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Chapter 1

Leilani Moore

It was almost lunchtime when I drove into the compound of Grant's corporation, pulling over at the parking lot.

Grant's corporation is one of the successful companies in California over the years, and it's owned and managed by my beloved husband, Derek Grant.

I alighted from the car, not after picking up the food flask I had kept carefully on the seat beside me. It has been a while I last surprise my husband at his office.

"I hope I'm not late." I muttered, checking my wristwatch as I hastened my steps toward the entrance of the tall building. I didn't want Derek to buy lunch before my arrival.

I headed straight to the elevator as soon as I got inside.

"Do I look good?" I worried about my look, arranging my blonde hair again while waiting for the elevator to open. Appearing beautiful for my husband was something I've always made a priority. I had applied little to no make-up on my face since Derek likes me all natural.

I stepped out of the elevator and proceeded to his office. Taking a deep breath, I held the doorknob and twisted it before pushing it open. His secretary, a young lady in her thirties, raised her gaze from her desktop as soon as I walked inside.

"Hi!" I smiled at her, tucking my hair away.

"Hi... How may I help you?" Her question made me raise my eyebrows. It wasn't my first time being here, didn't she recognise me?

"Derek... Is he in?" I pointed toward the closed door politely. It was already disrespectful for her to ask me that question as if she didn't know me, but I tried to stay calm.

"Do you have an appointment with him?" With every question she asked, came her disrespect, and she didn't fail to give me a long disgusting glare that had me grossing out at myself.

As much as this was disrespectful, I tried to believe she was doing her job as his secretary, though not professional enough, so I tried to stay calm.

"No. I don't have an appointment with him. Tell him that his wife is here to see him." I had expected her to quickly stand up and apologise to me for being rude earlier after I told her who I was to Derek. Maybe she really had no idea who I was to her boss before. However, the reaction I got was rather shocking. She gave me a long stare, and scoffed.

"Wife?" She scoffed again. "Is this the trend now? Going around and claiming to be the wife of another married man?"

I squinted my eyebrows, confused and furious at the same time.

"What effrontery of a mere mistress." She added, letting out a small brief laugh.

"Excuse you! What the hell was that?" I snapped, unable to hold back my anger any longer.

"A friendly advice. My boss's wife is around now, so I think you should do yourself a favour and vacate the premises. Trust me, you don't want to get caught dating her husband,"

My jaw dropped to the ground, and my heart sank into my stomach. I tried to wrap my head around what she was saying, but nothing was working. I opened my mouth to talk, but no words came out.

'Is Derek cheating on me? Does he really have another wife aside from me?'

I dismissed the thought, shaking my head as I swallowed the lump in my throat. Derek will never do that to me. He would never hurt me that much.

My heart hammered hard in my chest like it was going to explode. I tried to move my leg, but failed to as I was stuck to the same spot.

"No... That's not true. Derek will never do that to me." I shook my head in denial, mumbling to myself. No way I was going to believe that the man I've been married to for three years has another woman, right? It didn't make sense.

My heart stopped beating when the door opened and Derek walked in, holding hands with a young curvy lady as they both laughed at whatever jokes they were making.

He froze as soon as he saw me, his eyes widening in shock.

It felt like a dagger was pierced through my heart, my eyes diverting to their hands which he quickly disengaged.

"Babe..." His voice was filled with nervousness, his body shaky as he came to me.

"You didn't tell me you were coming." He smiled nervously, trying to hide his shock.

I scoffed. So he would've been careful not to get caught if I had told him I was coming?

I dropped the food flask on the floor and threw him a glare before leaving his office without sparing him another glance.

"Babe... Leilani... Babe..." Derek kept calling out my name as he followed me out of the building, but I didn't stop to listen to him.

"Listen to me, please." He pleaded, holding my hand and bringing me to an abrupt halt just before I got to the parking lot.

"Let go of me!" I yanked his hand off furiously.

"Please, honey. Listen to me." He pleaded breathlessly as I turned to face him.

"That woman... She... she's just a friend. She just got back into the country after years, and dropped by to see me. There is nothing going on between us." he shook his head, gazing straight into my eyes.

"Honey..." He paused, catching his breath as he held my cheek in his palm, caressing it. "You know I would never do anything to hurt you. I love you, and I will never do anything that'll hurt you."

I stared at him wordlessly, not knowing what to believe. I didn't know if to believe what his secretary told me or if I should believe him. Why would his secretary call that woman his wife if there was really nothing going on between them?

"Honey, please say something." He held my hand as he said to me softly.

"What am I supposed to believe now, Derek? Your secretary told me that you were married to another woman, and she thought I was just your mistress. I was still finding it hard to believe, but you walked in, holding hands and laughing with another woman. What am I supposed to believe now?" I yanked his hands off, shaking my head as I stepped away from him.

"You should trust me, please. I promise, there is nothing between us. My secretary must've mistaken us. I was just excited to see her, that's all, honey." He sounded so convincing that I started to feel bad for not trusting him enough. We have been married for three years, and I have never caught him cheating on me. He has been nice to me and never gave me a reason to doubt him. How could I have believed those lies from his secretary?