C8 Chapter 8
“You’re going to be the new Managing Director of the company,” Adrian announced, leaning casually against the kitchen counter, his tone as nonchalant as if he were commenting on the weather.
I froze mid-bite of my toast. “I’m sorry, what did you just say?”
“You heard me,” he repeated, pouring himself another cup of coffee. “You’re going to be the MD.”
I stared at him, still trying to process. “MD? As in Managing Director? Adrian, are you serious? How… how does that even make sense?”
He shrugged, a small smirk tugging at his lips. “You already know, Mia. I promised you that if you married me, you’d keep your job. I keep my promises. And this? This is just the beginning.”
“But why now?” I pressed, my voice rising slightly. “This is so sudden—”
“Because it’s time to shut the rumors down, once and for all,” he said, stepping closer. “There’s no way my wife is staying in a junior role like marketing analyst. It’s beneath you.”
I blinked at him, completely thrown. “Beneath me?”
“Yes,” he said, his smirk widening. “Mia Knight deserves nothing but the best. You’re going to be the MD, effective today.”
I let out a breathless laugh, shaking my head. “Wow. Just… wow. I didn’t think this would actually happen. At least not this soon.”
“Well, surprise,” he said, raising his mug in a mock toast. “Big day for you, Mrs. Knight. Finish your breakfast—we leave in an hour.”
I stared at my plate, hiding the small, incredulous smile that crept onto my face. As much as I hated to admit it, this was one good thing to come out of this fake marriage.
---
Getting ready felt surreal. I picked out a tailored navy suit from my closet, the crisp fabric molding perfectly to my figure. As I adjusted my blazer in front of the mirror, I caught my reflection and paused.
“MD,” I muttered to myself, testing out the words. “Managing Director.”
A smile tugged at my lips, but it quickly faded as memories surfaced—Mrs. Hawthorne, Lucy, and the other board members accusing me of stealing funds, ganging up to destroy me. They had all but shoved me out the door, and now? Now I was going to be their boss.
I smoothed down my blazer, a sharp, satisfied smile spreading across my face. I couldn’t wait to see their reactions.
---
When we arrived at the office, Adrian reached for my hand as we stepped out of the car. I hesitated, looking at him like he’d lost his mind.
“What are you doing?” I whispered, glancing around.
“We’re supposed to be a happily married couple, remember?” he murmured back, grabbing my hand firmly. “Now smile. And act natural.”
I forced a smile, letting him lead me through the front doors. Staff members paused to stare as we walked by, our hands clasped like we were madly in love.
“Good morning, Mr. Knight! Mrs. Knight!” someone chirped from reception.
“Morning,” Adrian said smoothly, giving them a polite nod.
The elevator ride was tense. I could feel the warmth of his hand in mine, and it took everything in me not to yank it away. “You’re really committed to this, huh?” I muttered under my breath.
“You have no idea,” he said, smirking down at me.
---
The boardroom was alive with chatter when we entered. Conversations halted the moment Adrian walked in, his presence commanding the room.
“Good morning, everyone,” he began, his voice cool and authoritative. “I’ve called this meeting to make an important announcement.”
The room collectively held its breath.
“Effective immediately, Mia Knight is the new Managing Director of this company.”
Chaos erupted.
“What?!”
“She can’t—”
“She’s still under investigation—”
“This is preposterous!”
Adrian raised a hand, silencing the uproar. “That’s enough,” he said firmly. “My decision is final. There’s no way my wife—my wife—stole money from this company. And there’s no way she’s staying in a junior role. She’s the MD. End of discussion.”
The room simmered with barely contained outrage. I stood slowly, plastering on a polite smile as I addressed the room. “Thank you for the warm welcome,” I said, my voice steady despite the tension. “As I was saying—”
“Excuse me—” Mrs. Hawthorne began, but I cut her off without sparing her a glance.
“As I was saying,” I repeated, my tone icily pleasant. “I look forward to working with all of you.”
Beside me, Adrian chuckled quietly, clearly amused by the display.
---
The rest of the day was a whirlwind. Adrian kept popping into my office, bringing coffee and occasionally whispering reminders about the reporters lurking in the building.
“You need to smile more,” he teased, leaning against my desk. “You’re supposed to be madly in love with me, remember?”
I glared at him, snatching the coffee cup from his hand. “Don’t push it.”
He grinned. “Relax. You’re doing great.”
By the time we left, hand in hand and laughing at some fabricated joke, the staff was practically buzzing with excitement. I spotted a camera flash out of the corner of my eye, and I knew the plan was working.
---
Back home, Adrian poured us both glasses of wine, toasting to our “successful” day.
“To new beginnings,” he said, clinking his glass against mine.
“To new beginnings,” I echoed, taking a sip.
We sat in companionable silence for a moment before I finally broke it. “Adrian… why did you want to get married so badly?”
He hesitated, his usual confident demeanor softening. “It was my grandfather’s last wish,” he said quietly. “He’s in the hospital, battling cancer. It’s the one thing he wanted—to see me settled. Even if this marriage is fake… he doesn’t have to know that. It’ll make him happy.”
I blinked, caught off guard by his honesty. “I didn’t know…” I started, but my voice trailed off.
He shrugged. “I was always closer to my grandfather. My father… let’s just say he wasn’t exactly the loving type. The company was always more important to him than I was.”
There was a rawness in his voice that I hadn’t heard before, and it tugged at something inside me. “Adrian,” I said softly, reaching out as if to comfort him.
He met my gaze, and for a moment, the air between us felt electric. Slowly, we leaned closer, the space between us disappearing.
But just as our lips were about to meet, he pulled back abruptly, his expression shuttering.
“Goodnight, Mia,” he said, his voice tight. He stood, leaving me sitting there, stunned, as he walked toward his room.
And just like that, the moment was gone.
