From Spy to Wife: The CEO's Pretend Marriage

1: The

meetings are seriously getting old," I said with a sig

I rubbed my arms and wondered why spy places always had to feel like

up from her tablet. "Nice

t I guess that's the point. I sneak in, grab the info, and vanish. No mess, no

om my Netflix binge," I said, leaning bac

ssic cold stares. "When do you ever get to the good par

at one

me. Truth was, my apartment looked more like a closet with a bed. Just cl

icture of a man. Dark hair. Sharp eyes that looked like they could freeze fire. He was

terprises. Thirty years old. Billionaire

elling state secrets? Laundering money? Has

lding high-tech weapons and selling them to whoever pays

g claim for a guy who's basically

cameras that polite half-smile at a charity thing. "Everyone thinks he's perfec

o do? Hack his systems? P

Stuff even his own company doesn't touch." She pa

le. "How close

se as i

uy? Women probably line up just to breath

Shadowbird said, sliding a folder over to

people. Hasn't been with anyone since his wife died three years ago." I looked u

t blink. "Throug

like where it was going. "You want me to use his k

rl with dark curly hair and the same sharp eyes as her dad. "She's the only soft spo

"He'll dig into my past like crazy. Even if I pass the ch

hadowbird said i

owed me the

stomach

round a woman who looked exactly like me. Same

d said. "Lennox's wife. She died

about it made my skin crawl. "We look

how we

o way. You seriously want me to act lik

g. We're not telling you to be Arielle. He knew

t are you

If she notices you look like her mom, she'll s

e up with the idea himself. To ask me

lately. She barely remembers her. She's having a h

nk he'd agree to so

on't think like normal people. They fix proble

e assistant to Gabriel Chen, some big businessman from Singapore. Y

he doesn't fall for it? Doesn't o

. We've been watching him for months. His daughter's the one thing he cares

"This isn't just another mission. You're telling me to live with this guy

ugh to find and grab the in

a lot for this job. Lied, stole stuff, tric

t's very important. If Lennox is really se

of doing the tough jobs-stuff others couldn't or woul

get caugh

get c

l Shad

ht. I'll do it. But I'm saying

ing you need to know. Catherine Reed's life story, Gabriel Ch

ost shouted. "Tha

our stuff is already being packed. Catherine's clothes are

hat they messed with my whole life without asking.

, taking the tablet. "P

leather jacket. Now I was Catherine Reed-wearing a neat pencil skirt, a fancy blouse,

nt to Gabriel Chen from Nexus Technologies. Born in Boston, went to NYU, worked in Singapore t

de of glass and steel. Rich and powerful vibes all over. My stomach twiste

I whispered. "Ju

els clicking on the shiny marble floor, I knew this was different. I wasn't here to

sional smile. "Good morning. Catherine Reed. I'm he

hecked her computer. "I don

me ahead to drop off some stuff before their meeting next week." I gave my bag a li

up the phone and called someon

r. Top button in the elevator.

," I said, sm

s was moving quicker than I expected. The plan was for Mia to accident

top floor button. Just as the doors were clo

hed in, and a tired-looking woman came

e that," the woman said, tr

n't say a word. Just looked up at my face with big, wid

No one said anything. I gave the nanny a small smi

rs felt li

was waiting outside. Lennox Hart. And wow, he looked eve

hing, Mia ran straight to hi

, clear voice, pointing str