Chapter 6

Naomi’s POV

"What's the best way to get to your enemy? By being close to them."

That was the first plan that ran through my mind as soon as I set foot back in New York.  

It had been five long years since I left—years filled with pain, heartbreak, loneliness, and emptiness. But now I was back, and everything outside this city was in my past. Those years had built the new me, the me that was ready to take back what was mine.  

I wasn’t returning as Naomi anymore. I was coming back as Erica Smith—a new identity that would help me get revenge on Alexander.  

Yes, Alexander. The one person I had trusted completely, the one I loved since childhood.  

He’d done everything to win me over, and I even changed my life for him. I quit drinking and stopped going to my favorite bar just to impress him. But just a day before our wedding, he went and humiliated me by sleeping with my cousin, Rachel.  

And believe me, Rachel wasn’t going to be left out of my plan for payback.  

She always acted like she was so much better than me while secretly coveting everything I had—including my inheritance.  

I was back for my inheritance, for my company, for everything that had been taken from me. If they thought they could use what was mine without paying a price, they had another thing coming.  

That morning, I sat down with Betty, Miranda’s nanny and the one person I truly trusted. Betty was smart as a whip and knew all of my secrets. We were like best friends, and I told her every bit of my plan.  

Over breakfast, Betty casually slid a newspaper toward me. I barely had time to sip my coffee when my eyes landed on the headline:  

"ALEXANDER AND RACHEL TAKE AN EARLY BREAK FROM COMPANY ACTIVITIES FOR A QUIET TIME IN THE BAHAMAS."

I almost spat out my coffee. I pushed the paper away, but Betty wouldn’t let it go. With a knowing look, she pointed to a paragraph in the article:  

"Raymond, the senior son, is hiring today. It’s open to the public." 

My heart pounded.  

This was the opportunity I’d been waiting for—a way to get close to them and start my plan in motion.  

“It’s time,” Betty whispered, her voice low and full of understanding.  

I nodded, a new plan forming in my mind.  

I thought about how far I’d come—from a broken, betrayed woman to someone determined to make things right. I had changed, and I wasn't going to let my past define my every move.  

"What if—" I whispered, already rising from my seat.  

“What if what?” Betty asked, watching as I grabbed my coat.  

“If Miranda asks for me, tell her I’ll be right back.”

I was already at the exit door before she could respond.  

---  

Present

The weight of what I had gotten myself into now dawned on me.  

I stood in Raymond Montego's office, his sharp eyes dissecting me with a gaze that saw more than I wanted to reveal.  

“Did you say something, Miss Erica Smith?”

His deep voice pulled me out of my thoughts.  

With a straightened face, I replied, “No, nothing, sir.”

My secret must remain with me.  

He stared at me for a moment before giving me a document.  

“Good. From now on, you are Mrs. Erica Ray. Or Raymond. Whichever you prefer.” 

My breath hitched.  

“Excuse me?”  

“Go through the papers.”

He spoke with a cold tone, like he hadn't just turned my entire plan upside down.  

“Our relationship needs to be believable to the public.” 

Then, without another word, he walked away.  

I stood there for some minutes, baffled, the document feeling like a trap in my hands.  

I had never imagined ending up in a contract marriage with someone like Raymond.  

Sure, he was handsome, but his cold, distant demeanor made him impossible to stand.  

I couldn’t imagine spending two years tied to him.  

But then I remembered my goal.  

Two years was plenty of time to get my revenge on Alexander and Rachel.  

I picked up my phone.  

"I got the job. Take care of Miranda. I’ll check up on you soon."

I sent the message to Betty before reality dawned on me.  

Mrs. Erica Ray.  

What did I just agree to?  

There was a knock at the door.  

“Mrs. Ray?” 

Turning around, I saw a blonde-haired woman with a beautiful smile.  

“I’m Samantha, your husband's secretary. Sir Raymond asked me to take you to your new home.”

“My new… home?” 

I echoed, completely speechless.  

---  

Montego Mansion

The Montego Mansion was breathtaking—large columns, beautiful gardens, fountains that glinted under the night sky.  

The media had never done justice to the beauty of the mansion.  

But there was no time to be amazed.  

Why had Raymond entered a contract marriage with me?  

A man of his status could get any woman at his beck and call.  

Was this a game? A power move? Or something more sinister?  

This was not in my plan.  

I had wanted a job to get close to Alexander, not to be his elder brother's wife.  

But fate seemed to have other plans.  

Samantha led me inside.  

“This will be your room, Mrs. Erica.” 

I forced a nod.  

“Mrs. Erica,” she repeated, as if testing how it felt.  

“Yes, yes,” I answered, struggling to get acquainted with the name.  

She bowed slightly. “I’ll leave you to get comfortable.”

I turned, letting my eyes take in the luxurious space.  

Everything was black—the walls, the furniture, even the sheets.  

I felt a heavy presence behind me.  

A deep voice cut through the silence.  

“I see our wife is—”