THE CEO’S 6-MONTH WIFE

CHAPTER 7: THE RIVAL

The handle didn’t turn.

Elana stood in the hallway in bare feet and a borrowed robe, heart in her throat, listening to footsteps come closer.

Victor Hale.

The name from the contract. The name from Victoria’s text. The name Adrian never said out loud.

"Mr. Cross?" The voice was smooth. Too smooth. Like syrup over a knife. "We need to talk about the merger. And your wife."

The penthouse was silent except for rain against the glass.

Elana’s first instinct was to run. Her second was to stand her ground.

She chose the third.

She opened the door.

Victor Hale was not what she expected.

He was in his late 30s, sharp suit, no tie. Hair damp from the rain. He looked like Adrian if Adrian had been raised in sunlight instead of shadows. Same jaw. Same height. Nothing like the eyes.

Those eyes flicked to her. Down to her bare feet. Up to the red lipstick she hadn’t wiped off. Then to the sapphire on her finger.

He smiled. "Well. The wife."

"Who are you?" Elana asked. Her voice didn’t shake. Much.

"Victor Hale." He held out a hand. "Richard’s brother. And apparently, congratulations are in order."

She didn’t take his hand. "It’s late."

"It is." He stepped inside without being invited. Water dripped from his coat onto Adrian’s white marble floor. "But when a $4.2 billion merger is about to collapse, business hours are flexible."

Elana shut the door. "Adrian’s not available."

"Isn’t he?" Victor tilted his head toward the office. The red light was still on. "I can hear him breathing in there. Sounded like he was... unwell."

Her stomach dropped. "Get out."

Victor laughed. Not cruel. Amused. "Feisty. He picked well." He walked past her, straight to the kitchen island. Opened a drawer. Took out a bottle of water like he lived here. "You’re Elana Voss, right? The artist?"

Elana’s blood went cold. "How do you know that?"

"Victoria sent me the file." He took a long drink. "Very thorough. Contract wife. $500K for six months. No feelings clause. Very romantic."

The contract. Victoria had it.

"Get. Out."

Victor set the bottle down. "Relax. I’m not here to hurt you." He looked at the office door. "I’m here to save Adrian from himself. Again."

"Again?"

Victor’s smile faded. "Lily."

The word hung between them.

Elana’s hands curled into fists. "You don’t get to say her name."

"I raised her," Victor said quietly. "After Richard died. After Adrian decided he was too busy to be a guardian. I was at the funeral. I was at the crash site. I’m the one who identified the body."

Elana couldn’t breathe.

Footsteps behind her.

Adrian.

He looked wrecked. Shirt untucked. Hair in his hands. Eyes red. But when he saw Victor, the CEO mask slammed back on.

"What are you doing in my house," Adrian said. Flat.

"Checking on your merger, brother." Victor turned, easy. "And meeting the new Mrs. Cross. She’s lovely. Barely looks old enough to sign a contract, though."

Adrian moved. Fast. He put himself between Victor and Elana. "Don’t talk to her."

"Why? Afraid she’ll ask about Lily? About the crash? About why you locked yourself in a shrine for five years?" Victor sighed. "I’m not the enemy here, Adrian. The board is. The press is. That photo Victoria took is already in 3 inboxes."

Elana watched Adrian’s jaw work. Watched his hand twitch at his side. Like he wanted to hit something.

"Get out," Adrian said again.

"Fine." Victor pulled a card from his wallet. Slid it across the island to Elana. Not to Adrian. "But think about this. That contract you signed? It’s illegal. Coercion. Fraud. You could walk away right now. With money. With your name clean."

He looked at Adrian. "Or you can stay. And watch him destroy you the way he destroyed Lily."

The air left the room.

Adrian didn’t move. Didn’t breathe.

Victor walked to the door. Paused. "Oh. One more thing." He looked at Elana. "Ask him why the ring fits. That sapphire wasn’t bought for you."

Then he was gone. The elevator dinged.

Silence.

Elana stared at the card. Victor Hale. Hale Capital.

Her fingers were shaking.

"Don’t," Adrian said behind her.

She turned. "Don’t what?"

"Don’t ask." He was pale. "Don’t pick it up. Don’t call him. Don’t"

"Why did the ring fit?" The words came out before she could stop them.

Adrian flinched. Like she’d slapped him.

"Because," he said, voice rough. "It was Lily’s."

The sapphire suddenly weighed a thousand pounds.

Elana pulled it off. Her finger felt naked. "You made me wear your dead sister’s engagement ring?"

"It’s not

It wasn’t an engagement ring"

"What was it then!" She was shouting now. "A prop? A lie? Part of the contract?"

Adrian took a step toward her. "Elana"

"Don’t." She held the ring out to him. Her hand was trembling. "You said no feelings. You said this was business. So here. Take your business back."

She dropped it in his palm.

It was warm from her skin.

Adrian closed his fist around it. He didn’t look at her. He looked at the ring.

"I should have told you," he said.

"Yeah. You should have."

The office phone rang. Loud. Jarring.

Adrian answered without looking. "What."

Maggie’s voice, panicked: "Sir. Page Six just got the photos. From the gala. And the contract. Victoria leaked it."

Adrian hung up.

He looked at Elana. Really looked at her. For the first time since the car.

"You need to leave," he said.

Elana laughed. Hollow. "What?"

"The press will be here in 20 minutes. My lawyers. The board." He ran a hand through his hair. "If you stay, they’ll destroy you. You’ll be ‘the gold digger.’ ‘The fraud wife.’"

"So you’re cutting me loose."

"I’m saving you."

"Bullshit." Elana grabbed her bag. "You’re saving yourself. Again."

She walked to the elevator. Hit the button.

Adrian didn’t follow.

The doors opened.

And standing there, in the elevator, was Victoria Hale.

In a coat. Holding her phone. Smiling.

"Well," Victoria said, looking at Elana’s robe, at Adrian behind her. "This is awkward. I was just coming to return something."

She held up a folder.

THE CROSS-HALE CONTRACT

Signed: Elana Voss