Married To The Wrong Twin

Chapter 5: Phoenix Cookies

Phoenix was set to resume work the following Monday after all necessary protocols were met. Before leaving, she stopped by Ariana’s office and knocked, but her assistant answered.

“Is Mrs. Ariana in?” Phoenix asked.

“Yes, she is,” the assistant replied.

“I’d like to give her some cookies I made,” Phoenix said, holding up a neatly packaged box.

“Hold on, let me check with her.”

She went in and came back almost immediately.

“She’s busy and says she has no appetite for cookies.”

“Oh… okay. Maybe next time,” Phoenix smiled politely.

She left the office and happily took the elevator to the lower floor—excited about the prospect of her new job.

Unbeknownst to her, Denzel was watching her from the top floor. His mind was on her as she made him feel restless. Something about the way she talked, how she walked, and her posture, reminded him of how his wife once was. But after the fire incident five years ago, Ariana changed. And now, this Phoenix seems to embody the personality his wife once had.

A knock on the door interrupted his thoughts. It was Ariana.

“Hey, honey,” she said warmly.

“Hey, sweetheart.”

“Up for lunch?”

“Lunch?” he blinked absently.

“Yeah, lunch.”

But Denzel was distracted. He grabbed his wife’s arm tenderly.

“Denzel,” she purred, misreading his intent, “not here.”

But Denzel wasn’t thinking of romance. He examined her inner elbow but it was spotless. No birthmark.

“Could I have…gotten it wrong?” he muttered.

“What?”

“Nothing. Let’s go have lunch.”

“Or,” she winked playfully, “you could have me for lunch instead.”

“Not here, Ariana,” he said softly. “You know I don’t do office romance.”

“But…the way you held me just now. I thought—”

He pecked her lips. “You’re such a naughty girl. Come on now… You can have me all to yourself later tonight.”

She bit her lip seductively, “OK.”

They took the elevator to the first floor and went to a five-star restaurant where they had their meal. When they were done, they returned to the company and resumed work.

While Ariana was busy sorting out files, her mood suddenly soured when she remembered Phoenix’s smug face. “Kayla!” Ariana snapped.

She rushed in. “Yes, ma’am.”

“Tell Oliver to report to my office this minute!”

“Right away, ma’am.”

The moment she saw Oliver coming in, she threw a folder at him, and it landed on his face, nipping his upper lip.

He didn’t even dare dodge it!

“You incompetent fool!” she lashed out, throwing another object at him. “You let a country girl humiliate you and made me lose face in front of the executives. You’re useless! Worthless! I should just have you fired right away!”

Oliver dropped to his knees with a thud. “Ma’am… I know I messed up, but please, give me a chance to make it right. I promise this won’t happen again.”

“You don’t deserve a second chance! You’re suspended for the next three months without pay.”

“What? Without pay?” His voice trembled. “Please I beg you…”

“Take this offer, or I’ll have you fired immediately!”

He clenched his fists, jaws tight. “I accept your punishment.”

She hissed. “You'd better not show your face until your suspension is over. Now get out!”

Oliver left, and she sat back with a huff, resuming her work.

Meanwhile, Phoenix was shopping with her friend at a high-end boutique.

“So you really got the job?” Gloria asked excitedly.

“Of course,” Phoenix replied. “Thanks to Ariana, who tried making things difficult, her challenge pushed me to showcase my expertise and now… I’ll be resuming, not at the entry level but with the top IT staff.”

“Wow, Phoenix, you’re amazing,” Gloria gushed.

She beamed. “Thanks, darling.”

While at the counter, Phoenix caught Gloria staring at a peach-colored dress.

“Ma’am, the total is 172,000 dollars,” the cashier said.

Phoenix strolled to the dress racks and picked up the gown Gloria was admiring.

“You like this don’t you?” she asked.

“Yes but—”

“Add this to the bill,” she told the cashier.

The cashier took it from her and summed it up. “That will be 192,000 dollars, ma’am.”

“Phoenix,” Gloria protested. “Twenty thousand dollars for a gown? That’s too much…”

Phoenix fished her credit card from her Chanel handbag and handed it over. “Nothing is too expensive for me,” she smiled warmly.

Gloria’s eyes watered as she threw her arms around Phoenix. “Thank you so much. You’re just too kind,” she said sniffing.

“Aw, you cry baby. This is nothing. You’re like the sister I wish I had. And if you say you want something, I’ll make sure you get it.”

Gloria wiped her tears. “You’re the absolute best. I bless the day I met you.”

“Me too.”

The cashier handed them their dresses. “Thanks for your patronage ma’am. We hope to see you soon.”

“More like you hope to see my money soon,” she teased. “Anyway, you’re welcome.”

The cashier chuckled lightly. “Have a good day, ma’am.”

As they left, Gloria kept peeking into her shopping bag, grinning widely.

“You really like them don’t you?” Phoenix asked.

“Are you kidding? I don’t like them… I love them!”

Phoenix smiled. “I’m glad you do.”

They reached the parking lot and got into Phoenix’s car. She drove to Gloria’s house and had dinner with the family before heading to her own place.

Monday arrived and Phoenix was getting ready for work. She parked her hair in a low ponytail and deliberately wore an unbranded blouse with a knee-length skirt, both neatly pressed.

At Whitmore, her fellow employees warmly welcomed her. They’d heard how she defeated Oliver, who always boasted of his tech prowess and were happy to have her on their team.

During lunch, Phoenix shared her homemade cookies as dessert with her colleagues. While she stepped out to use the convenience, Denzel entered the IT room. The unmistakable sweet-smelling buttery aroma of cinnamon cookies he’d solely associated with Ariana from years ago hit him instantly.

When the staff saw him, they immediately got up.

“Good afternoon, sir,” they chorused nervously with cookies, half-bitten in their mouths.

They were not supposed to snack in the IT room.

“Do you need us to do anything, sir?” Anderson, the team leader asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

Anderson followed Denzel’s eyes as they landed on the cookie.

He cursed inwardly. s**t! That’s it. We’re screwed.

“This cookie…did my wife…by any chance make them?” Denzel asked.

The staff exchanged puzzled glances.

“No, sir. The new employee, Miss Barret, made them.”

Denzel was surprised. ‘That same lady again?’ “I see… mind if I try one?”

“Of course not, sir,” Anderson said. “Take as much as you want.”

Denzel nodded and took a cookie, chewing slowly, deliberately, savoring the taste. The staff watched, holding their breath, wondering if it would be to his liking.

“Mmm,” he moaned softly with closed eyes, nodding his head in satisfaction. “This…this is it.”

The cookie tasted like he was reliving a memory from years ago.

“This is good. It tastes exactly like the ones she always made specially for me.”

“You like it, sir?” Anderson asked.

“I love it,” Denzel replied.

The team smiled, relieved. Denzel went further to take another, then another. By the fourth, the room had gone silent, and everyone watched their CEO devour Phoenix’s cookie like a man possessed. Even his assistant was equally stunned.

Just then, the door to the IT room opened, and Phoenix came in.

“Oh, here she comes,” Anderson pointed. “Sir, this is the employee who made the cookies.”

Phoenix froze the moment she spotted Denzel. She turned, trying to flee when Denzel’s voice cut through the room.

“Wait! Stop!”