The CEO’s Masked Secret Wife

Hazel's POV

I waited at the entrance and slipped into the car before Liam could step out to assist me.

"Something troubling you, angel?" Liam's voice carried concern as Noah pulled away from the curb.

"My aunt decided to make a scene. I'll fill you in later though. Right now I just want to forget about it. Good morning, you two." I managed what I hoped looked like a genuine smile.

Leo chattered nonstop during the drive, even describing how he stuck his tongue out at the "mean lady," which had us all cracking up despite everything.

The Dalton family greeted us with open arms when we arrived. Chloe's parents practically smothered Leo with attention, constantly dropping hints about wanting more grandchildren while Chloe rolled her eyes and changed the subject.

Following lunch, Mr. Dalton whisked Liam and Noah away to his study for business discussions. Meanwhile, Chloe and I found ourselves doing exactly what we'd done at my parents' house, bringing her mother up to speed on every detail of our Haven Harbor adventures.

When it came time to leave, Chloe had her luggage ready since we were catching an evening flight. Our plan included treating Leo to ice cream, swinging by my place for my belongings, making a quick stop at Noah's, then heading straight to the airport.

"Godmommy, ice cream?" Leo announced, jabbing his finger toward the parlor as we climbed out of the car.

"Absolutely, sweetheart. Ice cream time it is." Chloe responded, and he burst into delighted applause.

Noah draped his arm across Chloe's shoulders while she carried my son, and Liam's fingers intertwined with mine. We selected a table on the patio, and the moment we settled in, Jessica's sharp voice cut through the afternoon air behind me.

"Look what we have here. The little tramp who spread her legs and can't even name the father. And there's her illegitimate brat too."

"Don't you dare speak about my girlfriend or my son that way again." Liam shot to his feet, fury radiating from every inch of his frame.

Spinning around, I found my cousin Jessica standing there with her jaw hanging open and eyes bulging, flanked by two women I recognized as her usual crew.

"You're actually dating this whore? Well, you should know she's still throwing herself at my husband. Just yesterday she was practically begging him to take her back, said she'd even settle for being his side piece."

"Obviously you have no idea what kind of slut Hazel really is, gorgeous, but I can give you all the dirty details." One of Jessica's friends sidled up to Liam, placing her hand on his arm with a predatory smile.

"Remove your hand from me right now." Liam's voice dropped to a dangerous growl. His gaze shifted to my cousin, and he didn't hold anything back. "I'm guessing you're the backstabbing cousin who betrayed Hazel in her own bedroom. Sounds like you're the actual slut in this scenario. And clearly these pathetic friends of yours are cut from the same cloth. But here's what really happened - your husband was the one who cornered my girlfriend at the market yesterday. Don't believe me? Go ask the store manager yourself."

"Who the hell do you think you are, talking to my wife like that?" As if this nightmare couldn't get any worse, Ethan appeared looking for a fight and reeking of alcohol.

Liam's laugh held nothing but contempt.

"You two are absolutely perfect for each other." Liam's eyes swept over them dismissively. "But since you asked, I'm Hazel's boyfriend and her future husband. Now I suggest you leave before you make this any uglier."

"Hold on, so he's the bastard's real father." Ethan's voice grew more aggressive as the pieces clicked into place. "You claimed you had no clue who knocked you up, Hazel. Now you show up with this pretty boy who's practically the kid's twin."

"Stop calling my son a bastard." Liam's voice turned deadly quiet, which somehow made it more terrifying. "Don't you dare address my family again. Don't even look in Hazel's or my son's direction ever again."

"So you really are his father?" Jessica's voice cracked with disbelief.

"Obviously he is. Just look at them, the kid's his carbon copy." Ethan stated with drunken certainty.

Words completely failed me as this situation spiraled into complete chaos. Chloe's face radiated pure hatred. Noah had wisely taken Leo inside the ice cream shop to shield him from this mess. My chest tightened as panic set in, while Liam looked ready to commit murder.

"Maybe focus on fixing your own trainwreck of a life instead of obsessing over mine, Jessica." I finally managed to speak, scraping together what little composure I had left.

"How is any of this fair? You got knocked up, claimed you didn't know who the father was, and instead of kicking you out, my aunt and uncle stood by you. That rich girl over there makes sure your brat has everything he needs and keeps covering for you. Then you somehow manage to get through college and land your dream job. You come back home with this gorgeous boyfriend who's obviously loaded, and surprise, he's your kid's father all along. How does everything always fall into place for you? Meanwhile, I'm stuck with a drunk husband who cheats constantly, a kid I never wanted, and I'm trapped in this godforsaken town." Jessica's voice turned venomous with resentment.

"You get exactly what you give, Jessica." I replied steadily.

"Jessica, honey, this gold digger baby-trapped him, and this poor sucker fell for it completely." One of her friends spat the words like poison.

"Don't even start with that garbage, you wannabe viper." Liam cut her off instantly. "Hazel doesn't need to trap anyone with a pregnancy. She's the most genuine woman alive, and you're just a bunch of jealous, miserable people. Do everyone a favor and disappear."

Liam squeezed my hand, pressed a gentle kiss to my cheek, and called out to Chloe.

"Come on, girls. Let's go inside. I want to enjoy ice cream with my son."

We turned our backs on them, but Chloe couldn't resist getting the last word. She looked directly at the unpleasant group and declared:

"Choke on your jealousy. Kiss my ass, bitches." She flipped her hair dramatically, blew a kiss over her shoulder, and strutted after us into the parlor.

Once we were seated and Liam handed me a glass of water, I took several deep breaths to steady myself. I looked at Liam curiously.

"How did you know about my run-in with Ethan at the market yesterday?"

"That's small town living for you, angel. Everyone knows everyone else's business. Mr. Tobias turned out to be quite the character. After we got here, we stopped at the bakery before heading to your house. Noah mentioned your mother's weakness for dulce de leche donuts, and I wanted to make a good impression on my future mother-in-law. We ran into Mr. Tobias there, and when Noah introduced me, he immediately said it was good that people around here knew you had someone looking out for you. You know how these conversations go, angel. One thing led to another, and Mr. Tobias told me everything. I seriously want to destroy that piece of garbage ex-boyfriend of yours. I cannot comprehend how you ever dated that lowlife." Liam stared at me in complete bewilderment.

"If I had found the perfect boyfriend like Noah back then, you wouldn't have gotten the chance to show off by announcing you're my future husband." I said with a grin, watching his smile spread across that devastatingly handsome face.

"I guess I owe that jerk a thank you note." He laughed and gave me a quick kiss. "Now let's get that ice cream."

After leaving the parlor, we headed to my parents' house. The other visitors had already departed, giving us more quality time with them before our flight. Chloe made sure to tell my parents about the confrontation and how Liam defended us, which only made them adore him more.

From the farm, we stopped at Noah's house where his mother had prepared travel snacks for us. We visited briefly before calling a taxi to the airport.

By the time we arrived home, my son had been sleeping for hours, and Liam once again insisted on tucking Leo into bed. He seemed to genuinely love this ritual. When we emerged from the bedroom, I seized the moment to make my move.

"Stay here tonight." Liam's smile grew slowly across his face.

"Are you serious, angel?"

"Completely serious. Stay. We had such an amazing weekend, I want to make it last longer." I said as his arms encircled me.

"Won't Leo think it's strange seeing me here in the morning?" His concern for my son's feelings was absolutely endearing.

"He'll probably be thrilled to see you first thing."

"Can I take him to daycare tomorrow?" Liam asked like it was the greatest privilege imaginable.

"Hey, you'll have to fight me for that honor, buddy." Noah announced, clapping Liam on the shoulder. "I'm the godfather, and I'm staying here tonight too."

"Tomorrow Leo's daycare run is mine, Noah. You get way more opportunities for this than I do." Liam argued back.

"You boys can sort that out in the morning. Right now I need sleep because I'm completely exhausted." Chloe ended their debate and started dragging Noah toward her room.