LET ME INTRODUCE MY WIFE

Today was the day I have been patiently waiting for. After eight long years, finally, I will officially become Mrs. Hales.

I made my way through the crowded room, exchanging warm smiles and greetings with the familiar faces. "Greetings, Mrs. Jones," Most of the guests greeted me warmly. I had grown accustomed to being the face of the company, having handled most of the business dealings over the years.

I scanned the room for my family, Micheal and Michelle were seated with the Hales family. They were the twins Steven adopted four years ago. We had decided to raise them as our children. I searched for my mother, sister and brother who were seated at one of the tables at the end of the hall. It seemed the Hales still refused to acknowledge my family but that ends today.

I had caught glimpses of Steven here and there, but unfortunately, I had missed the chance of talking to him.

The emcee's voice filled the room as he announced, "Ladies and gentlemen, we finally reached the reason for your presence tonight. Please join me, and let's welcome Steven Hales, our company's new CEO!" The room erupted into applause as Steven walked confidently onto the stage.

His majestic presence commanded attention, and I couldn't help but feel proud. He was six feet tall, brown hair, and piercing green eyes, clad in a tailored black suit, he radiated with an aura of success and authority.

My sister's words echoed in my mind "You sacrificed a lot for him" but as I gazed at Steven, I knew at that moment that it had all been worth it.

I shifted my attention to Steven on stage, he was almost at the end of his acceptance speech. "Thank you all for this honor," he said. "I am greatly grateful for the unwavering support. But I couldn't have done it without the help of my family. And now, it is my pleasure to introduce to you my lovely wife and children." The room fell silent, all eyes fixed on Steven as he swept his gaze across the audience, a warm smile spreading across his face.

I couldn't help but smile too as I thought about the promises we had made, the struggles we had overcome, and the successes we had achieved together. And now, I can officially call him mine.

The whispers intensified, most were surprised at the fact that the young bachelor was not only married but with children.

I rubbed my hands together anxiously, my eyes scanning the room for Michael and Michelle. I spotted their nanny, busily tidying up their clothes, and I started to make my way towards them, eager to join Steven on stage. But the next statement stopped me in my tracks.

"Let me introduce my lovely wife Nicole Hales, I have loved this woman for many years." He smiled, his voice was filled with warmth and adoration. "We got married immediately after school, and we made a decision to keep our relationship private. Finally, I am so happy to finally introduce her to the world." The room erupted into a collective "aww" and applause, with guests smiling and nodding in approval.

I mentally froze, everything around me melted away, leaving only a deafening silence. I reached out instinctively, grasping the nearby pole to steady myself. Married? Immediately after school? Private relationship? None of this made any sense to me.

I stared at Nicole, radiant and poised on stage beside Steven, as if she belonged on that pedestal beside him. The way he looked at her ignited a fierce burn in my chest. Did he just call her his wife? What was happening? Was this some kind of cruel joke?

Mother of his children, I examined Michelle and Michael carefully, their blue eyes and blond hair were identical to Nicole. What a fool I am. I remembered the day he had brought those babies to me, he claimed he had found them and their mother starving in the cold. I had raised them as my own while he studied abroad. A bitter smile graced my lips.

So he was married all along, I laughed as it all came pouring back to me. Nicole was a famous model. It seemed after having the twins, Nicole pursued her modeling career, and I was left to care for the children. A high-profile model like Nicole wouldn't want to raise children, so she handed that responsibility over to me. I felt a wave of anger and betrayal wash over me. I had been played and used.

I felt my energy drain away, and the room began to spin. I crumpled to the floor, but before I hit the wall, my sister caught me. I buried my face in her chest, whispering, "This can't be happening, Lala. Steven betrayed me. Why did he lie to me?" My sister didn't answer, instead, she held me close.

The applause faded away, and my heart sank as Nicole stepped forward, taking Steven's arm. Her eyes shined with pride, and maybe even a hint of triumph.

I turned to face Steven, and our eyes locked. I gave him a bitter smile, and his face went pale. He had the audacity to look scared. It was infuriating.

I unconsciously moved, my feet carrying me across the hall towards the podium where Steven and Nicole stood.

"Congratulations, Mr. Hales," I said, my voice slicing through the crowd's murmurs. I wasn't even sure of what I wanted to say. Everyone turned to face me. "Alexa, what are you doing there?" Steven's voice trembled, I enjoyed the fear I saw in his eyes. But he quickly recovered, masking it with a charming smile, the same smile that had once melted my heart.

"I'm here to offer my congratulations," I said, my tone surprisingly steady. The room was also surprisingly silent, so I took the opportunity to continue. "Let's raise a toast to this lovely family, shall we?"

"Do we all remember that interview where Grandmother Hales credited her grandson's success to a special woman," I said, and the room erupted into whispers as people nodded in agreement. "I am honored to finally meet the legendary woman who has selflessly sacrificed everything for her husband's success."

"Come on, everybody, let's give a round of applause, shall we? After all, we owe our jobs to Mrs. Hales' sacrifice and hard work." The room erupted into applause, and Steven's face turned even paler. I remembered how he had told me that his grandmother had been referring to me during that interview. The memory of his deception burned within me.

I stood confidently, a smile spreading across my face as I gripped the microphone tightly. Imagining the chaos that would follow after I revealed my truth.