My CEO… She Paid Me to Be Her Husband for 1 Year — Then Our ‘Fake’ Marriage Turned Real
Chapter 5
The journal changed everything.
Victoria spent hours reading her grandfather’s notes.
Project Meridian had been created fifteen years earlier.
It involved a secret network of subsidiaries holding intellectual property and investment assets.
Her grandfather had created it to protect the company from hostile acquisition.
But there was a problem.
Richard Morgan had discovered the project years ago.
He wanted control.
Victoria’s grandfather had blocked him.
After his death, Richard began manipulating the board.
Daniel read the documents carefully.
“Your grandfather expected this.”
Victoria nodded.
“He knew Richard would try.”
“Then why didn’t he stop him?”
“Because he needed proof.”
Daniel looked at her.
“And the marriage?”
Victoria looked away.
“My grandfather added another condition.”
“What?”
“If I married someone outside the Morgan family, someone with no financial interest in the company, Meridian would remain protected.”
Daniel understood.
“So you didn’t choose me because you trusted me.”
“I chose you because you were independent.”
Daniel smiled bitterly.
“That’s comforting.”
Victoria immediately regretted it.
“Daniel…”
He closed the journal.
“I understand.”
“No, you don’t.”
“You needed a stranger.”
“I needed someone honest.”
“Because you couldn’t trust anyone else.”
“Yes.”
Daniel nodded.
“I get it.”
He walked away.
Victoria followed.
“Daniel.”
He stopped.
“What’s wrong?”
“You made me feel like this was becoming real.”
Victoria’s eyes filled with tears.
“I know.”
“Was it?”
She couldn’t answer.
That silence hurt more than anything.
Daniel returned home.
He slept in the guest room.
For the first time since the wedding, the house felt divided.
Lily noticed.
“Dad?”
“I’m okay.”
“Are you mad at Victoria?”
Daniel sighed.
“A little.”
“Did she do something bad?”
Daniel looked at his daughter.
“Sometimes adults hurt each other without meaning to.”
Lily nodded.
“Are you still married?”
“Yes.”
“Good.”
Daniel smiled.
“Why?”
“Because I like her.”
He hugged Lily.
“I do too.”
The next morning, Victoria found Daniel waiting in the kitchen.
“I want to apologize.”
He said nothing.
“I did choose you because I needed someone independent.”
Daniel looked at her.
“But that wasn’t all.”
“What else?”
“You were the only person in this company who had never asked me for anything.”
Daniel stared.
“You treated me like a person.”
Victoria’s voice trembled.
“I didn’t expect to care about you.”
Daniel looked down.
“Neither did I.”
She stepped closer.
“Then maybe we stop pretending.”
Daniel looked at her.
“What does that mean?”
“I don’t know.”
Neither did they.
But before they could say more, the front door opened.
Lily came running inside.
“Dad!”
Daniel turned.
She held an envelope.
“This came for you.”
Daniel took it.
There was no return address.
Inside was one photograph.
It showed Victoria meeting Richard Morgan secretly.
On the back were five words:
You don’t know your wife.
Daniel stared at the photograph.
Victoria saw it.
Her face went white.
“I never met him there.”
Daniel looked at her.
“Then who did?”
They both realized someone was trying to destroy their trust.
And this time, the target wasn’t the company.
It was their marriage.
