The CEO’s Masked Secret Wife

Hazel's POV

By the time Owen's black sedan pulled into my driveway, Fiona's herbal tea had worked its magic and I was drifting in and out of sleep. I woke up hours later to find Scarlett perched on the edge of my bed, watching me with concerned eyes.

"Hey there, sleeping beauty," Scarlett said, her voice gentle but carrying an undertone of urgency.

"Hi, Vi," I mumbled, pushing myself up against the pillows. "How are you holding up?"

"Like I've been hit by a truck," I admitted, running my hands through my tangled hair. "He's planning to marry one woman while keeping another as his mistress. And the worst part? I think she might be the mystery woman from his past that he's been searching for all these years."

Scarlett shifted uncomfortably on the bed, her fingers fidgeting with the hem of her shirt. "Hazel, I cornered Liam and made him talk. What I'm about to tell you might be hard to hear, but you need to know the truth. For your sake and my brother's."

My heart started racing. "What do you mean?"

"Liam isn't getting married," Scarlett said firmly. "I don't know all the details, but he discovered that woman isn't actually pregnant."

I stared at her, trying to process the information. "What are you talking about?"

"Something about a medical test. The pregnancy was fake, and he called off the engagement immediately. As for the woman you saw him kissing today, that situation is more complicated. She's definitely an ex-girlfriend, but Liam swears he has no romantic feelings for her."

Scarlett's words hit me like a physical blow. "So he's not with either of them?"

"No. Liam promised me he loves you and only you." Scarlett's expression grew more serious. "Look, Hazel, you're in love with Liam. I can see it written all over your face. You're trying to be fair to Levi, but honestly, you're never going to forget Liam. You need to be true to yourself and end things with Levi before you destroy him completely."

Guilt crashed over me in waves. "Vi, I'm so sorry. I never meant for any of this to happen. I genuinely thought I could fall in love with your brother. He's incredible in every way."

"I know he is," Scarlett said with a sad smile, pulling me into a warm embrace. "I was hoping you might fall for him too. But after seeing you today, I know that's never going to happen."

"Are you angry with me?" I asked, searching her face for any sign of resentment.

"Of course not, sweetheart," Scarlett assured me. "Like I told you before, Levi knew what he was getting into when he pursued you. But now you need to have an honest conversation with him and stop running from what's meant to be."

After Scarlett left, I took a long, hot shower and joined my roommates in the living room. They had ordered an obscene amount of pizza and ice cream, and we spent hours eating and dissecting every detail of my complicated love life.

Following a night filled with girl talk and endless advice, I felt oddly refreshed and determined. I knew difficult conversations lay ahead, but the most challenging would be facing Levi. The thought of hurting him made my stomach twist in knots. I planned to use the day off Damian had granted me to sort through this mess.

I was lost in thought, staring out the window, when my phone buzzed. Levi's name appeared on the screen. Strange timing, since he never called this early in the morning. I answered, hearing his familiar calm voice on the other end.

"Beautiful Hazel, how are you feeling today?" Levi's tone was lighter than usual, almost forced. "Scarlett mentioned you weren't well yesterday."

"Hi, Levi. I'm much better, thank you. How are you doing?"

"I've been thinking about you. About us." His voice carried a weight I hadn't heard before. "Since Leo is at daycare today, I thought this might be the perfect opportunity for us to have a real conversation."

My pulse quickened. "When did you want to talk?"

"Actually, I'm already on my way to your place. I'll be there in about twenty minutes. Hope that's okay."

"Of course. I'll see you soon."

Levi ended the call, leaving me with thirty minutes to prepare for what felt like an inevitable confrontation. When he arrived, he carried a tray of freshly baked chocolate chip muffins and two steaming cappuccinos. He greeted me with a gentle kiss on my forehead, notably different from the passionate lip kisses that had become our routine since we started dating seriously.

"Thought we could enjoy some coffee while we talk," he said, his smile not quite reaching his eyes.

"You always think of everything," I replied, though my voice sounded hollow even to my own ears.

We settled onto the couch, the silence stretching between us like a chasm. I searched desperately for the right words, but they seemed to evaporate before reaching my lips.

"Why is it so difficult, Hazel?" Levi asked, taking a deliberate sip of his cappuccino and licking his lips thoughtfully.

"I don't understand what you mean."

"Why is it so hard for you to tell me you've already made your choice?" His voice remained steady, but I could see the pain flickering in his dark eyes.

Panic fluttered in my chest. "Did Scarlett say something to you?"

"She did, because I practically interrogated her until she explained why you got sick yesterday. She had no choice but to tell me the truth. And then she suggested I should be a gentleman and step aside gracefully. So that's exactly what I'm here to do."

"Levi, I don't understand what you're saying."

"Yes, you do, Hazel. I came here to say goodbye. You love Liam Sterling with everything you have, and it's the kind of love that consumes everything in its path. I don't stand a fighting chance against that kind of devotion. Especially since he loves you just as intensely. So I'm going to be a gentleman and remove myself from this equation. I'm leaving for Texas next week to spend time with my parents. My father needs help with the family business, so the timing couldn't be more perfect."

"Levi, I don't know what to say. I tried so hard to make this work between us, I swear I did, but..."

"I know you did, beautiful. I just arrived too late in your story, didn't I?" He gave me one of his devastating smiles, the kind that had made my heart skip when we first met. "Will you give me one last goodbye kiss?"

I nodded, unable to speak past the lump in my throat. Levi moved closer, closing the distance between us. His lips met mine in a kiss that was achingly sweet and tender, filled with all the gentleness that had defined our entire relationship. His tongue touched mine with something close to reverence, as if he was memorizing the moment. When he pulled away, he flashed me that beautiful smile one final time and walked out of my life.

The moment the door closed behind him, I collapsed onto the couch and called Scarlett through my tears, telling her everything that had just happened. She tried to comfort me, insisting that everything would work out, that Levi would find the right person eventually, and that I needed to fight for the man I truly loved. Afterward, I sent a message to our group chat so all the girls would know about this latest development.

I spent the remainder of the morning trying to pull myself together emotionally. When Miranda arrived with Leo from daycare, he launched himself straight into my arms with his usual enthusiasm.

"Mommy!"

"My sweet boy, how are you doing today?" I asked, holding him tight against me.

"Good, Mommy."

"And how was school today?"

"Good too, Mommy." He pulled back to look at me with those innocent eyes that mirrored my own. "Mommy, where is Liam? I really miss him."

"Oh, sweetheart, Liam is very busy with work right now. But he always asks about you and sends you lots of kisses."

"Tell him to come play with me soon, Mommy."

"I will, baby. When he can make time, he'll definitely come visit. Now, should we get you cleaned up before lunch?"

I gave Leo his bath, and after we finished lunch together, he went down for his afternoon nap. Miranda chatted with me briefly, encouraging me to rest and take care of myself, saying it would do me some good. I took her advice, making the most of my unexpected day off by allowing myself to truly relax. I went to bed early that evening and slept more soundly than I had in weeks.