The CEO's Relentless Wife

Chapter Six: She Is a Fake Mother

Chapter Six: She Is a Fake Mother

Phoenix's eyes widened when he regained consciousness and looked around the room.

"Where am I? What happened?"

He felt like he just woke up from a nightmare, and he was lost for a while. He then remembered his daughter.

"Mary!" He yelled her name in panic.

He heard a moan before light filled the dark room, and he was stunned to see the woman with him.

"You? What the hell are you doing here?"

"The right question is, what am I doing here? The last time I remember, we were outside. What did you do to me?" Athena threw back at the man in front of her.

Phoenix's face darkened, and he clenched his jaw in annoyance until he saw himself.

"What the hell?" He blurted out in surprise when he saw that there was only a towel covering his lower half.

"Ah, that. Well, we saw you lying on the cold ground! You were delirious and you were drenched with rain, so we took you here, took off your clothes, and you have a fever," Athena explained while stuttering.

"You undressed me?"

Athena swallowed, her cheeks heating up, and she was intimidated by his tone. "So what? I just helped you! I was about to leave, but the child outside kept calling me her mother!"

"Mommy?!" The little girl yelled as if hearing someone mention her.

Phoenix pursed his lips and finally understood what was happening.

"Wait here, woman. And don't you dare do anything stupid. Do not steal nor speak, or you will lose your tongue and hand." Phoenix warned Athena without a hint of humor in his voice.

Athena's eyes widened in fear, and she knew he was serious, so she stood as far away as possible from him.

Phoenix wrapped the towel around his waist before pulling out a robe from his closet. He made himself look as decent as possible before going out the door, and there he saw his daughter, who was itching to go inside, but he closed the door.

"Mary, you're still on vacation, but you should go to bed," Phoenix told his daughter gently.

"But, daddy, mommy's back! Thank you for bringing her back!" The little girl shouted in joy before hugging his father in happiness.

"Thank you?"

"You brought her back because I miss her, right? She will not leave us anymore, right? Please, daddy! I don't want her to leave me again." Mary pleaded with her dad with tears in her eyes.

When Phoenix saw her eyes filling with tears, an invisible hand squeezed his heart. Everyone believes that Phoenix Montgomery's heart is made of stone, but when it comes to Mary and Ada, he's weak. They are his Achilles' heel.

"Baby, my love, listen to me."

"Please, Daddy! The stars will be fine without Mommy, but I won't be! She's so pretty and nice, like a princess! Daddy, you won't let her leave again, right?" The little girl insisted with hope shining in her eyes.

Phoenix felt a rare emotion pooling in his stomach as he stared at his daughter. He sighed and patted her head.

"Stop crying, okay? Mommy will stay for you."

A wide smile brightened the little girl's face, and she hugged her father again before pushing him aside to open the door.

The two heard a scream from the inside and saw Athena, who bumped her head on the door when Mary opened it. Phoenix rolled his eyes in annoyance while Mary hugged Athena, who moaned in pain.

"Why, mommy? Did I hurt you?" Mary asked innocently.

"Mommy?" Athena repeated in confusion.

"Mary, it's not you, baby. Mommy... tripped. Because she's clumsy," Phoenix assured his daughter, insulting Athena in the process.

"Did she? You tripped, mommy?"

Athena's face is full of confusion. She cannot comprehend what's happening, and she looks at the man for answers.

"Yes, she tripped. That's why she has wounds and bruises."

Mary gasped. "Mommy!"

"Don't worry, baby, nothing bad happened. She can really be stupid sometimes."

Athena's mouth fell open in disbelief because she didn't like how he casually insulted her in front of a kid!

"Daddy, don't say that to mommy! She's strong." Mary reprimanded her father before hugging Athena.

Athena nodded her head in agreement until she remembered that the little girl wasn't her daughter.

"Right. Now go to sleep because mommy still needs to rest."

"And she'll still be here when I wake up, Daddy?"

Phoenix hesitated, especially when he saw her innocent face with hope in her eyes.

"Of course," he answered, forcing a smile.

"Do you swear on the moon?"

Phoenix nodded. "Yes, I swear."

Athena couldn't help but feel amused because it was like she was seeing a different man from the one she met. Her smile faded when their eyes connected, and his eyes darkened.

Mary jumped to kiss her father's cheek before hugging Athena again, but gently this time. "Thank you for coming back, mommy! I wished that you'd come back, and now you're here! I love you, mommy!"

Athena opened her mouth to respond, but the man gestured for her to shut up.

Mary left the room with a smile on her face and skipped her way back to her room.

The two are left inside while staring at each other, but one thing is running through Athena's mind. She needs to leave!

Athena inched closer to the door, but it was as if the man read her thoughts; he stopped her by snatching her waist, and their bodies collided. Athena didn't have the time to scream because he covered her mouth with his hand.

Athena panicked, and she instantly remembered Brian's beating being so close to another man. Will he do the same to her?

"Listen to me, woman, just listen. Do not make any noise. Do not shout and let me talk first. Am I clear?"

Athena tried to break free because being close to the stranger was making her feel uncomfortable.

"We both don't want this, but it already happened, and we can't do anything about it."

Athena talked incoherently behind the man's hands, and he removed them for her to breathe.

"What do you want from me?" Athena hissed at the man with tears of mixed emotions shining in her eyes.

Phoenix held Athena by her shoulder and turned her to face him. His firm hands remain there to prevent Athena from running away.

"I don't want anything from you, but now it looks like I need something from you."

Athena's body started to shake in fear of what the man wanted from him.

"What do you want?" She asked, her voice shaking, but she gritted her teeth in anger.

"My daughter needs a mother, and she thought you were her mother, and I don't want to hurt her. She'll hate me once she wakes up and you're gone. She will cry, and I hate seeing her cry more than anything."

"And why do I need to lie for you?"

"What do you want in exchange for pretending to be the mother of my child?" Phoenix asked without blinking.

"What?!" Athena exclaimed in shock.

"You heard it right. I am Phoenix Montgomery, and I can give you anything you ask. Do you want this mansion? You can have it in exchange for pretending to be her mother."

Athena lowered her head, and she knew she heard his name somewhere, but why was it now that her fate would change? Just a few hours ago, she was the wife of an abusive and cheating man, and it's like heaven heard her plea, and they gave her a new opportunity to pretend to be someone's mother. Athena took care of her stepchildren, so it shouldn't be hard.

Her eyes narrowed when she remembered Brian. He ruined her life, and it's all his fault. She's worried about Jean, Emily, and Liam, who were left under his care. She gritted her teeth because she knew how cruel he could be with his own children.

"So, will you do it or not?"

Phoenix's voice snapped her out of her thoughts, and she stared at his blue eyes.

"And if I don't want to?"

His eyes turned to slits, and she stepped away, but he took a step closer. "Why wouldn't you want to? I can give you anything you want!"

She kept on walking back, and he kept on stepping closer, and it was like they were dancing. Until Athena's back hit the door, and she was cornered.

"Anything I want?" Athena repeated, and the man nodded.

Their faces and bodies are close together, and she can feel his warm breath hitting her face. She can see his handsome yet intimidating face and swallow.

"Tell me your conditions. We will sign a contract if you are doubting me, and I guarantee you that I will give you anything you ask for."

"I want two things," Athena stated without hesitation.

Phoenix's hold on her loosened. "What are they?"

"I want to be your contractual wife."

Phoenix barked a laugh. "What?" he asked in disbelief.

"You heard me, and you told me you would do anything I asked for. Besides, to be your daughter's fake mother, I need to be your wife first."

Phoenix's blue irises narrowed in suspicion, and it's like he's judging Athena's whole life. "And what is the other one?"

Athena's breathing increases, and her heart is heavy with anger and hatred.

"I want you to help me destroy someone."

Phoenix's eyebrow raised when he saw an emotion he never thought he'd see in such an innocent face.

"And who is it?" He asked in mild interest.

"Brian Arlington, the manager of Montgomery Star, your company."

Yes, she now remembers where she heard his name. Fate could be really cruel sometimes.

Phoenix nodded when he recognized his name. "Why do you want to destroy him?"

Athena looked at the man in front of her with tears welling up in her eyes.

"It has nothing to do with you. Do what I want, and I will be your daughter's mother."

Phoenix's expression did not change. "Alright. This will end in six months. You will find a way to leave for Mary to accept it."

Athena was taken aback when the man agreed without thinking about it first. She expected him to say no, and she prepared herself for rejection. She felt his hold on her tighten, and their bodies connected again.

"I am warning you that if you hurt my daughter, you will be the one I will ruin, and I won't show you any mercy."