My CEO Wife's Deadly Secret

Along the way, memories from the past five years came flooding back like a tidal wave.

I remembered the day we first met.

That night, I was working the late shift at a convenience store just off campus. A storm was raging outside, and I thought to myself how nice it was to have such a quiet shift.

Just as that thought crossed my mind, a figure pushed through the door, and the automatic welcome chime rang out. Then a young woman, soaked by the rain, walked in.

She ordered a cup of hot soup from the deli counter and sat in the small dining area. Not long after, I heard quiet sobbing coming from her table.

It was the middle of the night, and she was crying inside my store. If someone else saw this, they might think I had done something to that poor girl. So, I grabbed a pack of tissues and walked over.

"Here, wipe your tears."

After taking the tissues and drying her face, she choked back a sob and said, "My family kicked me out."

My heart skipped a beat when I heard that.

Even though Sophia's face was streaked with tears, it still could not hide how beautiful she was.

I assumed she was one of those girls who had gotten into college, but her family refused to pay the tuition and instead wanted to marry her off for money.

Later on, I realized my guess had not actually been far from the truth. I wanted to take her to the police station, but she refused.

"No, I'm not going to the police! They'll just drag me back home!"

I scratched my head, unsure of what to do.

Later that night, she talked to me for hours. When the rain stopped in the early morning, she left the convenience store.

Before leaving, she asked if she could come back to talk to me again.

I looked into her bright eyes and found myself nodding almost involuntarily, bewitched by her allure. After that, she came to the convenience store often to chat with me, and we grew closer and closer.

It was inevitable that I fell for her gentle charm.

With bright eyes, a radiant smile, and skin as pale as snow, she was like a brilliant moonlight shining through the night. She lit up my otherwise dull and ordinary life.

Until one day, she pointed at the bank card where I kept my scholarship money and said, "Lucas, would you believe me if I told you my family actually owns this bank?"

"Of course, my princess. Whatever you say, I believe you."

She huffed. "That tone clearly means you don't believe me. You're just brushing me off! Look!"

She pointed at a financial news alert that had just appeared on her phone, and the photo in the article looked exactly like her.

I had to look several times before I could gradually accept the truth.

She said, "My dad wants me to marry someone for a business alliance, but I don't want to spend my whole life with someone I don't love. I was really lucky to have met you that day. Lucas, thank you for comforting me so much, but…"

Sophia, who had been holding me just moments ago, suddenly let go with a dejected look.

She raised her head with tears glistening in her eyes and continued, "But I need to get married, that way my dad won't force me into that arranged marriage!"

I frowned as various dramatic scenarios from wealthy family dramas flooded my mind. "Do you… have someone suitable in mind?"

Seeing my expression, she shyly poked my chest. "Lucas, you big idiot! That person is you!"

Back then, I was just a lovesick kid with his head in the clouds, so I agreed without a second thought.

After that, we met each other's parents and moved into a luxury penthouse her family had bought for her. However, we never got around to actually registering our marriage.

I could feel it in my bones that her family did not like a poor kid with nothing to his name like me. I was terrified and constantly tearing myself apart inside.

I was afraid that one day Sophia would leave me, that one day her family would forcibly tear us apart.

In the end, I packed my bags and went back to my hometown to take some time and rethink our relationship.

But within a couple of days, I ran into her downstairs. My first instinct was to run away out of fear, but she still caught up to me.

"Why did you leave me? The moment I realized you weren't home, I came looking for you right away. Thank goodness I found you!"

This place was incredibly far from her city, and there were no direct flights. So, she had to take a connecting flight and then drive the rest of the way.

I never imagined Sophia would go through all that trouble and travel over 2000 miles just to find me.

To say I was not happy would be a lie, but I still had a shred of clarity left in my mind.

I said quietly, "Our lives are too different. I was just scared. I am sorry… being with me will only embarrass you. I think we should…"

Before I could finish, she grabbed the back of my neck and kissed me forcefully.