The CEO’s Secret Wife

Chapter2

ADELINE’S POV

I took a step back, barely feeling the floor beneath my feet. My pulse thundered in my ears, louder than any scream I could make. Bethany’s wet, choking sounds filled the room, and my stomach twisted violently.

I didn’t want to see the rest.

My bag slipped from my fingers and hit the floor, knocking a vase off the side table. It shattered on impact.

Charlie’s head jerked up.

Bethany spun around like she’d been burned.

For a split second, the entire room froze.

“s**t,” Charlie muttered.

He scrambled to his feet, grabbing his briefs from the floor as panic flashed across his face.

“Adeline… wait,” he rushed out, fumbling to pull them on. “This isn’t… I mean it’s not what you—”

“Oh really?” I said slowly, my voice sharp. “Because from where I’m standing, it looks exactly like what I think it is.”

“s**t… I’m sorry, Adeline,” he said quickly, dragging a hand through his hair. “Look… I didn’t want you to find out like this. Maybe we should sit down and talk about it like adults.”

My jaw dropped.

“Talk about what?” I snapped. “The part where I walk in and catch my fiancé getting serviced by his sister?”

Charlie flinched.

Bethany… smiled.

Only then did I really look at her.

Unlike Charlie, she hadn’t even bothered to cover herself.

She leaned casually against the kitchen table, completely naked, arms crossed beneath her chest, watching our argument with a smug little smile like she was enjoying this.

“God, Adeline,” she said lazily. “You always did have a flair for drama.”

My head whipped toward her. “You shut your mouth.”

Charlie stepped forward.

“Look,” he said, voice tightening. “I never asked you to come here today.”

The words hit like ice water.

“I never asked—” I repeated, stunned. “Since when have I ever needed an invitation to come to your house?”

I gestured wildly around the kitchen. “We’re getting married next week!”

Charlie frowned like I was the unreasonable one.

“What are you talking about? Didn’t you get my text?”

“My… what?”

“The message I sent you. Hours ago.”

A cold knot formed in my stomach.

My phone.

I’d turned it off earlier at the dress shop after dealing with Mr. Campbell. I hadn’t bothered turning it back on.

Slowly, I pulled it out of my bag.

My fingers felt numb as I powered it on.

The screen lit up. Four unread messages. One from my boss. One from Leah.

And two from… Charlie.

My heart began to pound harder as I opened them.

“I think we should call things off. I’m sorry. – Charlie.”

My chest tightened. I opened the second.

“The wedding’s off. I’m sorry. It’s not you, it’s me. Don’t bother calling me. We’re over.”

That was it.

Two texts.

Two sentences that erased a whole year of my life.

I stared at the screen, my vision blurring.

“You…” My voice trembled. “You broke up with me… over text?”

Charlie shrugged.

“I figured it was easier.”

A hollow laugh escaped me.

“Easier for who?” My voice rose. “You waited until now… two weeks before the wedding—after everything… just to break up with me over a f*****g text?”

I cursed.

I never cursed.

“Does it even matter now?” he said flatly. “Honestly, Adeline, if you’d just checked your f*****g phone, you wouldn’t even be here right now. And I wouldn’t have to explain any of this.”

I stared at him.

This couldn’t be the same man who, just last week, had tried to convince me to elope because he “couldn’t wait another minute” to make me his wife.

My chest tightened painfully.

“Since when?” I asked quietly.

Charlie frowned. “Since when what?”

I pointed between him and Bethany.

“This.”

Silence.

Bethany chuckled behind him.

“Since when has this been going on?”

Charlie grabbed a shirt from a chair and pulled it over his head.

“Does it matter now?”

“Tell me.”

Bethany answered for him. “Eight months.”

The room tilted.

“Eight… months?”

Charlie shrugged. “Give or take.”

My stomach churned.

“You really didn’t notice?” Bethany tilted her head. “I thought you were smarter than that.”

“Don’t be mean,” Charlie said lightly.

Then he looked back at me.

I took a step toward him—

—but he stepped back immediately.

Like I disgusted him.

That hurt more than anything he’d said.

“Did I… do something wrong?” My voice came out small and shaky. “Charlie, are you mad about something? Is that what this is?”

My throat felt tight.

“If I hurt you somehow, just tell me. Please… I’m sorry.”

Charlie stared at me, then sighed.

“God, Adeline. Listen to yourself.”

He rubbed the back of his neck.

“You’re acting like I committed some horrible crime.”

He gestured toward Bethany.

“Okay, sure. Maybe I should’ve told you earlier that I’m f*****g my half-sister.”

Bethany gave a dramatic little wave.

“Hi.”

My mind went blank.

“And believe me, I tried. I really did.” He glanced at Bethany.

“I tried to ignore what I felt for her. I tried to make things work with you.”

Bethany smirked proudly.

“But eventually I realized something,” he said. “It wasn’t you I wanted.”

The words slammed into my chest.

“So I did the decent thing,” he finished. “I ended it.”

My head snapped up.

“After a year?” I choked. “We’re getting married in two weeks, Charlie!”

My voice rose with every word.

“We booked the venue, sent invitations, and planned everything. I spent months preparing for this wedding!”

“No,” Charlie cut in sharply. “I spent.”

My stomach dropped.

“You just enjoyed spending my money to plan your little dream wedding.”

That was a lie.

Charlie had offered to pay for things countless times, but I had refused almost every time. Aside from the dress, I hadn’t taken a cent from him. We had split the venue cost ourselves.

“Besides,” he added with a shrug, “why are you taking this so seriously?”

His lips curled.

“You’re not my first girlfriend. You wouldn’t have been my last.”

My hands curled into fists.

“You’ve been sleeping with your sister,” I said.

My stomach churned.

“I did try to make it work with you.”

My laugh came out broken. “Try?”

His eyes met mine. “You’re boring, Adeline.”

The words hit like a slap.

“You don’t drink. You hate parties. You’re always working. Always being so f*****g responsible.”

He shook his head. “It’s exhausting.”

Bethany clapped slowly.

“Finally,” she said. “I’ve been saying that for months.”

Charlie laughed.

“My friends already make fun of me for getting engaged to a charity case.”

My chest tightened painfully.

“Your whole family is pathetic,” he added coldly. “Every morning I woke up wondering how I ended up with someone like you.”

Something inside me cracked.

“All because I wanted to f**k a virgin.”

The room fell silent.

But I refused to cry.

Not here.

Not in front of him.

And definitely not in front of her.

I swallowed the burning lump in my throat and forced my shoulders straight.

“Wow,” I said quietly.

My lips curved into something between a smile and a grimace.“You waited until now to finally show who you really are.”

He blinked like he’d expected tears.

Instead, I stepped forward.

“So this is what you want?” I asked, pointing at Bethany.

He didn’t hesitate.

“I want her.”

Bethany smirked.

“And honestly?” Charlie added, voice sharp now. “I’m f*****g tired of pretending. You suffocate people, Adeline. Always trying to be perfect. It’s exhausting.”

My hand moved before I could stop it.

SMACK.

The sound echoed through the kitchen.

Charlie’s head snapped to the side.

My hand trembled.

“I hate you,” I said quietly.

Charlie rubbed his cheek.

“That’s fine.”

“I will never forgive you for this.”

Bethany rolled her eyes.

“God, you’re dramatic.”

I turned toward the door.

But before leaving, I looked back at them one last time.

“I hope you both burn in the hottest, deepest part of hell.”

Then I walked out.

Each step felt heavier than the last.

My chest ached so badly it almost felt physical, like something inside me had been ripped open.

He had only used me.

The realization settled into my bones as I walked down the street. Every memory I had with Charlie twisted in my mind like something rotten.

The kisses.

The way he used to tuck my hair behind my ear.

The way he’d whisper that he couldn’t imagine his life without me.

All lies.

Every single one of them.

How was I supposed to erase a whole year of memories? How was I supposed to pretend none of it had happened?

I kept walking without thinking about where I was going. The city moved around me… cars passing, people talking—but everything felt distant, like I was watching the world through thick glass.

Eventually, my legs gave up.

I sank onto a park bench and covered my face with my hands.

The tears came quietly at first. Then harder.

How was I going to tell everyone the wedding was off?

I didn’t even have many friends, but I’d invited my coworkers.

Ex-coworkers.

The reminder hit me like another punch.

First, my job.

Now this.

My life wasn’t falling apart… it had already collapsed.

I wiped my eyes, trying to pull myself together.

I should go home.

But the thought of facing Leah like this… of answering her questions—felt unbearable.

And tomorrow I still have to pick up Mom for her doctor’s appointment.

The thought made my chest tighten.

I stood again and started walking.

At least I think I was walking.

Inside I felt hollow, like someone had scooped everything out of me and left nothing behind.

Cars passed by, headlights streaking across the pavement as the sky darkened.

And through it all, one sentence echoed in my head.

‘You’re so f*****g boring, Adeline.’

Charlie’s cruel and mocking voice.

My jaw clenched.

It wasn’t the first time I’d heard those words.

Bethany used to throw them at me every Saturday when she invited me to “fun club nights” and I declined because I had work.

You’re so boring, Adeline.

You’re missing out on life.

What did that even mean?

What does it mean to be boring?

I slowed as a flicker of neon light caught my eye. A sign glowed across the street, pulsing red and blue against the darkening sky. Music thumped faintly from inside the building. I stared at it for a long moment.

Then something reckless stirred in my chest. Fun.

I wasn’t boring.

Charlie was just a coward trying to make himself feel better about cheating.

And Bethany…

Well.

Bethany could choke on Charlie’s pathetic ego.

My instincts screamed that this was a terrible idea.

But I ignored them.

The music hit me the moment I stepped in.

It was loud, wild, and distracting… just what I needed.

I found the bar, downed two shots in quick succession, then another. The burn in my throat reminded me I was still alive.

I was halfway through my fourth shot when a man came up beside me, flashing a confident smile.

“You okay?” he asked. I had to admit, his voice was smooth.

I eyed him. I turned to look at him.

Tall. Broad shoulders. Sharp jawline. The kind of quiet confidence that usually made women melt.

Under different circumstances, I might have smiled.

Instead, I tilted my head slightly.

“Do I look boring?”

He blinked, clearly caught off guard. “Uh… no.”

I studied him carefully. “Do you know how to have fun?”

His eyebrows lifted, but he didn’t step away. “I’ve been told I’m pretty good at it.”

He leaned closer, lowering his voice.

“I’ve got a room upstairs. Third floor.”

For a moment, I just stared at him.

Then I reached forward, grabbed his tie, and pulled him slightly closer.

“Good,” I said, finishing the last of my drink.

“Let’s go.”

We didn’t talk much after that.

I don’t think either of us needed to.

*********

I woke up to sunlight spilling across my face. My head pounded.

My mouth was dry, and my body felt heavy… like I’d slept for years and not at all at the same time.

For a moment, I didn’t move.

Then I shifted slightly… There he was.

My hand clamped over my mouth, stopping the gasp halfway.

Shirtless.…Fine as hell.

I squinted at him, then huffed out a quiet laugh. Even drunk, my standards were intact.

I pushed myself up—

And it hit me.

Mom.

“s**t,” I whispered, scrambling for my phone.

That’s when the guy beside me stirred.

12:00 PM.

“Hey. Your phone’s been ringing all morning,” he mumbled as he stretched. “Thought about answering it myself.”

“Yeah? And say what… ‘she’s busy making bad decisions’?” I shot back.

A lazy smirk tugged at his lips. “Wouldn’t be wrong.”

As if on cue, it rang again.

I answered.

“Hello?”

“Hello, am I speaking to a… Adeline Levine?”

“Yes… Yes, that’s me.”

“My name is Juliana Abels, from the St Douglas Care Home for the elderly,” the voice said. “Your mother… um, some men came to see her this morning. She’s currently in police custody.”

My stomach dropped.

“For what? She’s immobile—” I stopped, dragging a hand over my face.

“I don’t have the full details, ma’am. But the Metropolitan Police have requested your presence.”

I sat there, phone pressed to my ear, staring at the wall like it might offer answers. I was hungover, half-naked, and barely processing what I’d just heard.

What the hell did my mother get arrested for?​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​