Chapter4: Whisper's from the past
1302 Words
Leah woke up to a knock on her door. She blinked, confused for a second, then remembered—she was now someone’s wife.
“Come in,” she said weakly, pulling the blanket over her legs.
Maria, Xavier’s assistant, stepped inside holding a tray. “Your breakfast, Mrs. Knight.”
Leah flinched at the name. It still felt strange to be called that.
“You’re expected downstairs by nine. Mr. Knight will be introducing you to the board members at his company.”
Leah’s heart skipped. “What? Why?”
Maria placed the tray down. “You’re his wife now. He needs to prove this marriage is real. The company is under pressure. Some people believe he only married you to avoid losing his position.”
Leah's face paled. She hadn't even started pretending properly and now she had to face powerful strangers?
Maria raised an eyebrow. “You’ll need to wear something elegant. And smile, even if you’re dying inside.”
Leah forced a nod and stared at the breakfast she couldn’t eat. Her appetite had disappeared.
***
An hour later, dressed in a fitted navy-blue gown with soft curls framing her face, Leah walked beside Xavier into the boardroom. Her hands were sweaty, and her stomach twisted with nerves.
Twelve men sat around a polished table, dressed in expensive suits, their eyes sharp and calculating.
“This is my wife, Leah Knight,” Xavier announced without hesitation.
Leah gave a small, polite smile.
One of the men, an older man with gray hair and narrow eyes, spoke first. “So this is the girl who captured your heart overnight.”
There was sarcasm in his voice.
Leah looked down, unsure how to respond.
Xavier smiled coldly. “Sometimes love happens when you least expect it, Uncle Lawrence.”
Lawrence leaned back. “I’m just surprised. She’s nothing like your ex-fiancée.”
Leah flinched. So he had been engaged before?
Another board member, a younger man with sharp features, joined in. “She’s beautiful, no doubt. But does she have the class to handle a man like you?”
Leah opened her mouth to speak, but Xavier placed a hand on hers under the table—a signal to stay calm.
He looked at the man coolly. “Leah may not come from wealth, but she has everything I need. And that’s all that matters.”
After the meeting, as they walked out, Leah finally spoke.
“You were engaged before?”
Xavier’s jaw tightened. “That’s none of your concern.”
She stopped walking. “If I’m supposed to act like your wife, I need to know what I’m up against.”
He turned to face her, his eyes cold. “You’re not here to ask questions. Just follow the script.”
Before she could reply, he walked ahead, leaving her standing alone in the hallway.
***
Later that night, Leah couldn’t sleep. She tossed and turned, her thoughts heavy.
Who was this ex-fiancée they mentioned? And why did everyone treat her like a placeholder?
She got out of bed and walked quietly toward the kitchen. She needed water.
As she reached the living room, she heard voices—low and tense.
Curious, she tiptoed closer and saw Xavier speaking on the phone. He stood with his back to her, unaware she was listening.
“I don’t care if she’s asking questions,” he snapped. “I married her for one reason—to keep my position. Once the year is over, she’s out.”
Leah froze.
“She’s innocent, desperate, and easy to control. That’s what makes her perfect. But don’t worry… I won’t let her get close.”
Her heart shattered.
She had known this was a contract. But hearing him speak like that—like she was a tool—was something else entirely.
Quietly, she backed away and ran upstairs, her tears falling freely.
She curled up in bed, hugging her pillow tightly. Her mother had once told her, “Never sell your heart, Leah. No matter how desperate you are.”
But maybe she already had.
***
The next morning, Leah acted like nothing had happened. She sat through breakfast with Xavier, smiled when he spoke to her, and played the role of the perfect wife.
But inside, something had changed. A wall had gone up.
“You’ll need to come with me to my father’s house this weekend,” Xavier said, sipping his coffee.
“Why?” she asked flatly.
“To convince him the marriage is real. He’s throwing a private dinner.”
Leah nodded silently.
He looked at her closely. “You’re quiet today.”
“I’m just tired,” she lied.
He didn’t press further.
***
Later that day, while exploring the library in the mansion, Leah found an old photo album hidden inside one of the lower cabinets.
Curious, she opened it.
The pictures inside were of Xavier and a woman—a beautiful brunette with sharp cheekbones and fiery eyes. They looked genuinely happy in every picture. Holding hands. Laughing. Kissing.
One photo made her gasp.
The woman wore the same diamond necklace Xavier had given Leah on their wedding day.
So it wasn’t new. It wasn’t meant for her. It had belonged to *her*—his ex.
Suddenly, she heard footsteps behind her.
She turned quickly, hiding the album.
It was Maria.
“You shouldn’t be going through that,” Maria said, crossing her arms.
“I wasn’t—”
“That necklace he gave you?” Maria cut in. “It was hers. Her name was Clarissa. They were supposed to get married last year.”
“What happened?” Leah asked quietly.
Maria sighed. “She left him. On the wedding day. No one knows why. Some say she found out something dark about him. Others say she just disappeared.”
Leah felt her chest tighten.
“Xavier never talks about her,” Maria added. “But he’s not over it. You’re just… a stand-in.”
Maria walked away, leaving Leah shaken.
She looked down at the necklace on her neck. It suddenly felt like a chain.
***
On Saturday, Leah dressed in a soft pink gown for the dinner at Xavier’s father’s house.
The mansion was even larger than Xavier’s. Rich men and their families filled the space, sipping wine and whispering behind their hands.
Xavier held Leah’s hand tightly as they moved through the crowd.
“This is my father, Charles Knight,” he said, stopping in front of an older man with cold eyes.
“So you’re the girl who married my son,” Mr. Knight said, his tone skeptical.
Leah smiled politely. “Yes, sir.”
“What do your parents do?”
Leah hesitated. “My mother is sick, and my father passed away.”
Mr. Knight’s face didn’t change. “So you married into wealth.”
Leah felt the sting in his words but said nothing.
Xavier stepped in. “Enough, Dad. I love her. That’s all that matters.”
Mr. Knight narrowed his eyes. “Love or not, if I find out this marriage is fake… you know what happens, Xavier.”
There was silence.
Later, as Leah stepped outside for air, a woman approached her from the shadows.
Tall. Beautiful. Wearing red heels and dark lipstick.
“I’ve been dying to meet the girl who took my place,” she said smoothly.
Leah blinked. “Excuse me?”
The woman smiled coldly. “Clarissa. The woman Xavier was supposed to marry.”
Leah’s heart stopped.
“I came to warn you,” Clarissa said, stepping closer. “Xavier isn’t who you think he is. I left for a reason. If you’re smart, you’ll leave too… before it’s too late.”
Then she turned and disappeared into the night.
- Writer
