The CEO Wife's Pretty Little Lies

OLIVIA

"Zip it up for me, please . . ." I turned my back to Lara and held my hair up so she could zip this sexy black costume I chose to wear for what I could consider the highestpaid performance I would ever do in my entire life.

I heard her sigh and the look of worry was visible on her face. But seconds passed, she then zipped my corset from the back. I wore a seductive spaghetti strap black corset. It had seethrough silk, which made my black thong underwear visible. I paired it with the samecolored net stockings and a stiletto.

"Are you sure about this, Liv? You can still back out . . . you know, I can substitute for you, I'll tell Mike." I looked her in the eye and saw how uneasy she was with this situation. She really cared for me. "A man doesn't know the difference once they see a woman's naked body, especially in dim lights," she said.

I chuckled and shrugged it off.

Lara knows me well. She knew my traumatic past, my pathetic life. She knew that it would forever haunt me in my dreams if I go along with this. There's a little voice in my head saying that I should be worried about having sleepless nights as my mind will forever show me scenes of a man who tried to rape and assault me when I was fifteen.

Looking back, his actions were like an angel from heaven in front of the other orphans, every parent who visited us, including me. It was all a blatant untruth. Yet, what was happening inside the orphanage was him grooming small little girls; him looking at us like his sex toys. That place for me was hell, and I'm happy that I was no longer with them.

While here, I would say that this was my safe place; I can perform, do my job, and get paid. Though tonight would be different— I will strip in front of an old guy, and I must admit that it will trigger my traumatic incident from the past, but it looks like I have pleasures in seeing and battling my own nightmare.

I ran my fingers through my long wavy hair and leaned in front of the mirror. I put red lipstick on my pale lips, and in an instant, it became livelier. My face was colored with branded makeup that lightened up my physical appearance. It made me fiercer and beautiful, the kind of face I wanted every man to see, imprinting into their minds that Liv, the most requested "stripper," is a goddesslike woman that would fulfil all their fantasies. Knowing that fact made me feel special about my work.

"How can I refuse that three hundred thousand dollars, Lara? Even if I worked tirelessly for a year, I would never earn such a big amount of money. I only need to dance dirty and undress on stage while playing sexy, and I'll be damn free afterward. This is me winning a jackpot," I told her with excitement on my lips.

Mike, the owner of this club, approached me with an offer. I accepted the request of a filthy rich VIP customer to perform on stage. To strip in front of him but not to the extent that he will bed me. I know Mike's reputation in his nightclubs, so I believe that I'll be safe with this client. I haven't paid my rent yet, and I also need to pay my phone bills, water, electricity, and creditors that keep calling me because of unpaid loans. This will definitely help me to pay them.

In all my life, I have lived paycheck to paycheck, and at first, I was in denial that I didn't need a lot of money. But later on, I became a slave of it. As much as I wanted to escape the rat race, I didn't have any education. But once I get the payment, I plan to leave this place, probably, change my name to Lily, have a butterfly tattoo on my arm, get a nose piercing, get a huge apartment, go to school, get my degree and hopefully work in a multibillion company.

To be honest, I don't know If those things will make me happy. Looking at my life, if only a family cared to adopt me or my biological parents dared to raise me, I know for sure that my life would have been a bit different, maybe meaningful, perhaps I could create my own beautiful dream, and I can perhaps understand my purpose.

"What if that VIP was planning to do something bad to you?" She breathed heavily and crossed her arms against her chest.

I giggled and shook my head. "That old hag signed a contract indicating that he's not allowed to bed me, so I am safe, and if all went downhill, we do have securities here. You know Mike doesn't want to ruin his bar's reputation, right?"

"What if this triggers your–?"

I smirked, then showed that I regularly took my medications.

"It has been long forgotten, queen. My pride also won't make me rich, you know. Besides, I've been doing this job for a year now."

I then tapped her shoulder to assure her that I was okay with this, grabbed the blackcolored masquerade mask, and put it on my face.

"It's showtime!" I said and then went out of the dressing room.

While standing in the middle of the stage while inside the cold and dark VIP room, all I could feel was numbness from my feet also; deep within me was jumping for excitement once it was all finished. I remembered the first night I started working in this bar. I was horrified at first by how women strip in front of the customers as if it was the easiest thing to do.

But eventually, when I learned to build a facade and be a gogetter, my principles and dignity were thrown away, and I finally understood why my coworkers were dragging themselves in a shithole like this— it's because they had no other options. But despite this, this is the only place where I felt safer than before. I know that there's no hope in this place for some, but if you play your cards right, then you'll secure the bag.

My VIP customer finally entered the room. Even if the light was dim red, I could see the grin forming on his lips as he sat in the golden chair in front of the stage.

"My Liv, darling . . . you look so hot tonight," he praised me and sat like a king while paying attention to me. "You gotta entertain me. You're mine for the rest of the night."

I leaned forward enough for him to see my cleavage to spice him up a bit. After all, that's my job tonight. I'll ensure that this will be worth it for his money.

"Oh, I won't fail my most charismatic customer," I sexily said and chuckled.

I saw him licking his lips while watching me intently. I snapped my fingers in the air, and the music started to play afterwards. A popular French song blasted from the speakers that made me start swaying my hips seductively.

I danced sensually and touched my body slowly to entice the old hag in front of me. By the looks of his face, he enjoyed looking at my body as I slowly touched my breast all the way up to my neck, then caressed my hair, giving him an alluring look that would blow him up.

I gradually went to him and touched his shoulders while swaying from the music. My hands were gently stroking his neck. I caught him looking at my breast, he bit his lips and licked. I chuckled and purposely shoved his face to my bust for him to feel it. I felt that he was already hard. It was time for me to tease him more. After that, I went to the stage's pole center and danced with it.

The best thing is that Lara taught me how to perform with a pole, which makes me stand out to other girls right here. I was able to master how to move naturally while my legs were snaked with it as if it was part of my body. From afar, I saw how he gulped down and drank another shot of whiskey.

Minutes passed, and his most awaited part began. Some memories were flashing right back in front of me, but I had to shake my head as I needed to focus.

I started untying the red cape I wore. I saw how his mouth formed a letter "o" when my hands reached the thin strap of my corset and slid it down my arm as I continued to dance sensually. I removed the other one and walked towards him.

I swayed and continued to perform while my right hand reached the zipper of my corset from the back. I didn't hesitate and undo it until the corset loosened and slid down the floor. Now I am only wearing my black lacy bra and thong underwear.

His hand moved and travelled on my waistline. It sent waves of horror and disgust in me, but I continued to ignore it. In just a little bit of time, I'll be closer to my biggest paycheck, so I need to endure it.

However, my hands started shaking, my eyes got blurry, and my heart started beating faster. I felt a sense of danger in my whole system.

For my final act, I sat on his lap and saw his face get blurry, but I kept going.

I leaned down and was about to kiss his cheek as part of my service, but tears fell from my eyes as I saw the headmaster's face from the orphanage smiling at me.

"Liv, you have grown up beautifully . . ."

My body felt heavy, his face coming closer to mine, and I was about to scream my heart out, but I came back to my senses when someone banged the door.

OLIVIA

A tall man appeared all of a sudden. My jaw dropped when he marched towards me and tightly held my arm. His oceanic eyes screamed of danger and cruelty as he looked at me intently. Though it looked like I was saved from a brief episode of intense anxiety and fits of terror, I got confused about how he darted his eyes on me. Perhaps he had mistaken me for someone else? But as I looked at him longer, I couldn't help but look at his physique that was built like a Greek God.

Who is he?

"Reese, what the fuck? You ruined our wedding," he retorted, which confused me.

"WWait. I don't know what you're talking—"

"Shut the fuck up, and I'll take you home! You better stop this bullshit," he announced and removed his coat and covered my body with it. "Let's talk once we're at home. You have some explaining to do." I saw his jaw clenched while he whispered it to my ear.

"Liv, what's going on here?" my VIP customer butted in, but before he could stand up, this GreekGodlike man in front of me punched him in a flash.

"Hey! stop it. " I yelled and was about to attend to the old hag, but I was dragged out of the room by this man whom I don't know who he was.

"GGet off me! HHow dare you ruin my plan!" I groaned as I kept withdrawing from his grip, but hell, his hands are so big and hard that I can't remove them by swinging away.

"So this is your plan all along?" He turned to me, and I could see the rage in his eyes. I was choking back my tears as this stupid guy destroyed my plan. "I didn't know what had gotten in your mind for the past months, Reese. But I won't tolerate this behavior of yours as your fiance."

Who the hell is Reese?

"WWhat a minute! WWhy do you keep calling me Reese? My name is Olivia, not Reese! And the VIP you just punched? He's supposed to pay me three hundred thousand dollars and now it's gone, thanks to you—Hey!"

The next thing I knew, he carried me like a sack of rice on his shoulder. I screamed and punched his back multiple times, but he didn't say a word.

"This is seriously a kidnapping! I'm going to report you to the police! Put me down! Lara, help!" I screamed.

I saw the securities made way for us in the exit, and we reached the parking lot and I was stunned when I saw the luxurious car. He had just opened the door. He then put me down, and his ragged breathing was so evident that I could only swallow hard, afraid that he would do something terrible to me.

"Get in!" He dangerously yelled, which made my knees jelly.

"Again, I'm Olivia, not Reese! And by the way, I need to go back to the bar. I don't know you, and you're being mistaken!" I tried not to stutter, but my heart kept beating faster. I feel like anytime I'd collapse.

"Did you hit your head on a wall? Let me remind you in case you forgot, you're my fiancee, and we're still going to marry! So stop this crap and get in!"

"What?!" My eyes widened as if that was the craziest thing I heard.

This man is truly insane. I brought up my phone and contacted Lara, but my vision got blurry, and I felt dizzy as I tried to do so. The next thing I know, someone grabbed me and felt a warm embrace.

I looked at the coldblooded face of this man sitting in the driver's seat. His piercing eyes were fixated on the road, but the unknown rage was visible on his face. His jaw kept clenching, though I couldn't help but scan his beautiful face for some reason.

Despite his grumpy aura, I had to admit that he looked ravishing. I hadn't seen such a perfect face in my entire life. His lips looked so soft, pointed nose, thick eyebrows, and those ocean eyes that would definitely make all women drawn. His blonde hair has an impeccable cut, too, just like the men in Hollywood movies. But with all of these looks, he is still dumb and stupid. I can't believe that my biggest paycheck vanished in thin air because of this idiot.

In addition, what he did was still kidnapping! I massaged the bridge of my nose and glanced at the window beside me. This guy . . . I bet he's gone crazy. He insisted that I am Reese Jones even though I had already explained that my name is Olivia Miller.

Wait, is this a new scheme that I saw on TV last week? Fuck, I'm in big trouble.

"Where the hell are you taking me, Sir? I'm warning you, if ever you want to involve me in your monkey business! My father is a police officer! He will come after you and put you into jail. Do you understand?" I said with a bit of annoyance. I would be going crazy with all these scenarios whirling through my head. My phone is also useless as my phone provider cut my service. Everything adds up in my aggravation.

He didn't answer, but I know he didn't like the tone of my voice based on how he gripped the steering wheel tightly. He then suddenly touched my neck using the back of his hand.

Does he think that I'm sick? I'm speechless.

"For the nth time, I'm going to tell you this . . . I am not Reese Jones, alright? My name is Olivia Miller, and clearly, you are mistaken and kidnapping me for no reason!" I gritted my teeth and shifted my position so I could talk to him seriously. "And what you did back there in the bar ruined my reputation as the best entertainer in town. Do you know how much you owe me? That's three hundred fucking thousand dollars!"

He still didn't speak as if he didn't hear all my whines. I can see that he slowly shakes his head. I could have sworn this guy made my veins want to explode out of anger numerous times in just an hour.

"Sir, please take me back. I don't know you. I'm not Reese . . . okay, I lied. I don't have a Dad. My father is not a police officer. I don't have a family. My only hope is my work. Please, I'm begging you. Take me back to that place." I was breathing heavily, and my chest went up and down as my tears burst out. My anger, fear, and worries merged as if I thought a second I would die of catching my breath.

"Your only hope, are you seriously ill?" His voice was menacing. "Is that the reason why you escaped without any word two months ago? To work in that filthy place?"

My forehead creased as I looked at him. My fist clenched, and I could feel the raging emotions from my chest. This is probably my fate. Who am I kidding? This is what I only deserve . . . an orphan who does not deserve to escape this shithole, does not deserve to accomplish her dreams and doesn't deserve to be loved. From this moment, waves of agony washed out my hopes and aspirations. I gave up.

I returned to my senses as he drove faster and then turned right and immediately

stopped the car.

"What the hell! Do you want us to die?!" I yelled as I held my chest nervously.

He turned to me and eyed me angrily. "We're supposed to get married two months ago, Reese! You told me you love me, but you left me like a joke, and I don't know why you did that! I was losing my mind trying to find you in every place in the world only to find you working as a sex worker in that cheap bar?! Why did you even do that?"

I rolled my eyes and shook my head.

"Your mom is so worried about you! We thought someone kidnapped you, or you ran away with another guy, but it was even more surprising seeing you strip naked in front of that old man! Jesus, Reese! What on earth were you thinking? " He then scratched the back of his neck and said, "I knew it. You know what? I fucking knew it. I should not let you hang out with Paris. That motherfucker gave you drugs."

His worried face then turned to me and then he released a big sigh as his eyes went back on the road.

"First of all, I don't have a mom, okay? Even if I wanted to, I'm an orphan. I don't have a family. Second, I worked there as an entertainer, not a sex worker. It's part of my job. Lastly, whoever that Paris is, we are not pals, and she did not give me any shit, and as far as I'm concerned, it looks like you're the doper here, not me. " I then put both my hands over my face out of frustration.

"That bitch, she ruins everything. I'll call her to stop inviting you on her trips to L.A. Don't worry, Reese, everything will be alright. But I need to tell this to your mom as she is worried sick."

Looks can be deceiving indeed. At first glance, I would not expect that this gorgeous guy could be stupid as fuck. Out of frustration, I ran my fingers through my hair.

This guy is seriously stressing me out.

"We will go to your place . . ." He looked away and started the engine of the car. "I'll take you home, and we will tell this to your mom."

For some reason, instead of countering his arguments, I can't help but laugh in this situation. Like, even how many times I tried to convince him, he was dead serious telling me that I'm Reese and he will be supposed to be married to her. Whoever Reese is, she is supposed to be thankful that she has a handsome but pesky fiancee.

I burst out in laughter. His face looked confused. Just by looking at him, he no longer knew how to react. Probably, he's thinking that I need to go to rehab. Guessing the look from this idiot, he probably is.

"Give me $300,000, and I'll play your little game," I said in defeat and crossed my arms against my chest.

He shook his head, "Even the riches of Solomon, I 'll give it to you," he said and started the engine and maneuvered his car.

I scoffed and heaved a huge breath. The waves of my agony shifted to waves of hope and uncertainty. My heart pounded faster, and I can't help to remove the wide grin from my face.

OLIVIA

I could feel the cold breeze kissing every bit of my skin as we got out of his car. My eyes landed on the huge manor in front of us. It was like a Georgian manor, too oldfashioned but speaks of elegance and nobleness.

"Where are we?" I asked curiously to the handsomeyetgrumpy man standing next to me.

"At your home," he said coldly. He held my hand and dragged me without any hesitation.

"Seriously, you need to go easy on me while I'm still in control!" I hissed as we walked through the stairs.

"Your mother is waiting for us," he said when we reached the front of the double doors.

I just shrugged and rolled my eyes. Those were good words to hear only if I had a mother. I bet Reese' mother will think he's gone insane once she sees her supposed soninlaw bringing another woman into their house.

He knocked on the door and minutes passed, it was opened by a housemaid. He was still holding my hand tightly when we entered inside.

My eyes roamed around and all I could see were luxurious furniture and interiors that made the whole living room livelier, comforting and warm. The house was undeniably spacious and truly stunning. Across the living room is a grand staircase which leads to the second floor. I gazed up there and saw a woman who seemed to be in her mid 40's and was standing in the first rung of the stairs. Her hand was caressing her chest as her eyes started to get teary.

She must be Reese' mom . . . she then ran downstairs and it somehow made me nervous thinking that she might fall. I thought she would try to hit this insane man beside me but I was stunned when she ran towards me and embraced me tight.

I blinked several times, and swallowed hard when I heard her cry on my shoulder while hugging me as if she didn't want to lose me . . again.

"Oh, God! Sweetheart, where have you been all this time . . . I was so worried to death," she said in between her sobs. She then faced me and the next thing I knew was she's caressing both of my cheeks that somehow sent warmth to my spine. "I am so happy you're safe and back, Reese. Mommy missed you so much . . ." She hugged me again.

I didn't know how to react. God knows how I wanted to burst her bubble and tell her that I am not her daughter . . . that I am not Reese Jones, but something inside me slightly pity her. I don't know why.

I still don't understand why both of them are calling me Reese. Who really is she?

I didn't manage to utter a single word in front of Reese' mom. I am still confused and definitely convinced that this wasn't a prank anymore. After the emotional breakdown Reese' mom had upon seeing me, she was sent to her room with a house nurse who's incharge with her because apparently, she's suffering from depression.

When the grumpy guy confirmed that she's already having a good rest, he then walked me to Reese' bedroom.

As soon as I entered the room, my eyes widened in disbelief. I glanced at the portraits hanging on the wall and saw a familiar face of a woman . . . my face . . .

I shook my head, trying to get a grasp of everything but I couldn't seem to understand what was happening.

Like what the hell is going on?

Reese Jones and I have the same face? How could it be possible?

I stiffened when I felt him embracing me from the back. I was about to protest but his arms were snaking my waist tightly. He buried his face on my neck, and when I felt his mint breath on my skin. A sudden wave of electrifying sting sent shivers up to my spine.

"I forgive you for everything you've done . . . whatever you've been doing, I will forget about it. Just promise me you won't leave me anymore," he whispered, almost pleading.

My forehead creased. I know I was whining to him a while ago but after seeing all Reese' pictures, it was as if my strength faded away because unanswered questions started to haunt me.

"Don't fucking run away from me, Reese." His hands traveled on my shoulders and he made me turn around so I could face him.

My brows furrowed. The rage on his face has gone. The only things I see in his eyes are sadness and desperation.

"We'll get married tomorrow. You can't escape from me. I won't allow you to leave me ever again," he uttered with finality.

To my surprise, he leaned forward and gave me a rough kiss.

The next day . . .

I was pacing back and forth, biting my nails as I tried to think of a good escape plan. After what happened between me and that grumpy man last night, after how he stole kisses from me and swore that he won't let me go, it became clearer to me that I was in a big mess.

My eyes darted on the telephone on the table beside Reese' bed. I immediately walked towards it and dialed Lara's cell number. If there was one only thing I am good at, that's memorizing phone numbers of the people I care about. I heard three rings on the line and then she answered the phone call.

"Lara!" I called her name as I sat on the side of the bed.

"Olive? Geez!" She exclaimed. "What happened to you last night? Mike checked the CCTV footage and told me someone has kidnapped you. I took a closer look at that man's face and figured out it was no other than Chase Maxwell!"

My forehead immediately creased. "Chase who?"

"Chase Maxwell, Olive! He's one of the most famous billionaire bachelors in the country! How did you know him? Care to tell everything because I'm freaking out here!"

"Well, I'm freaking out too, Lara. He ruined my performance last night because he thought I'm his missing fiancee." I lowered down my voice, afraid that someone might hear me from the outside.

"WWhat? Fiancee? How come?"

"I don't know but I'm here in the house of that woman. Listen, you won't believe what I found out."

"I'm all ears, Liv!"

"His fiancee, Reese Jones? We have the same face! I mean . . . we're too identical and that's the reason why that man, Chase, has dragged me into this place! He thinks I'm the woman he's been looking for, Lara!" I told her as if I am becoming more hysterical right now.

I heard her gasp. "What the— are you serious?"

"I really want to think this is just a nightmare but hell, this is real. I don't understand what's going on. I haven't been able to sleep in Reese' room. Her pictures are giving me creeps." I then turned to the wall and gazed on Reese' portrait, and instantly I felt the goosebumps all over my body. "But, I have another problem."

"Another one? What is it?" Her voice sounded so concerned.

"That Chase? He said we're going to get married today!" I said and palmed my face. "He's so convinced that I am Reese, that I left him for unknown reason and now he's not going to allow me to escape anymore and will force me to a shotgun marriage. This is insane!"

"Oh my goodness, am I hearing it all right? That famous bachelor wants to marry you? You'll be an instant billionaire's wife if that's the case then!" she said in glee.

"Let me remind you that I'm not Reese Jones, for the love of God, Lara!" I rolled my eyes. How could she get so giddy with the thought of me marrying that grumpy billionaire?

She sighed. "But isn't it an opportunity you should consider, Liv? It only takes one vow and you will get your chance to escape from the rat race. Come to think of it, you will no longer need to work as a stripper. You'll have a wealthy life, and the most goodlooking husband. You'll never have to worry about money, you will get anything you want—"

"Again, I'm not Reese—"

"But this might be the chance you've been waiting for, Olive. If that girl, Reese, really wanted to marry Chase Maxwell, she should've been there to begin with. However, she's missing in action, and the only woman who gets the chance right now is no other than you."

I inhaled heavily as my chest started tightening . . . somehow, at the back of my mind, I knew Lara was right. I felt like my mind and conscience were battling against each other. My mind strongly agreed to Lara but my conscience was telling me otherwise.

"You know how impossible it is to reach a dream when you don't have the means to depend on. Liv, you only live once. Chance like this can only stumble in front of your feet once."

The memory of my younger self stealing bread in a bakery store when I was wandering on the streets flashed in my mind. It was followed by my teenager self who stood in front of the bar, and how my life changed afterwards . . . my life has changed, yes. But I had to admit that I am still at my lowest.

Silence engulfed me for a moment. If only I could see a sign that would make me decide what to do . . . something that would encourage me to go on with Lara's suggestion.

If only someone would knock on the door and tell me it's okay for me to do it . . . I was holding the telephone to my ear so tightly, and my eyes couldn't help but be teary.

"Fuck . . ." I gasped and ended the call without saying a word to my friend.

I heard two knocks on the door that made me hold back to crying. I cleared my throat and stood up. The door opened and the familiar Godlike Chase Maxwell entered. Compared to last night, he looked more calm today. He was wearing a black suit that fit his body perfectly.

"Good morning," he said huskily.

I swallowed hard and just nodded at him. My eyes gazed down at the white huge box he was holding and then glanced at him curiously.

"We have to keep going, Reese. We will marry today," he said genuinely and handed me the box.

I didn't know why but I found his voice soothing . . . as if it was the sign I just asked earlier, and like he was pushing me to do it, to grab this one in a million chance.

"So, you're still going to marry me," I said with my voice on the verge of cracking.

"Yes, I will still marry you. Whatever it is that happened last night, it doesn't change what I feel for you, Reese."

Our eyes were still locked with each other. I could see the sincerity in him. I hate to admit it but it felt like Reese had missed this gem in front of me.

I inhaled and walked towards him, then tiptoed to give him a peck on his lips.

"Alright, let's get married then . . ."

OLIVIA

When I was in the orphanage, I never imagined that there would be a family willing to adopt me. Every Christmas, I recall some people who visited and gave us gifts. I was super excited especially in November, the month when we normally prepare some presentations that we would perform at the Christmas party.

Then one time, someone gave me a gift. It was a Christmas card that was given by a lovely couple, and I kept it in a shoe box. Whenever I feel sad, I would see myself bringing it out from the box and read it. Even though it had only a generic happy Holiday message with my name written in front of it, it didn't fail to give a smile on my face. It was the only Christmas present I got when I was a kid that somehow made me feel special. The truth was, I imagined that it came from my real family.

Now in a turn of events, I was sitting with my 'parents', with my 'fiance' sitting next to me and of course his family on the other side of the table.

And guess what? We were discussing the plans for our marriage— Chase and mine.

We were all here in the dining area of Chase Maxwell's house. I never imagined that I would find myself in this situation, at least not until today. Reese Jones, for God's sake, why do we have the same face? Well, let me play your role for a while then once I get what I want, they will no longer see me anymore.

I can't wait to get my three hundred thousand dollars from Chase. That money is enough for me to change my face entirely so that this idiot would no longer run after me.

"Reese, I am glad that you're able to join us today. How are you?"

I came back to my senses when Chase's father spoke. At this moment, I wasn't sure what they thought of Reese. Due to the fact that I was unfamiliar with her, I've decided to provide just plain responses to his family, just to be on the safe side. The less I say, the less likely it is that I will make a mistake, and if I can perfect the art of pretense, I will be able to avoid any suspicion on their part.

Earlier when we arrived, his father, whose name is Ernest, looked at me as if he saw a dead person, which I thought was strange. He even dropped his newspaper and then proceeded to hug me. My mind couldn't help but wonder how close he was to Reese.

"I'm fine, thanks!" I faked my smile just like how I pretend to be someone that I'm really not.

"That's good to hear, sweetheart. All of us were worried about you," Chase's father replied, still gazing at me with an odd look.

"She kinda has amnesia and forgot our wedding," Chase said to my family.

Everyone at the dining table burst out laughing. They looked at me and kept shaking their heads. Then they proceed to bombard me with a lot of questions. I was trying to be as polite as possible with them but they started to get on my nerves.

To avoid their questions, I always end up looking at Chase, giving him a look, signaling him that I can no longer accommodate and answer all their queries, especially those interrogation of his parents.

His mother had a lot to say about this swimming competition, like I didn't have even the slightest idea what she meant by that. "I'm rooting for you Reese. You're the pride of the Jones's family!"

What did she say? I don't even know how to swim!

Then, I recall those medals from Reese's room and some portraits of her wearing a one piece swimsuit holding a trophy. So the missing bridetobe is a swimmer?

"Perhaps, you're getting overwhelmed because of your wedding, then here comes this upcoming swimming competition you must attend and you're still trying to recover." Mrs. Maxwell glanced at her son. "Chase, I guess you should postpone the wedding for this year so that Reese will have more time to prepare."

Chase's mom then reached for my hand that was resting on the table. Chase, who was seated next to me, caught my attention. I saw that he had a gloomy expression on his face. His oceanic eyes were filled with disappointment as he listened to what his mother had to say.

"Chase, I guess your mother is right. We can't force this wedding since Reese is still recovering. We don't even know what happened to her. We need a specialist to check on her."

I'm not sure whether I would be happy or not that I am hearing all these damn excuses from his family. One thing is for sure, both of his parents don't want me to marry their son. If the marriage would not push through, I wonder if I would still be able to get my money back . . .

But of course, I am already here in this madness and I already made a decision to play along with it, so in order for me to ensure that I would be getting money, I have to marry this billionaire, by hook or crook.

"I'm sorry, Uncle Ernest and Aunt Claudia, but me and Chase would like to be married as soon as possible," I uttered.

His parents were both staring at me with a blank expression on their faces before they threw meaningful looks at each other. I'm not sure whether they're enraged or just confused.

Chase, on the other hand, smiled at me. "Mom, dad, you heard Reese. We want this wedding to happen as soon as possible. In fact, I wanted our wedding to be done today but you intervened with our initial plan. If it weren't for your complaints, Reese would have been my wife by now." He then glanced at me and winked.

I rolled my eyes, but I stopped midway as her sister seemed to notice it.

"I wish you never came back," she said with her lips pouting in annoyance.

I narrowed my eyes as I threw a dagger at her. I want to give this lady a smack on the face but since she will be my sisterinlaw, then I'll let it slide.

"Hey Chandria, quit it." Chase told her warily.

Reese's parents then started to persuade them with the wedding plan but for some reason, Chase's parents would always bring up my condition.

I guess the real problem here was how I would convince these people that I'm fine. Even if I'm in their position, I would also be terrified that someone who has gone missing for two months, ruined her supposed wedding with their son, would show up and have no details whatsoever about what really happened.

It is reasonable for them to think about it first. I got that I needed to be checked by a specialist, probably they are referring to a therapist or some sort. Observing how our conversations went, I already knew that it would not be easy for me to wear Reese' shoes at all.

However, even though the shoes don't fit right now on my feet, I would still work my ass off to be the modern Cinderella of this fairytale.

We exchanged our goodbyes as soon as our lunch was finished. I walked in their hallway, then went downstairs and saw Maxwell's family portrait. My eyes wandered on their walls which appeared to be magical. They had these dreamlike paintings, sculptures that I only saw from the magazines and when I reached the end of the stairs, there's this old typewriter that caught my attention. I squinted my eyes as it felt like I had seen it before.

"Do you still remember that thing?" A familiar voice of Chase was heard behind me. He then tapped my shoulders and stood up right beside me.

"It's the first time I've seen it," I replied.

"You gave that to me as a gift," he said.

Oh, alright. I bit my tongue and acted as if my head started to feel a throbbing pain. I guess this is the best thing to do, to disguise that I'm suffering from amnesia so they would stop throwing questions at me.

I know Chase wanted me to share what exactly had happened to me but since I'm a different person, I don't have any explanation for it. I just need to stick with this act until they get tired of asking me a lot of things.

However, I know I couldn't pretend to have amnesia forever. If this continues, Chase' parents will not likely agree for us to get married.

"If you don't remember that's fine," he said.

His face saddened as he tried to tell me some good stories about him and Reese, hoping that any of it would somehow ring a bell to me.

As I listened carefully to him, I started to think that having a relationship with someone is truly difficult. When I was working in the bar, my goal was to earn a lot of money and that's it.

When I was still at the orphanage, every time I saw other kids being adopted, I felt so jealous. Every night, I prayed that hopefully one day, a family would come and adopt me. Now, I realized that family can be complicated too.

"Reese, please don't give up," he pleaded.

He snaked his arms around my waist and pulled me for a embrace. Surprisingly, it's a comforting, warm, tender . . . long embrace, which made my mind calm a bit.

My hands wanted to move on their own and to embrace him too, but my mind reminded me not to do it. I don't want to become too attached to him. My emotions should not have any control of me. If I ended up liking this person, then I'd be in huge trouble, especially when the real Reese Jones finally showed up.

But I had to admit that this guy is truly appealing. The way he embraces me gives me an indication that he doesn't want to let me go. I know I was mad as hell at him last night but at the back of my mind, there's a little demonic voice telling me to enjoy this moment with him.

Perhaps because I don't have any lover? I never had a boyfriend before. Even if I wanted to enter a relationship and entertain some men who showed good motives to me, I didn't have the courage to grab the chance and ended up getting away.

That's how my trauma ruined my life.

I came back to my senses when he kissed my lips. It was so passionate and enticing that even though my mind was telling me to push him, I did the opposite. I kissed him back, parting my lips and felt his tongue inside my mouth which made me moan softly.

Then I realized we were still in his house and his parents might have caught us kissing!

"ChChase, not here . . ." I muttered and slightly pushed him away.

And I was correct . . . someone has caught us in the act.

I saw his sister, standing up a few steps away from our direction, watching us intently.

"Can you guys get a room?" she scoffed and rolled her eyes at me.

A sudden wave of embarrassment filled my entire system. She then walked past us and even bumped my shoulder intentionally. As I turned around, she only gave me an annoyed face.

My eyebrows furrowed with how that brat Chandria acted in front of me. I licked my lower lip and grinned bitterly. What a childish devil . . .

OLIVIA

Chase offered to send me home after that suffocating gathering we had in his house. I was sitting comfortably on the shotgun seat, gaze wandering on the streets we passed by. I made several sighs. I didn't know why but I felt so tired on the first day of my pretense.

This thing was harder than I thought, not to add that Chase's family acted so strange in front of me which gave me an idea that they didn't like Reese Jones for Chase at all. They thought I was going crazy, that was for sure. Because if not, they wouldn't try to push the idea of me going to a psychiatrist and would reason out a lot just to move the wedding that was supposed to happen this week. Even his sister. That Chandria obviously didn't like me coming back, or should I say Reese.

I glanced at him. His eyes were fixated on the road as he maneuvered the car. My eyes couldn't help but memorize his face. He was truly good looking, a godlike man who was made perfectly by someone above. I didn't really get why Reese left this guy . . . Chase Maxwell was truly a jackpot and she only left him without a single word. I would say it was unethical and an absurd decision. Was it really how rich women act?

"Staring is rude, Reese." His mouth twitched for a quick smile.

I chuckled awkwardly and cleared my throat after. Was I so fascinated in his face that I didn't realize I was staring at him for too long? That was embarrassing!

"Now that I think about it, we've been together for how many years but it was the first time I felt that kind of kiss from you," he said and then looked at me for a second then turned his eyes back on the road. "I can't describe it but it felt so different and I really like it."

His statement made me feel uncomfortable. Why did he have to open up such a topic? It was just a damn kiss!

"And maybe you only missed me, that's why you thought it's different. Nothing has changed, Chase. Don't be confused," I replied, hands sweating with the thought that I might have kissed him differently compared to how Reese gives him kisses.

"You're right." He chuckled, His one hand reached for my hand and kissed the back of it. "I miss you so much, Reese . . . and I can't wait for us to get married," he uttered and smiled genuinely.

I felt bad that I had to deceive this guy who only hoped to love and be loved by that girl, Reese Jones. If only I had another choice . . .

Money is the root of all evil, as people say. I could confirm it was true because here I was, stuck in a life that's full of deception in order to get some money out of Chase's pocket and to survive this cruel world.

I pity him but I pity myself more than anyone. That's why I had to do this, no matter what or who would be the casualty of my own actions. Even if it was Chase. I inhaled heavily and glanced back at the window.

I guess it would be easier if I would treat this mess as a part of my job, that this guy was my customer and I had to play the role of Reese Jones, the soontobe wife of this billionaire. And in order for my acting to be believable, I should contact Lara to help me do some research about Reese.

I needed some information about her, how she dresses . . . what are her likes and dislikes, even how she normally moves and speaks . . . I need to copy her overall demeanor!

I also needed to know every bit of her body, even if it was just a mole or scars. What if she had a tattoo? It would be awkward if I slept with Chase and then he would figure out that some random tattoo was missing from his girl's body. In short, I really had to copy her up to the point that someone wouldn't be able to tell who is who.

I recalled one certain topic Mrs. Maxwell had opened up during our lunch. She did mention a swimming competition that Reese had to attend. Now, how do I escape from that? Never in my entire life had I learned how to swim. If someone pushed me to the swimming pool, I'd be dead in an instant.

I felt a throbbing pain in my head as I realized that Reese and I were completely different. She excelled in sports, something that was totally opposite of me. I hated sports, to be honest. The only thing I knew was how to work for money.

But I guess I should try new things this time. Learning how to swim should be the first one on the list. Little by little, I would be able to replicate that woman. I took my phone from my bag and started taking notes . . .

I was completely consumed by my plans on how I would be able to copy Reese. My thoughts were only ripped out when Chase spoke beside me.

"We're already here, babe," he said. The car entered the main gate and stopped in front of the Jones' manor.

"Thank you for bringing me home," I said and smiled at him. Calling this home was still foreign to me but hopefully, I'd get used to this kind of set up.

I got out of the car and so did he. "Let me walk you inside."

I stared at him and rolled my eyes after a few seconds. "Are you always this clingy?"

He laughed and shook his head. He walked towards me and snaked his arm around my waist.

"Like I said earlier, I missed you so much."

"Fine!" I hissed, then chuckled.

When we reached the front door, he opened it for me. I couldn't suppress the smile on my lips as he acted like a gentleman, very sweet and thoughtful. But even though he had this kindness in him, I shouldn't get too attached to him. After all, I was just pretending to be his girl.

"You know what? I'm not a baby anymore. I can walk on my own," I said as I noticed how he held my hand and shoulder gently as we entered inside the manor.

He only smiled and kissed my forehead.

"Now, what was that for?" I raised a brow.

"Because you're acting so cute and I like it, Reese." He chuckled.

My eyes then squinted. "No need to impress me with your moves, young boy." I smirked.

He pouted his lips and I couldn't stop myself from teasing him more. We then walked our way to the living room. We sat on the couch. Mr. Smith, the butler, appeared out of nowhere to welcome us.

"Hello there, Ms. Reese, Sir Chase. Would you like anything, perhaps some drinks?" he offered as he glanced at the both of us.

"No, we're fine." Chase smiled and nodded.

When the butler left, he then moved closer to me.

"Now that we're alone, I guess we can continue where we left off . . ." he whispered in my ear.

To my surprise, his warm and seductive voice tickled my ear. I tilted my head away from him and was about to hit him in the arm when Mrs. Jones, who went home earlier than me, walked downstairs that made Chase move a little bit far from me.

Sneaky!

"Ooh, Chase! You're here! Thanks for sending my daughter home. I am sorry we had to leave earlier. Reese' father needed to finish some work in the company," Mrs. Jones exclaimed.

Chase cleared his throat and stood up. "Not a problem, Mrs. Jones. I'm glad you left your daughter with me." He glanced back at me. "You know that I missed her a lot and I'm trying to make up for the time we lost."

"That's so sweet of you, Chase." Mrs. Jones held her chest as if she was truly impressed with this guy. It was so dramatic that I could only shake my head. "How about you stay and join us for dinner? I bet Reese would also love that! Am I right, sweetheart?"

"Uhm, sure, Mom!" I said and called Mrs. Jones for the very first time.

It felt so strange and my heart couldn't help but pound loudly. I wasn't even sure if this was because I was nervous whenever Reese' mom was around or I was just engulfed by an unfamiliar excitement to treat someone as my mother. Nevertheless, I needed to sound confident and real.

Chase caressed the back of his neck. "I am afraid I have to decline for now, Mrs. Jones. I will have to attend a company meeting and sign a few reports." He then looked back at me. "I hope that's alright, Reese."

"Do your thing, Chase. It's okay. We have all the time in the world," I replied and faked a sweet smile.

"You're really a hardworking man, Chase. Your parents should be very proud of you."

"Thanks, Mrs. Jones. I'm only doing this for Reese. I want to give her the best life she deserves . . ."

"Sounds like a promise!" Mrs. Jones hugged Chase tightly and released him after a few seconds. "I was already eager for you and Reese to get married. But I have to respect and understand your parents' opinion of it. Perhaps I just really want my daughter to settle down and live with a man who truly loves her."

"Don't worry, Mrs. Jones. I'll do everything so we can get married as soon as possible," Chase assured her.

I didn't know why but I feel that Reese' parents were too eager for this marriage to happen too. But I wasn't in the right position to doubt their motives at all. After all, they weren't my biological parents . . . I only had to mind my own motives here.

When Chase left, Mrs. Jones went back to the living room. Her eyes were teary as if she was already on the verge of breaking down. She sat next to me and held my hands that rested on my lap.

She inhaled heavily. "I am sorry, Reese, if you feel that the Maxwells' are doubting to continue the wedding at this point . . . I wished I could do something more useful for them to be convinced that you're just doing alright, that you don't need to be checked by some psychiatrists."

I patted her back as her tears started to fall.

It was funny because in real life, I was indeed taking medications but of course for different reasons. Mrs. Jones wiped her tears away and caressed my hands gently.

"Don't worry about it, Mom. I'll get better soon and ensure to gain their approval and trust," I assured her.

She nodded her head and smiled at me. I didn't know how to comfort someone, but my mind told me to hug her . . . and so I did. She cried more and embraced me tightly.

"I'll be better, I promise, Mom. Hush now, please . . ." I said and closed my eyes as memories started to flash back in my mind.

It was the young version of me from the orphanage, saying those exact words as one of the teachers scolding me when I forgot my lines during our presentation. I was crying and telling them that I would be better after being scolded and taught that apology wasn't enough, that I should become better.

So every time I was humiliated, or whenever I failed and treated as worthless by my peers, I would stand up and promise myself that I'd fight back and do everything to get better.

For some reason, tears started pooling in my eyes as I felt that this kind of embrace was the only thing I've been waiting for ever since I was a child.

"Reese, I'm glad that you came to my life . . ." Mrs. Jones mumbled which stung my chest.

I was slapped back into reality and remembered that I was only living someone else's life, not mine.

OLIVIA

Mrs. Jones escorted me in my room after that emotional moment we had in the living room. She said that I must relax a bit and dip in the bathtub before we eat dinner. She also mentioned that she would cook all my favorite food. I couldn't deny that she was kind and a wonderful mother. I realized that Reese was so blessed to have a mother like her who would support and love her so unconditionally.

Every day of my life, I've yearned for that kind of love, and I never imagined that I'd get the opportunity to experience it myself, even though I knew it wasn't actually meant for me, but rather for someone else.

That's why I had to make sure that I would be able to act more convincingly from now on. My goal was to avoid making Mrs. Jones suspicious of me as I knew that it would break her heart if she found out that I'm a different soul. While her daughter was nowhere to be found, I wanted to make sure that I would be able to portray Reese Jones's identity perfectly and to fill in some gaps she had left here.

When Mrs. Jones left me in my room, I peeped outside and locked the door. Now that I was free from their sights, it's time for me to take action.

I grabbed my phone and dialed Lara's phone number.

"Hey, red baby doll . . ." I said a few seconds after she answered a call.

We decided to come up with a code whenever we talk on the phone and this 'red baby doll' was something I chose. I would say the code whenever I call her so that Lara would be aware that it was me who's calling her.

"Olivia, how are you?"

I could hear the blast of the music in the background. It was difficult for me to hear her voice as she seemed to be in the bar right now.

"Hey, can you go to the dressing room for a second? I can barely hear you!" I said and crossed my arms on my chest as I waited for the background noise from the other line to stop.

Minute passed and then the silence filled the other line.

"Alright, can you hear me now?" she asked.

"Yes, that's better!" I sighed with relief. "Hey, Lara. I badly need your help."

"Sure, Mrs. Maxwell, the wife of the billionaire. How can I be of help?" she said as she tried to tease me.

I rolled my eyes and smirked. "Reese Jones is someone I'd like to learn more about and I need your help to investigate and obtain more information regarding that woman. I require a lot of great deal of information about her that can help me impersonate her, Lara. I badly need your help and I need this task to be done as soon as possible."

"Ooh, sounds fun! Of course, I will help you! Looks like you're determined to ace your plan now!" she giggled.

"Well, I'm already here. Might as well give my best for me to hit a jackpot," I hissed.

"I'm glad you grabbed the chance, Liv." Then I heard her long sigh. "I hope something like that will happen to me too. The loan sharks came to my house yesterday and they really stressed me out. I don't know what to do anymore," she added.

"How much do you need, Lara?" I asked her worriedly.

We've been friends for a long time. I knew that she'd been borrowing money from loan sharks and despite how horrible these people are. Lara had no other choice but to come back with them whenever she needed money because she had no one to run to and I had no money to offer as well.

But now . . . I think I could do something to help her.

"OOlivia," she stuttered as her voice suddenly cracked. "NNo, you don't have—"

"Just tell me, Lara. How much do you need? I want to help, alright?"

I heard her sob but then a few seconds passed and she screamed in glee. What a nice actress!

"Oh, my goodness, Liv! You're such an angel!" she exclaimed dramatically.

I shook my head. "Stop it. You know I am not close to becoming one. We're such daredevils!"

We both chuckled. I had to admit that it felt good to talk to my best friend. My day had been so suffocating and Lara was the only person with whom I could talk to with all my guard down and without feeling judged.

"So, how's your life now that you became a wife of a billionaire?" she asked, her voice was giddy.

"Well, let me tell you the bad news. Chase's parents stopped us from getting married today."

"What the heck? Is that for real?" she sounded shocked.

"Yeah, I was kind of pissed about it but I don't want to worry about that right now. I still have to work on my disguise so they won't be suspicious of me." I sighed. "But Chase told me he will do everything so we can get married soon though," I told her as I layed down on the bed.

"Hmm, inlaws issues . . ." she laughed. "Don't worry, babe. I got your back. I'll investigate that woman, Reese Jones, and will send all the information to your email. Just go along with your disguise. No one's going to be suspicious of you since you're too identical with Reese."

"Thanks, Lara. You know I can't do this without you. I promise to make a shit ton of money and your help won't be put into waste as I will include you with my success!" I said happily.

"Sounds great, Liv! I'm thinking about my dream vacation with my boyfriend in Hawaii. I think you can treat us to an allexpense paid trip!"

"What? You should travel with me first. No boyfriends allowed!" I hissed. "Anyway, how much money do you need?"

"Uhm, about fifty thousand dollars, Liv . . ." she replied.

What? She needed that much money?!

"I promise to pay you, Liv. My kid also needed the money for his tuition fees. His father no longer gives his child support and I am already tired of chasing that poor ass guy. I really can't depend on him so I must face this hardship alone for my child."

I sighed in disbelief. "Alright then. I got your back, Lara. You have nothing to worry about," I assured her.

"Since you're already the soontobe wife or should I say the fiance of the super famous Chase Maxwell, I presume you can ask him for money, right? Or perhaps that woman, Reese Jones, has some bank accounts or credit cards that you can use!" she suggested.

I rolled my eyes. Now, I wanted to question myself about who's the real devil between me or Lara.

Two birds of the same feather really flock together . . .

"Are you hearing yourself, Lara? Damn it! You really are the devil!" I snorted.

"Yeah, I know! I'm a great devil for money. Anyway, I need to do some work here at the bar. I'll call you later!" she said. "Don't forget the money! Let me know once you have it so we can meet at our secret place. Bye, Liv!"

I threw my phone on the bed after that call. Now, I just need to create a plan on how I can get some money to help Lara . . . I recalled the night I first met Chase. He told me that he could give me even the riches of Solomon when I asked him to pay me three hundred thousand dollars. Would it appear embarrassing for me if I asked him about that money?

I found myself contemplating whether to do it or not as I stared at the ceiling but I guess I had no other choice since I already promised Lara that I'd help her. That's what best friends are for. She didn't leave me at my lowest so I will do my best to be someone she could depend on this time.

I went downstairs and asked for a family driver to drive me at Chase's office as I didn't know where he actually works. It was a good thing that our butler assisted me and called one of the drivers to help me.

After almost an hour, we arrived at a very huge building. My mouth was opened as I looked up to the company where Chase is working. His family is damn rich!

The driver opened the car door for me and I went out to look around. I saw a group of men in black suits and ties marching toward me. My heart raced as I didn't know any of them. I clutched my chest when they stopped in front of me.

"Welcome back, Ms. Jones. We heard from your butler that you're coming over to meet Mr. Maxwell," their leader told me, which made my jaw drop on the floor.

Was it common for the rich people to be welcomed this way whenever they visit someone else's office? I almost had a heart attack!

I was about to thank them but a bunch of photographers suddenly appeared out of nowhere. I heard their cameras clicking and flashing that almost blinded my eyes.

Why are they doing this, anyway? Is Reese a celebrity too? My goodness!

"Ms. Reese, can you please give us your statement? Why didn't you show up at your wedding?"

"Ms. Reese, is it true that your parents only want you to marry Mr. Chase Maxwell because your family business is already on the verge of bankruptcy?"

"Ms. Reese, do you still plan to join this year's national swimming competition?"

"Ms. Reese, is it true that you're only an adopted child?"

I saw TV reporters, media men and possibly paparazzi blocking my way and asking me a lot of questions. I was completely shocked as this was the first time I encountered such a mishap . . . I swallowed the lump in my throat and tried to cover my face using my arm.

Then I recalled a moment when an unknown guy from the bar told me that I looked like one of known athletes that was engaged to a famous billionaire. In fact, I'd always hear it whenever I had customers whose ages were in their mid 20's. I just chose to ignore it as I found it nonsense . . . now it all made sense to me. I couldn't help but wonder if Mike knew this all along knowing he was a wellknown bachelor who owned one of the big night clubs in town.

I only came back to my senses when the bodyguards started to push these media men away and covered me so I could walk forward. I had a hard time walking as the crowd was all over the entrance of the building.

After all the push and pulls, I was finally able to enter the building. I was about to walk with my head up but I stumbled into something that caused me to fall on the floor.

My lips formed a thin line as I heard some giggles from the employees. What is so funny? They are supposed to help me stand up!

I clenched my hand and tried to stand up but the moment I looked up, I felt as if my heart was hammered when I saw Chase's father staring at me.

Judging the way he looked at me, I saw the intense disgust through his eyes.

OLIVIA

The intense disgust visible through Chase's father's eyes went away in an instance, it was as if it wasn't meant to be seen at all . . . and it only made me feel more confused and intrigued about Ernest Maxwell.

My instinct kept telling me that there was something I needed to find out about him, but the devil side of me only cared about money and Chase . . .

I stood up to my feet as I didn't want to appear as a stupid future daughterinlaw who looked like a dead meat on the floor. I gave him a fake smile as that was all I could do after I stumbled in front of him.

"Hello, Uncle Ernest. I am here to talk to your son about something," I said confidently as if nothing ever happened prior to seeing him.

Ernest Maxwell only gave me a warm smile and nodded. His phone rang and he didn't hesitate to answer it. He looked very busy so I didn't bother him anymore when he walked away with his secretary. I looked around and figured out everyone was too busy in this company.

I was then greeted by the receptionist and asked me if I needed help or something.

One of the bodyguards spoke behind me, "Can you please ask someone to walk her to Mr. Chase Maxwell's office? She's Ms. Reese Jones, his fiancee."

Everyone seemed to have heard that as they started looking at me as if they had seen a ghost . . . Now, what the hell was going on?

I only gave them a confused look as my gaze wandered around.

"Oh, Ms. Reese Jones! I am very sorry!" said the receptionist.

I didn't understand why but it looked like all of the employees here were starting to panic when they found out that Reese Jones was inside their company. I mean . . . why are they panicking? I looked at the bodyguards behind me and gave them a questioning look but they didn't bother to answer.

"UUh, MMs. Jones . . ." A guy then showed up in front of me.

He looked pretty tense. I checked on the name tag on the left side of his uniform and read his name, "Ivan Paul . . . Hi there, Ivan!" I greeted him, which made him more nervous as I saw how his lips quivered.

"LLet me escort you to Mr. Maxwell's ooffice," he said as stuttered.

I narrowed my eyes as I stared at him. What the heck is wrong with this guy?

"Alright, thank you!"

His face lightened up a bit with a great shock visible in it. My brows furrowed but then I still managed to smile at him as a courtesy.

"This way, Ms. Jones . . ." he said as he led us the way to Chase's office.

Me and the bodyguards behind me followed Ivan as he walked towards what looked like a special elevator. We went inside and I noticed that he opened a black small box below the regular elevator buttons. He tapped a key card on it and then another button appeared on the inside. He pushed it and it turned gold.

"It will take us to Mr. Maxwell's office directly," Ivan said.

"Wow!" I exclaimed.

Rich people, indeed, love to get customized things for their benefits . . .

I looked at the picturesque view while the elevator was going up. Chase's special elevator was made of transparent glass, so I could see the city further as it went all the up. The scene was definitely breathtaking and it gave me a thrilling emotion.

I couldn't wait to be rich too . . .

In an instance, we finally arrived at the floor where he works. I was greeted by a huge and elegant receiving area when the elevator door opened. It was like a fivestar hotel lobby area with modem luxurious furniture that I only saw on Television and magazines.

"Damn it . . . Is this really his office?"

Ivan seemed shocked when he heard me cursing.

"Oh, I'm so sorry!" I awkwardly laughed. "It's just that I didn't expect his office to be this extravagant . . ."

Then I saw the confusion in his eyes. I realized that I forgot that I was portraying Reese Jones. I palmed my face and scolded myself that I should keep my composure! Reese might have visited here a couple of times so I should act normally! Damn, Olivia . . .

Two ladies approached us.

"Good day, Ms. Reese Jones! It's been a long time," the lady with brunette hair greeted me with a smile.

I smiled at her and checked the left side of her chest. She didn't have a name tag but I assumed that she already knew who Reese was. They were both smiling at me and all I could do was to smile back at them as I didn't know how to initiate a conversation at this point.

But it felt as if they were waiting for me to say something so I just voiced out what was in my mind. "Yes, it's been a long time. Thank you everyone for your hard work! Currently, I am not really well. I am suffering from amnesia but I am trying to recover my lost memories . . . so I hope you could bear with me if I can't recognize all of you," I said and faked a smile.

They looked at me with visible shock on their faces. My jaw was starting to feel a bit hurt due to the endless faking smile I give them. I then lowered my head and rolled my eyes then fixed the invisible strand of my hair as a form of elegance.

"Oh, we're very sorry to hear what happened, Ms. Jones. We hope for your fast recovery but we are glad that you're already back!" the brunette woman said.

"Thanks!" I simply said. My temper was already cut short. I didn't come here to have a chit chat with them so I looked around, trying to find the only person I wanted to see right now. "Where's Chase?"

"He's currently in a meeting with an important client. Didn't he tell you, Ms. Jones?" The other lady who has this red curly hair asked.

I narrowed my eyes. "Do you think I care?"

I saw how the two of them frowned. It made me realize that my statement was very rude. "Oh, what I mean is . . . do you think my visit is untimely? I just really miss him, knowing that we hadn't seen each other for two months. I want to make up for the time we lost," I said in a very dramatic voice and lowered my head and faked a sob.

I took my hanky from my sling bag and slowly wiped my invisible tears to appear more convincing in front of Chase's employees. From this moment, I really think that I had the talent for acting and if I'd be given a chance to be an actress, it would give me a lot of plaques hanging on my wall. My acting was superb and I should have an oscar for this.

"We understand what you've been through, Ms. Jones. No worries, Mr. Maxwell should be out in the conference room in less than fifteen minutes. Their meeting will end soon . . ."

"That's great!" I said happily and smiled like nothing happened. "By the way, what are your names?"

The brunette girl smiled. "My name is Debby and she's Martha. We're Mr. Maxwell's secretaries here."

"Oh, that's cool!" I said and was about to do a hand shake with them but then a double door swung open.

I figured out that it was the conference room that Debby had mentioned earlier as I saw Chase Maxwell going out of it. He was sweating and was obviously uneasy. There were other men who also went out of the room and judging by their looks, it seemed to me that they were in their 40's.

I figured out that Chase's meeting didn't go well. As I observed his body language, his confidence wasn't evident at all. Compared to his looks earlier when we had lunch at his residence, his overall physiques screamed of stress and frustration. His tie was loose and uneven as if he tried to pull it a couple of times, the collar of his polo was untidy and his long sleeve shirt inside his suit was really a mess.

I bit my lower lip, still watching his every move. What the hell happened to this guy?

"I appreciate your time, Mr. Takashi. I look forward to seeing and talking to you again," he said to the person he called Mr. Takashi.

Chase walked with them until they entered the elevator and left. He then sighed and massaged the side of his forehead. I crossed my arms on my chest then cleared my throat. It was only then that he noticed me.

With eyes widening out of confusion, he walked towards me.

"Reese, I didn't know you're here," he said and then kissed my cheek.

"Uhm, yeah, I needed to say something important that's why I came here to visit . . ." I said.

"What is it? Let's talk in my office." He snaked his arm around my waist.

He instructed the bodyguards to wait for me outside. I smiled inwardly as we entered his office. He locked the door and let out a long sigh. We walked near his desk and then he leaned on it.

Even if his eyes were staring at the floor, I could see the evident dismay painted on his face. My hand moved on its own and caressed his cheek. I slightly tilted my head to meet his gaze.

"Hey, is everything alright?" I asked.

I saw how his Adam's apple moved as he licked his lips. "I don't know, Reese. Perhaps, I am afraid to lose that client. I didn't prepare enough and it's obvious that my business proposal did not impress him."

I felt how discouraged he was because his meeting with his client didn't go well. I guess this is not the right time for me to ask for money.

I moved closer to him up to the point that our bodies were almost glued to each other. Still caressing his cheek, my other hand traveled from his shoulders all the way to the back of his neck. I gently moved my fingertips, tracing small circles at his nape, then I fixed the collar of the long sleeves he was wearing.

"I believe you've done your best, Chase. Don't stress yourself too much . . . I know your capabilities. You can always turn things around, right?" I said to make him a bit motivated then looked at his beautiful eyes.

Our gazes were locked to each other. I bit then licked my lower lip.

"Yes, I guess you're right . . ." he said, then chuckled a bit.

It was as if a light bulb suddenly showed up on top of my head . . . then I felt that my billionaire 'customer' needed to relax and have some fun.

It's showtime Olivia . . . Give this man a little bit of pleasure.

I leaned forward enough for my lips to meet his ear. "How about I ease your worry for a bit since you work so hard for us? I'll give you a reward . . "

Then I looked into his eyes and saw the mix of confusion and excitement through it. I smiled playfully and held both of his shoulders, then pushed him a bit which made him sit down on this swivel chair.

I took my phone out, opened my music app and played slow sexy jazz music.

Without breaking our eye contact, I started swaying my hips while biting my lower lip. I saw how Chase exhaled as I began to unbutton my blouse.

I walked in front of him so he could have a better look at me.

"Reese, what are you doing?" he asked, then swallowed very hard.

He looked at me in the eyes while his hands were quivering on his swivel chair's arm rests. I leaned down and held both of his broad shoulders while swaying my hips slowly as I tried to follow the rhythm of my favorite sexy jazz music.

I removed my blouse and it slid down the ceramic floor. I caught him looking at my breast, with his breathings becoming more heavy. I smirked.

My hand traveled at the back of his head and gently pulled his hair so he could look at me in the eyes.

"Oops, eyes on me, baby . . ." I uttered softly. "Don't move. I will give you pleasure," I added.