The CEO’s Masked Secret Wife novel Chapter 81

81 The Counter-Ambush

81 The Counter-Ambush

## Hazel’s POV 1

Morning light filtered through my office window, but it did nothing to brighten my mood. I stared blankly at my computer screen, the words blurring together. Sleep had evaded me last night, my mind replaying Isabella’s smug face as she described her night with Liam.

“Earth to Hazel,” Chloe waved her hand in front of my face. “Your coffee’s getting cold.”

I blinked, noticing the steaming cup she’d placed on my desk. “Thanks.”

Scarlett perched on the edge of my desk, concern evident in her eyes. “You look like hell.”

“Feel like it too,” I admitted, taking a sip of coffee. The bitter liquid did little to energize

“At least the morning’s been quiet,” Scarlett said. “No unwanted calls or visits from certain lying CEOs.”

The mention of Liam sent a fresh wave of pain through my chest. I’d finally opened myself up again after Claude’s betrayal, only to face the same outcome.

A knock at my door made all three of us turn. Martin, our department supervisor, poked his head in.

“Ladies, the quarterly reports are due by five. Just a friendly reminder.”

“We’re on it,” I assured him with a forced smile.

As soon as he left, Chloe leaned forward, her voice dropping to an urgent whisper. “I

have news.”

Scarlett and I exchanged glances. The serious look on Chloe’s face made my stomach tighten.

“What is it?” I asked.

Chloe motioned us closer. “I was in the break room earlier. Adrian, Liam, and Damian

came in. They didn’t see me behind the partition.”

My heart raced. “And?”

“They’re planning to corner us during lunch,” Chloe continued. “They’re going to follow us to whatever restaurant we choose and stage a ‘coincidental’ meeting.”

Scarlett scoffed. “How pathetic.”

“They figure we won’t cause a scene in public,” Chloe explained. “Adrian specifically said, “They’ll have to at least hear us out if they don’t want to make a spectacle.”

The manipulation made my blood boil. Even after everything, they were still trying to

control the situation.

“We could just order in,” I suggested, suddenly exhausted by the thought of confrontation.

Scarlett straightened, a spark of defiance lighting her eyes. “No way. I’m not hiding in

this office because those liars want to ambush us.”

“What’s your suggestion then?” Chloe asked.

A slow, mischievous smile spread across Scarlett’s face. “Fight fire with fire.”

She pulled out her phone and dialed. “Hey, Levi. It’s me. I need a favor. You and the guys free for lunch today?”

My eyebrows shot up as I listened to Scarlett arrange for her brother and his friends to

meet us at Rosetta’s Italian restaurant.

“Perfect,” Scarlett said, ending the call. “My brother and three of his buddies will be waiting for us. They’ll run interference.”

“Are you sure this is a good idea?” I asked, uncertain. “Maybe we should just avoid the

whole situation.”

Scarlett placed her hands on my shoulders. “Hazel, we can’t keep running. These guys think they can manipulate us into forgiving them. I’m done letting men think they can control me.”

Her words struck a chord. Claude had manipulated me for years. My parents had manipulated me into accepting his betrayal. And now Liam thought he could manipulate his way back into my good graces after sleeping with Isabella.

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81 The Counter-Ambush

“You’re right,” I said, straightening my spine. “No more hiding.”

Chloe grinned. “Operation Counter-Ambush is a go.”

We spent the next hour working, occasionally checking the time. At 12:30, we gathered our purses and headed for the elevator.

“Remember,” Scarlett whispered as we descended, “act natural. They’re watching the building.”

Sure enough, as we exited through the glass doors of the lobby, I spotted Liam and Damian across the street. They were poorly disguised in sunglasses, pretending to browse items at a small shop.

“Don’t look,” Chloe muttered under her breath. “But our stalkers are at ten o’clock.”

I kept my eyes forward, but my peripheral vision caught Liam’s tall frame turning slightly in our direction. The urge to confront him bubbled up inside me, but I tamped

it down.

“Levi texted,” Scarlett announced. “They’re already at Rosetta’s with a table for seven.”

“Seven?” I questioned.

“Four guys, three of us,” she explained with a smirk. “No room for uninvited guests.”

We walked the three blocks to Rosetta’s, the tension in my shoulders building with each step. I could sense Liam and Damian following at a distance, thinking they were being subtle.

“This is absurd,” I muttered. “Do they really think we don’t notice them?”

Chloe linked her arm with mine. “Men always underestimate women’s awareness. It’s their greatest weakness.”

As we approached the restaurant, I saw Scarlett’s brother Levi standing outside. He was tall and broad-shouldered, his tattooed arms crossed over his chest. Three equally impressive men stood with him, all looking like they belonged on a rugby team.

“The cavalry has arrived,” Scarlett announced with satisfaction.

Levi spotted us and waved. “Hey, little sis!”

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