He Kissed His Secretary In Front Of Me

Chapter 3

Westbridge Group had booked the city's most luxurious ballroom for my welcome party. I was waiting backstage when my phone lit up.

Chloe had sent a photo: my resignation paperwork with a corner cut off.

Chloe: Come to the wedding reception next door and wish us well, Rachel. In person. Or I'll tear up your resignation.

I gave a cold smile and locked my phone. There were a few things I needed to settle face-to-face anyway.

The lounge door was ajar. Before I reached it, I heard her voice.

"Lucas, yesterday you told Rachel I'd get the wedding, but she'd be your wife on paper. You didn't mean that, did you?"

Under the sweet, teasing tone, she sounded nervous.

He scoffed, "Don't be silly. I was telling her what she wanted to hear. Why would I marry her? She can't do anything but run errands. You're the one who deserves my name and every share of the company."

"But what if she figures it out? What if she really leaves?"

"She won't." His voice was smug, almost indulgent. "5 years, and she still believes every word I say. She doesn't even know I made her lose the baby. All I have to do is say a few nice things when she turns up, and she'll come running back."

I went cold. For a moment, I couldn't think, couldn't feel my legs.

5 years ago, I'd lost my first baby after drinking with potential investors for Lucas. During that pregnancy, I'd been sick for 4 months, unable to keep anything down, wasting away. But every time I heard the heartbeat at a checkup, it all felt worth it.

The night I lost the baby, Lucas had knelt outside the hospital room, sobbing and promising we'd have a family.

He'd planned the whole thing.

I stood outside the lounge until my legs went numb. This time, I didn't cry or confront him. I opened my email, attached my resignation documents and Grant Group's complete financial records, and sent them to Westbridge's legal department.

When I stepped up to speak at my welcome reception, I smiled.

"I have something special for you today."

*****

Next door, Lucas couldn't settle. He kept scanning the wedding guests for a face that wasn't there.

"Where's Rachel?"

Chloe pouted. "Why do you need her? You've got me."

"Shut up."

His expression made her stop. He asked almost everyone in the room. No one knew.

"Find her. If you can't tell me where Rachel Bennett is today, there won't be a wedding."

He didn't hear the panic creeping into his own voice.

Then his assistant came hurrying over.

"Mr. Grant, we have a problem. Westbridge's new CFO is being introduced next door. She has our confidential financial records. The court's frozen all our accounts. The banks have received the orders."

The assistant swallowed. "Apparently, her last name's Bennett."

Lucas went white. He strode into the ballroom next door and finally saw the woman he'd been frantic to find.