Trapped in a Lie
598 Words
Kayler sat across from her best friend, Maya, in the dimly lit café, stirring her untouched coffee. The weight of her confession felt heavier than the wedding band now sitting on her finger.
"You married Henry Polaris to save your family?" Maya's voice was barely above a whisper, yet it cut through the air like a blade.
Kayler nodded stiffly. "It was the only way."
Maya’s lips parted, shock and disbelief flashing across her face. "So… you don’t love him?"
Kayler scoffed, shaking her head. "Of course not. And he doesn’t love me either. It’s just a transaction."
Maya exhaled, rubbing her temples. "And you really believe he married you out of nowhere for nothing?"
That part nagged at Kayler.
Henry had everything—power, wealth, influence. He could have married anyone.
So why her?
Before she could voice that thought, Maya sighed dramatically. "Do you even realize who you’re up against?"
Kayler frowned. "What do you mean?"
Maya leaned forward. "You stole the most powerful CEO in the city from Hayley Kardashian."
Kayler blinked. "Who?"
Maya nearly choked on her coffee. "You don’t know Hayley Kardashian?"
Kayler shook her head.
Maya's jaw clenched. "She’s the most feared woman in high society. Rich, powerful, elegant, and vindictive as hell. She's not just a pretty face—she’s a brain box. She runs multi-million-dollar companies and is the kind of woman men worship, not just for her looks, but for her intelligence and influence."
Kayler’s stomach twisted.
Hayley sounded like everything she wasn’t.
And now, Kayler was married to the man Hayley thought was hers.
"Do you have any idea how she’s going to react when she finds out?" Maya asked, her eyes narrowing.
Kayler swallowed hard.
She didn’t want to think about that.
That night, Kayler stood in Henry’s penthouse, gripping her suitcase tightly.
"Why am I here?" she demanded, glaring at him.
Henry loosened his tie, unbothered. "Because you’re my wife."
Her stomach flipped. "This is a contract, Henry. We don’t have to—"
"You think people won’t notice if we live separately?" He stepped toward her, his voice like silk wrapped in steel. "They’re already asking questions. My board. The media. Hayley."
Kayler stiffened at the name.
Henry smirked. "Oh, so you finally know about her."
Kayler’s fists clenched. "I don’t care about your ex."
"Good." Henry unbuttoned the top of his shirt, his gaze locked onto hers. "Then start acting like my wife."
Kayler’s pulse skipped.
This was a game to him. But for her, it was war.
And she had just entered enemy territory.
Days later, the storm hit.
Kayler was at work when she got the call.
"You're the reason we lost the contract."
Her blood turned cold. "What?"
A cold voice sneered through the phone. "Because of your incompetence, we lost a multi-million dollar deal."
"But—I only handled the budget." Kayler’s voice wavered.
"Don’t play dumb, Kayler," the voice snapped. "We all know why you got your position. Sleeping with the boss was a smart move."
Her heart stopped.
The call ended, but the damage was done.
Moments later, her computer shut down.
Her files—gone.
Deleted. Wiped.
Panic clawed at her chest.
Something wasn’t right.
Maya stormed into her office, furious. "They’re framing you."
Kayler’s breath hitched. "What?"
Maya threw a file onto the desk. "I saw the original documents before they switched them. They wiped your system to cover their tracks!"
Kayler’s hands trembled.
"This is Hayley," Maya whispered.
The most feared woman in the world was coming for her.
And this was just the beginning.
- Writer
