From Spy to Wife: The CEO's Pretend Marriage

3: Secre

oice as I waited outside the coffee shop. I was just h

s were dirty and his hair was a mess. Then I realized-it was Shadowbird und

le around could hear. Then I lowered my voice. "Wh

"Just making sure you're prepared. Hart's house is like Fort Knox-CCT

e without moving my lips too much. "Yeah, I g

extra cautious lately," she said, looking around.

rning the corner. "I've done harder missions than this. I

rconfident. He didn't become a billionaire by b

ing her off. "I can handle on

The sun bounced off it. A driver in a nea

before acting like a homeless person again. "God b

m Daniel, Mr. Hart's driver. You look

" I didn't know what to say. Being tol

said, opening the car door for me. "It's just...

ity and out to the rich neighborhoods, I went over everything I'd studied about Catherine Reed. I'

s house?" Daniel asked, lookin

voice calm. "We only met on

t made it himself after... well, after Mr

which is exactly what Shadowbird t

't see anything from the street. At the gate, guards checked both ou

out thinking when

modern, but it blended into the trees. Lots of glass and s

" Daniel said as he parked the car. "T

wing me. Two guards stood near the door. They tried to look chill, bu

small body slammed into my legs. Mia looked up

down. "Of course. I

g us closely. He wasn't in a suit today-just jeans and a gray sweater, but he

squeezing Mia's hand. "It'

ouse. "Come see my room! I

as he moved aside to let us in. "M

it was hard. The inside was even nicer than the outside-big and bright, with huge windows showing the fores

s amazing," I

tudying me carefully. "Mia, why don't you

hand again, jumping

res. I saw cameras in the corners, motion sensors near the windows, and little

here," Mia said as we walked past a closed door. "And t

here she was-Arielle Hart-smiling in a bunch of pictures. We looked so much alike. Same wavy dark

ollowing my eyes. "Daddy says you're

t's a little confusing, sweetie. But

usly. "She was p

n in weird places. One looked like a light, and another was built into a bookshel

and acted like I d

alled from the dining room

the bathroom. She showed me her little s

ousekeeper. The food was amazing-some kind of fancy steak with

ng, "tell me more about the security system p

verything. "The main advantage is the adaptive learning algorithm that identi

ed anyone who didn't know the tech. I answered them all, feel

Mia said, frowning and poking her

oyed. "The grown-ups are talking. Rememb

got louder. "You said tonight wa

ween them. It was awkward, a

something important," Lennox said f

work!" Mia shouted and threw her fork down.

"Mia Hart. That's enoug

d her chair back and ran upstairs. A fe

nox closed his eyes an

he said finally. "She'

that age have big feelings. They ju

f surprised, like he di

. "Sometimes kids talk easier wit

you're okay with that. I jus

unicorn stickers on the door. I knocked so

aid from inside.

," I said. "I'm not mad. And

d tiny steps. The door opened a little

He's alway

e in?" I a

bed. It was full of stuffed animals. Her room w

as I sat next to her on the b

bled, hugging a stuffed elephant. "He never p

why he works so much, right? It's for you. So yo

aking. "I just want him to be like before. When Mommy w

't feel like just a job anymo

explained. "Your dad misses your mom, just like you do. A

serious eyes. "Can you fix him

etie," I said. "But maybe we can

d I felt something new-li

story? Daddy doesn't

little bookshelf in the corner

a dragon. I read it out loud and made funny voices (even a loud, growly drag

she asked in

" I said, pickin

a had fallen asleep on my arm. I gently moved h

and Lennox was standing there. Even with the low light, I could

he whispered as h

e door. "Yeah, she was really

uietly. "Thanks for that. She... she doe

d," I said. "And

He didn't look as calm as usual. "I'm sorry our dinne

d. "We can discuss

was the perfect time to leave. "It

so I took a step toward the stairs.

arms around me from behind. His chest touched my b

voice full of emotion.

't just weird-it felt risky. He was drunk, c

ot moving. "I'm not your wif

my neck, making me shiver. "But for just one secon

en I felt his lips gently tou

ed sad and kind of broken. I could tell he'd been drinking. "A

not yet. But he looked so different now. Not cold and se

e hallway was dark, but I could still see his eyes. They looked almost b

eal quiet. "You're drunk. Y

" he said, his face really

could react, his