Unveiling Valerie

Miriam’s eyes locked onto the embroidered letter. The sight of it shattered the last of her fragile restraint. She closed the distance between them in two strides and slapped Valerie hard across the face. The sharp crack echoed through the quiet foyer. A red welt blossomed on Valerie’s pale cheek.

"Still will not admit it? I bet you cheated on my son and kept that toyboy of yours with our family's money!" Miriam spat.

In her mind, Valerie was nothing more than a useless parasite. Miriam had never seen her as a true member of the Whitmore family. She already had a proper, wealthy candidate lined up to marry Donovan. The very moment he was cured of his medical condition, Valerie was supposed to be kicked to the curb.

Valerie did not expect such a ridiculous, leaping accusation drawn from a single men's dress shirt. She rubbed her stinging cheek, refusing to break eye contact. Her gaze met Miriam’s with unwavering defiance.

"I have been married into the Whitmore family for three years now, and Donovan has not shown his face even once. Given how beautiful the foreign women are, I would say it is much more likely that he is the one cheating on me."

"You ungrateful bitch!" Miriam shrieked. She raised her hand to strike again.

Valerie reached up and caught Miriam’s wrist mid-air. Her grip was iron-clad, stopping the older woman's hand inches from her face.

"Mrs. Whitmore, I allowed you to hit me once because you are an elder. Do not mistake my patience for weakness. Do not forget how I married into the Whitmore family in the first place. Fighting me will not benefit you at all," Valerie warned in a chilling, steady tone.

Three years ago, Valerie had been drugged against her will and delivered straight to the Whitmore family like a piece of meat. If her mother had not been at the sheer mercy of the Vance family, she never would have agreed to this sham of a marriage just to help Donovan suppress those nasty, damaging rumors.

Miriam’s eyes widened in profound shock. For three long years, she had viewed Valerie as a submissive, harmless little mouse who just took orders. This sudden, fierce resistance caught her off guard.

"You dare threaten me?" Miriam gasped. She struggled against Valerie's hold.

Valerie released Miriam’s wrist and offered a cold, polite smile. "No, I am just giving you a gentle reminder. Anyway, I will be leaving now."

She turned her back on her stunned mother-in-law, walked upstairs to pack her belongings, and walked out the front doors of the manor for good.

Miles away, Leander knocked twice on the heavy double doors of the CEO's office at Whitmore Corporation. He stepped inside and approached Donovan, who was seated comfortably on the luxury leather couch.

Leander handed over a sleek manila folder. "We found out who she is, Mr. Whitmore. Her name is Valerie Vance. She was attending a graduation party when she got drugged and ended up in your hotel room by mistake."

Leander knew the facts were crystal clear. This woman was not a corporate spy or an assassin acting upon someone else's instructions. She was just an innocent bystander caught in the crossfire.

Donovan flipped the folder open. His expression remained unreadable as he studied the photographs tucked inside. The lighting in the surveillance stills was dim, but the camera had captured Valerie's face. She possessed striking facial features, a petite frame, and heavy, inviting curves in all the right places.

Looking at her face brought the memory of last night crashing right back into Donovan's mind. He remembered the raw, unbridled sex. He remembered the feeling of her naked skin, the heat of her breasts pressing against his chest, and the tight grip of her wet pussy wrapping around his hard cock. She was the only woman in the world who had never triggered his severe allergy.

Leander noticed Donovan staring at the photos for a long time. He swallowed hard. "There is one more thing that you need to know, Mr. Whitmore."

"What is it?" Donovan asked in a flat tone, not looking up from the page.

Leander nearly bit his tongue. He braced himself for the inevitable fallout. "Valerie is a married woman."

Donovan's gaze snapped up. Having served Donovan for years, Leander knew finding a woman who bypassed the allergy was a miracle. But he also knew Donovan possessed a ruthless, territorial pride. He deeply despised the idea of touching a woman who belonged to another man.

The temperature in the massive office seemed to plummet. A dark, gloomy shadow crossed Donovan's handsome face. His jaw clenched tight. Leander broke out in a cold sweat, shifting nervously on his feet under his boss's lethal, heavy silence.

A sudden buzz shattered the suffocating tension in the room. Leander’s phone vibrated in his pocket. He pulled it out and saw the caller ID for Pine Grove Manor.

He glanced at Donovan for permission. Donovan gave a stiff, silent nod.

Leander answered the phone. The call lasted no more than two seconds before the person on the other end hung up.

Leander’s face drained of color. He turned to his boss, his voice trembling slightly as the explosive secrets finally collided.

"Mr. Whitmore, the housekeeper just called. She said Mrs. Whitmore went to Pine Grove Manor and is giving your wife a hard time. Mrs. Whitmore claims your wife cheated on you."