The CEO’s Masked Secret Wife

Liam's POV

The Fresh Foster skyline stretched endlessly as our plane touched down at JFK. The city's energy hit me immediately, and I felt the familiar rush of anticipation that came with closing major deals. Our first client meeting went smoothly. The executives laid out their vision while we presented our preliminary proposals. We scheduled a golf meeting for the following morning, and Owen promised to coordinate with Hazel for any additional documentation we might need.

That evening, we decided to blow off steam at an upscale Brooklyn bar. The whiskey was smooth, the conversation was flowing, and for the first time in weeks, I felt relaxed. Then I felt slender fingers trail across my shoulder, followed by a voice that sent an unwelcome shiver down my spine.

"You look even better than I remembered."

I turned around slowly, already knowing whose sultry voice belonged to that familiar tone. Victoria stood there looking absolutely stunning. Her jet-black hair was styled in a sophisticated bob that framed her face perfectly. She was taller, more polished, and her figure had clearly been enhanced since our college days.

"Victoria. What a surprise." I leaned in to give her a polite kiss on the cheek. "It's been years. How have you been?"

"Wonderful, darling. Though I have to admit, seeing you here is the highlight of my evening." Her smile was predatory. "What brings you to the city?"

"Business. What about you? Last I heard, you were living it up in Florence."

"That pretentious artist turned out to be exactly what you'd expect. He couldn't keep his hands off other women, so I cut my losses a year ago. Fresh Foster suits me much better than going back home anyway."

"I see. You remember Owen, of course. And Damian."

"Well, well. If it isn't the snake herself," Damian's voice dripped with barely concealed contempt. Owen simply rolled his eyes and took a long drink.

"How could I possibly forget such charming gentlemen?" Victoria's sarcasm was razor-sharp.

Victoria had been my girlfriend during our final year at university. Damian had despised her from day one, claiming she was poison wrapped in designer clothes. A few months before my parents died, Damian and Owen discovered she was sleeping around with half the campus, including some Italian artist who was in town for an exhibition. They orchestrated a way for me to catch her red-handed, and I ended things in a spectacular confrontation that became campus legend.

"Mind if I join you boys?" Without waiting for an answer, Victoria pulled up a chair and settled in like she owned the place.

"Are you serious right now?" Owen's patience was wearing thin. He had even more reason to hate her than Damian did. After her cheating was exposed, she'd tried to sabotage his relationship with Thea out of pure spite.

Despite my friends' obvious hostility, I found myself enjoying Victoria's company as the evening progressed. She was witty, engaging, and undeniably attractive. Damian and Owen were practically burning holes through her with their glares.

"Shouldn't you two be getting home? It's getting late for children," Victoria taunted them with a wicked smile.

"Oh, are we cramping your style?" Damian shot back.

"Last I checked, we were here first," Owen added coldly.

"Since these two clearly can't take a hint, why don't we continue this conversation somewhere more private? My apartment isn't far from here." Victoria's invitation was loaded with suggestion.

"That sounds perfect." The words left my mouth before my better judgment could intervene. One night of distraction wouldn't kill anyone.

"Liam, just a friendly reminder that we have that crucial meeting first thing tomorrow morning. Hazel already sent over the files we need to review," Owen emphasized Hazel's name deliberately.

"Relax, Owen. Nothing catastrophic is going to happen." I waved off his concern dismissively. "Come on, Victoria."

We left the bar together, and I spent the night at her apartment. When I woke up, we were both naked, her body pressed against mine, and my phone was ringing incessantly from somewhere across the room.

I stumbled over to find it and answered without checking the caller ID.

"Are you out of your goddamn mind, Liam? Do you have any idea what time it is? I've been making excuses to our clients for the past hour!" Damian's voice was pure fury.

"Give me an hour and I'll be there." My head was pounding, and the reality of my stupidity was sinking in fast.

"Don't you dare show your face at this meeting. I already told them you came down with food poisoning. Get back to the hotel, lock yourself in your room, and stay there until I deal with you!" The line went dead.

Victoria was one of the few people on earth who could push Damian to this level of rage. He'd always said she turned me into a reckless idiot, and once again, he was absolutely right. But I wasn't a college kid anymore. I got dressed quickly, leaving only a brief note apologizing for my abrupt departure.

When Damian and Owen stormed into my hotel room later, I was showered, dressed, and trying to piece together what was left of my professionalism. They were both livid, and I had no choice but to sit there and take whatever they threw at me.

"What the hell is wrong with you, Liam?" Damian was pacing like a caged animal, his hands gesturing wildly.

"It won't happen again, Damian. I swear."

"It better not, because as my mother always says, lie down with dogs and you wake up with fleas!"

His anger was radiating off him in waves.

"If Hazel finds out about this, or if any of the women discover what happened, you'll lose her forever. I guarantee it," Owen warned, his voice deadly serious.

"I know. I don't know what came over me. I just wanted one night to forget everything."

"Really? Like that night at the strip club when you paid that dancer? Or the night you may or may not have slept with Clairemont? Oh right, you don't even remember that one!" Damian's sarcasm cut deep.

The weight of my pattern hit me like a freight train. I claimed to love Hazel, but I kept sabotaging everything we had.

"Can this stay between us?" My voice was barely above a whisper, and I could feel my eyes burning with shame. "I'll stay in this room for the rest of the trip except for meetings."

"You'd better. If this gets back to Scarlett or Thea, they'll dump us for covering up your mess," Owen said grimly.

"I give you my word." I raised my hand solemnly.

For the remainder of our stay, I kept my promise religiously. Damian mentioned that Victoria had come looking for us at the hotel, but he'd instructed the front desk to deny we were guests. He was convinced she'd try to track me down again once we returned home. Despite my personal disaster, we managed to secure an incredibly lucrative contract extension, which helped ease Damian's frustration somewhat.

Thursday evening found us back on familiar ground. I'd successfully avoided Victoria for the entire trip, spending my time reviewing contracts and preparing presentations from my hotel room. Damian seemed eager to put as much distance as possible between us and Fresh Foster.

Friday morning, we were back in the office bright and early. Hazel looked absolutely radiant when we briefed her on the trip's outcomes, though I noticed she seemed slightly thinner and more tired than usual.

My lawyer called mid-morning to inform me the prenuptial agreement was finalized. I reviewed the document carefully, satisfied with every clause. We'd structured it so the paternity tests appeared to be a mandatory requirement of my father's will, with failure to comply resulting in forfeiture of all assets to charity. This would put enormous pressure on Clairemont to submit to the testing I demanded.

Still, I couldn't risk giving Julian Clairemont time to interfere or allowing Clairemont space to maneuver. An idea struck me suddenly. I called Dr. Evans to confirm his availability for the weekend. He normally didn't work Saturdays, but he agreed to accommodate my request. We scheduled the tests for the following day.