Reaching their destination, the driver came to a halt in front of a magnificent hotel building, which has a red carpet stretched out from its entrance.

The moment Alethea gazed out from the car, she was awed taking in the sight of the hotel's grand entrance.

But then, Axel's deep voice interrupted her. "Most of the people here are well-known CEOs who got popular for their great work and achievements," he began in a low and serious voice. "I want you to behave at your best, Alethea, and don't dictate for me like you did in Paris with Gabrielle."

Alethea calmly listened to him, but the moment he mentioned Gabrielle, she secretly rolled her eyes.

"I'll help you out of the car," Axel added, adjusting his necktie, and then stepped out to the other side.

As they both stepped onto the red carpet, paparazzi and camera crews swarmed around them and their bodyguards. Alethea felt uncomfortable as the flashlights almost blinded her, but she smiled the situation off, remembering her boss' words of caution, as his media wife.

Finally walking into the hotel, she was welcomed by the grandeur of the interior, followed by the sound of chatter and laughter from different angles. The room was filled with influential businesswomen and men, all dressed to impress in their designer suits and gowns.

Realizing she was about to enter a world that was completely foreign to her, her heart began to race erratically.

Walking deeper into the crowd with Axel right beside her, her eyes widened in bewilderment as she took in the sights of people whom she wasn't really expecting to be present. She couldn't help but feel a little intimidated as her eyes landed on familiar faces she had only seen in magazines and newspapers.

No doubt, the room was filled with business legends, like her boss had earlier said.

As they made their way through the crowd, Axel was stopped by people left and right, all of whom seemed to want to shake his hand or exchange a few words.

Standing beside her boss, Alethea watched as he effortlessly charmed his way through the crowd, his smile and laughter putting everyone at ease.

But she, on the other hand, felt like a fish out of water, her nervousness growing with every step.

As they continued walking, Axel noticed how nervous she was with her sweaty palm, and he squeezed it slightly. "You're doing great," he whispered into her ear.

Alethea smiled weakly, feeling a sense of gratitude towards him for the first time in weeks.

Just then, a woman in her early 50s suddenly approached them with a warm smile on her face. "It's been a while, Mr. Jones Junior," the woman muttered in a sweet, luxurious old voice.

"It's my pleasure having you here, Mrs. James," Axel replied to her calmly with a warm and genuine smile as he stood before her.

"Your wife is a rare one. She's smart and at the same time beautiful," the woman complimented, as her eyes narrowed at Alethea beside him.

Alethea couldn't help but smile at her sincere words, even though she was only a fake wife.

"You flatter us, Mrs. James," Axel muttered, forcing a short smile, and his eyes locked onto Alethea's for a brief moment before focusing back on the old lady.

"Well, I'm only here for your speech, son. Carry on, and hurry up with that," Mrs. James added, and with this, she gently walked away.

~

A few minutes later, Axel left Alethea sitting in one of the front seats and headed to the stage for his speech.

"Good evening, everyone," he began, his voice echoing across the room.

Almost immediately, the hall fell silent, as everyone became eager to listen.

"I want to start by saying a big thank you to my wonderful wife-Alethea Jones. Thank you for standing by me and helping me fix my reputation. Without you in the picture, this event wouldn't have taken place tonight," he announced.

From where she was seated, Alethea felt a surge of surprise at being mentioned first in his speech. She couldn't help but wonder what tactics he had with him this time around.

"Also, to my business partners who have come back to support me, I'm really grateful for your trust and loyalty," he continued, his tone and expression turning serious.

"Thank you all for being here today. This event would have also been meaningless without any of you being present. I promise to work harder than ever to ensure our partnership is a successful one while also achieving something greater in the future." He articulated, closing his short speech, and the whole crowd applauded his words.

As he departed from the stage, he put a smile on his face and made his way back to Alethea.

"That was a nice, reassuring, motivational speech, Mr. Jones," a woman sitting right beside Alethea said the moment she sighted him near.

"Thank you, Miss Lee," Axel replied with a short smile. Then, he stretched his hand out for Alethea to grab onto.

Alethea solely placed her palm on his, but not without a questioning gaze.

"I need to pay my greetings to some important business partners before we take our leave," he muttered as she stood.

"Okay," Alethea simply replied, before walking off with him.

"Hey, Axel! Long time, no see. I hope you haven't missed me much?" a feminine voice suddenly boomed behind them as they walked.

They both stopped in their tracks and then turned to look at her. Axel's expression instantly changed from calm to cautious, and Alethea couldn't help but wonder who the woman was.

She was dressed in a red gown, and she didn't cease to also look like a million bucks, just like her.

"What are you doing here, Maxi?" Axel eventually spoke, his tone coming out harsh.

Alethea noticed how his grip on her hand had tightened, and she couldn't help but wonder why the strange woman had such an effect on him.

"I haven't come here to fight, Axel. I can see you're still into using fresh blood to achieve your goals," Maxi, who's a woman in her late 20s, said as she took in Alethea's face in disdain.

Axel's expression darkened, his voice taking on a sharp edge. "You don't dare talk to me like that, Maxi! What the hell are you doing here!?" he repeated.

Maxi pretended to be scared of his raised voice, and she took a step back before raising her hands in a defensive gesture.

Alethea saw the glint of amusement in her eyes, and she could sense that she was really enjoying the confrontation.

"You really have to take chill pills, Axel. If you know what crucial role I play in your enterprise now, you wouldn't be here yelling at me like you just did," Maxi cooed, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Also, about your nightmare secret... I know the whole story behind it now. Don't you think it's better we reconcile?" she added, with a sly smile playing at the corner of her cheek.

"Stop spitting nonsense, bitch! What are you here for!?" Axel snapped, his patience wearing thin.

Alethea could sense the anger simmering beneath the surface, but she remained silent.

Maxi, however, seemed to be enjoying the scenario, and a wry smile wouldn't stop spreading across her face. "Awww, you still got that in you. Well, the real thing is, I want us to discuss business in my apartment tonight," she said, finally sounding serious.

Her words, like a dropped bombshell, made Alethea's eyes widen in curiosity, mixed with annoyance. She couldn't help but wonder who she was, and why she was being so provocative.

"Did you just say business? You must be sick, Maxi," Axel spat in disgust and turned to leave with Alethea.

But then, Maxi's next words brought him to a halt.

"After you, I now have the highest shares in the company," she announced, her voice dripping with triumph. "I'm the top 2 shareholder of your company, Axel. Your aunt transferred all her shares to me."

Her words hung in the air like a challenge, and Alethea's eyes instantly snapped to Axel's face, watching as his expression changed from anger to shock. There, she realized the woman wasn't totally a stranger.

"Also, about your nightmare secret, I'm serious about knowing the whole truth behind it," Maxi added, her voice dripping with malice. "I know you're not what everyone seems to think you are, Axel. If you don't want me to spill the beans right here in front of all your prestigious business partners, you better cooperate with me, starting from here."

Her words were like a thinly veiled threat, and Alethea could sense the tension between her and Axel escalating.

But then, Axel suddenly dropped her hand for Maxi's, before forcefully dragging her out of the hall.

As Alethea watched both of them disappear into the crowd, she stood frozen, looking puzzled on the spot.

Just then, a man looking mesmerizing in a tailored wine suit suddenly showed up in front of her. "Hello, hot princess," he said, making her snap out of her thoughts.

As Alethea took in his chiseled features and piercing grey eyes, she saw him smiling brightly at her, with his lips curled up in a charming way.

"Uhmm, hello," she replied abruptly, in a daze.

"You seemed to be lost in thought when I got here. You must be curious about her... I mean, the woman your husband walked out with," the strange man uttered in a low and smooth voice.

Alethea couldn't help but be more dazed by his words, but she deliberately kept mute.

The man didn't seem to mind her silence and continued talking. "Oh, sorry, my bad. I'm actually an old friend of your husband. You can call me Carlos," he added with a smile, and then stretched out his hand for a shake.

Alethea's eyes narrowed slightly, observing the man. After so much hesitation to dismiss him outright, she finally waved the thought off and took his handshake slowly.

"Such delicate skin," Carlos complimented, rubbing her palm.

"Can you let go, please?" Alethea muttered, looking into his eyes, as his hold suddenly became firm on her.

But Carlos didn't listen. Instead, his grip tightened the more.

"Axel has always been around beautiful women," Carlos cooed, and his smile suddenly faltered. "I'm sure you don't know anything about that woman in a red dress," he added, with his gaze locked onto her face.

Alethea stared at him, confused, as she wondered what his real concern was.

"If he refuses to tell you about her, you can reach out to me through this," he continued, slipping his business contact card into her hand.

At that moment, Axel stepped back into the hall with Maxi right beside him. As his eyes landed on Carlos and Alethea's joined hands, his jaw clenched in anger, and he strode up to them.

The moment Carlos noticed his approach, he dropped Alethea's hand at once and awaited him.

"I'm sure you're aware she's mine, Carlos," Axel seethed upon reaching them, and without hesitation, his arm slid around Alethea's waist, pulling her forcefully against his body.

Alethea's eyes widened slightly as she felt her backside bounce hard against his torso.

"Chillax, man. I was only sending my greetings as your old pal," Carlos replied, flashing him a wink.

Axel's gaze locked onto his, annoyed. "Don't make it seem like you're still important, Carlos. We're nothing but business rivals now. And mind you, I wouldn't want you a metre near whatever is mine from henceforth," he warned.

With that being said, he released his grasp on Alethea and walked out of the party with her.

"You didn't have to provoke him that much," Maxi said to Carlos the moment she walked up to him.

"Not like I was even close to what you did tonight, bitch," he said, smirking.

~

The drive back to the penthouse was utterly silent. The moment the car halted, Axel was the first to step out of the car.

As he retreated, Alethea watched him from the car, realizing he wasn't himself yet. Taking a deep breath, she glanced at Carlos' business card in her palm and slipped it into her purse before stepping out of the car.

Stepping into the living room, she found him sitting on one of the sofas with his gaze fixed at the entrance, as if awaiting her presence.

"I was thinking you decided to sleep in the car tonight, or probably elope with your charming prince, Carlos," he said in a deep, husky voice.

Alethea stared at him in silence, his words leaving her dumbstruck.

Just then, he stood up and moved to stand in front of her. "I'm sure you can recall rule 2. Till the deal is off, my wife shouldn't be seen in such close contact with another man," he uttered calmly to her face.

Alethea scorned inwardly before replying. "He wouldn't let go of my hand after shaking it," she muttered.

Axel chuckled softly as he stared at her face. "Well, next time, don't even bother to shake a man," he said coldly, glancing at his wristwatch. "I'll be heading out to meet Maxi. Prepare to bring your daughter here tomorrow," he ordered, then turned to leave.

Alethea's eyes snapped up in shock as the second sentence echoed louder in her head. "Bring my daughter for what!?" she snapped.

Her sudden outburst made Axel stop dead in tracks, and his eyes flickered in surprise. He had never spoken to him in such a manner before, and for a moment, he realized just how fiercely protective she could be over her daughter.

Facing her, he responded, "If you want to continue keeping your daughter safe, you'd do just as I say. Maxi won't stop at anything to get to me now, and trust me, you're already her first target."

Alethea's face became livid. "And who the fuck really is this Maxi!?" she snapped again, her patience finally slipping off completely.

Axel sucked in a breath, his gaze on her furious expression. "Maxi is no one important, Alethea. But kindly be rest assured, your daughter will be safe right here with us," he managed to reply calmly.

"How did you know I birthed a girl?" Alethea muttered, finally calming down. "And if Maxi isn't someone important, why would you hastily drag her out of the hall?"

Axel's brows suddenly furrowed in displeasure at her last question. "Remember I'm still your boss, Alethea. Maxi is no one, and that's final!" he seethed.

"And about your child, I had to know more after the single mother revelation," he added.

Alethea swallowed her words as she realized he was back to overpowering her as the boss.

Taking in her silence, Axel sighed in frustration and then spoke again. "I'll go deeper into more details about other changes probably tonight if you're still awake. I'll be heading out now," he concluded, and with this, he used the door.

Left alone, Alethea's mind whirled with concerns, unable to stop thinking about her child and the identity behind Maxi. What Axel had told her about being her first target really scared her, and she couldn't help but truly agree with him that her child would be safest with her.

But either way, she's still determined to find out about Maxi, even if it has to be through the hardest way.

Feeling so restless, she decided to take a cool shower and then stay awake till her boss came back from his outing.