Chapter 3 - The Lion’s Den
The next forty-eight hours were a blur of aggressive transformations. An army of stylists, tailors, and consultants descended upon the estate. My sunburned skin was treated, my calloused hands manicured, and my faded hair dyed a rich, glossy chestnut. When I finally looked in the mirror, I didn't recognize the woman staring back. She looked powerful. She looked untouchable.
"You look breathtaking," Daniel said, stepping into the dressing room. He handed me a velvet box. Inside rested a massive, flawless emerald-cut diamond ring. "Put this on. They’re waiting for us."
Today was the board meeting. The day Daniel would present me to the wolves.
We walked into the glass-walled boardroom on the top floor of the Hayes Innovations tower. The room fell dead silent. At the head of the table sat Victoria Hayes—a woman who looked like she was carved from ice and dressed in Chanel. Beside her was Marcus, wearing a smug smile that instantly vanished the moment Daniel pulled out a chair for me.
"Daniel, darling," Victoria purred, her eyes darting over me like a hawk inspecting prey. "Who is your... guest? This is a closed board meeting."
"She isn't a guest, Victoria," Daniel said, taking his seat at the head of the table. He laced his fingers together, projecting absolute dominance. "This is my wife, Sarah Hayes. We were married privately two days ago. As per my father's trust, my shares remain fully vested, and my position as CEO is uncontested."
Pandemonium erupted. Marcus slammed his hands on the table. "This is a sham! You picked up an actress to save your skin!"
"Careful, Marcus," Daniel warned, his voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. "You are speaking about my wife. My legal team has already filed the paperwork. It is ironclad. The sale to the conglomerate is dead. I am not stepping down."
Victoria didn’t yell. She didn't panic. She simply stared at me, a terrifyingly calm smile spreading across her lips. "Well played, Daniel. But nobody appears out of thin air. Everyone has a past." She stood up, smoothing her skirt. "Congratulations on your nuptials, Sarah. I’m sure we will get to know everything about you very soon."
As they stormed out, my hands trembled beneath the mahogany table. Daniel reached over, his large, warm hand covering mine. "You did perfectly," he murmured.
"She’s going to dig, Daniel," I whispered, the ghost of my past chilling my blood. "If she digs, she’ll find things."
"Let her dig," he said, his eyes locking onto mine with fierce protection. "She has no idea who she's dealing with."
But neither did he. Because that afternoon, Victoria received a visitor in her private office. The woman from the black SUV—Vargas—tossed a manila folder onto Victoria's desk.
May you like
"Her real name is Sarah Sterling," Vargas said with a cruel smirk. "And her husband is looking for his kids."
---
