Chapter 1

My husband’s secretary thinks I’m his secret love child. So I play along.

It all starts on move-in day, right after I drop my daughter off at college.

I’m not wearing a scrap of makeup, and my hair’s thrown up in a ponytail. My daughter’s paperwork is stuffed in my backpack.

Thorne Group has a branch office in the same city, so I swing by on my way back.

The second I swipe my keycard and walk into the office lobby, a woman storms up and grabs my arm.

"You’re Mr. Pierce’s dirty little secret, aren’t you? I saw you sneak confidential files out of the CEO’s office!"

"Eighteen and already a corporate spy? Hand them over, or I’ll search you myself!"

I freeze.

Graham and I have been married for twenty years. We have one daughter, Wren. So where the hell did a love child come from?

I open my mouth to tell her exactly who I am.

Then I stop.

No makeup. A baby face that’s always passed for half my age. A backpack full of college forms.

Wren looks just like me. So she thinks I’m Wren. She thinks I’m my own daughter.

And from the way she’s talking, she thinks she’s the future Mrs. Pierce.

To her, Graham’s real wife—me—is just some mistress he keeps hidden in the shadows, and Wren is the bastard kid we had.

And no secretary talks to the boss’s kid like this unless the boss has her back.

Which means Graham fed her that love-child story himself.

If I tell her the truth now, they’ll just lie low and go after Wren some other way.

Fine. Let her think I’m the kid. I want to see how far she’ll go.

I grip my backpack strap and drop my eyes so she can’t see the fury in them.

Then I smile at her.

"Oh? So you’re the new wife Graham picked out? Nice to meet you, ma’am."

That "ma’am" lands like a slap.

"Don’t you ma’am me! I’m barely older than you! Don’t you dare lump me in with your washed-up mother!"

"I’m Mr. Pierce’s executive assistant! I practically run this building!"

I glance at the badge clipped to her blazer.

CELESTE MONROE, EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT.

She rolls her eyes so hard I’m surprised they don’t get stuck.

"Like mother, like daughter. That woman raised a thieving little brat..."

My smile vanishes.

"Ms. Monroe, say one more word about my family, and you’ll be hearing from Thorne Group’s lawyers."

"Big talk for a love child. Quit playing the victim, you little thief."

Celeste Monroe just laughs. She snatches the keycard out of my hand and smacks it against my cheek.

"This is a top-clearance badge. Only Mr. Pierce and I can use it. You stole it from Daddy, didn’t you?"

"Do you have any idea how much trouble you’re in? Those files are for an unreleased project worth hundreds of millions!"

"You and your mom couldn’t pay that back if you worked till you died!"

I swat her hand away. Honestly, this woman is a joke.

Before I can say anything, someone tugs my sleeve.

It’s the receptionist.

"Sweetie, if you took something from your dad, just give it back!"

"Ms. Monroe and your dad have been together for years, and they’re getting married soon. Cross her, and your life’s gonna be hell..."

My eyes go wide. Blood rushes to my head.

Together for years?

Getting married?

Oh, that’s just perfect.

No wonder Graham was so eager to run the branch office. No wonder this woman struts around like she owns the place. And now she’s trying to frame my daughter.

Celeste takes my silence for fear. She clicks her tongue and lunges for my backpack.

I only brought it this morning to carry Wren’s enrollment papers.

Rrrip.

She tears a long, ugly gash down the side.

Papers spill across the floor.

I bend to grab them, but Celeste gets there first. She plants her heel right on top of them.

"Westbrook University? A thief wants to go to college? One phone call from me, and no school in the country will take you!"

"Hand over those files, or Mr. Pierce will make you very, very sorry!"

She’s acting like she’s already Mrs. Pierce. I almost laugh. I drag a chair over from the nearest desk and sit down.

I look her dead in the eye.

"Are you deaf? I said I didn’t take anything."

"Where’s your proof? This building has cameras everywhere. If you can’t prove it, I’m calling the cops and suing every one of you for defamation."

Her face twists with rage. I ignore it.

I pull out my phone and text Thorne Group’s head of HR: Dig up everything on Celeste Monroe. Send it to me now.

He texts back in seconds. On it.

The second I look up, Celeste grabs my ponytail and yanks.

Pain rips across my scalp. My head snaps back and slams into the edge of the desk.

"Texting your trashy mom to get your story straight? Fine.If Graham won’t teach you a lesson, I will."

By now, a crowd has gathered.

An older guy frowns and edges closer.

"Come on, Ms. Monroe. She’s just a kid. Maybe it’s a misunderstanding..."

"A misunderstanding?"

Celeste’s voice goes shrill.

"If this project leaks, the company’s finished! Every single one of us loses our job!"

"Don’t let her age fool you. She’s vicious. When she was sneaking around stealing those files, do you think she cared about a single one of you?"

The whole room goes dead quiet.

Then the insults start, louder and louder.

"Give it back! Some of us have families to feed.We don’t have time for your family drama!"

"She’s so selfish! She knows Ms. Monroe is carrying Mr. Pierce’s baby, so she’s trying to tank the company to get back at her dad!"

"Ms. Monroe’s baby is going to be the future heir to this company. Know your place!"

Now I get it.

Nobody in this office knows Graham married into my family—the Thornes.

And nobody knows Thorne Group already has an heir. My daughter.

My phone buzzes.

HR’s file is in.

I skim it, raise my head, and open my mouth to speak.

Then a face I know all too well comes charging straight at me.