The CEO’s Masked Secret Wife

Hazel's POV

I was beside my mother when Damian entered the room. His face carried the weight of terrible news as he recounted everything, each word about that psychotic woman's phone call hitting me like a physical blow. The more details he revealed, the harder the tears came. After he departed, Mrs. Carlos pulled my mother aside, explaining exactly who Isabella Clairemont was while Scarlett filled in the horrifying gaps. My mind reeled, struggling to absorb the nightmare unfolding around us.

The sharp ring of my phone cut through the chaos. I grabbed it immediately, recognizing Caleb's familiar voice, though something in his tone made my blood run cold.

"Stay quiet. If anyone's around you, get away from them. Call me back only when you're completely alone."

I lowered the phone, my hands trembling as I backed toward the door. The weight of his words pressed against my chest like a stone.

"Hazel, where are you going?" Chloe's concerned voice stopped me at the threshold.

"I need to see Liam," I managed, forcing the lie past my constricted throat. "I want some time with him."

I fled the room before she could ask more questions.

In the empty corridor between the elevators and conference room, I lifted the phone again with shaking fingers.

"Where is my son? What have you done?"

"Calm down, kitten." The endearment that once seemed friendly now dripped with menace. "Your boy is breathing, but since your lover refuses to be reasonable, you're going to follow my instructions exactly. No conversations with anyone, no games, and then maybe you'll see your child again."

The betrayal hit me like a sledgehammer. This man I had trusted, confided in, shared meals with. How could I have been so blind?

"First, you're leaving this building. Go to that little bistro from yesterday and wait. Keep this line open and don't speak to a soul."

The reception area buzzed with people who would certainly notice me. Instead, I headed for the corridor's end, my heart hammering as I pushed through the emergency exit. The stairwell echoed with my footsteps as I descended three floors, finally reaching a nearly deserted level.

The elevator seemed to take forever. When it finally arrived, I slipped inside, pressing myself against the wall as if I could disappear entirely. Each floor that passed brought me closer to whatever hell awaited.

The street felt surreal, like walking through someone else's nightmare. Two blocks stretched endlessly before me, each step a betrayal of everyone who loved me, but what choice did I have? Liam's face filled my mind, driving me forward.

I had barely reached the bistro when a black sedan materialized at the curb. The window slid down, revealing Caleb's smile, but now I saw it for what it truly was, predatory and cold.

"Get in, kitten."

The moment I settled into the seat, a sickly sweet smell invaded my nostrils. The world tilted sideways, darkness swallowing everything.

Consciousness returned slowly, accompanied by the acrid taste of whatever drug he had used. I found myself in what could only be described as a concrete tomb. Brick blocked most of the single window, leaving just a narrow gap that mocked any hope of escape. The mattress beneath me reeked of mildew and worse things I didn't want to identify.

Unfinished concrete walls surrounded me, rough and cold. A single bulb dangled from exposed wiring, casting harsh shadows that made the space feel even smaller. The cement floor was stained with substances I refused to examine too closely. Near the door sat a solitary chair, the room's only other furniture.

I tested the door already knowing what I would find. Locked, of course, with a small window that could only be opened from the outside. I was trapped like an animal.

Stupid, stupid, stupid. I had walked directly into his web, so desperate to save my son that I had ignored every instinct screaming danger. The phone call should have been my first warning, but maternal panic had overridden all logic.

The door opened with a metallic screech that made me flinch. Caleb entered carrying a paper bag, his casual demeanor somehow more terrifying than outright aggression would have been.

"There's my sleeping beauty. Brought you dinner."

"Where is Liam?" I demanded, refusing to let him see how my legs shook. "I did exactly what you ordered."

"Oh, sweetheart, this is just the beginning." He settled into the chair like he was visiting a friend. "You need to eat something. You look ready to collapse."

"Answer me, Caleb. Why?"

His laugh held no warmth. "The holy trinity that runs this world, darling. Love, money, and power. Money's my main motivation, but if I get to enjoy your company along the way, well, that's just a bonus." The way his eyes traveled over me made my skin crawl.

"Don't you dare touch me."

"I'm trying to be a gentleman here, but my self control has limits. Lucky for you, I have business to handle first."

"Please, just give me back my son."

"I told you, he's with our mutual crazy friend. The kid's still breathing, still in one piece, so stop worrying." He stood, placing the bag on the chair with theatrical care. "Eat up. And save your voice, we're miles from anyone who might hear you scream."

He left me alone with my terror and a greasy sandwich that might or might not be poisoned. I stumbled to the window, peering through the narrow gap to see nothing but tall grass swaying in wind I couldn't feel. The isolation was complete.

I examined the food carefully, looking for any obvious tampering. Finding none, I forced myself to take a bite. If I was going to escape, I needed strength, and if Caleb wanted me dead, he wouldn't need poison to accomplish it.