Alexis thought she had it all: a thriving career, a charming husband, and a Pinterest-worthy life. That was before she walked in on Kevin and Stephanie, her cousin sleeping together. Without an ounce of shame, Kevin files for divorce from her and takes her company as his draining all her accounts. Left with nothing but a broken heart and empty savings, she’s forced to start from scratch. Desperate to pay a loan shark and too broke , she lands a cleaning job at the Carter Penthouse. It’s not ideal—but it’s a paycheck. And the perfect place to plot her revenge. There she meets Pierce Carter a cold billionaire and devilishly handsome—and unfortunately, her new boss. He’s arrogant. She’s petty. He’s got issues. She’s got bills. When Pierce makes a ridiculous bet with his best friend that he can last a week without firing her, Alexis sees an opportunity: get fired, walk away with a small fortune. But just when they think they’ve rid themselves of each other, fate has other plans. Pierce needs a wife to claim his inheritance from his late father, and Alexis needs the ultimate revenge: showing up married to a billionaire hotter than Kevin could ever dream of. It’s the perfect solution… until real feelings start to get in the way. A fake marriage is born. The rule is simple: You can look but you can't touch. No love. But who will break it first?
View MoreAlexis.
I swiped the keycard through the lock, the green light flashing with an obedient click. The hotel door swung open, and I stepped inside. The room was dim, but not empty.
My heart sank.
There he was—my husband and his secretary on the bed, naked and having sex. They didn't even notice I was standing there.Idiots!
My mouth went dry. For a moment, all I could do was stare. My vision blurred with fury, betrayal clamping down on my chest. I reached into my bag, hands shaking, and yanked out the envelope the private investigator had sent me.
“You think I wouldn’t find out?” I snapped, my voice echoing too loud in the silent room. I threw the photos at him. They fluttered to the floor like ash. Proof of the lies, the cheating, the hours he claimed to be in meetings when he was really here.
He looked shocked, then angry. “Alexis—”
“Don’t,” I hissed, turning on my heel before he could touch me, before or lie again. I didn’t want his explanations or his voice in my head. I just wanted to be away from him.
I drove home in silence, all those promises— were nothing but a bed of lies.
As soon as I stepped inside the house we once called ours, the sobs tore out of me. I collapsed to the floor, my fists clenched, makeup staining my sleeves. But then, something in me snapped.
And I found myself laughing.
At how blind I’d been and at the irony of building an empire with someone who was already planning to take it away.
The front door opened behind me. I turned around.
“You had me followed!” his voice rang out, annoyed. Not an ounce of guilt
“You had me betrayed. Kevin, Stephanie?! Really?,” I bit back.
“ You know what, we're done, Alexis. I already filed for divorce. A month ago,” he added, walking over and throwing the paperwork onto the table like it was some final trump card.
My heart stilled. A month ago?
I picked up the papers with trembling hands and gasped.
What the hell! He was claiming the company!
“You can’t do this,” I said, stunned.
“I can. I invested in it. Just like I invested in this house. You wouldn't have had it without me.”
It felt like a hot slap. The way he said it—as if everything we’d built had only ever been his to begin with.
I didn’t scream or cry. Not in front of that stupid man.
~~~~~~
Apparently, getting your heart broken wasn’t dramatic enough for Kevin.
No, he had to kick me out too. And not in a subtle, “maybe you should pack a bag” kind of way.
My suitcase landed on the front steps away from the door. Then came the second bag. Then my shoes—one by one, like a sad parade of rejection.
I stood there, frozen, as Stephanie walked up the driveway.
That homewrecker barbie!
Waltzing in with her Louis Vuitton like she hadn’t just wrecked a marriage and a life. She stepped on my clothes—my favorite silk blouse, no less—and cackled like a witch.
“Oh no,” she said mockingly, not even looking at me, “didn’t know this came with a sidewalk fashion show.”
My husband, who once cried because I forgot to reply to his text was now laughing with the woman he cheated on me with—while I picked my underwear off the pavement.
I didn't say a word. I just picked up my things like a woman who refused to be broken in front of people who didn’t deserve the privilege.
I hailed a cab, holding back tears through the entire ride to a hotel. But the second I shut the door to that tiny room with the weird floral curtains and air conditioner that hummed louder than my self-esteem? I collapsed on the bed.
I finally let out an ugly, hiccuping snot cry.
Where did I go wrong?
I was the perfect wife. I cooked, cleaned, supported his stupid dream of turning our guest room into a cigar lounge. I even pretended to care about his crypto obsession.
I gave everything—my time, my love, my ideas. I built a business from scratch while he strutted around pretending he was the brains behind it all. And now, he gets to keep the house and the secretary too?!
Was it because I didn’t want to have kids yet? Or the fact that I wasn’t ready to give up my career to play needy wife?
I stared at the cracked hotel ceiling.
Turns out betrayal doesn’t just break your heart—it empties your bank account, too.
Kevin, in his infinite pettiness, had wiped my accounts clean. Every cent and savings gone.
Luckily, I had a secret stash—a dusty little private account I hadn’t touched in years. Just enough for few month’s rent on a shoebox apartment that came with haunted house vibes.
~~~~
Six months later on new years eve, I went out to the river.
I stripped naked and walked into the water like some naked forest nymph having a mental breakdown. It was cold, dark and quiet. The kind that makes you ask hard questions—Do I want to die? Or do I just want to feel something real?
The water didn’t answer. But it didn’t drown me either. Which I took as a sign.
I stood there, letting the river wash off the pain, the anger, the sticky guilt of wondering if this was all my fault. Then walked out of the river.
Crack!
A twig snapped somewhere in the woods.
I froze.
“Damn,” I whispered to myself. “Now I’m about to get murdered naked. Perfect storyline to a tragic murder docu-series. ”
But no one is on sight. Just the wind and my reading heart.
I walked out, dried off, and promised myself one thing: If I was going to rebuild my life, it wasn’t going to be with tears.
~~~~~
The next morning, I landed a job.
A cleaning gig in a penthouse.
I didn’t care that it was a fall from grace. It was a job and a chance for new start. And honestly, I was kinda ready to scrub someone else’s toilet if it meant eating something better than instant noodles. I'm two months late on rent, I've been playing cat and mouse with my landlord.
I got up early, dressed in my nicest “not so depressed” outfit, and hit the road. Coffee in hand, music blaring, I even caught myself singing.
Then Swoosh! A blood-red Ferrari nearly sideswiped me into oblivion.
“What the actual—?!” I screamed, swerving back into my lane like a pro.
As fate would have it, there was a red light ahead. I pulled up next to the idiot, rolled down my window—ready to deliver a lecture on reckless driving.
The driver rolled his down too.
And my words caught.
Because this man was hot enough to make bad decisions for. Like Greek god in a suit kind hot. Hair tousled just right. Jawline sharp enough to slice bread, he donned a pair of Ray-Ban sunglasses.
He looked at me like I was the problem. “Maybe stick to riding a bus if you can’t handle the road little girl.”
I blinked. Then narrowed my eyes. “Fuck you. Douchebag!”
He smirked.
And with that, he sped off, his stupid sexy car growling like a dragon.
I sat there gritting my teeth. “Why are rich, handsome men so allergic to humility?”
The light turned green. I exhaled and drove off. Not today satan!
Today, I was going to my first decent job in Manhattan.
Who knows.
I might end up married to a billionaire.
Pierce.“She totally deserved that,” I laughed, sipping my coffee as I rewatched the CCTV footage. Alexis, my chaotic little maid, was convinced ghosts were out to get her. Honestly? Oscar-worthy performance. I hadn’t told Zane about the prank yet. Nah. I wanted him to enjoy the full cinematic experience live. “I’ll swing by your penthouse in a bit,” he texted. Excellent timing. When I walked through the front door, it was like a storm had hit the place. Lamps toppled over, a trail of wet footprints covered the floor, and my once-beautiful rug looked like it had fought a washing machine and lost. Clearly, she’d gone full exorcism mode in here. Grinning, I clicked the remote, shutting off the flickering lights and creepy sound effects I’d set up. Paranormal activity ain't got nothing on me. I headed toward the bathroom—then froze. Her uniform was on the floor. A second later, Alexis emerged, clutching a towel, water dripping down her flushed skin and soaking her wild
Pierce. As I stood under the hot water, one thought refused to leave me alone: the little menace I now call my housekeeper.I'd hoped for a serene, graceful woman—maybe the kind who hums softly while folding linens and smells like lavender. Instead, I got a swamp goblin with attitude issues, a music addiction, and a gift for chaos.Zane challenged me to last a week without firing her. Fine. I’ll play along. But he never said I had to make it easy for her. She jolted me awake—so naturally, I'm planning a bit of revenge.I returned to my room and spotted her tearing off my sheets. Earbuds in. Completely oblivious. I grabbed the nearest pillow and lobbed it at her head.She dodged, then turned around and stuck her tongue out. Like an over-caffeinated gremlin daring me to bring it on.I almost laughed. Later, as she mopped the kitchen floor, I strolled in and casually knocked over her bucket of water."My bad," I said, pretending to sound shocked.She growled something under her breath
Pierce.Two could play this little game—and I’ve never lost at anything I cared to win.The next morning, I waited, perfectly timing everything. She always started in the kitchen. I leaned against the fridge, sipping my coffee, casual as ever. Shirtless in just gym shorts hanging dangerously low on my hips. Her eyes did a double take, then snapped back to her mop like she didn’t see a damn thing.But I saw the flush. The twitch in her fingers and slight part in her lips.So I upped the anteI “accidentally” dropped a cold water bottle and bent to pick it up—slowly, just enough to flex every muscle I knew she’d pretend not to stare at. I could feel her gaze crawl up my back. I straightened, turned—and caught her.Red-handed.She looked away like I was radioactive.“Enjoying the view?” I asked, voice calm, a smirk tugging at my mouth.“I—I wasn’t looking.”“Mmm,” I said, taking a sip of water, letting it drip a little down my chest. “Shame. I was.”She nearly choked on her own breath.N
Pierce.The elevator doors slid shut and the moment Alexis was out of earshot, Zane let out a low whistle.“Damn,” he muttered, turning toward me with an evil grin “I see why you haven’t fired her yet.”I rolled my eyes, crossing the room and picking up the whiskey glass he’d left sweating on the counter. “I will. Very soon.”“Sure you will,” he drawled, throwing himself onto the velvet couch. “Though… if you’re not going to fire her, I wouldn’t mind having her clean under my bed.” He faked a dramatic sneeze. “Been real dusty under there.”I gave him a cold stare. “Get your own staff. You’re not hiring Alexis.”He laughed like he’d been waiting for that exact answer. “Why? Because you like her?”I let out a sharp laugh, the kind meant to cut. “I don’t like her. She’s petty. Disrespectful, loud, and she doesn’t know when to shut up.”Zane smirked. “Still didn’t deny she makes things…interesting.”“Zane.” I said. He sat up straighter, that mischievous spark lighting in his eyes—always
Pierce. I leaned back, sipping my drink as Zane waltzed in. He looked around, his eyes scanning the penthouse with that damn grin of his.“Looks spotless,” he said, taking it all in. “You finally hired someone who knows how to clean?”I gave him a deadpan look. “Yeah, thanks to your stupid harem, my place looked like a damn porn set.”Zane threw his head back, laughing. “It wasn’t a harem, Pierce. Just a few guests.”I raised an eyebrow. “Next time, use your house.”He plopped down into one of my leather chairs, looking entirely too comfortable. “Can’t. It’s under renovation. The place is a mess right now.”“Figures,” I muttered. “You know, I’m starting to think you only bring people over to my place when you want to ruin my life.”Zane just grinned. “Nah. Where’s the fun in that?”Before I could shoot back with some snarky remark, a loud, obnoxious tune blared through the penthouse, immediately getting under my skin. I frowned, pausing mid-sip, as the sound nearly assaulted my ears.
Pierce.I wasn’t going on that date.Not tonight. Not ever, if I had anything to say about it.My mother has tried again—some desperate attempt to tether me to a future she could control. The girl she picked this time? Probably another prim, pre-packaged heiress with a collection of designer handbags and nothing interesting to say.I pulled off the road before I could talk myself into pretending I was polite. A narrow path, barely visible under the moonlight, led me toward the forest I used to sneak into as a teenager. I hadn’t been here in years.Somewhere between the quiet and the smoke curling from the cigarette between my lips, I found peace. Brief, but enough.And then—I heard it.A soft swaying sound that didn’t belong in the river at a time like this. I stepped closer, slipping through the trees like some half-curious predator. I didn’t know what I expected—maybe a raccoon.What I saw instead made my pulse hitch.She walked out of the river like a hallucination.Naked.Drenche
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