The CEO’s Masked Secret Wife

Hazel's POV

Liam swept me up into his arms with effortless strength. Cradled against his chest, I felt weightless as he carried me across the living room, up the sweeping staircase, and down the long hallway until we stopped before the master bedroom door.

"Would you mind opening the door for me, angel?" His voice was soft, almost reverent.

I stretched out my hand to grasp the brass doorknob, turning it slowly before pushing the heavy door open. Liam stepped inside with me still in his arms, then gently lowered me to my feet before turning to secure the door behind us.

My breath caught in my throat. The room had been completely transformed, and I could tell Stella had orchestrated every detail. Floor-to-ceiling windows dominated one wall, with French doors that opened onto a private terrace overlooking the moonlit gardens below. The space glowed with warm, intimate lighting from countless candles nestled inside wrought iron lanterns positioned throughout the room.

The massive bed commanded the center of the space, dressed in luxurious pearl-colored silk sheets and plump pillows that seemed to beckon us closer. What took my breath away was the canopy that hadn't existed before tonight. Delicate cream-colored fabric cascaded from an ornate ceiling fixture, creating an ethereal tent-like structure around the bed. The gossamer material was artfully draped and tied back on three sides like theatrical curtains, while tiny fairy lights were woven throughout the fabric, casting a magical glow.

In the corner, a round mahogany table held an elaborate display. A towering arrangement of crimson tulips served as the centerpiece, flanked by a silver ice bucket cradling champagne, crystal flutes, and a porcelain plate of chocolate-dipped strawberries. But what made my heart skip was the single slice of decadent chocolate cake positioned beside everything else. Every element had been carefully chosen, every detail planned to perfection. Liam stood watching me, his eyes bright with nervous anticipation.

"Liam, this is absolutely breathtaking. Everything is perfect." My voice was barely above a whisper, my eyes shining with unshed tears of joy.

Soft romantic melodies began flowing from hidden speakers, filling the room with gentle music. Liam's hands found my waist, drawing me against him as he buried his face in my hair, breathing in deeply before his lips curved into a satisfied smile. We began moving together in a slow, intimate dance to the tender rhythm.

"Forever mine, Hazel. You have no idea how many sleepless nights I spent dreaming of you, replaying every moment of what happened between us at that masquerade ball. You completely captivated me that night." His words were punctuated by feather-light kisses along my jawline and down my neck. I wound my arms around his shoulders, pulling him impossibly closer.

"You consumed my thoughts just as much. I still have that dress, those shoes, even the mask carefully preserved in a box. I kept the perfume too, but when I started working for you, I made the decision to wear it every single day."

"I knew your scent was familiar." Liam's confession was warm against my ear. "That day when I caught you to stop that unhinged woman from storming into my office, when I held you close, I recognized your fragrance but couldn't place where. You had already begun to cloud my judgment."

"When I first heard your voice over the phone, something stirred in my memory too. Deep down, your voice felt familiar, but I couldn't quite grasp why. Something was blocking that connection."

"All the clues were right there in front of us, and I was completely blind to the fact that you were the mysterious woman who had driven me to distraction at that ball. The one I searched for relentlessly. And then three years later, you walked into my office and turned my world upside down all over again. Why did you disappear that night, Hazel? Why didn't you stay and wait for my return?"

"I assumed you had left and that the phone call was just an excuse to escape. I thought you only wanted a meaningless encounter and then planned to vanish. When I went back to find Noah and Chl at our table, we decided it was time to go."

Liam's chest rose and fell with a heavy sigh.

"The truth is, when I first asked you to dance, intimacy wasn't even on my mind. I noticed you the moment you arrived at that party and was completely mesmerized. I watched you from across the room for what felt like hours before I finally worked up the courage to approach you. It was actually my father who noticed my fixation and reminded me that the deepest regrets come from chances we never take. Everything between us unfolded so naturally, so perfectly. Before I realized what was happening, I was completely under your spell, had lost all control, and was experiencing the most incredible night of my life. I only thought to ask your name afterward, and before you could answer, that damned call came through."

"Who was calling you, Liam?"

"Clairemont. The connection was terrible, so I stepped outside hoping for better reception. When I came back inside, you had vanished completely. I searched everywhere but you were nowhere to be found. I was already devastated by losing my parents, and not being able to find you nearly destroyed me."

"I had never experienced the intensity of what you awakened in me that night. I had never acted so spontaneously, so recklessly." I watched his violet eyes darken as he absorbed my words.

"Now I've found you again. And I refuse to lose you a second time. I simply cannot." Liam's arms tightened possessively around my waist. "From our very first phone conversation, you stirred something powerful within me. When we finally met face to face, I was completely overwhelmed. It was only then that I stopped obsessing over the woman from the masquerade. And that woman was you all along. It has always been you, my angel. Every moment of love I've felt has belonged to you."

Desire coursed through my veins like liquid fire. My pupils dilated with raw need, and my body trembled with urgent longing. Before he could speak another word, my fingers tangled in his thick hair and I crushed my mouth to his, my tongue demanding entry. Liam matched my intensity kiss for kiss, both of us consumed by pure, undeniable passion.