Chapter 7 The Unexpected Boss

BELLA

I groaned, reaching over to silence the alarm, only to swipe through empty air. Confused, my eyes snapped open. Unfamiliar surroundings greeted me, and for a split second, panic gripped my chest. Then it hit me I’m married again. The thought made me grimace.

Grumbling to myself about the absurd distance to the alarm, I stumbled out of bed. "I need to change that. Way too far for this nonsense," I muttered. The bathroom was ridiculously huge bigger than my old bedroom. I stared at the marble countertops and gold fixtures, shaking my head. My phone buzzed, snapping me from my daze.

The CEO is coming today.

“What?!” I nearly dropped my toothbrush in shock. The CEO? The ghost who never visited? Why today of all days?

Just as I was about to process the absurdity, Elowen’s name flashed on my screen. I answered, barely managing to hold the phone.

“Did you see the message?” she squealed, already worked up.

“Yeah... just saw it,” I replied, bracing myself for the whirlwind of Elowen’s excitement.

“I heard he’s hot. Powerful, too. Kind of like your husband,” she teased.

I rolled my eyes. Sure, David was attractive, everyone said so but he was also exasperating. Infuriatingly so.

“Hello? Bella?” Elowen’s voice cut through my thoughts.

“I’m here, just brushing my teeth.”

“I’m praying the CEO notices me. What if he’s my soulmate?” she laughed dramatically, and I couldn’t help but laugh with her.

“You’d trip in front of him like in those cheesy rom-coms, right?” I joked. “Or just march into his office and say, ‘Will you be my boyfriend?’” We both cracked up at the absurdity.

After she hung up, I stared at my closet, finally picking something decent. Why was the CEO coming today? Was it because of Vivian? Had she reported me? A gnawing unease crept in. Vivian was dangerous conniving in ways I couldn’t predict.

A knock on the door interrupted my spiral. “Breakfast is ready, ma’am,” the head maid’s voice floated in.

“I’ll be right down,” I called, mentally preparing myself for whatever awaited.

David was already seated at the table when I entered, his sharp gaze cutting through me. For some reason, every time he looked at me like that, I felt... exposed. Vulnerable.

“You look nice,” he commented casually, catching me off guard.

“Uh, thanks,” I mumbled, awkwardly focusing on my plate. Compliments from David? Rare.

“I can drive you to work,” he added, almost as if it were nothing.

I froze. Of course, he knew where I worked. This was David Copperfield—he probably knew everything about me. “No thanks,” I said quickly. “I’d rather no one knows we’re... close.”

He raised an eyebrow. “Why not?”

“The CEO is coming today. I need to keep a low profile,” I explained, hurrying through breakfast.

“Oh?” His lips curled into a smirk, as if this CEO intrigued him. “What do you think of him?”

“He’s probably just as bad as his sister Vivian. The entire company bends to her will, and he’s never been around to stop her.” My words were laced with frustration. “I’m sure he’s only coming to help her bully me.”

His smirk deepened, something dangerous flashing in his eyes. “So that’s what you think?”

“Absolutely.” I downed the last of my tea. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to head out.” I kissed Jasper on the forehead before heading for the door. As I glanced back at David, I noticed his expression had shifted dark, menacing. What did I say?

The office buzzed with tension as everyone prepared for the CEO’s arrival. Vivian paraded around like royalty, smug and self-satisfied. I could barely stand to look at her.

“You should start packing up,” Vivian sneered as she passed my desk. “My brother doesn’t tolerate incompetence.”

I gritted my teeth, forcing a smile. “Your brother is just a man, Vivian. Not God.”

Before she could retort, the director's voice rang through the office. “The CEO is here!” The room fell into chaos. Everyone scrambled to put on their best smiles, except for Vivian, who took her time, savoring the moment.

As I looked up to the entrance, the world slowed. My heart dropped. No. No. No.

David. David Copperfield. My husband. The CEO. He stood at the entrance, shaking hands with the director.

The room spun. Of all the people it could have been... Why him?