The Wife No One Knows

Chapter One: The Wife No One Knows

I stepped into the sleek, modern lobby of Brennan Enterprises, my heart racing with excitement. Today was meant to be a surprise—something I hadn’t done in a long time.

I missed the early days of our marriage, when Adrian and I would steal little moments together. Lately, work had consumed him—meetings, business trips, endless responsibilities. But today, I wanted to remind him that I was still here. Still his wife.

The lobby buzzed with quiet conversations, employees glued to their phones or hurrying past. A normal morning for them—but for me, this was special. I carried a carefully wrapped gift in my bag: a limited-edition watch Adrian had wanted for months. A small gesture, but one that mattered.

I approached the front desk with a bright smile.

“Good morning. I’m here to see Mr. Adrian Brennan. I’m his wife, Lily.”

The receptionist’s eyes widened for a fraction of a second before she masked her surprise with a polite smile. But I saw it—that flicker of hesitation.

“His… wife?” she echoed uncertainly.

I nodded, still smiling. “Yes. I just wanted to surprise him.”

She hesitated, glancing at her screen. “I’m sorry, ma’am, but I don’t see any appointment under your name. Are you sure you’re—”

A strange feeling stirred in my chest. “I don’t need an appointment. I’m his wife. Lily Brennan. I’m sure you’ve seen me here before.”

Her smile faltered. Her fingers hovered over the keyboard before she cast a nervous glance down the hall. “I’ll just check with Mr. Brennan’s office.”

Something was wrong.

I told myself I was overthinking. Maybe she was new. Maybe she just wasn’t used to seeing me here.

But as she picked up the phone and spoke in hushed tones, the uneasy feeling only grew.

I turned away before she could finish and stepped into the elevator. I knew my way to Adrian’s office. I didn’t need permission.

The doors slid shut, and as the elevator rose, I took a deep breath, willing the tension in my chest to fade. I was being silly. It was just nerves.

But the moment the doors opened onto the top floor, I knew.

Something was off.

The air was too still. Employees walked past me, their gazes darting away as if they weren’t supposed to see me. Their voices dipped into whispers when I passed.

It was like I was an outsider. A stranger in a place where I should belong.

I shook off the feeling and kept walking. I was Adrian’s wife. This was my husband’s company. I had every right to be here.

But just as I reached his office, I heard voices inside.

“…Sophia will be there tonight, won’t she?”

I froze.

Sophia?

The name was unfamiliar. I had never heard Adrian mention a Sophia in all our years together.

Another voice responded smoothly. “Of course. Sophia has been organizing the gala. She practically runs this company now.”

My breath hitched.

Runs the company?

I stood there, the words echoing in my head. Adrian never talked about a Sophia. Never once.

Who was she? And why did she sound so important?

Before I could process anything else, the door opened.

And she stepped out.

Sophia.

She was stunning—tall, poised, radiating confidence. The kind of woman people noticed. Admired. Respected.

The employees in the hallway straightened as she walked by. Some smiled warmly, nodding in acknowledgment. Their gazes weren’t just polite—they were familiar.

She belonged here.

“Good morning, Mrs. Brennan,” a senior executive greeted, his tone warm.

My world tilted.

Mrs. Brennan.

I stared as Sophia gave a soft, practiced smile and nodded, as if this were the most natural thing in the world.

As if she was the woman everyone expected.

As if she was Adrian’s wife.

My fingers trembled as I reached for the doorknob, my heart hammering. I wanted to burst in, demand answers, ask Adrian what the hell was going on.

But the door clicked shut behind her.

And in that moment, I knew.

I had been living a lie.

The real Mrs. Brennan wasn’t me.

She was a woman I had never even met.

I wasn’t the wife everyone knew.

I wasn’t the woman standing beside Adrian in this company, in his life.

I wasn’t anyone.

I was just… no one.