Chapter 2
“Amber, are you sure? What about your father? If you leave him, Treston will cut off the funding for his treatment. And you… you have nowhere else to go.“N
That was the truth.
Aside from the baby, that was always the reason I couldn’t walk away.
My father. He was the only one who stayed with me when my mother died. He raised me, taught me how to dream big, how to carry myself with pride even in a room full of people who wanted to tear me down. We used to belong to something powerful–a legacy built over generations.
I was once an heir to a billionaire family name. My father’s company was one of the most powerful in the tech and medical industries. Until everything crumbled.
One by one, his trusted board members betrayed him. Investors pulled out. Partnerships collapsed. The news said it was poor leadership.
But it wasn’t. He was scammed.
And before the lawsuits even began, my father was in a car accident–one that left him in a coma and clinging to life. Some whispered that it wasn’t really an accident. I believed that.
And that’s when he came into the picture.
Treston Villarez. The so–called “savior” of our family’s legacy.
He stepped in with a proposition.
Marry him, and he’d acquire and “revive” our company. In return, he’d pay for all my father’s medical treatments and hospital care indefinitely. At the time, it felt like the only choice I had.§
I became his secretary… and his wife.§
Silently. Secretly.
He didn’t want anyone to know. He said it was for “business reasons,” that a CEO married to the daughter of a collapsed company would raise eyebrows. And I… I stayed quiet, sacrificing myself to the shadows for the sake of my father’s life.
But now? Now, there was no child. No love. No point.
So I gripped the phone tighter and said to the lawyer, “I don’t need him anymore. Finalize the divorce.“}]
The next morning, I went to the office. Not as his wife. Just his secretary. The same way I had lived for the last five years.
I walked straight to HR and requested they start hiring a replacement. “I’ll train whoever you hire,” I told them. “I’m resigning by the end of the week.”
They looked surprised. But no one argued. I returned to my desk and began scanning the old files, organizing what I could. I didn’t expect him to notice immediately.
But of course, he did.
Treston stormed into the main office without knocking.
“What’s going on?” he snapped. “Why did HR notify me about a hiring request?”
I stood, calmly. “I’m resigning. I’d like to take some time off… rest.“}
His eyes narrowed. “Rest? Are you insane? Have you forgotten about your father? I’m the only reason he’s still breathing. You are my secretary and I don’t want anyone!“}
I looked at him and said quietly, “I’m also your wife.”
“Shut up!” he hissed, looking over his shoulder. “Someone might hear you. You know we agreed to keep that a secret. What the hell are you thinking, blabbing that out here? We’ll talk at home–when you’re sober.”
Then, without warning, he grabbed a stack of files and threw them onto my desk, scattering papers everywhere.
“Fix this. Organize the files. Reschedule my meetings. And also–book a flight for me.”
“Where to?” I asked, swallowing the shake in my voice.
He smiled cruelly. “With Summer. We have business in London.”
I froze. “Why Summer?“}
“She’s a client,” he said flatly. “She needs my guidance. Why do we keep talking about this? Did you become stupid after losing a baby?“}
I gritted my teeth. “What kind of client needs her CEO to accompany her across the country?”
That was when he slapped me.
Hard. My head turned with the force, my cheek stinging with heat and shame. My chest tightened–but I didn’t let myself cry.
“What kind of secretary questions what her boss tells her to do?” he snapped.§
Before I could speak, Summer walked in, heels clacking like daggers on marble.}]
“Oh, don’t be so harsh on Amber,” she cooed. “She just got out of the hospital. Let me help her.“}
1
She bent down, picked up the scattered papers, and handed them to me with a fake smile. “Don’t worry. I’ve got this.“}
But as she leaned in closer, her lips brushed my ear. “You really have the audacity to show up after everything,” she whispered. “He doesn’t want you, Amber. He never did.”
I didn’t flinch. I wouldn’t give her that satisfaction.
Treston waved her over. “That’s enough. Let her do her work. Come on, Summer–we need to finalize your brand rollout.”
She clung to his arm like she belonged there, and together, they walked into his office.M
As they disappeared, I heard the whispers.N
From the hallway. Two employees talking by the water cooler.N
“They look good together, don’t they? Treston and Summer?“N
“Yeah, I always thought it was her. Maybe she’s the secret wife people talk about.”
I bit the inside of my cheek. Hard.N
I didn’t say a word. I just kept working.N
Fixing the files. Booking the flights. Finishing the reports like nothing had happened.N
I was on my way out, finally ready to leave for the day, when I passed by his office again.M
The lights were still on.N
I thought they were gone.
But then I heard his voice through the slightly cracked door.
“I think I just have to kill her father,” Treston said, his tone disturbingly casual. “Then I can finally dispose of her.”
