The elevator ride to the top floor was silent except for the soft hum of its machinery. Lena kept her hands clasped tightly in front of her, trying not to look at the reflection of Adrian's chiseled features in the mirrored walls. He stood next to her like an untouchable statue—calm, collected, and distant.
Today was different. Today, she wasn't just the invisible wife hiding behind the walls of their penthouse. Adrian had insisted she accompany him to the office.
"Why am I here?" she finally asked, her voice quiet but firm.
Adrian's gaze flicked toward her, dark eyes sharp as glass. "You'll see."
When the doors slid open, the atmosphere shifted. Dozens of employees turned their heads as Adrian strode out, Lena trailing behind him. Conversations faltered. Whispers rippled across the open floor like waves.
Who is she?
Is that… the CEO's wife?
I thought she was just a rumor.
Lena felt the weight of every curious glance. Their eyes lingered too long, searching, judging. She tugged at the hem of her blouse, wishing she had worn something more glamorous instead of the simple cream dress Adrian had chosen for her.
Adrian didn't slow down, his strides precise, commanding. His presence alone silenced the room. He pushed open the glass doors to the boardroom, and the senior directors quickly rose to their feet.
"Good morning, Mr. Li," they chorused.
Lena followed, heart pounding as she slipped into the room. Adrian gestured to the chair beside him. "Sit."
She obeyed, her palms damp with nerves. The boardroom table gleamed under the crystal chandelier, papers neatly stacked, laptops glowing. These were people who lived and breathed numbers, power, and influence. She didn't belong here.
The meeting began, voices filling the room with terms she barely understood—mergers, profit margins, expansion strategies. Lena tried to follow, but the rapid exchanges blurred together.
Every so often, Adrian's voice cut through the noise—low, steady, and absolute. "That's not acceptable. Revise the proposal."
Or, "Increase the margin by five percent. No excuses."
His authority was unquestionable. Even the most confident executives shifted uneasily under his gaze.
But Lena wasn't invisible.
She felt it—the subtle glances directed her way, the small smirks traded when they thought she wasn't looking.
One woman, impeccably dressed in a tailored suit, leaned toward her neighbor and whispered something behind a manicured hand. The man beside her chuckled softly.
Heat crept up Lena's neck. She didn't need to hear the words to know what they meant.
Why is she here?
She doesn't belong.
Her nails dug into her palm beneath the table.
Adrian, still focused on the presentation, didn't seem to notice. But when he finally closed his laptop, he glanced at her. Just for a moment. His gaze was unreadable, yet Lena swore she caught the faintest flicker of something else—acknowledgment, maybe even… protection?
The meeting ended, chairs scraping back as the directors filed out with stiff smiles. The murmurs started again the moment the door shut.
Lena rose, but before she could step away, Adrian's voice stopped her.
"Stay."
Her chest tightened. "Why? I don't—"
"Because they needed to see you." He turned, sliding his hands into his pockets, his expression as cold as ever. "They needed to know you exist."
Lena blinked, startled. "Exist?"
He moved closer, his towering presence forcing her to tilt her head back. "You think they don't notice? The whispers. The doubts. They believe I'm untouchable—until now. Bringing you here reminds them I'm still human. Married."
Married. The word struck her with a strange heaviness.
"But… they don't respect me," she said softly.
Adrian's jaw tightened. For a moment, silence stretched between them. Then, unexpectedly, he reached out—his fingers brushing against hers, fleeting but deliberate.
"They will."
It wasn't a promise spoken like a vow. It was a declaration. Firm. Inevitable.
Her heart stumbled in her chest.
And for the first time since the contract bound them, Lena wondered if there was more to this marriage than she had ever dared to believe.