The Secret Wife
This story is a romantic comedy with the forced marriage and hate-to-love trope. Has the kdrama feels with its light and fluffy romance. More laughter than drama. Read this if you want something funny and cute.
The blurb:
When a whirlwind trip abroad turns into an unexpected I do, Gracie, our spirited heroine, finds herself in a contract marriage with one rule: stay out of her new husband’s way. Starting fresh in a foreign land, she lands a job as an assistant road manager for a wildly popular idol group. But backstage glamour quickly gives way to chaos when she becomes entangled in unraveling a stalker mystery threatening the group’s safety.
As if her plate isn’t full enough, fate throws a curveball—her infuriatingly annoying husband, Theo, turns out to be the secretive CEO of the very company she works for. Sparks fly, secrets unfold, and lines blur between their public pretense and private feelings.
Caught between mystery, music, and messy emotions, will Gracie find her happily ever after, or is she destined for heartbreak yet again?
Packed with humor, heart, and high-stakes drama, "The Secret Wife" is packed with swoon-worthy romantic comedy you won’t want to miss.
Read the first few parts for free! 👇
1: The Meet-Cute
Gracie had always wanted to go abroad. This wasn’t how she imagined her first trip outside her home country, though. Traffic was bad, rain fell down in huge drops, and she was running late for a legal meeting. This sudden trip had something to do with her former boss’s last will and testament.
She leaned forward from the backseat of the taxi and lightly tapped the driver on the shoulder. “Excuse me. Are we far from Hawthorne & Hawthorne?” As if on cue, her cell phone buzzed and there was a new message from her contact. “Meeting has started. What time do you think you will be arriving?”
“The building isn’t that far,” the driver told her. “But with this rain and traffic, we’ll be there in probably thirty minutes.”
Holy flying great balls of fire. That didn’t sound good. Gracie let out a deep breath, trying to calm herself. “What if I walk from here? How long would that take?”
The driver looked up at the sky and then glanced at her, looking uncertain. “You going out to walk in this weather?”
She nodded. “I really need to be somewhere right now. These are legal people. I can’t afford to be late.” Never mind that she didn’t know why she was even being included in this reading.
The taxi driver nodded. “Okay, then. It’s about ten minutes if you walk.” He started giving her directions, ending with, “You can’t miss it. Gray stone office, all windows, and granites. Has a fancy sign announcing who they are.”
“Great! Thank you. You’re awesome!” Gracie said, handing him the payment and scrambling out of the cab, clutching her maroon duffle bag.
Theo hardly noticed the girl who had just entered the room. His eyes landed on her briefly before shifting his attention back to his late grandfather's lawyer, Andrew. His thoughts were on what the will might contain. He had a sinking feeling it was anything but good news, at least for him. Teeth on his thumb, he wondered what sort of act of vengeance his grandfather would unleash at this very important family event. Since Theo's father had died several years ago, his grandfather had refused to appoint Theo as the next heir. Would he be disinherited? No, that would be too drastic, even for his grandfather. They may have not gotten along most of the time, but the old man would never go that far. If there was anything Theo excelled in, it was managing their family business. His late grandfather knew that. He just didn't want Theo to take his place.
Andrew cleared his throat loudly and clapped his hands twice to catch the Crosses' attention. "Good morning, everyone." He gave each of the family members a nod and a brief smile. "Today is the reading of the last will and testament of Charles Theodore Cross. Rest assured, these documents are valid and authentic. He wrote this with a sound mind." He picked up the loose leaf of papers on the desk in front of him and thumbed through them. "In fact, he was in such a sound mind that he made a video version of his will."
"Charles was always so thorough," Chris said in a joking tone as if he found this funny. He was Charles' half-brother. Theo knew he was as nervous as he was. Next to him, Chris was the worst at getting along with Charles.
Theo had to let out a laugh under his breath. His grandfather was already buried in his grave and yet he still held power over all three of them: Him, Chris, and Chris's wife, Amelia.
Andrew cleared his throat again. "Right. He wanted to make sure everything was clear and in order." He looked at all seven people in the room, including two other lawyers and that girl. "Would you rather watch the video or I read the will first?"
"Read it," Theo said, tone flat and hard.
2: The Reading of the Last Will and Testament
Andrew glanced at him, eyebrows arched. "All right." He said. Without much prodding, he began to read the last will and testament. It was exactly what Theo expected: Some parts were to be donated to charity, some other relatives he barely knew were included, and yet he, Chris, and Amelia still weren't mentioned.
"Lastly," Andrew's eyes slid over to Theo with a look he couldn't decipher. "My only grandchild, Theodore Grayson Cross, shall inherit my estates and will take over the family's parent company as the Chairman..." As the lawyer rambled on, Theo was stunned. What the hell was this? Did his late grandfather actually turn over a new leaf before dying? No. There had to be a catch.
"My half-brother Chris will inherit my shares in the hotel and airline businesses and will be their new CEO. Amelia will take over the malls as CEO." Andrew went on. Theo saw the look of both shock and thrill on the couple's faces. Theo was surprised. This was turning out better than they expected. And yet. And yet something didn't feel right. It was all too good to be true.
"All my remaining wealth, estates, stocks, and assets will be Theodore's," Andrew said.
Theo's attention snapped back to the aging lawyer. "What?" He couldn't help saying.
Andrew gave him a nod and then continued. "All these will be implemented -- from Chris' and Amelia's appointments to their new positions right up to the Cross family's wealth being fairly distributed both among family members and charities -- given that Theodore will marry my former assistant, Grace Fairchild. They are to reside at Park Residences, Building A unit 504 during their marriage. If Theodore refuses, everything I have left behind -- and I do mean EVERYTHING -- will be given to both the government and charities. None of my family members will receive my wealth. Not one cent. Theodore and Grace should marry within the month this will was read. Otherwise, all is null and void."
Stunned silence swept the room. Theo felt his face flush. His knuckles started turning white from balling his hands into tight fists. So this was his late grandfather's revenge? He whipped his head around, ready to demand answers from that girl. However, what he saw momentarily made him forget his anger. The girl, his grandfather's weapon of revenge, was dozing off in one corner of the room, head slumped on one side, mouth opened in a tiny O. He could only look at her in disbelief. He turned to Andrew. "Is that...?"
Andrew nodded, his face solemn as if he knew the awful news he was delivering. "Theo, meet your future wife, Grace Fairchild."
Gracie felt someone nudge her arm. Her eyes flew open and she saw six pairs of eyes looking at her. Embarrassed, she let out a cough and sat up straight. She cleared her throat. "Sorry about that." She gave them what she hoped was a friendly but apologetic smile. "Now where were we?" She meant to sound all chirpy and bright, but her voice came out shrilly instead. She winced.
The guy sitting in front, the one whose thunderous expression could kill someone, answered her. "Andrew here, Charles' lawyer, just finished reading the last will and testament. He gave you a special mention.”
Gracie grinned at him, trying to ease this weird tension in the room. She hastily plucked the leaf from her hair and pretended she just didn’t wake up from a quick nap. God, did she miss a family drama? "Oh, he did? I wonder why." She gave everyone a polite smile. Everyone except the lawyer gave her death glares. She looked at the Andrew guy and, to break the tense and awkward silence, asked, "What did Blue say about me? Can you please repeat it? Thank you."
Andrew returned her smile, a touch of amusement on his face. Well, at least someone here had a sense of humor. Gracie listened to him talk and was silent all throughout. Until he got to the last part. No. No, no, no, no, NO. Holy shit, this was not the trip she imagined.
The guy in front addressed her. "What do you have to say to that, Ms. Fairchild?"
Gracie gulped. Now she understood the animosity. "I... I—" She stumbled on her words, trying to form a coherent sentence. Then she stood, put her chin up stubbornly, and said, "I object!"
3: Late night stranger, but no stranger danger
"I object?" Gracie fumed, clutching her duffel bag as she walked along the hallway of the three-star hotel she'd booked. "I object my ass!" She found her room, unlocked it, and stepped inside. She dropped her bag and immediately, if not dramatically, went straight to the queen-sized bed and flung herself on it. "Oomph!" The mattress wasn't exactly soft, but that was the least of her concern. What was she going to tell her family back home? How was she going to find a job in this place? She let out a muffled shriek, legs flailing as she released her anger and confusion. After that good long screaming session, she turned around so she was now lying on her back.
"Okay. First things first," She said to the ceiling. "I will try appealing to the lawyer again. And then I'll try appealing to that guy." She nodded, feeling a bit better. "And if that doesn't work, then there's nothing else I can do. I'll find a job here. If no company will take me, I can always do multiple part-time jobs. I won't be picky." She sat up and saw herself in the mirror across the bed. Her dark hair looked like someone had rubbed it with a balloon, her eyes were bloodshot, and she looked as pale as a Victorian child who probably wouldn't last through winter. In short: She looked like hell. Well, good. She can look like this every day. Let everyone and the world find out she was tired of this... this... whatever this was.
"It's going to work out," Gracie told her reflection. "One day, you'll look back at this and wonder why you even felt miserable."
Her cell phone buzzed in her jeans pocket. She fished it out and read a short but meaningful message, "This is Theo Cross. Meet me at 9 AM tomorrow. Same building. This is to discuss our marriage. Don't be late."
Gracie sent him a reply that was even shorter, "Okay." She flopped back on the bed and let out a sigh. This predicament was out of her hands, but she'll do what we can. She won't let it ruin her first night on her first solo trip abroad. She felt herself cheer up at the thought. That's right. Maroon Island may not have been on her bucket list, but she might as well enjoy what it has to offer. Starting with the buffet dinner.
Gracie stepped out of the hotel and was surprised to see that there were still quite a handful of people around. It was already past 11 PM and she thought most of the people here would've been in their homes at this hour. She really should've read more about the place before coming here. But then again, her original plan was to stay overnight at the hotel and then leave the next day. Joke's on her now. She took a deep breath and exhaled. A Slurpee. She needed a Slurpee to calm her frazzled nerves. She was a walking ball of anxiety and worry. She needed that drink. As luck would have it, her hotel was a block away from 7-Eleven. She had asked the hotel concierge, who was accommodating and pretty nice. She even told her that the 7-Eleven nearby was known for being haunted. She even gave Gracie the title of the YouTube video that started the rumor.
The haunted 7-Eleven on the next block looked anything but. Gracie hurriedly stepped inside, eager to see what flavors of Slurpee they have. She was standing in front of the machine, deciding between sour patch and cola, when a tall guy suddenly materialized beside her. She glanced at him. He had a black cap on and a face mask. His pale skin was a contrast to the black jacket and black jogging pants he wore. The guy must've noticed her because then he turned to her and said, "They've got great flavors, for a change. I thought they'd never get rid of the blueberry one."
"But blueberry sounds so good," Gracie said, subtly trying to see if he was concealing a weapon in his loose clothes. She glanced at the door. It was near enough for her to make an exit, just in case.
"Hey, Tom, do you know what flavors will be next for these?" The guy called out to the employee at the cash register.
"It's a secret," the employee said with a smirk. "I'm not disclosing that important piece of information.."
The guy beside her laughed and then turned his attention back to her. "There. See? I'm a regular here."
Oh my God. Can he read minds? Gracie thought. Or was I that transparent? Too late to lie now. Honesty is the best policy.
4: Who’s that guy?
"You're not a wanted man, are you?" Gracie said.
He held up both hands. "Not at all. Tom can vouch for me. Unless," He said, leaning a bit closer to her, "He and I are in it together."
"By any chance, will you be robbing this store?" Gracie said, straight-faced.
"Maybe you’ll be robbing this store," He said. Gracie could hear the laughter in his voice. "However, I'm not a wanted man. And I'm definitely not a robber. Sorry to disappoint."
"Damn. I thought I'd be in for an exciting trip to the nearest 7-Eleven," Gracie said.
He laughed and held out a hand that looked far too dainty for a guy. "My name's Beck, by the way."
Silver spoon, Gracie thought. She shook his hand. "Gracie, your highness."
He looked taken aback. "What?"
"Your hands," Gracie said, smiling.
The corners of his eyes crinkled. "And here I thought you were onto something."
"What?" Gracie said, confused. "Why? Is there something I missed? Are you a royalty of Maroon? No, wait. They don't have that here. Ah! You're probably the errant child of some uber-rich family who sneaked out of his mansion for a late-night snack."
He laughed. "Maybe." Just then, his cell phone rang. "I have to go now." He hesitated, as if wanting to say something. Then he shook his head. "It was nice meeting you, Gracie. I hope I see you around." He gave her a wave before leaving the brightly lit convenience store.
Gracie waved goodbye and then turned her attention back to the Slurpee machine. Sour patch seemed like the perfect choice for tonight. She headed for the counter, large drink in hand. Tom, the cashier guy, rang up her order.
"Sour patch is a great choice," He said. "I think Beck would've had the same."
"You guys are friends?" Gracie said, handing him her payment.
"I wish. Must be awesome to be friends with—" Tom stopped mid-sentence then said, "He drops by here from time to time. That's about it."
"He knew I was suspicious of him," Gracie said. "Next time you see him, can you please say I'm sorry about that?"
"You thought he looked suspicious?" Tom grinned. He handed her the change. "That's the first. Women usually—" He caught himself and broke off what he was saying for the second time.
Gracie took a sip of her drink, choosing to ignore Tom's cryptic responses. Instead, she said, "I heard this place was haunted."
"Maybe," Tom said. "But there's always a ghost in every place, don't you think?"
Gracie's brows furrowed as she pondered on that one. "I think a place needs to meet some standards before a ghost decides to haunt it."
Tom laughed. "Yeah, that's true, too. Here in Maroon, most folks are superstitious. You're not from here, are you?"
"It shows that much, huh?"
"I think your interaction with Beck gave it away,"
"What? I don't understand,"
"Okay. How about this instead: Have you heard of the pop group Marmoris?"
"Uh... no,"
"I figured. You just talked to one of their members. Other girls would've spotted him right away. Asked for a photo or an autograph or both."
"Huh. I see. I guess I need to look up Marmoris?"
"No need. You'll see them everywhere," Tom said. He pointed at her cup of Slurpee. "Exhibit A."
Gracie brought the cup closer to her face. Five guys were in it, all smiles and the epitome of coolness. She tried to see which one was Beck but failed. She let out a sigh. "They look way too happy for guys who are eternally slapped on a frozen cup drink."
5: Reunited, and it sucks
"Hey, Gracie, can you pick up the box of props in the meeting room?" Hannah said, carefully plucking out the items from the box she had just laid down on the floor of the studio.
"Yeah, sure!" Gracie said, heading for the said meeting room. She was in the middle of carrying out the box piled high with an assortment of props and accessories when one of the microphones fell and rolled across the carpeted floor and underneath the huge conference table. With a sigh, she placed the box by the door and was crawling halfway under the table when the door suddenly opened and she heard voices. Gracie froze for a second or two, then hurriedly tucked herself under the table. She grabbed the microphone and prayed that whoever they were would leave soon.
"I'm not sure why you're suddenly ignoring me. Have I done something wrong?" It was a woman.
"I'm not ignoring you. I'm just really busy." A man said in reply.
"I thought we had a special time that night," the woman said.
Gracie put a hand over her mouth. Good God. Of all conversations she had to overhear, it had to be this. Why couldn't she have just witnessed a couple fighting over too much work or who gets to wash the dishes next time?
"We had a good time. It was fun," the man said. "I don't know why you're making a big deal out of it."
"Oh, so now you're too good for me?" The woman sounded both furious and near tears.
The man let out a sigh. "Please don't take it the wrong way. We were having fun at the party. The party ended. We went our separate ways."
"I thought your flirting meant something!" The woman said. “I waited for your text message or your call.”
"I'm sorry if I gave you the wrong impression," The man said, as if that explained everything.
"I hate you!" The woman said.
Gracie saw a pair of high heels turn and walk out of the room. She waited for the man to leave next. She waited... and waited... and—
"You can come out now," the man said. Was that amusement in his voice?
Gracie let out a gasp. She started crawling out from under the table. "I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to eavesdrop. I panicked when I saw you two come in. I swear I won't tell any—" She stopped talking as she looked up and, to her horror, saw a familiar face.
He looked as surprised as she felt. "You?"
"Theo!" Gracie stood up on knees that felt like gummies, her thoughts a mess. Of all the people she had to run into, it had to be him. "What are you doing here?"
Theo let out a laugh of disbelief. Of all the people to witness this drama, it had to be her.
Grace Fairchild let out a small smile. "Uh, yeah. So, um, hello." She waved one hand that was gripping a red microphone. "I was just on my way out to get that box by the door. And I'm going to do that right now. I heard and saw nothing. Thank you. Have a good day." She dashed towards the box.
"Wait a minute," Theo said.
Gracie froze. "Yes?" She turned to him, her already wide almond-shaped eyes turning even wider. What could this man want? She hadn't seen him in two months after they had signed that damned marriage contract and prenuptial agreement that were so full of jargon it made her head hurt.
"You work here?" He asked.
"Yes," Gracie said. "I'm George's assistant. He's one of the road managers of Marmoris. Do you work here? I've never seen you before."
"You're really not from Maroon Island and it shows," He said. With a nod, he left the meeting room.
Gracie could only stare after him. What the hell was that remark supposed to mean? She resisted the urge to hurl the microphone at his head. "Okay, never mind that weird stranger," She said to herself, picking up the box. "I have work to do and other people to talk to. People who don't think I'm the anti-Christ or the tool of the devil."
If you love this blend of hijinks and heart, don’t stop here! Read the rest of “The Secret Wife” for more romance, mystery, and laugh-out-loud moments. Discover what fate has in store for Gracie and Theo! It’s only $1 per month.
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