The CEO's Hidden Wife

Lena walked into the office that morning with a sense of unease settling in her chest. It had been a week since her last meeting with Dominic, and the strange silence between them had only grown louder. While the tension between them still lingered, she couldn't ignore the mounting pressure she was feeling—both from her marriage and her responsibilities within the company.

The thought of her family business and the expectations placed on her weighed heavily on her. She had always kept her identity as the heir to the Thornton empire under wraps, even from Dominic. It had been a deliberate choice. Lena wasn't ready to share that part of herself with him—not yet. She had come to West Enterprises under the guise of being just another ambitious woman working her way up, not as the privileged heiress with a legacy to uphold. But the truth was starting to feel harder to ignore.

Her phone buzzed, and she glanced at the screen. It was a message from Dominic, requesting another meeting. The growing unease in her stomach twisted. Was this the moment? Would he find out the truth?

She couldn't avoid him forever. With a steadying breath, Lena grabbed her things and walked toward his office. As she stepped inside, Dominic's presence hit her like a force. He was seated at his desk, focused on a document, but there was something in the air—something thick, like a storm was about to break.

"Lena," he said without looking up, his voice cutting through the silence. "We need to talk about the upcoming partnership negotiations. There are some things that need to be settled."

Lena nodded, taking a seat across from him. She could feel the weight of the conversation hovering between them. There was something in the way he spoke, something that told her this meeting wasn't just about business.

As they went over the details of the negotiations, Lena's mind wandered back to the choices she had made. Keeping her identity hidden had been easy at first, but as her relationship with Dominic progressed—albeit slowly—the burden of her secret had grown heavier. She knew it wasn't going to stay hidden for much longer, and when the truth did come out, she feared how it would affect everything.

When they finished discussing the partnership details, Dominic leaned back in his chair, his gaze finally meeting hers. There was a coldness in his eyes, but also a flicker of something more. His voice was low and deliberate.

"Lena, I've been doing some research," he said, his tone sharp. "And I've found something I think you should be aware of."

Her heart skipped a beat, her palms suddenly clammy. She felt her breath catch in her throat. What had he uncovered? Was it her family business? The weight of the situation pressed down on her chest.

"What is it?" she asked, her voice more composed than she felt.

Dominic paused for a moment, as if weighing his words. "I know who you are. You're not just an employee here, Lena. You're not just another face in the crowd."

Lena's stomach dropped. She knew exactly what he meant. The truth was out.

He continued, his gaze intense. "You're the heiress to the Thornton Group, aren't you? The woman who's been hiding her identity for so long. I wasn't sure at first, but the evidence is undeniable. And now it all makes sense."

Lena didn't know how to respond. She had been caught, exposed in a way she hadn't anticipated. The secret she'd so carefully protected was now out in the open, and there was no turning back.

Dominic's expression softened slightly, though his eyes remained serious. "I don't know why you kept it a secret, but I think I understand why you did. People have a way of seeing your last name before seeing who you are. But now we're here. And we need to figure out where to go from here."

Lena swallowed, her mind racing. She had hoped to keep her identity hidden until the right moment, but now it was out. And she wasn't sure what this meant for her marriage, her career, or her future.

For a moment, neither of them spoke. The silence between them stretched, filled with the weight of everything unsaid. Lena wasn't sure what Dominic was thinking, but she could feel the shift in the air. The barrier she had worked so hard to maintain had crumbled, and now, they were both standing in the aftermath.

Finally, Lena broke the silence. "I didn't want anyone to treat me differently," she admitted, her voice quiet. "I didn't want to be seen as the 'heiress,' the 'daughter of the Thornton Group.' I wanted to be something more. I wanted to make my own way."

Dominic didn't say anything for a moment, his gaze never leaving hers. "I get that," he said finally. "But we need to address this. It changes things."

Lena nodded, feeling the weight of the truth settle between them. She wasn't sure what would come next, but she knew one thing for sure—things were never going to be the same again.