I’ve spent three years as the secret wife of Gideon Montgomery, the CEO of Montgomery Holdings. The first year, I was drowning in the workplace. My manager, a petty man named Rick, went out of his way to make my life a living hell. I couldn’t stomach the humiliation anymore and wanted to go public with our marriage. Gideon didn’t even look up from his laptop. “Don’t be dramatic over a little office politics,” he said. The second year, Victoria—Gideon’s “one that got away”—returned from London and was fast-tracked into a senior VP role. The entire company was obsessed with them, shipping them as the ultimate power couple. Fuming, I tried to mark my territory. Gideon’s rejection was cold. “Keep your jealousy in check, Sienna. You need to learn to separate the professional from the personal.” The third year, after losing a major project bid to Victoria, I watched her “accidentally” sweep my months of hard work into the trash can with a flick of her wrist. I couldn’t help it. I broke down. Gideon didn’t offer a tissue. He stood over me, looking down at my tears with clinical detachment. “If your work wasn’t inferior, you wouldn’t have lost,” he said. “Learn to take the L and move on.” Maybe it was guilt, or maybe it was a calculated move to keep me quiet, but Gideon finally decided it was time to take our marriage public. I refused without a second thought. He frowned, genuinely confused. “Isn’t this what you’ve been begging for? What more do you want?” I pressed my hands together, almost in prayer, begging him. “Please, don’t. I have some dignity left. Every single person in this building has walked all over me at some point. If they find out the CEO’s wife was this much of a pushover, I’ll be the laughingstock of the company Slack channels for the rest of my life.” More than going public, I just wanted a divorce. I wanted to bury this embarrassing marriage and let it rot. 1 “She had a miscarriage.” That was the rumor flying around the office. After losing the project to Victoria, I’d had a screaming match with Gideon in the conference room. Mid-argument, the world went black, and I collapsed. To make matters worse, my period had decided to arrive unannounced and aggressive. My white trousers were stained crimson. When Gideon carried me out of the office, his face was a mask of terror. I heard a male colleague whisper, “Look at all that blood. Do you think it’s a miscarriage? My sister almost lost hers last week, and it looked just like that.” Gideon, usually as unshakeable as a mountain, turned deathly pale. He tightened his grip on me, his knuckles white. He drove like a madman, blowing through red lights until we reached the hospital. It wasn’t a miscarriage. It was just low blood sugar and exhaustion. As Gideon stared at the lab results, the tremors in his hands finally subsided. He knelt by my hospital bed and spoke the only soft words I’d heard from him in months. “Sienna… don’t be angry anymore. I was wrong.” The anger I’d been suppressing flared up again. “Gideon, you don’t have to apologize just because I’m in a hospital bed. You were wrong long before I fainted.” “You didn’t even listen to my full presentation,” I continued, my voice trembling. “You walked in, stayed for five minutes, and gave the win to Victoria. Do you honestly think that was fair?” “And are you blind? She intentionally swept my proposal into the trash.” Gideon’s brow furrowed, but he didn’t argue. He just said, “If it means that much to you, I’ll authorize a separate budget for a different project for you.” I remembered what he’d said in the conference room: What’s your proof? Just your ‘feelings’? You lost because you weren’t good enough. Don’t use our relationship to act out. Now, he was “softening,” but the core of it hadn’t changed. He still thought I was just being difficult. I felt a dull ache in my chest. I’d already been diagnosed with two stress-related breast nodules during the check-up. I didn’t want a third. I forced myself to be calm. “Gideon, go back to work. Don’t let me keep you.” “I’ll have someone come stay with me while I finish the tests.” Gideon stood up, his expression darkening. “Suit yourself.” 2 Being at a high-end private clinic meant things moved quickly. After the tests, Jenna sat with me in the room, waiting for the final discharge papers. The suite was spacious and bright, more like a hotel than a hospital. Jenna sighed, looking around. “I have to admit, Mr. Montgomery is actually a decent guy for setting you up in a place like this. Maybe I should faint from low blood sugar too if it gets me a company-sponsored spa day.” I adjusted my contact lenses, feeling a bit guilty. I was only here because I was the CEO’s wife, a secret I couldn’t share. “He’s probably just worried I’ll sue the company for wrongful death,” I joked. Jenna looked at my stomach and joined in. “There goes your imaginary settlement, kid. You could’ve made your mom a billionaire.” “But seriously, Sienna,” she leaned in, “Were you scared when the miscarriage rumors started? The whole office is talking.” I thought about it for a second. “Scared? Honestly, a miscarriage isn’t the scary part. Actually being pregnant with his child—that’s the nightmare.” “Thank God it was just low blood sugar.” A loud thud came from the en-suite bathroom, like something had been dropped. Jenna started to go check the door, but it opened first. Gideon stepped out, looking absolutely livid. He was holding a bowl of freshly washed grapes. Jenna froze, her hand halfway to the door. She clearly started mentally replaying everything we’d just said. I tried to give everyone an out. “Thank you for the fruit basket, Mr. Montgomery. The company really does treat its employees like family.” “But I’m fine now. If you’re busy, please don’t feel obligated to stay.” I thought I’d played it perfectly. Professional, distant, polite. But Gideon’s jaw tightened. He repeated the word “family” under his breath, his eyes boring into mine, waiting for me to say something else. “I mean it, Mr. Montgomery,” I added. “I’m not trying to overstep. It’s just that the benefits here are great. I feel right at home.” If I wasn’t mistaken, his lips thinned into a hard, straight line. After a long silence, he looked at Jenna. “Thank you for looking after Sienna. Your absence today will be recorded as a paid work day.” Jenna nodded like a frantic bobblehead. “It was no trouble, sir! We’re a team. No, we’re family!” Gideon didn’t correct her this time. He just turned and walked out. 3 Jenna left shortly after the results came back. I decided to stay the night at the clinic just to avoid the hassle of going home. I didn’t expect Gideon to return, but he showed up later that evening with a container of shrimp wonton soup—my favorite. I was still mad at him, but I wasn’t about to take it out on the food. I opened the steaming container and put on a mindless sitcom to fill the silence. Gideon sat in the chair next to the bed, working on his laptop as if nothing had happened. It hit me then that we hadn’t actually shared a meal like this in ages. Out of 365 days a year, he spent 200 at the office—where we had to act like strangers—and another 130 on business trips. My only time with him was usually at mandatory family dinners. Last month, Victoria had been on a month-long trip with him. As I chewed, I realized she’d had four more days of his time this year than I had. The wonton suddenly felt like a lump of lead in my throat. I couldn’t eat another bite. Gideon noticed. He quietly took the container, capped it, and tossed it in the trash. “Sienna,” he said, his voice level. “You’ve always wanted to go public, haven’t you?” “After what happened today, it’s probably better if we just tell everyone. It’ll stop the gossip.” “What gossip?” I asked, genuinely tired. “That I had low blood sugar and my period? It’s fine. We don’t need to.” The blue light from his laptop screen cast a cold, sharp glow over his features. “Why not? That’s all you’ve ever wanted.” Why not? I thought about the manager who called me an idiot last week. I thought about my expense reports that were constantly being “misplaced.” I thought about how I had to beg other departments for basic cooperation because I was at the bottom of the food chain. The realization hit me with total clarity. Going public now wouldn’t save me; it would destroy what was left of my pride. I pressed my hands together again, pleading. “Really, Gideon. Don’t. I can’t afford that kind of humiliation. Everyone in that office has stepped on me at some point. If they find out I’m the ‘Lady of the House’ after being treated like a doormat for three years, I’ll never be able to show my face again. They’ll laugh at me forever.” “I’m begging you. Let’s just get a divorce instead.” 4 To be honest, during the first two years, I was desperate for him to acknowledge me. This year, the thought hadn’t even crossed my mind. The first time I wanted to go public was because of my first manager, Rick. He thought I was “pretty,” so he kept trying to “accidentally” touch my hand during meetings. I wore my YSL stilettos and stepped on his toes every single time he tried it. He couldn’t scream without admitting what he was doing, so he took it out on my career instead. He called me a “clueless bimbo.” He whispered that I must have slept my way into the job. I remember laughing to myself. I did sleep my way here. With the man who signs your paychecks. I used to fantasize about the look on his face when he found out. One night, I went home and used eye drops to fake tears, planning to tell Gideon everything. Gideon was working. He didn’t even look up. “Sienna, what did I tell you when you started?” “The office isn’t a playground. If you expect me to solve every little problem for you, you should just stay home.” It stung. So, I did what any frustrated wife would do—I called his mother. After she hung up on me, she called Gideon. I pressed my ear to his study door, waiting for him to get scolded. But I was the one who lost. Gideon’s voice was calm, tinged with exhaustion. “Mom, you were the one who insisted she work here. If she can’t handle it, that’s on her. I don’t have the energy for these games.” “She wants to be like Victoria? Then she needs to put in the work. Instead, she spends ten times more effort on her outfits than her projects. At least Victoria never bothered me with trivial things like this.” I didn’t need the eye drops anymore. The tears were real. He wasn’t wrong, though. I only took the job because of Victoria. Even before we married, I knew about her. She was the ex-girlfriend he actually respected. She was independent, brilliant, and fierce. They were equals who challenged each other. Gideon’s mother hated her, which led to constant friction until Victoria finally quit, took her team to a rival firm, and left Gideon behind. That was my opening. Gideon was always cold, always busy. He liked high-achievers. I thought if I worked hard and became someone he could respect, he’d eventually love me. But after a few months, all I’d done was prove his initial assessment right: Sienna, you won’t last. 5 I cried half the night and was late for work the next day. Rick was waiting for me, ready to tear me apart in front of the whole department. I had my resignation letter in my bag, ready to slap it onto his desk. But before I could, Emily, the Department Head, issued a formal reprimand against Rick for conduct violations. Later that day, I bought Emily a coffee to thank her. She took a sip, glanced at the corner of the resignation envelope sticking out of my bag, and typed away at her keyboard. “Don’t run away now,” she said calmly. “It’s much more satisfying to leave after you’ve actually accomplished something. To walk out the front door with your head held high.” “By the way,” she added, “that’s a great dress.” Because I looked good, I decided I couldn’t afford to leave looking like a loser. The next day, Rick was fired. I felt a surge of renewed energy, shoved my resignation letter into the back of my drawer, and got back to work. 6 The second time I wanted to go public was when Victoria “crashed” back into the company. The veteran employees knew their history. Rumors of a rekindled flame spread like wildfire. Jenna pulled me into a private group chat. “I can’t believe he’s letting her back in after she stabbed him in the back like that.” “Love is blind, I guess. They’re the ultimate power couple.” There was a photo someone had snuck of them. Gideon was listening to Victoria’s presentation, and his usual icy expression had thawed into a faint smile. It was a look of pure admiration. I was fuming by the time I got home. “How could you hire her back?” I demanded in bed. “She’s your ex!” Gideon leaned in to kiss my cheek, his tone dismissive. “The project she brought is genuinely interesting. Business is business, Sienna. I’m not going to turn down a profit over a personal history.” “Besides, how else am I going to buy you those designer bags?” I pulled away. “Do you think I’m not as good as her?” The mood was ruined. Gideon sat up, put on his robe, and sighed. “No. You’re much prettier than Victoria. Now, if you’re not interested, I have work to do.” 7 To be fair, Gideon and Victoria were professional. They worked, they traveled, they argued. Victoria was probably the only person who could slam Gideon’s office door and get away with it. The company gossip was loud, but Gideon never gave me a “smoking gun.” I tried to ignore it until Jenna sent me a link to a company forum post. Apparently, Gideon had punched a client during a dinner meeting because the guy was being handsy with Victoria. Jenna remarked, “Mr. Montgomery is such a stand-up guy, protecting his female staff like that.” I was chewing my lunch, my heart sinking. “Yeah… stand-up guy.” Of course, sexual harassment is wrong. He did the right thing. But the resentment from my own experiences with Rick came flooding back, making me physically nauseous. Shortly after, Emily went on maternity leave. She’d been pushing herself too hard and had fainted twice at the office. She wanted to finish the new AI design project before leaving, but her body wouldn’t let her. Since I’d worked my way up to a senior role, the project landed on my desk. This was my chance to go head-to-head with Victoria. For Emily, and for my own sanity, I refused to lose. I worked 80-hour weeks. I skipped meals. I had countless late-night Zoom calls with Emily from her hospital bed to perfect the proposal. Gideon saw it all. One night, he touched my shoulder and sighed. “Sienna, you don’t have to try to be Victoria. You don’t have to push yourself this hard.” I wanted to scream at him, but I was too exhausted to speak. I fell asleep where I sat. I used to believe that Gideon, with his “business is business” mantra, was at least fair. I was wrong. The final vote for the project sat with Gideon. He arrived halfway through the presentations and cast his deciding vote for Victoria. The room erupted in applause. Victoria beamed. “Dinner’s on me tonight, everyone!” As she walked past me, her hip “accidentally” brushed my proposal off the desk and into the trash can. “Oh, sorry,” she said, her voice devoid of any actual apology. “Didn’t see it there.” The hatred I felt for Gideon in that moment was visceral. After everyone left, I broke down in the conference room. Gideon came back in. I started screaming at him through my sobs. I was hyperventilating, losing my grip on reality. His only response was a frustrated scowl. “You’re really starting to act like Victoria now. The drama is unnecessary.” I slapped him across the face and fainted. 8 Gideon stared at me, his glasses off, his eyes searching mine. “Sienna, are you threatening me with a divorce? I told you, I’ll give you another project. Is this really just about that one bid? Or is this about your obsession with crushing Victoria?” “The office isn’t a battlefield for your personal vendettas.” I looked at him, one last test of his heart. “And if it is? If I say I want that project and her gone?” He packed his laptop, a cold sneer on his face. “Then you’re being delusional. Throwing a tantrum won’t get you what you want.” I felt a new ache in my chest. I realized then that I would never be able to hold my head up in this company. The prejudice against me was baked into the walls. I took a few days of medical leave. Gideon didn’t even text to check on me. We were officially in a cold war. 9 During my time off, Emily’s baby was born—a beautiful little girl. I bought a set of gold Tiffany bracelets and a necklace for the baby. Naturally, I put it on Gideon’s black card. “I’m quitting, Emily,” I said as I rocked the baby. “But it feels so pathetic. Leaving right after a loss.” Emily sipped her coffee, looking as regal and sharp as ever. “Don’t see yourself as a victim, Sienna. Losing one bid doesn’t define you. Sometimes the judge just has bad taste.” “If you believe in your ideas, go build them. Prove it with results.” She winced at the bitterness of her coffee. “Honestly, I think Gideon has lost his mind, giving a generative design project to Victoria. She has no eye for aesthetics.” That was the encouragement I needed. I hit ‘send’ on my resignation email. Since I wasn’t a C-suite executive, the HR notification wouldn’t go to Gideon immediately. “Emily, once you’re off maternity leave… do you want to start something of our own? I have the capital.” Emily smiled at me. “I thought you’d never ask.” 10 I had two weeks of notice to serve. When Gideon realized I wasn’t coming home to the villa anymore, he stopped staying at the office. One morning, as I went to call my usual Uber, he signaled for his driver to pull up. He’d already had my regular car sent back to the garage. We sat in the back of the Maybach in stifling silence. Gideon was scrolling through his iPad, his brow furrowing deeper with every slide. Eventually, he clicked it shut. “Sienna, are you really planning on never speaking to me again?” He was right. That was exactly the plan. The sunlight hit his hand, making the diamond on his ring finger flash painfully. I remembered a time I’d accidentally worn my wedding ring to the office after a family brunch. Gideon had texted me: [Stop trying to drop hints. Take it off.] I’d been so angry I threw the ring into the back of my desk drawer. Now, he was the one wearing his. “I found a better project for you,” he said, reaching out to take my hand. “Stop being angry, Sienna.” I pulled my hand away. “Did you pick Victoria because she was better, or because you wanted to put me in my place?” Gideon exhaled sharply. “Can we stop going in circles? The decision is made. Do you really expect me to look like a fool and strip the project from her now?” “I understand,” I said quietly. “The divorce isn’t a joke, Gideon. Asset division will be complicated. Get a good lawyer; I won’t be easy on you.” As we approached the corner near the office, I told the driver to stop. The driver glanced at Gideon. Gideon’s face was stone. “Didn’t you hear her? Stop the car.” As I stepped out, I looked at his ring. “Mr. Montgomery, stop trying to drop hints. We’re just colleagues. And soon, we won’t even be that.” I walked across the crosswalk, the morning breeze feeling like the first breath of fresh air in three years. 11 The rumors about Gideon and Victoria were reaching a fever pitch. The office was split. My team thought Victoria’s team were a bunch of “insider-trading” sycophants. Her team thought we were “sore losers” with no class. On my last day, the tension finally snapped. It started in the breakroom. Someone from my team was whispering about Victoria’s “special relationship” with the boss. Victoria and her entourage walked right in. “With your team’s lack of vision, it’s a miracle you’ve lasted this long,” someone from Victoria’s side snapped. “Stop acting like you care about ‘fairness’ just because you’re not the ones with the connection.” “Are you saying you wouldn’t want the CEO’s favor if you could get it? Sour grapes, darling. And these grapes taste pretty sweet to us.” Then someone directed a comment at me. “Some people think they can just be ‘pretty’ and throw a fit in the conference room when they lose. Victoria won because she has grace. You’re just a mess, Sienna.” I stood there, holding my coffee, realized that “pretty” was the only thing people saw. Then, one of my younger assistants piped up. “I saw Mr. Montgomery wearing a wedding ring. He might already be married. Careful you don’t end up being the ‘other woman’ without knowing it.” Victoria’s face went pale. She looked at me, her eyes darting with sudden realization. Jenna and I managed to pull our team away before a physical fight broke out. “This place is a glorified kindergarten,” I muttered to Jenna. “Always has been,” she replied. The corporate world is just a giant stage built by amateurs. No matter the degrees or the titles, people will always gossip. It’s the only way they survive the grind. I finished my coffee. “Goodbye, Jenna. I’m moving to a different kindergarten.” 12 I started packing my things. It felt like a retreat. Like I was a soldier deserting the field. I placed my ID badge on the desk and turned to leave. Victoria blocked my way. She “accidentally” bumped into me, sending my box of personal belongings crashing to the floor. She leaned down, a smug smile on her face. “Going back to be a housewife? That’s probably for the best. The professional world isn’t for everyone.” The malice in her voice was unmistakable. She knew. She knew I was Gideon’s wife. She must have loved watching me lose. So what if she’s the wife? She’s still inferior to me. I realized I’d lost so much face over the years without even knowing it. Luckily, I was wearing my YSL stilettos today. I stood up and stepped on her foot—hard. “Oh, sorry,” I said, my voice dripping with fake concern. “My foot slipped. I didn’t mean to.” She gasped, her face contorting in pain. She raised her hand to slap me, but someone caught her wrist mid-air. Gideon stood there, his expression dark. He shoved her hand down and knelt to help me pick up my things. In the middle of the chaos, a colleague picked up a stray ring from the floor. “Um, excuse me… whose is this?” It was my wedding ring. The diamonds caught the light—a perfect match to the one on Gideon’s finger. “I have no idea,” I said, looking the girl straight in the eye. “Maybe it fell out of Mr. Montgomery’s pocket.” Gideon stood up, took the ring, and dropped it into my box. The room went silent. I gave a dry laugh. “How generous, Mr. Montgomery. Giving away wedding rings to departing staff? How very… supportive.”
🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “548325”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel
Leave a Reply