Chapter 1

When Conrad's phone screen lit up for the third time, he finally glanced down casually.

Someone had sent a photo to the company Slack channel.

The photo was taken from a highly compromising angle. He and I were walking side by side out of the same house, and his hand was resting on my waist.

The messages in the group started rolling in crazily.

"Why is Celine walking out of Conrad's house?"

"Oh my god, have they been living together? Are they sleeping together?"

"Ivy is going to lose her mind when she sees this."

I stared at the words on the screen. My fingertips slowly went cold.

In my previous life, this was the exact same photo that blew everything up.

Back then, my palms were sweating with panic. My first instinct was to look to Conrad for help.

He gently rubbed my shoulder and coaxed me in a soft voice.

"Celine, don't be afraid. Just let me handle it."

I foolishly believed him.

But ten minutes later, he stood under the spotlight at the company anniversary gala and announced to everyone.

"Please don't misunderstand. Celine just dropped by my place to pick up some documents. There is absolutely nothing going on between us."

At that moment, I even tried desperately to make excuses for him in my head.

The company had just received a new round of funding. The investors were all present, so he was in a difficult position.

But I never expected that his casual words would become a breeding ground for so much malice.

Ivy cried her eyes out in the breakroom, accusing me of being a shameless gold digger who intentionally seduced Conrad for his wealth.

Ryan, the Marketing Director, mocked me with nasty remarks in the department chat.

"Looks like working hard in bed pays off a lot more than working hard at your desk."

Sarah, the HR Director, immediately disabled my internal system account.

And then there was Jessica, the snobby administrative assistant.

She threw a cup of scalding hot coffee right at my chest and laughed wildly.

"You slut, feels good, doesn't it? Did the CEO finally acknowledge your status today?"

Opening my eyes again, I was sitting in the passenger seat of Conrad's car. We had just parked outside the gala venue.

He hadn't yet had the chance to say those words that would force me to compromise.

Conrad locked his phone screen and frowned deeply.

"Celine, I'll go in first. You stay in the car and wait a few minutes before following me, just to avoid any misunderstandings."

I turned my head to look at him.

On the night we got married, he pinned me against the soft mattress and promised me something.

"Baby, just bear with it a little longer. Once the company gets through its startup phase, I'll tell the whole world you're my wife."

But three years passed in a flash.

The company had already secured two rounds of multimillion-dollar funding.

He had transformed into the glamorous, highly eligible bachelor featured in business magazines.

And I was still just the ordinary Celine in everyone else's eyes.

The wedding, the ring, and the title. I waited for them, but I got nothing.

Seeing my silence, Conrad deliberately lowered his voice, trying to comfort me.

"We're at a crucial stage. If our marriage is exposed, it won't just cause gossip among the employees but also shake the trust of our investors."

I gave a small smile.

"So?"

He was clearly stunned.

I was so used to being obedient in my previous life that he never expected me to talk back to him like this.

He patiently continued to explain.

"I'm doing this to protect you. You know how picky Sterling and the other investors are. They rely on my bachelor image to pump up the company's valuation. If they find out I've been married all this time, all our hard work will be ruined."

"If everyone knows that the CEO's wife works on the same floor as them every day, how will they look at you?"

Such pretty words. They were completely hypocritical, though he claimed it was all for my own good.

In my previous life, I was suffocated by these exact words.

Even during the online hate storm later, to prove how understanding I was, I foolishly signed the equity transfer agreement he handed me. I gave up my fifty-one percent majority stake, and was ultimately forced into a dead end with nothing left.

At this moment, the sound of security guards patrolling came from outside the car window.

The anniversary gala was about to start.

Conrad adjusted the cuffs of his expensive suit and pushed the car door open to step out first.

Exactly like in my previous life, he subconsciously took a large step forward, eager to distance himself from me.

But I immediately followed him, pushing the door open and stepping out.

My stilettos clicked sharply on the asphalt.

He sensed my approach and turned his head to look at me. There was a warning in his eyes.

I didn't stop walking. Instead, I raised my hand and firmly hooked my arm through his.

Conrad's body instantly tensed like a rock, and he instinctively tried to pull his arm away.

I tilted my face up, locked my eyes straight on him, and smiled.

"Honey, let's go in together."