the desk phone. "Security? We have a woman causing a scene in the lobby, claiming to be Mr. Hayes's wife..."

Before she could finish, a sweet, slightly spoiled voice drifted over from across the lobby.

"What's going on here? Why is it so noisy this early in the morning?"

I turned toward the sound. A woman in a brand-new Chanel suit was walking over, holding the arm of the HR director.

Her makeup was flawless, and the sharp lines of her brows carried an edge reminiscent of Ethan's own cold elegance. She carried herself like royalty.

Employees nearby bowed their heads one after another. "Morning, Miss Vance!"

So this "Miss Vance" was the wife they were talking about—Chloe Vance.

When the HR director spotted me, his brow furrowed, his tone hostile. "Miss, if you're here for an interview, follow the standard procedure. If you're looking for someone, I'm sorry, but we don't entertain loiterers."

Chloe let go of his arm and stepped toward me, looking me up and down with amused condescension.

I had zero recollection of this woman. My brows knit together.

I had never imagined someone like this being connected to Ethan.

I had never seen her before, but she looked as if she already knew exactly who I was.

The flash of jealousy in her eyes didn't escape me.

"Oh? So it's her," she murmured with a light laugh. Turning to the crowd, she pitched her voice just loud enough for everyone in the lobby to hear. "Don't worry, everyone. This Miss Sterling probably just thinks my husband, Ethan, is too impressive, so she's letting her little delusions run wild."

She paused, her eyes turning ice-cold while her voice stayed sickeningly sweet.

Snickers broke out all around us.

"Too bad. If you think you're qualified to be a stand-in for Chloe Vance and steal the title of Mrs. Hayes, you're out of your league."

In an instant, every gaze in the lobby locked onto me—filled with scrutiny, mockery, and pure contempt.

It was as if I weren't the second-largest shareholder holding fifteen percent of the Hayes Group, but a brazen homewrecker barging in to demand a ring.

I trembled with rage, my fingers gripping the appointment letter.

My expression hardened, and I forced myself to stay calm.

"Chloe Vance, was it? I don't care who you are or what lies you've fed these employees, but Hayes Enterprises isn't your private playground."

"Now. Tell HR to process my paperwork immediately."

Chloe reacted as if she had just heard the joke of the century. She leaned playfully against the HR director. "Mr. Miller, did you hear that? She wants you to onboard her. Since when does the head of Strategic Development at Hayes Enterprises go to some random nobody off the street?"

Mr. Miller wagged his tail like an eager pet. "Miss Vance is right. We only answer to you and Mr. Hayes. As for this supposed appointment letter... Photoshop is everywhere these days. Who knows if it's even real?"

The moment the words left his mouth, the massive digital billboard behind Chloe flickered to life.

A slideshow of photos began to loop across the screen—every single one showing Chloe and Ethan in intimate poses.

From candlelit dinners to black-tie galas, all the way to him fastening a diamond necklace around her throat and kissing her forehead...

In those photos, Ethan's expression was soft and tender, showing a warmth I had never seen before.

Most glaring of all was a shot taken in the rooftop garden of the corporate tower, with the city's glittering skyline in the background.

Chloe was wearing that lavender silk shirt, the delicate hummingbird embroidered on the lapel.

That shirt had been my birthday gift to Ethan last year. A one-of-a-kind piece I personally designed.

Now, another woman was wearing it.

And my husband was holding her close, smiling with all the warmth in the world.

"Do you see now, Miss Sterling?"

Chloe's voice dripped with triumphant cruelty. "Everyone at Hayes Enterprises knows how much Ethan loves me. To celebrate our third anniversary, he even named the newly developed commercial complex after me—the 'Chloe Center.'"

"Do you still want to insist that you're his wife?"

The whispers of the crowd drowned me like a tidal wave.

"God, the side chick actually showed up at the front desk! The nerve!"

"She's pretty, but her vibe is totally cheap compared to Miss Vance. Looks like a total gold digger."

"She wanted to be department head? She's clearly lost her mind over his money. How could Mr. Hayes ever look at someone like her?"

My world spun violently. Every ounce of composure and logic shattered to dust.

With trembling fingers, I dialed that number burned into my memory.

"The number you have dialed is currently busy..."

Once. Twice. Nothing but the cold automated voice.

Blinded by fury, I opened SnapChat and fired off a message: *Ethan, you'd better give me an explanation right now!*

The message sent, and a bright red exclamation mark popped up instantly.

He had blocked me.