The Wife He Pretended to Forget

In the third year of my secret marriage to Julian Hayes, I accepted a department head position at his company without telling him. I wanted to surprise him—and finally end our three years of living apart. I walked up to reception and gave my name. “Hi, I’m Sophia Bennett, the new head of Strategic Development. I’m also your CEO’s wife.” The receptionist glanced at me, then shoved my paperwork back across the counter, her voice suddenly rising. “Sorry, but our CEO’s wife is Anna Parker.” Before I could process what she’d said, she pulled out her phone and held it up. Her voice dripped with sarcasm. “Mr. Hayes recently named our new commercial center after his wife to celebrate their third anniversary. “This is the promotional photo from our company intranet. See for yourself.” In the photo, my husband, Julian Hayes, had his arm wrapped intimately around a woman I’d never seen before. He was beaming. She wore a pale lavender shirt with a delicate hummingbird embroidered on the collar. I’d given that shirt to Julian for his birthday last year. I’d designed it myself. It was the only one in the world. Stunned, I took out my phone to call him. But the receptionist seemed to read my mind. “Don’t bother, Ms. Bennett. At last week’s celebration, Mr. Hayes announced in front of the press that Anna Parker was the only woman he would ever love.” “He also said he wouldn’t show any mercy to women who tried to use their past relationships with him to get ahead.” My fingers stiffened around the paperwork. If Anna Parker was the love he acknowledged publicly, his Mrs. Hayes… Then what did that make me, Sophia Bennett—the woman whose name was on his marriage certificate? The receptionist’s shrill voice echoed in my ears. “Our CEO’s wife is Anna Parker, not Sophia Bennett.” “Miss, pretending to be related to the boss’s wife to get special treatment is an old trick! Mr. Hayes despises women who’ll do anything to get ahead!” His wife? Anna Parker? I froze. Julian and I hadn’t made our marriage public, but our families, close friends, and a few senior executives at the company knew. “I think there’s been a misunderstanding.” I pushed down the unease rising in my chest and tried to remain civil. “I’m here to complete my onboarding.” “Oh, still playing pretend?” She sneered and picked up the desk phone. “Security? There’s a woman causing trouble at reception. She’s claiming to be Mr. Hayes’s wife…” Before she could finish, a soft, almost playful voice drifted over. “What’s going on? So much excitement this early in the morning.” I turned toward the voice. A woman in the latest Chanel suit was approaching, her arm looped through the HR director’s. Her makeup was flawless. There was a sharpness to her features that reminded me a little of Julian, giving her a commanding presence. The employees around us hurried to greet her. “Good morning, Ms. Parker!” So this was the woman they called the boss’s wife. Anna Parker. The HR director frowned the moment he saw me. “Miss, if you’re here for an interview, please follow the proper procedure. If you’re looking for someone, I’m afraid we don’t allow unauthorized visitors.” Anna released his arm and walked over, looking me up and down with interest. I frowned. I had no idea who this woman was. I’d never imagined someone like her would have anything to do with Julian. I didn’t recognize her, but Anna seemed to know me. The flash of jealousy in her eyes didn’t escape me. “Oh. So this is her.” She gave a little laugh and turned to the others. Her voice wasn’t loud, but it carried across the lobby. “Everyone, relax. I suppose Ms. Bennett here thinks my husband, Julian, is so wonderful that she’s gotten ideas she shouldn’t have.” She paused. Her eyes turned cold, though her voice remained sweet. Snickers broke out around us. “But if you’re hoping to replace me and take my place as Mrs. Hayes, I’m afraid you’re not even close.” Every eye in the lobby settled on me, full of curiosity, mockery, and contempt. As if I weren’t the company’s second-largest shareholder, holding a fifteen-percent stake, but some shameless mistress who’d come to force the wife out. I trembled with anger, tightening my grip on my appointment letter. My gaze hardened, but my voice stayed calm. “Anna Parker, is it? I don’t care who you are or how you’ve fooled the employees here. Hayes Group is not your personal playground.” “Have HR process my onboarding. Now.” Anna looked as though I’d told the funniest joke in the world. She leaned affectionately against the HR director. “Did you hear that, Mark? She wants you to onboard her. Since when do we let some random woman walk in and take over Strategic Development?” Mark Collins immediately nodded like an obedient lapdog. “Exactly, Ms. Parker. We answer to you and Mr. Hayes. As for that appointment letter… with Photoshop these days, who knows if it’s real?” The moment he finished, the large screen behind Anna lit up. Photo after photo began scrolling across it, all intimate shots of Anna and Julian. Romantic candlelit dinners. Business galas they’d attended together. Moments when he fastened a necklace around her neck or kissed her forehead… In those pictures, Julian looked tender in a way I’d never seen before. One photo hurt more than the rest. They were standing in the company’s rooftop garden, the glittering city skyline behind them. Anna wore a pale lavender shirt with a delicate hummingbird embroidered on the collar. It was the shirt I’d given Julian for his birthday last year. The only one in the world. My own design. And now another woman was wearing it. My husband had his arm around her, smiling as though he’d never been happier. “Do you see now, Ms. Bennett?” Anna’s voice rang with triumph. “Everyone at Hayes Group knows how much Julian loves me. To celebrate our third anniversary, he even named the company’s newest commercial development after me—Anna Center.” “Are you still going to insist you’re his wife?” The whispers around me rose like a tide. “Oh my God. The mistress actually showed up here? She’s got some nerve!” “She’s pretty enough, but she’s got nothing on Ms. Parker. She just looks cheap.” “And she wants to run a department? She must be desperate for money. Who does she think she is? Mr. Hayes would never want her.” The room seemed to spin. Every shred of composure I had shattered. With trembling hands, I pulled out my phone and dialed the number I knew by heart. “The person you are calling is currently unavailable…” Once. Twice. The same cold automated voice. Furious, I sent him a message. “Julian Hayes, you’d better have an explanation!” A bright red exclamation point appeared beside it. He’d blocked me.Just as the humiliation and anger threatened to overwhelm me, Anna’s phone rang. She glanced at the caller ID and smirked, then accepted the video call with the speaker on for everyone to hear. Julian’s handsome, slightly tired face appeared on the screen. “Anna, what’s wrong? Weren’t you going to inspect the new development today?” His voice was as deep and pleasant as ever, with a faint trace of exhaustion. “Julian.” Anna instantly looked as though she’d suffered some terrible injustice, her eyes reddening. “An unwanted visitor showed up at the office. She insists she’s your wife, and now she’s demanding to take over Strategic Development. She’s been absolutely awful to me.” Julian’s brows drew together at once, his gaze sharpening. “Really? Show me.” Anna turned the phone toward me. The instant our eyes met, I saw shock in Julian’s face. But it vanished almost immediately, replaced by bottomless coldness and disgust. “Sophia Bennett?” He used my full name without a trace of warmth. “I thought we’d already settled this. I left you the house on the west side and fifty million out of consideration for our past. Don’t get greedy. My patience has limits.” “Coming to my office like this—do you want everyone to know about our shameful history?” He paused, his voice thick with anger. “Anna Parker is the only wife I have ever had. As for you… I don’t want to see you again. Ethan will handle the rest. Do yourself a favor and behave.” Then he ended the call. The lobby fell deathly silent. Everyone looked at me as though I were a joke. Anna stepped in front of me, raised her hand, and slapped me hard across the face. “Did you hear him, you fraud?” Leaning close, she whispered so only I could hear, “You’re just something he got bored with and threw away. Did you really think you mattered?” The burning pain spread from my cheek into my chest. But I laughed. At my own innocence. At my own stupidity. So his two-month “business trip overseas” had just been an excuse to slip away. All those sweet messages—“I love you,” “I miss you”—had been lies to keep me quiet. All along, I’d been the other woman without even knowing it. “Throw her out!” Anna straightened, resuming her haughty air. “Hayes Group doesn’t welcome people with no morals!” Several security guards immediately surrounded me, reaching to drag me out. “Back off!” I snapped, sweeping an icy gaze over everyone present. “I’m Sophia Bennett, heir to Bennett Group and the second-largest shareholder of Hayes Group! Go ahead. Let’s see who dares lay a hand on me.” My identity had always remained hidden in the shadow of Julian’s success. We’d agreed not to disclose it before I officially joined Hayes Group. Now it was the only weapon I had to protect myself. At the mention of Bennett Group, several faces changed. Everyone in Fairhaven knew the Bennett name. Even Anna went pale for a moment, but she quickly recovered and sneered. “The Bennett heiress? That’s ridiculous. Everyone knows the Bennett daughter has spent years abroad recovering from an illness. She’s a recluse who never appears in public. Do you think making up an identity will scare me?” “You’ll find out soon enough whether I’m making it up.” Ignoring her, I called my father’s executive assistant, Charles Morgan, and put him on speaker. “Charles, it’s Sophia.”“Ms. Bennett!” Charles’s voice was steady and respectful. “You’ve finally called. Your father has been worried about you. Everything you requested is taken care of. The legal documents confirming your personal fifteen-percent stake in Hayes Group, along with proof that you are Bennett Group’s sole heir, have all been sent to Hayes Group’s legal department and the board secretary’s office.” He paused, then added, “I’ve also formally submitted a motion to the Hayes board requesting an extraordinary shareholders’ meeting to review the appointment of the head of Strategic Development, as well as… an investigation into Mr. Hayes’s personal misconduct.” His words landed like a bomb in the lobby. Everyone froze, including Anna. All color drained from her face as she stared at me in disbelief. I wiped the blood from the corner of my mouth and walked toward her. Each click of my heels against the floor sounded like a countdown to her downfall. “Well, Ms. Parker? Do you still think I’m a fraud?” I snatched the desk phone from Mark’s hand and called the board secretary directly. “This is Sophia Bennett. Notify every director. Emergency meeting in the top-floor conference room in thirty minutes. Anyone who fails to attend will answer for it.” My voice was quiet, but it left no room for argument. I hung up and looked coldly at Anna’s ashen face. “And you, Ms. Parker. Instead of wasting time here, I suggest you think very carefully about how you’ll explain your claim to be the CEO’s wife to the board in half an hour.” “And exactly what your relationship with my husband, Julian Hayes, is.” Half an hour later, the atmosphere in Hayes Group’s top-floor conference room was ice-cold. Every board member sat around the long table, their expressions grave as their gazes shifted between Julian, Anna, and me. Julian sat at the head of the table, his expression thunderous. He stared at me, his eyes filled with anger, confusion, and a struggle I couldn’t understand. Anna huddled beside him like a frightened rabbit. Her earlier arrogance was gone. I sat opposite Julian, expressionless, turning a pen between my fingers. “Now that everyone’s here, let’s begin.” I broke the silence first. “I called this meeting for two reasons.” “First, my identity. I am Sophia Bennett, Bennett Group’s sole heir and Hayes Group’s second-largest shareholder. You should all have copies of the relevant documentation in front of you.” The directors nodded, looking at me with newfound respect. “Second…” I paused, my gaze cutting toward the pair across from me. “Mr. Hayes, who exactly is Anna Parker? On what grounds have you allowed her to parade through this company as your wife, and even assault a lawful shareholder?” Every eye turned to Julian. He took a deep breath before speaking, his voice rough. “Sophia, this is a private matter between us. There’s no need to bring it before the board.” “A private matter?” I laughed coldly. “You cheated on your wife, supported a mistress, and allowed her to damage this company’s reputation. She nearly barred the company’s second-largest shareholder from entering the building. This has seriously affected the company’s operations and public image. How is that private?” Every word struck home. Julian’s face turned livid. An older director cleared his throat. “Mr. Hayes, Ms. Bennett has a point. You do owe us an explanation.” “Exactly. Ms. Parker’s Anna Center project has tied up nearly ten billion in company funds. If her supposed position here is fraudulent, how are we supposed to answer to our investors?” The objections mounted, all aimed at Julian. His fists clenched beneath the table, veins standing out on the backs of his hands. He stayed silent for a long time. Just when I thought he would fight the entire world for Anna, he suddenly turned to her, his eyes utterly cold. “Anna Parker. Tell them yourself. Who are you?”Anna shuddered and stared at him in disbelief. Her lips trembled, but she couldn’t get a word out. “Speak!” Julian’s voice sharpened, heavy with threat. “I… I…” Tears spilled down her cheeks. “Julian, how can you treat me like this? I’m… I’m carrying your baby!” That revelation caused an even greater shock than the announcement of my identity. An uproar broke out around the conference table. Even I froze. A baby? They were already having a baby? But at the word “baby,” Julian’s face grew darker and more frightening. He shot to his feet, grabbed Anna by the throat, and pinned her against the table, his eyes bloodshot and wild. “A baby? Who gave you the nerve to lie to me about something like that?” “Cough… Let… let go…” Anna’s face turned purple as she struggled desperately. The directors sat frozen in horror. No one had expected Julian to snap. I was the first to react. I rushed forward and pried at his hand. “Julian! Have you lost your mind? Are you trying to kill her?” I shoved him back, making him stumble. Breathing hard, he glared at me with red eyes, as if I were his enemy. “Sophia, this is my business. Stay out of it!” “Stay out of it?” I shook with anger. “Do you really think I’m an idiot, Julian? Someone you and your mistress can play with however you like?” “What am I to you? Your wife? Or a pawn you can sacrifice whenever you need to secure your position?” My questions struck him like knives. Julian went rigid. The madness slowly faded from his eyes, replaced by overwhelming pain and exhaustion. He looked at me, his lips moving as if he wanted to speak. In the end, he said nothing. He turned to his assistant, Ethan Reed. “Take her away. Clean this up. I don’t ever want to see her in Fairhaven again.” Ethan immediately stepped forward and hauled Anna up from the floor. She sobbed and struggled. “Julian! You can’t do this to me! You promised you’d love me forever! Have you forgotten our time together? You said Sophia was just a tool you were using! You said I was the one you really loved!” Her cries made Julian tense again. He didn’t turn around. He only said coldly, “Take her.” The conference room door closed, cutting off Anna’s heartbroken screams. Julian sank back into his chair and closed his eyes, as though he had nothing left. A long time passed before he opened them and looked at the directors. His voice had regained its usual composure. “Everyone, today’s incident was a misunderstanding. Anna Parker is a distant cousin of mine. She came to me after some trouble in her family. I felt sorry for her and gave her a place to stay temporarily. I never imagined she’d be so ambitious that she would impersonate my wife and cause this much trouble.” He turned to me, his gaze unreadable. “Sophia and I are legally married. We kept our marriage private to protect her from unwanted attention. She is the only woman I have ever loved.” It was a seamless explanation. He had distanced himself from Anna while announcing my position as his lawful wife to everyone. The directors were all seasoned operators. They knew exactly how to respond, nodding and expressing their understanding. And just like that, he brushed aside a scandal that could have shaken all of Hayes Group.