The CEO’s Masked Secret Wife

Chapter 1 - Betrayal and a Masquerade Escape

Hazel's POV

I stumbled through my front door, exhaustion weighing on my shoulders like a heavy blanket. My feet ached after standing for eight hours at the bookstore, followed by a three-hour evening class at the community college. All I wanted was a hot shower and my bed.

Instead, I found my parents waiting in the living room, their expressions grim.

"Hazel, we need to talk," my father said, his voice unusually stern.

I dropped my bag by the door. "Can it wait until morning? I'm dead on my feet."

"No, it can't," Mom replied, holding up a cream-colored envelope. "This arrived today."

The fancy gold script made my stomach twist before I could even read it. I already knew what it was.

"Jessica's wedding invitation," she announced, as if it were a normal thing to discuss. As if Jessica hadn't destroyed my life less than six months ago.

"That backstabbing witch is not my cousin," I snapped, anger immediately replacing my exhaustion.

Dad's face reddened. "Hazel Marie Vance! That's enough of that language."

"She slept with Ethan in my bed!" My voice cracked. "My boyfriend of four years. In my room, Dad."

Mom sighed dramatically. "Ethan was at fault since he was your boyfriend. Jessica was just... confused. He manipulated her."

I laughed bitterly. "Confused? Is that what we're calling it? She knew exactly what she was doing."

"This childish feud needs to end," Mom continued, ignoring my pain. "Your aunt is heartbroken that you've been avoiding family gatherings."

"I'm sorry my trauma is so inconvenient for everyone," I muttered.

Dad stood up, towering over me. "You're going to this wedding, Hazel. That's final."

"I'm what?" I stared at him in disbelief.

"You heard me. Your mother wants peace in the family, and you're going to help make that happen."

"By watching the man I thought I'd marry walk down the aisle with my cousin?" My eyes stung with tears. "Do you have any idea how humiliating that would be?"

Mom's lips thinned into a disapproving line. "It's been six months. You need to move on."

"I have moved on! Moving on doesn't mean I need to celebrate their relationship!"

"ENOUGH!" Dad's shout made me flinch. "This isn't a debate. You're going to be there with a smile on your face, or you can find somewhere else to live."

The ultimatum hung in the air between us. I turned and fled to my room, tears streaming down my face. I heard my mother call after me, but I slammed my door, muffling her voice.

I collapsed onto my bed, sobs wracking my body. After everything Ethan and Jessica had done, my parents were still taking their side. The betrayal cut deeper than I thought possible.

"They're making you go to the wedding?" Chloe's eyes widened in outrage as she slid a coffee across the breakroom table to me. "That's cruel, even for your parents."

I'd called her the moment I woke up, and she'd immediately rushed to meet me at work during my break. Chloe had been my best friend since kindergarten, and unlike my family, she'd been fiercely loyal after the Ethan-Jessica disaster.

"Dad threatened to kick me out if I don't go." I stared into my coffee. "I can't afford my own place yet."

"Those self-righteous—" Chloe cut herself off, her expression suddenly changing. "Wait. When is this wedding again?"

"Next Saturday," I mumbled.

A sly grin spread across her face. "Perfect. The Sterling Masquerade Ball is the same night."

"The what?"

"Only the most exclusive event of the year," Chloe explained, excitement building in her voice. "My father got invited through business connections. I have two extra tickets."

"Chloe, I can't—"

"Yes, you can. Tell your parents it's a networking event for your career. Which isn't even a lie—half the city's business elite will be there."

"They'll never buy it."

"Leave that to me." She squeezed my hand. "No way are you watching Jessica marry your ex. You're coming to a masquerade ball with me instead."

Three days later, Chloe had somehow convinced not only my parents but her boyfriend Noah to go along with the plan. She'd spun the ball as a crucial networking opportunity, even getting her father to call mine about the "professional connections" I could make.

"See? Problem solved," she announced triumphantly as we sat in my bedroom. "You'll stay at my place Friday night, and we'll get ready together Saturday."

I felt a weight lift from my shoulders. "Have I told you lately that you're the best friend ever?"

"Not nearly enough," she winked. "Now we just need to find you something spectacular to wear."

The night of the ball arrived faster than I expected. Standing in Chloe's bedroom, I hardly recognized the woman in the mirror. My long black hair cascaded down my back in loose waves, and the deep red satin dress hugged my curves perfectly.

"The final touch," Chloe whispered, handing me an intricate golden mask that covered the upper half of my face.

I placed it over my eyes, securing the ribbon behind my head. The person staring back at me looked mysterious, confident—nothing like the heartbroken girl who'd been crying herself to sleep for months.

"You look incredible," Chloe breathed, adjusting her own silver mask. "If Ethan could see you now, he'd regret everything."

Noah knocked on the bedroom door. "Ladies? The car's waiting."

As we headed toward the door, panic suddenly gripped my chest. What was I doing? I wasn't the kind of girl who went to lavish parties or defied her parents. What if they found out? What if I ran into someone who knew me?

"Wait," I whispered, grabbing Chloe's arm. My heart hammered against my ribs. "I don't think I can do this."

"What's wrong?" Chloe turned to me, concern in her eyes.

"I'm not... I'm not brave like you. Maybe I should just stay here." The thought of facing a ballroom full of strangers made my stomach twist. "Please, Chloe, let me stay?"