The CEO’s Masked Secret Wife

Hazel's POV

The next morning, the rich aroma of freshly brewed coffee pulled us from sleep. Miranda had already prepared an elegant breakfast spread for us. After crashing on makeshift beds scattered across the living room, we looked like survivors of the world's most enjoyable sleepover.

Leo burst into the room like a tiny tornado, bouncing between us with infectious laughter. Each of the girls competed to shower him with attention, and his delighted giggles filled the space. The bathroom became a bottleneck with all of us trying to get ready, creating a chorus of chatter and playful complaints that reminded me of college dormitory mornings.

Once Leo and I were dressed, we joined the breakfast table where conversation flowed as freely as the orange juice.

We were still laughing about last night's karaoke disasters when Scarlett's phone buzzed against the wooden table. She glanced at the caller ID and hit the speaker button with a mischievous grin.

"Good morning, little brother. Sleep well after your boys' night out?"

"Like a baby, shorty," Levi's voice crackled through the speaker, unusually cheerful for this early hour. "Still camped out at Hazel's place?"

"Guilty as charged. Planning to stick around until after lunch. What's got you calling so early?"

"Well, your lovely friends completely destroyed our evening yesterday, so me and the guys figured you ladies owe us some compensation," Levi said, his tone dripping with calculated charm.

"You boys are getting awfully bold with your demands," Scarlett shot back, arching an eyebrow at the phone.

"Come on, shorty. Help your favorite brother out here," he pleaded, laying on the charm thick.

"What exactly are you scheming?"

"The Community Guild's hosting a casino night tonight. Cards, drinks, good conversation. We'll handle transportation both ways, treat you ladies like the queens you are." His excitement was practically vibrating through the speaker.

Scarlett's eyes swept across our faces, silently polling for our reactions. The unanimous thumbs up around the table made her decision easy.

"The girls are game. But we're driving ourselves there and back. I don't need any of you getting ideas just because you're playing chauffeur." Her tone left no room for negotiation.

"Shorty, you wound me. We're gentlemen. But fine, your rules. Seven o'clock work for everyone?"

"Seven's perfect. And Levi? I better not catch any of you forgetting those gentleman manners tonight. Oh, and you're handling the reservations."

"Consider it done. Stay safe, see you tonight."

The call ended, but Scarlett's expression had shifted into something dangerously playful. Her eyes sparkled with the kind of mischief that usually preceded chaos.

"Ladies, how do we feel about making our other admirers work a little harder for our attention?" Scarlett's voice carried the same tone a child might use when suggesting they skip school.

"What kind of trouble are you cooking up now? Planning to start a war, or are you just interested in collecting a harem?" Chloe laughed, but her eyes showed genuine curiosity.

"Nobody's starting any wars, Chl. Though if some of us are curious about expanding our horizons, who are we to judge? The point is, we can have all of them competing for our attention," Scarlett explained with a wicked smile.

"I'm absolutely loving this plan, especially the part about expanding horizons," Thea chimed in, making us all dissolve into laughter.

"I'm still not following your master plan here," Stella admitted, looking genuinely puzzled.

"Simple strategy, Stella. When our usual group of admirers discovers our location, they'll come running like moths to a flame. So we make sure they know exactly where to find us. Then we sit back and watch both groups compete for our attention. Time to make them work for it," Scarlett laid out her scheme with obvious satisfaction.

"You realize they're going to lose their minds completely, right?" Stella pointed out.

"Absolutely. But can you think of a more effective way to teach our regular guys a lesson about taking us for granted? I certainly can't." Scarlett was practically glowing with anticipation. "And we're wearing those stunning dresses they insisted on buying us this week. The most eye-catching ones we own."

Since the girls had decided to spend another night at Chl's and my apartment, we used lunch as an excuse for everyone to swing by their places for overnight essentials. This also provided the perfect opportunity to plant the seeds of our plan, as Thea would inevitably run into Owen and casually mention our evening plans without revealing we'd be with Levi's crew again.

"Mission accomplished, ladies. Did Owen take the bait?" I asked the moment they returned from their errands.

"He had his phone out before I even finished talking, speed-dialing his little brotherhood," Thea reported with obvious amusement.

"They're embarrassingly predictable," Scarlett observed, rolling her eyes dramatically.

"And Noah must be climbing the walls because I sent him a message saying I wouldn't see him today even if he showed up covered in gold paint," Chloe announced with tremendous satisfaction.

We spent the afternoon entertaining Leo with games and stories. As evening approached, we transformed ourselves into weapons of mass distraction. At exactly seven o'clock, we made our entrance into the Community Guild, dressed to devastate and ready to watch our plan unfold.

Levi and his friends had claimed a massive corner table, and their faces lit up like Christmas morning when they spotted us approaching. The compliments and flirtations started before we even reached our seats.

"What can I get you beautiful ladies to drink?" Vera asked, playing the perfect host.

"How about sex on the beach all around, girls?" Chloe suggested with a perfectly innocent expression.

"Excellent choice," Logan approved while Vera flagged down a waiter.

"What's our game tonight, ladies?" Cameron asked, rubbing his hands together with enthusiasm.

"Blackjack. Poker is way beyond our skill level," Thea declared, earning chuckles from around the table.

"Blackjack it is," Levi confirmed, signaling for a dealer to set up our game.

"What are we wagering tonight? Standard chips, or something more intriguing?" Gavin asked, leaning closer to Thea with obvious interest.

"Down, boy," Scarlett warned him sharply. "We're playing for chips, nothing else. We're here for entertainment, not whatever you're imagining."

Our drinks arrived with perfect timing, and we raised our glasses in a toast that felt like the calm before a storm. The dealer efficiently set up our table, explained the betting limits, and dealt our first hand.

We'd barely begun playing when I felt a familiar hand settle possessively on my shoulder.