Faking Mrs. Sterling

Vivienne’s POV “Mummy!” The tiny voice rang through the hallway just before a small body crashed into my arms. A laugh escaped my lips as I staggered backward from the force of his hug, quickly tightening my hold around him before we both toppled to the floor. For the first time since morning, a real smile spread across my face — warm, effortless, alive. Dom buried his face against my shoulder like he belonged there. Behind us, the head teacher looked completely stunned. To be fair, she had spent the last ten minutes refusing to let me past her office door. 'We cannot release him to a stranger, ma’am. Only his father or assigned driver is allowed to pick him up.' At first, no amount of explanation had convinced her. Not until Dom saw me. The moment he did, he ran straight into my arms without hesitation. “You kept your promise,” he mumbled happily, still clinging to me. My heart softened. “Of course I did,” I said, brushing my fingers through his hair. “I told you we’d have dinner together today, didn’t I?” His face lit up instantly. “Yes!” The excitement in his voice was so pure that it tugged at something deep inside me. Slowly, I helped him back onto his feet before facing the teacher properly. “I’m so sorry, ma’am,” she apologized with an embarrassed smile. “I had no idea Mr. Sterling had a wife.” Wife. The word hit me strangely, but I forced a polite smile anyway. “It’s alright,” I replied calmly. “You were only doing your job.”Relief flooded her expression immediately. “For the children’s safety, we have to be careful about who picks them up,” she explained. “We can’t just release students to anybody unless we’re certain they know them.” “I understand.” She nodded gratefully before walking away toward the staircase. The second we stepped outside the building, Dom slipped his tiny hand into mine. The afternoon breeze brushed gently against my skin as we walked toward the parking lot, but my attention stayed completely on the little boy beside me. “Did they bother you?” he asked suddenly, looking up at me with worried eyes. The concern in his voice made my chest ache. “No, baby,” I said softly. “They were only trying to protect you.” His shoulders relaxed almost immediately. For a moment, silence settled comfortably between us. Then curiosity got the better of me. “Dom?” “Hm?” “Why did you call me ‘Mummy’ earlier?” The second the question left my lips, he became unusually quiet. His small fingers tightened around mine. For a few seconds, he simply stared ahead, as though carefully searching for the right answer. Then he finally looked up at me. Those beautiful innocent eyes nearly destroyed me. “I just…” he hesitated softly, “I just felt like calling you that.” My breath caught. Something warm and unfamiliar spread through my chest. Before I could respond, he asked quietly, “Don’t you want to be my mummy?” The vulnerability in his voice shattered whatever remained of my composure. I stopped walking. Kneeling slightly in front of him, I tucked a loose strand of hair behind his ear and smiled gently. “Oh, Dom,” I whispered. “I would love to be your mummy.” His entire face brightened instantly, and the smile that followed was so beautiful it nearly stole my breath away. Then, without warning, he threw his arms around me again. And somehow, in that moment… It felt like home. We got into the car, and a few minutes later, the driver pulled up in front of the massive Sterling Group building. The moment Dom noticed where we were, his cheerful mood disappeared almost instantly. His little brows furrowed into a frown. “Why are we here?” he asked, sounding unusually irritated. I turned toward him with a small smile. “Dom—” “Is he joining us for dinner?” he interrupted, giving me a suspicious look. “I thought it was supposed to be just the two of us.” The disappointment in his voice was so obvious that I almost laughed. Almost. Instead, my heart melted a little. I reached over and brushed my fingers gently through his hair. “Just for today,” I said softly. “We’re only inviting him today.” He sighed dramatically and folded his arms across his chest, leaning back into the seat like a tiny offended prince. I couldn’t stop the smile that spread across my face. Pulling out my phone, I dialed Alex’s number. The call barely rang once before he answered. “Babe.” His deep voice carried so much excitement that it instantly warmed my chest. “How was your meeting?” I asked. “It went perfectly,” he replied confidently. “All we have to do now is outbid the others, and the land is mine.” The ambition in his tone was impossible to miss. Alex always sounded most alive when he talked business. A small smile tugged at my lips. “That’s great. We’re downstairs already. Let’s finalize our dinner plans.” There was a brief pause before he spoke again. “About dinner…” His tone shifted slightly, becoming playful. “There’s been a little change of plans.” I frowned lightly. “What happened?” “You need to come upstairs first,” he said. “There’s something I want you to have.” Curiosity flickered through me immediately. “What is it?” “If I tell you now, it won’t be a surprise anymore.” I shook my head helplessly, smiling despite myself. “Fine. I’m coming.” The moment I ended the call, I looked at Dom. “Do you want to come upstairs with me?” “No,” he answered instantly, folding his tiny arms tighter around his chest. The pout on his face nearly made me laugh. “You’re really upset, huh?” “I’m not upset.” “You sound upset.” “I’m not,” he repeated stubbornly. I leaned forward and pressed a small kiss against his cheek. “I’ll be back soon, okay? I promise.” His expression softened slightly, though he still tried to maintain his grumpy little face. I turned toward the driver. “Mr. Paul, I’ll be back shortly.” The elderly man nodded politely. “Of course, ma’am.” Stepping out of the car, I stared briefly at the towering building before walking inside. Even after visiting several times, Sterling Group still intimidated me. Power and money oozed out of the entire place. The employees hurried through the opulent lobby in expensive suits, their faces grim and determined. Conversations echoed softly across the marble floors while security guards stood at every corner. This was Alex’s world. Cold. Powerful. Untouchable. And somehow, I had found myself becoming a part of it. The security guards recognized me immediately and allowed me through without asking for a pass. I headed straight toward the private elevator leading to the top floor. A few moments later, the elevator doors slid open. Alex’s office occupied almost the entire floor. The first time I had come here, it had left me speechless. Now, it only made me nervous. I walked toward his office and pushed the door open carefully. Alex was seated behind his desk, speaking on the phone. The moment my eyes landed on him, my breath caught slightly. He looked devastatingly handsome. The sleeves of his black shirt were rolled up to his elbows, exposing strong forearms and the silver watch wrapped around his wrist. His sharp jaw tightened occasionally as he listened to whoever was on the line. There was something dangerously attractive about watching him work. Confident. Powerful. Completely in control. As though sensing my presence, he looked up. The second our eyes met, his expression softened instantly. A smile tugged at his lips. I smiled back and sat down quietly in the chair opposite him while he finished the call. A few seconds later, he ended it and leaned back in his chair. “Hey,” he said warmly. Then his eyes drifted toward the door behind me. “Where’s Dominic?” “He refused to come upstairs,” I answered with a laugh. “Apparently, he doesn’t want you interrupting our dinner date.” Alex chuckled softly, shaking his head. “Well, fortunately for him, I can’t interrupt anything tonight.” I frowned slightly. “What do you mean?” His expression changed almost immediately. Subtle. But noticeable enough to make my stomach tighten. “Because my mother will be joining the two of you for dinner instead.” For a second, my heartbeat stumbled painfully against my chest. Mrs. Sterling. Just hearing her name was enough to make anxiety curl tightly in my stomach. I had only met her a handful of times, yet every single encounter left me emotionally drained afterward. She had never openly insulted me. Never raised her voice at me. But somehow, her cold stares and carefully chosen words always made me feel small… unworthy. Like I didn’t belong anywhere near her son. And the worst part? Alex never seemed to notice it. Or maybe he did… And simply chose to ignore it. To her, I was never good enough for her son. And deep down… I was almost certain she hated me. "Why." I asked carefully, suddenly very aware of myself. “I figured it would help you get to know each other better.” "Sure." Alex looked up at me, and the moment our eyes met, a soft smile appeared on his lips. Then, without saying a word, he bent slightly behind his desk and brought out a luxurious shopping bag, placing it carefully in front of me. My eyes immediately widened. The elegant silver logo printed on the bag belonged to the biggest fashion brand in Halter City — a brand so expensive that most people only admired their collections through magazine covers and social media posts. My heartbeat quickened slightly. “Alex…” He ignored the shock in my voice and walked toward me instead. Before I could even react, he moved behind my chair. I felt his fingers brush lightly against the back of my neck, sending a strange warmth through my body. Then something cold settled gently against my skin. My breath caught. Slowly, I lowered my gaze. A breathtaking diamond necklace rested beautifully around my neck, the stones shimmering under the office lights with almost blinding elegance. For a moment, I couldn’t even speak. It was beautiful. No… Beautiful wasn’t enough to describe it. It looked priceless. Carefully, I touched the necklace with trembling fingers, completely mesmerized by the way it sparkled against my skin. “This is…” I whispered softly, looking at my reflection in the glass beside his office. “This is beautiful. Thank you.” Alex smiled faintly and returned to his chair. “There’s also a dress in the bag,” he said casually. “And another small gift by the side.” I stared at him in disbelief. “You call this small?” I laughed softly. “You spoil me too much.” The truth was, nobody had ever spoiled me before. Not like this. Not in ways that made me feel seen… wanted. And sometimes, that terrified me. Because the more Alex gave me, the more afraid I became of losing him. --- By the time we arrived at the restaurant, it was already 7:15 p.m. The whole building glowed beautifully in the city lights. More like a luxury palace than a restaurant. The moment we stepped inside, an elegantly dressed woman welcomed us warmly before leading us upstairs. And the second we reached the upper floor, I understood why. The place was breathtaking. Crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling, their golden lights was reflecting against the marble floors. Soft music floated through the air while wealthy guests sat around dining tables dressed with candles and expensive wine. Everything about the place screamed luxury. At the far end of the room sat Mrs. Sterling. Even when seated, she has an intimidating elegance that made it difficult not to feel nervous around her. Tonight, she wore a fitted black stoned dress that clung perfectly to her graceful figure, making her look every bit like the powerful woman she was. “Good evening, Mrs. Sterling,” the woman beside us greeted politely. “Good evening, ma,” I added softly. Mrs. Sterling looked up calmly. “Good evening, Franka,” she said to the woman before finally shifting her gaze toward me. For a brief moment, her eyes lingered on the necklace around my neck. Then— “Grandma!” Dominic’s excited voice instantly broke the tension. He rushed toward her happily, throwing himself into her arms. Mrs. Sterling’s face softened immediately as she pulled him into a warm embrace, smiling genuinely at him. I blinked slightly in surprise. For some reason, I had expected her to scold him for being too loud in public. Instead, she looked at him with pure affection. It was strange seeing this softer side of her. “Sit,” she said finally, looking toward me. And for a second, I almost froze. Because she was smiling. A real smile. Though I had a feeling it wasn’t exactly meant for me. Perhaps she simply forgot to wipe it off after smiling at her grandson. Still… It was the nicest expression I had ever received from her. We settled into our seats and began going through the menu. Mrs. Sterling patiently helped Dominic choose his meal, listening to him carefully despite him changing his mind at least three times. The sight was unexpectedly comforting. A few moments later, Mrs. Franka — who apparently owned the restaurant — excused herself to supervise the meals personally. The second she walked away, the atmosphere around the table changed subtly. Mrs. Sterling set down her glass elegantly before looking directly at me. “I asked to meet with you tonight,” she said calmly. My fingers tightened slightly beneath the table. “Yes, ma’am.” Despite the nervousness clawing inside me, I kept my expression composed. I refused to let her see me intimidated. She studied me quietly for a moment before speaking again. “I was thinking…” she began smoothly, “since you and Alex seem determined to take this relationship further, it’s about time we met your parents.” My heartbeat slowed. “…Your family,” she finished with a polite smile. The air around me suddenly felt heavier. This wasn’t supposed to happen. Not now. Not this soon. A thousand thoughts crashed violently through my mind at once. Because there was one major problem. And if she found out… Everything could fall apart.