The CEO's Hidden Wife

Lena stood in front of her bathroom mirror, adjusting the collar of her blouse with a sigh. It had been two weeks since she had signed the marriage contract, and though the paperwork was in place, the reality of being married—secretly—still felt like an out-of-body experience. She had spent those days trying to find a balance between maintaining her professional image at work and keeping the secret of her marriage hidden from everyone, including her colleagues. The silence in her apartment that morning mirrored the unease she felt inside.

As she applied a thin layer of makeup, she reminded herself that the marriage, though forced, was necessary for her family. She wasn't in love with Dominic West, and she never would be. This was about duty and survival, nothing more. She checked her reflection once more, then grabbed her bag and headed out the door, determined to face the day.

Lena arrived at West Enterprises, her mind occupied with the looming threat of her new life. She hadn't spoken to Dominic outside of their initial meeting, and every encounter felt like a reminder of the cold, business-first dynamic between them. Her colleagues knew her as competent and efficient, but they had no idea that she was now married to the most powerful man in the company.

Her first task of the day was to prepare a report for Dominic—something simple but essential to his schedule. As she handed him the report in his office, he barely looked up from his laptop. His indifference stung more than it should, but Lena didn't let it show.

"Is this everything?" he asked, his voice flat.

"Yes," she replied, fighting the urge to roll her eyes. It was clear he didn't care about the work itself, only the result. She left his office quickly, feeling a mix of frustration and disappointment.

After their brief interaction, Lena couldn't shake the feeling that Dominic was deliberately avoiding her. At the office, he didn't acknowledge her as his wife, and every communication felt strictly professional—almost cold. They passed each other in the hallways, and while he didn't treat her with the respect of a partner, neither did he treat her with the disdain she had feared. It was like she didn't even exist outside of their business arrangement.

She wondered if this was how their entire marriage would be—an invisible relationship, one where both parties pretended nothing personal was happening behind the scenes.

Later that afternoon, Lena got a glimpse of Dominic's other side during an unexpected meeting. They were discussing a business proposal when one of his colleagues brought up a sensitive topic—his late father's legacy. Dominic's usual stoic demeanor cracked for a brief second. His jaw tightened, and for a fleeting moment, Lena caught a hint of something more vulnerable behind the professional mask.

Lena noticed the tension, but before she could say anything, Dominic swiftly regained his composure. "Let's keep the focus on the proposal," he said, the ice back in his voice.

Lena, still processing what she saw, realized that there was more to Dominic than the ice-cold CEO persona he had built. He had a past, one that was carefully hidden behind a wall of control.

That evening, Lena was reluctantly summoned by her parents to attend a family dinner. The conversation was business-focused, but there was an underlying tension as they spoke about her marriage to Dominic. Her mother casually mentioned, "You should spend more time with Dominic. You need to show him that the marriage is real. He's your husband now."

Lena suppressed a sigh. "I don't think he cares about that," she said, her words sharp. She had already grown tired of pretending to be something she wasn't, but her family didn't seem to understand the toll this arrangement was taking on her. They wanted everything to look perfect on the surface, but underneath, it was all just a façade.

Her father, ever the pragmatic businessman, offered a solution: "Do your duty, Lena. He needs to know that this marriage means something. You're the one who will make or break this deal."

Lena nodded, but her mind raced with questions. Did Dominic even see her as a partner, or was she simply a pawn in this game? The doubt weighed heavily on her, and she couldn't shake the feeling that her life was spiraling out of her control.

Back at West Enterprises the next day, Lena faced Dominic again. This time, something unexpected happened. As they met in his office to go over a critical report, Dominic's demeanor was different—more open, almost frustrated. "You don't understand, Lena," he said, for the first time showing genuine emotion. "This deal isn't just about business. It's about my family's reputation. They never believed I could handle this company. Now I have to prove them wrong. I can't afford to fail."

Lena looked at him, her heart softening for a moment. She knew the pressure of living up to expectations, though hers came from her family's legacy. Dominic's burden was different—he was trying to carve his own place in a world that never gave him room to grow.

But Lena didn't say anything. She couldn't. She didn't know how to reconcile this new side of him with the detached CEO she'd been forced to marry.