1. What other Mrs Vance?

Flora's POV

I blow against the beautiful petals of flowers as they brush against my nose, enticing my brain with their exotic smell while I take slow steps straight into the premises of Vance Enterprises.

So many burdening thoughts are in my mind. I am determined to make things work and I am ready to take things the way it's supposed to be. I can't just sit back and watch my life and marriage crumble into a situation that my hand wouldn't be able to reach and adjust. I have to take matters into my own hands now and grab back what is mine and put our relationship back into the way it is supposed to be.

Although I know it is the right decision to make, I am not sure if he is willing to accept it. His attitude these past few months is something that my mind and frame cannot bear, and it has placed my entire mood and countenance into a deep, vast darkness that my entire being can no longer contain.

Thus, this is leading to the determination raging through my body. I grip tight against the flower bouquet with the well-structured letter etched on top of it while moving through the large halls of Vance Enterprises with so many gazes surrounding me.

The expressions on the workers' faces tell that I am somewhat unfamiliar, and they are trying to figure out who I am. Well, I don't blame them. What else can I say? They have never met me before and this is all because of Damien's consistent plea to keep our relationship on the low for now.

I understand what he is getting at. He is trying to help me. He has stated that his popularity and his vast wealth in the business industry have made him so well-known that if they see both of us together, they might assume I got his attention through callous attempts. No one might believe our relationship was based on the foundation of true love.

But well, I am willing to prove that to the world, and just like he has pleaded with me, I am taking my time and waiting for the right opportunity for our relationship to be revealed. But all of that is not in my head presently.

This is the first time I am stepping into his company so I'm not surprised by the curious gazes all surrounding me. They have no idea that I am the CEO's wife and I am on a mission to win my husband's heart because it seems like it has been dwindling.

I watch and observe the surroundings of the large hall of the edifice before me with confusion, wondering which step to take and how to get to his office.

I know that his office is located at the very top of this massive skyscraper building, directly below the large penthouse hall where he usually holds his large-scale meetings with every member of the board of his organization. This I have known through the structures and the maps he has given to me about a few months ago in case I want to get to visit his office when the time comes.

But I don't know which step to take directly from the ground floor, and he has never told me where to proceed or when I want to start coming, so I am at a loss for where to head right now.

I grip tight against the flower bouquet in my hand and slowly turn around to behold a butler standing in front of an elevator door that looks as if it has been reserved privately for a very important person. No doubt that that must be my husband's private elevator that would take him straight to his office.

But I know he's not going to allow me in there because he doesn't know of my identity as his wife so this might be a little bit tricky. I brush a few strands of my hair behind my ear and quickly take a step or two towards him. Even though he won't allow me, he should at least be able to listen to my pleas and help me in any way to get up to Damien without actually letting him know that I have arrived.

He scrutinizes me deeply as I take quick steps towards him in all my calm elegance, adjusting my beautiful, well-dressed, flowered gown, before coming to a stop directly before him. He scans me from up to down, and then folds his arms.

" How may I help you, madam?" He requests, and I chuckle before looking around me.

" I am so sorry. I am here to see the CEO. I want to visit him for something important." I finally say, and he raises an eyebrow at me, looking a little bit confused.

He scans my dress, and from the expression on his face, I can tell he has declared that I must be someone important because I am not dressed in a poor sort of clothing. My clothes are expensive, and they have been bought by Damien for me from time to time to ensure that I don't look like some low-class individual before him anytime we are going out.

"Well, Mr. Vance never mentioned any important person coming to visit him today, but since you have stated this, I would advise you to head over to the receptionist's table over there." He points over to a section across the large hall, where I notice a beautiful table with a stunning blonde lady sitting behind it, typing briskly into a laptop.

"You can move over there and place down your statement and then we are going to consult with Mr. Vance to see if we can allow you in or not." The moment he says that I blink rapidly and bite hard against my lower lip, stepping closer to him.

" I am so sorry. I don't want Mr. Vance to know I am around. I wanted it to be like a surprise. You see, I am sort of like a relative to him and I just wanted to surprise him with this visit. I don't want him to know I am here. Can you help me with that?" I try to tell him, using my best effort to display the sincerity in my eyes.

He examines me for a brief while before he looks away and scans the entire hall as if deep in thought. Then he sighs and points to another section of the hall.

"You see that guard over there? That is Mr. Vance's third most important bodyguard. You can head over to him and state your reason and he will attend to you."

I nod my head briskly with appreciation. "Thank you so much. I appreciate it." I say and he smiles.

I then briskly walk over to the guard who looks like he must be taking an important security call, tapping against the telecom in his ears.

"Hello, sir," I say, and he turns his head sharply to me with a gaze that makes me jolt, but I manage to regain my composure, bringing my confidence to a hundred level percent as I gaze straight at him in the eyes.

"How may I help you?" He requests with a very sharp tone that makes me gulp but I manage to brace myself for what is to come.

" I'm sorry. I'm here to see Mr. Vance. I am a relative of his and I just wanted to surprise him with my presence and give him this bouquet. Can you help me with that?" he frowns for a short while and scans me from up to down.

" I know all of Mr. Vance's relatives by heart, but he has never mentioned you before. who are you, and can you state your name, please?" I gulp hard and bite my lip.

I know that this is not going to be easy since I have agreed with Damien to hide my identity from every person in his life up to this very moment. How am I going to do this? I can't reveal my second name to him yet. I am. I'm not even sure he has stated my first name to any of his workers, so what am I going to do?

I take a deep breath and fidget a little bit feeling cold sweat dropping slightly from my forehead.

"Well, my name is Flora Hawthorne, and I am a long-distance relative who just came back from traveling overseas." I lie immediately and then he scrutinizes me.

He hesitates for a while as if deep in thought before briskly turning his gaze away from me.

"Well, I have heard your plight, but I am sorry that I cannot help you. Mr. Vance is in an important meeting with Mrs. Vance in his office right now and he hates to be disturbed whenever this meeting takes place."

My ears flinch at his words and I jerk back a little bit before blinking my eyelids rapidly and gazing at him.

What the hell did I just hear?

" Um, I'm sorry, what did you just say?"

He gives me a sharp look once more. "Are you deaf? I said Mr. Vance is in a private meeting with his wife, Mrs. Vance, and he hates to be disturbed. If you have anything important, you can call him yourself. And then I will now know whether I am permitted to let you in or not."

My entire world seems to be spinning right now and I cannot believe what I just heard.

What the hell did he mean by Mr. Vance being in a private meeting with his wife, Mrs. Vance?

I am Mrs. Vance, for heaven's sake, and I am standing right here. What other Mrs. Vance is he talking about?