The CEO’s Masked Secret Wife

Hazel's POV

My weekend passed in peaceful silence. Levi flooded my phone with apologies, explaining that urgent company matters kept him from seeing me. His messages arrived every few hours, each one more regretful than the last.

Evelyn spent Sunday wrapped around Leo like a devoted aunt, spoiling him beyond reason. She had returned from Boston bearing gifts that made my son's eyes light up like Christmas morning. The prize was an elaborate Buckingham Palace building set, complete with miniature street carpets and a red double-decker bus that actually moved and glowed with tiny working lights. Leo's delighted squeals filled our living room as he built and rebuilt his British kingdom.

Chloe watched the scene unfold with amused resignation. "Evelyn, you're making the rest of us look terrible," she laughed, shaking her head as Leo dissolved into giggles over his new treasure.

Evelyn cornered me in the kitchen later, her voice dropping to that conspiratorial tone older sisters perfect. She peppered me with questions about Levi, urging patience and suggesting that perhaps Liam and I still had a future worth fighting for. I deflected her hopes gently but firmly. Levi remained just a friend, despite his obvious intentions for something deeper. My heart belonged entirely to Liam, carved into every chamber and ventricle with permanent ink. But I refused to freeze my life in place, waiting for a maybe that might never materialize.

The following week dissolved into a blur of routine and longing. Levi's daily messages became my constant companion, though he had to make an unexpected trip to Texas to handle crisis management at his father's company. His apologies came wrapped in promises of gifts and romantic destinations upon his return.

Monday arrived with Evelyn's departure, earlier than any of us could bear. Chloe and I offered to drive her to the airport, but she declined with a knowing smile. Liam had already volunteered for escort duty before heading to his office, she explained, leaving me with that familiar twist in my stomach.

At my desk, Monday's ritual awaited me. Fresh tulips in brilliant colors sat beside my computer, accompanied by the weekly card that had become both blessing and curse. Liam's elegant handwriting proclaimed the same message it always did - eternal love until his final breath, regret for our impossible situation. I traced the petals with one finger before filing the card away with all its predecessors, a growing collection of beautiful torture.

Damian burst through my door like sunshine personified, carrying a package that made my mouth water instantly. Four chocolate chip muffins, still radiating warmth and sending heavenly aromas through the air. My face transformed into pure childlike wonder.

"Damian, I absolutely adore chocolate chip muffins," I breathed, practically bouncing in my chair.

His grin widened as he produced a second surprise. "Perfect timing then." A massive cappuccino appeared beside the muffins, steam rising like incense. "You deserve the royal treatment."

"You are officially the most incredible boss on the planet," I declared, watching his chest puff with pride.

He disappeared into his office while I invited Stella to share my feast. She declined politely, explaining that Damian had spoiled her too, and work was drowning her in deadlines.

I was savoring my first bite when Liam materialized in my doorway like a vision crafted specifically to torment me. He stopped beside my desk, fingers running through his hair in that nervous gesture I knew so well.

"I need to speak with Damian," he said, though his eyes never left my face.

"Of course," I managed, completely mesmerized.

We had not crossed paths the entire previous week. With Evelyn visiting and the audit consuming his attention, Liam had worked from home, leaving me starving for even a glimpse of him. Now he stood before me, devastatingly handsome and completely forbidden, and I could not look away.

He leaned down until our faces aligned perfectly, his thumb brushing across the corner of my mouth with deliberate slowness. Then he brought that same thumb to his lips, sucking away the chocolate while his eyes burned into mine with unmistakable hunger.

"Hazel covered in chocolate is absolutely irresistible," he murmured, his voice like velvet over steel.

"Liam..." My voice cracked, forcing me to clear my throat. "Liam, you cannot do that."

"Do what exactly, Hazel?" His smile turned wicked, predatory in the most delicious way.

"You know perfectly well what."

"Why do you not tell me specifically?"

"You are deliberately provoking me."

"Am I?" He leaned closer, his breath warming my skin. "What about this, Hazel?" His tongue darted out to taste the chocolate at the corner of my mouth. "And this?" His lips pressed softly against the same spot. "And this?" His hands seized my waist roughly, crushing my body against his as his mouth claimed mine in a kiss that set my blood on fire.

Liam kissed like a man dying of thirst who had finally found water. Every touch of his lips carried desperate hunger, raw desire, and sensual promise that shattered every defense I possessed. Under his hands, I became molten, surrendering completely to the heat between us.

We kissed with the frantic urgency of lovers reuniting after war, trying to compress weeks of separation into this single moment. My fingers traced his shoulders before tangling in the hair at his neck, pulling him impossibly closer. His arms encircled my waist while one hand traced fire up my spine. Our breathing turned ragged, matching the wild rhythm of our racing hearts.

Without breaking our connection, Liam lifted me onto my desk, positioning himself between my thighs and pressing our bodies together until delicious friction built between us through our clothes. I forgot where we were, forgot everything except this desperate need for contact. A moan escaped against his lips, and he deepened our kiss until I thought I might combust.

When we finally separated, gasping for air, he pressed one more tender kiss to my mouth before looking directly into my eyes.

"My angel, you have no idea how much I miss you every moment. I am dying without you."

I stared back at him, completely surrendered to this love that was destroying us both. The spell shattered when Owen's voice cut through our bubble as he wandered into the office, papers in hand and completely oblivious.

"Pretty woman, I need to speak with the bosses. Are they..." Owen froze mid-sentence, taking in our compromising position.

Reality crashed over me like ice water. I pushed Liam away and scrambled down from the desk, frantically smoothing my wrinkled dress. Liam groaned, closing his eyes as frustration flickered across his perfect features.

"Damn it, Owen," he growled at his friend.

"Sorry, I am leaving, I am so sorry..." Owen started backing toward the door.

"Get back here. You already destroyed the moment anyway." Liam called him back before turning to me, his thumb tracing my swollen lips. "My angel, thank you. I needed that more than breathing." Tears gathered in his eyes, matching the ones threatening to spill from mine. "Come on, Owen."

Owen passed my desk with his hands pressed together in apology. I managed a shaky smile, though my legs still trembled from Liam's touch. Stella appeared moments later, concern written across her face as she asked if I was alright. I quickly recounted what had happened, confessing how much I loved kissing the man I could never truly have.

The rest of my day passed in a haze of distraction. Work became impossible as my mind replayed every second of that kiss, every touch from the man who owned my heart but could never be mine.