The CEO’s Masked Secret Wife

Hazel's POV

The new week swept past in a blur of unexpected developments. Liam refused to maintain any distance between us, flooding my days with constant reminders of his presence. Text messages arrived at all hours, elaborate flower arrangements appeared on my desk, and carefully selected afternoon treats found their way to my office. The most significant change came with his nightly phone calls, where we would talk for hours about everything and nothing. He mentioned that Fiona's shocking revelations had accelerated the company audit, forcing him and Damian to work late into the evening analyzing documents. However, he remained frustratingly vague about what exactly Fiona had disclosed, only hinting that she possessed crucial information she had never considered significant.

Chloe declared Tuesday our official girls' night, leading us back to the Community Guild for dinner and conversation. Our group never lacked for entertainment or engaging topics, and the evening promised to be particularly enlightening. Stella had officially started her position as Liam's assistant and was thriving in the role, though she harbored intense dislike for Bianca, providing her with endless material for our discussions.

"Hazel, I'm telling you, that woman has manipulation and deception written across her face in neon letters. How did you miss all the warning signs?" Stella questioned, shaking her head in disbelief.

"Our Hazel always chooses to see the good in people, Stella. Remember when I spent months warning her about that scheming cousin who eventually stole her boyfriend? I told her repeatedly that the girl was trouble, but Hazel thought I was just being jealous and petty," Chloe interjected with a knowing smile.

"Looking back, she actually did me an enormous favor by ending up with Ethan, Chl. I should probably thank her," I replied, genuinely meaning every word.

"Hazel, I still cannot comprehend how you ever agreed to date that complete waste of space. Girls, the man is not only physically unappealing but also a complete narcissistic jerk," Chloe declared, causing the entire table to erupt in laughter.

"Enough about my questionable dating history. Stella, tell us what schemes Bianca has been plotting lately," I said, genuinely curious about the developing office drama.

"Yesterday, immediately after Liam introduced me to the team, she cornered me in the employee break room and delivered what she clearly intended as a threatening message. She told me not to get too comfortable in my new position because she had successfully managed to drive away Liam's previous assistant, and she would do the same to me," Stella revealed, her voice filled with incredulity.

"Does she have any idea that we're all close friends?" I asked, finding her boldness particularly strange.

"Absolutely not. On Saturday morning, Liam called me to his house for a private briefing and explained the entire complicated situation. We agreed to keep our friendship completely secret from her. Liam even warned Adrian to be extremely careful whenever he visits the office," Stella explained with a conspiratorial grin.

"That was definitely the smart approach," Chloe agreed, nodding approvingly.

"But there's so much more juicy information. I overheard her having a very suspicious phone conversation with Clairemont's daughter. The conversation seemed strange and inappropriate, but I clearly heard her say something like 'you know you can always trust me, he'll be eating out of your hand soon, I already successfully got rid of that annoying little assistant, remember?' Naturally, I immediately reported everything to Liam," Stella continued, pausing to take a sip of her drink. "Liam can barely tolerate being in the same room with her anymore. He calls me for absolutely everything he needs, which has convinced her that he's romantically interested in me. She's already gossiped about it to that Isabella Clairemont woman."

"She has absolutely no clue that Liam has been following Hazel around like a devoted puppy dog?" Scarlett asked with amusement.

"Not a single clue. That woman is completely oblivious," Stella commented with satisfaction. "And Fiona is absolutely incredible! She specifically called me over to witness Bianca engaging in inappropriate behavior with Clairemont in the emergency fire escape stairwell. I managed to take several clear photographs and even recorded a short video," Stella announced with a devilish grin spreading across her face.

"No way! Girl, I absolutely must see that evidence immediately!" Thea demanded enthusiastically.

Stella retrieved her phone and showed us the damning video and photographs. The images clearly showed Clairemont and Bianca engaged in explicit sexual activity. Bianca was performing oral sex on Clairemont, and at the end of the video, she explicitly stated it was her way of thanking him for the "little favor" he had deposited into her bank account.

"That is absolutely disgusting and completely unprofessional!" Chloe exclaimed with revulsion.

"Have you already shown this evidence to Liam?" I asked, feeling a mixture of satisfaction and disgust.

"I immediately showed and sent the video and photographs to both Liam and Damian," Stella replied with obvious satisfaction. "That manipulative woman made the serious mistake of messing with the wrong group of women, Hazel."

Thursday brought an unexpected surprise when Levi and his friends appeared at our office, inviting us out for an impromptu lunch. This time, the guys remained unaware of our plans, so they didn't join us. The meal proved enjoyable and surprisingly comfortable, despite the underlying tension.

"So, Hazel, have you actually reconciled with Liam?" Levi asked directly while we waited for the waiter to bring our dessert course.

"Not yet, Levi, but I want to be completely honest with you about my feelings and intentions. I love Liam with an intensity that I cannot even begin to explain or rationalize. I'm planning to visit my parents this weekend because I need time and space to think through everything that has happened between us. I need that distance to gain perspective, but when I return, I intend to resolve things with Liam one way or another," I said, choosing complete honesty over comfortable lies.

"And you're planning to go back to him."

Levi looked at me with obvious disappointment and resignation. His words were a statement of fact rather than a question.

"I honestly don't know what will happen, but I love him deeply, and that love carries enormous weight in my decision-making process."

"I understand your position. Thank you for being honest with me instead of leading me on."

We finished our lunch in a surprisingly pleasant atmosphere, and the guys graciously walked us back to the imposing Apex Galaxy building, where reality waited to resume.