Chapter 2 Had a Wife

"I'm sorry, Ms. Gonzalez. I was in a meeting and got a bit worked up. My bad. Is everything okay? Need any help?" Michael's sincere apology took the edge off Victoria's anger.

"No, I just wanted to check if the address you gave me is right. This apartment looks way too fancy for your salary," Victoria said, voicing her concern.

Michael hadn't expected this, but then he remembered that Victoria thought he was just a regular employee, not someone who could afford such a swanky place.

Scratching his head, he came up with an excuse. "Actually, I once hit the lottery and saved a bunch. Plus, my boss really values me and gives me big bonuses, so I could buy the apartment outright. Expensive places have good security, so it's safe for us."

Victoria's mind went wild with that explanation. 'Valued by the boss, always getting bonuses? Is Michael being kept by a rich woman? Is he marrying me to cover it up?' She was shocked by her own thoughts.

She imagined a rich, affectionate woman holding Michael, stroking his chest. "Baby, I'll give you a $20,000 bonus next month. Do you like that?" the rich woman would say, lifting Michael's chin.

Michael, looking shy, would hug her neck and say, "Yeah, I'll listen to you from now on." Victoria shivered in disgust at the mental image.

One couldn't blame her for having a vivid imagination. She used to be a novelist and earned her first paycheck from it. But the industry was tough, so she had to find a regular job.

Michael had no clue what was going through Victoria's mind. He was just puzzled by the sudden silence on the other end.

"Got it. I'll drive the car in now. Do you need me to pick you up from work tonight?" Victoria suddenly asked.

Michael panicked at the thought of her picking him up and exposing everything. "No need. I might work late tonight, but don't worry, I'll find a way home."

"Okay," Victoria said and hung up.

"Men working late is always an excuse. The real reason is to spend time with his rich boss. What was I even hoping for? True love? We're just contract spouses, and I just needed a place to stay. Making friends is enough; I mustn't invest real feelings," Victoria lamented as she drove into the apartment complex.

Michael had no idea about Victoria's inner drama. If he knew, he'd probably shout that it was all a misunderstanding.

Back at the office, Michael found the senior leaders gathered around Joseph, gossiping about his marriage. His face turned cold.

"It seems you're all into gossip. So, let's implement a survival-of-the-fittest culture. Senior leaders will now undergo performance evaluations. Those who don't measure up should step aside for talented young people." Michael's words made their faces pale, but he didn't give them time to object and promptly kicked them out.

Michael picked up some documents and started reading. Joseph, standing beside him, teased, "Did you manage to calm Victoria down? I told you, marriage is trouble. Staying single like me is much better."

Michael rolled his eyes and ignored Joseph. Suddenly, his gaze fixed on something. He saw a familiar face in the documents.

Joseph noticed Michael's change in expression, glanced at the document, and frowned. "Did the HR manager lose their mind? Why did they bring up the resume of someone who failed the interview?"

Michael pointed to the photo on the resume. "This girl is my wife. Why didn't I know she came to interview here?"

"She's Victoria?" Joseph's eyes widened in disbelief.