All Chapters of SECOND LIFE: CEO’S SHADOW : Chapter 1 - Chapter 9

The night was too beautiful. That should have been my first warning.I stood on the edge of the rooftop garden at the Vane Estate, looking out at the city of Oakhaven. From up here, forty stories high, the cars looked like tiny glowing bugs and the people didn't exist at all. The wind was cold, biting at my bare shoulders, but I didn't mind. I felt like I was on top of the world.It was my twenty-fourth birthday. Downstairs, the ballroom was packed with the city’s elite. I could hear the faint, muffled thrum of the orchestra playing a waltz. They were all there for me, drinking my father's vintage wine and celebrating the Vane name. But I had escaped the noise to find some peace. And to find Marcus.I looked down at the "Vane Heart" emerald hanging from my neck. It was a massive, deep green stone that felt heavy and cold against my skin. My father gave it to me before he passed, telling me it was the soul of our family. I felt like a queen wearing it. I felt safe."There's my birthday

The walk back to my apartment felt like a trip through a graveyard. Every street corner reminded me of a memory that turned out to be a lie. I passed the bakery where Marcus used to buy me cupcakes, and the park where he first told me he loved me. Back then, those memories were gold. Now, they were just trash.I reached the front door of my building. It was a beautiful place with a marble lobby and a doorman who always tipped his hat to me. My dad had worked his whole life to make sure I lived in a place like this. He wanted me to be safe. I felt a sharp pang of guilt in my chest thinking about how I let two snakes crawl right into the heart of his legacy.I took a deep breath and pushed the key into the lock.The apartment was bright and airy. The scent of vanilla candles filled the air, and for a second, I almost let myself relax. Then I heard the sound of humming coming from the kitchen.Sienna walked out, wearing a pair of my expensive yoga leggings and a cropped top. She was hold

The air inside the ballroom was thick with the scent of lilies and the kind of perfume that cost more than a month of my old rent. Crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling, dripping with light that made the diamonds on everyone’s necks sparkle like ice. In my first life, I would have been hiding in a corner, hoping Marcus would come find me. Tonight, I stood in the center of the room and let them look.I saw Alistair Thorne before he saw me. He was standing by a marble pillar, a glass of dark amber liquid in his hand. He wasn't talking to anyone. He didn't need to. He had this gravity about him—people stayed a few feet away, whispering about him, too afraid to actually step into his circle.He was exactly how the rumors described him. Cold. Dangerous. Like a wolf that had walked into a room full of sheep and was just deciding which one to eat first.I felt a flutter of fear in my stomach, but I crushed it. I had died once. There was nothing this man could do to me that was worse than

Marcus stood up the second he saw me. He looked a mess. His tie was loosened, his hair was pushed back like he’d been running his hands through it all night, and his face was a dark, angry red. He looked at the velvet box in my hand, then at my dress, and then finally at my eyes."Where have you been?" he demanded. He didn't even try to lower his voice. The doorman looked away, pretending to polish a brass railing. "I’ve been sitting here for four hours, Clara. Your phone went straight to voicemail. Do you have any idea how worried I’ve been?"I didn't stop. I walked right past him toward the elevators. I didn't feel like the girl who used to apologize for being five minutes late. I felt like I was made of iron."I told you I needed space, Marcus," I said. My voice was calm, which I knew would make him even angrier. "I went to an auction. It was a private event.""An auction?" He followed me into the elevator, his shoes squeaking on the marble. As the doors shut, he grabbed my shoulde

The next few days were quiet, but it was the kind of quiet you feel before a bomb goes off. I heard through the grapevine that Marcus and Sienna had a public screaming match in the lobby of Sterling Media. He had accused her of being a traitor, and she had told him he was a loser who was going nowhere. They were still "together," but the trust was gone. The poison I had planted was doing its work.Then came Friday.A black box was delivered to my door at noon. There was no card, just a heavy piece of vellum with a single letter embossed in gold: T.Inside was a gown that made my breath catch. It was black, but not a boring black. It was made of midnight velvet that seemed to absorb the light around it. It had a high neck and long sleeves, but the back was completely open, a deep V that went down to my waist. It looked like armor. It looked like power.I spent hours getting ready. I didn't want to look like the "poor little rich girl" anymore. I pulled my hair back into a tight, sleek