The Billionaire's Secret Wife

"Shit!" Carly ran as fast as she could when she saw the men in black chasing after her. "Leave me alone!" She shouted at them as she sprinted through the narrow streets of Thailand. Luckily, she was wearing sneakers and pants. It made it easier for her to run.

"Är Altesse, ophalen!" one of the MIBs yelled at her.

She grinned and raised her middle finger. "Never!" she shouted, running even faster. When she saw a smaller alley, she quickly squeezed into it, clutching her backpack.

"Ugh, what is this?" she muttered in frustration when she reached a dead end. She quickly turned around and dashed into another street, shouting with joy when she saw the main road.

But now, the MIBs were much closer. She was panicking when a black Subaru Impreza suddenly stopped in front of her. Without hesitation, she jumped into the car.

Without looking at the driver, she pleaded, "Please step on the gas! I'm really in a hurry! Please!" she shouted frantically, and the car immediately started moving.

She nervously watched the MIBs trying to chase the car. When they disappeared from view, she let out a deep breath.

"Thank God!" she sighed in relief before turning to face the driver. "Thank you for—Chance?!" she exclaimed in surprise.

The young man turned to look at her. She couldn’t see his eyes because of his sunglasses.

"You’re Chance, right? Duke's friend?" she asked. Her heart raced—not because of running, but because of the man in front of her.

"Yeah." He responded curtly before turning back to the road.

They had met at Annisa and Duke's wedding. He had caught the garter, while she had caught the bouquet. Or, to be more accurate, she had practically begged Annisa to throw the flowers to her. She had a major crush on him, but he was so cold.

"Uh, thank you for letting me ride in your car," she said.

Chance glanced at her. "Why are they chasing you?" he asked in a serious tone, without any sign of concern, just plain curiosity.

"I just broke some rule. They're guards. I sneaked out from one of the private places here to take a picture," she shrugged nonchalantly.

He didn’t speak again.

"Uhmm, where are you staying? Or do you have a house here?" she asked.

"I have a house here. Why?" he answered.

'He’s not cold after all,' she whispered to herself.

"Uhmm. Can I see it?" she asked.

"No." He answered quickly.

Shit! Even though he snapped at her, he was still handsome! Take note, he was just wearing a simple black fitted shirt and khaki pants, but he was smoking hot!

She frowned at his answer. Okay, she admitted it. He really was cold. His twin, Chase, was more approachable, but he was a notorious womanizer.

"Just one night! The MIBs might go to my hotel!" she insisted. She was 100 percent sure that they were already at the hotel where she was staying.

"If you just sneaked into their property, they wouldn’t go to your house. But if you stole something..." he hinted.

She gasped dramatically. "How dare you! No! I just sneaked out!" she protested.

"Then you don’t have to be scared. I’ll just drop you off somewhere," he said indifferently.

"You're so heartless! It’s just one night! Tomorrow, I promise, I’ll leave!" she pleaded.

"I said no."

"Please... Don’t you feel sorry for me? I’m homeless now, you know." She begged, even touching his biceps. She was subtly holding his muscle. He didn’t even flinch.

"Stubborn," he commented.

A few moments later, they stopped at a two-story house. She gasped at its beauty. It was a wooden house design next to a clean pond.

Chance got out of the car while she stood there, staring at the house.

When she noticed that he had entered the house, she followed him. She found him sitting on the sofa, taking off his shoes.

"So, you’re okay with it?" she asked hopefully.

He lazily looked at her. Now that his sunglasses were off, she could see his green eyes.

"It’s because you're Annisa’s friend," he said.

She frowned. "Why? Are you secretly in love with your best friend’s wife?"

His eyes widened slightly before he glared at her. "Stupid," he said harshly.

She just pouted and looked around the room. The house’s design was simple, with very few furnishings.

"Where’s my room?" she asked.

"None. You’ll sleep here."

"What? But it’s cold here!" she complained.

"Then suit yourself and leave."

"How rude!" she shouted.

But he had already gone upstairs. She had no choice but to sit on the sofa. It was long and big enough. She’d fit just fine.

Then something occurred to her. She pulled out her phone from her bag and made a call.

"Hey, cuz," her cousin Jared greeted her.

"Hey, Red. The MIBs are chasing me," she said calmly.

"What? Where are you?" he hissed.

She closed her eyes. "I’m in Thailand."

"Stubborn little brat!" Red hissed.

"I’m sorry. I have work here!" she hissed back.

"Iñes! You should stay in the Philippines! You’re safe there!" he lectured.

She sighed heavily. "I know. Please just remove all my tracks here."

"What else can I do? Fine! Just go back to the Philippines as soon as possible."

"Great! You’re the best, Jared! Love you!" she said happily before hanging up the phone.

"Who was that?"

She turned around, startled by Chance's voice.

She shrugged. "No one."

Chance furrowed his brow. "No one? But you said 'love you'?" he mockingly asked, then headed to the kitchen.

"What's with him?" she muttered, confused, before searching for her passport in her bag. She prayed it was still there. She didn’t care about the other stuff she left at the hotel. She just needed her passport, phone, and most importantly, her camera.

Once she confirmed everything she needed was in her bag, she followed him to the kitchen. She found him making coffee.

"Aren't you going to eat?" she asked.

He just shook his head.

"Diet?" she asked again, casually opening his refrigerator, but all she found were water, beer, and some preserved foods. She cringed.

"How long have you been here? I mean, you live in the Philippines, right?" she asked.

He sighed deeply, clearly annoyed, but answered anyway. "One week."

"What have you been eating for a week?" she asked.

"Fast food. Takeout. Delivery."

"Wow. What a healthy lifestyle," she said sarcastically.

He just rolled his eyes while sipping his coffee.

"Is there a nearby market?" she asked.

He furrowed his brow. "Why?"

"I just want to cook for you. As a thank you for letting me stay here."

His frown deepened. "You don’t have to."

"Come on! I’m hungry too."

He sighed. "Fine. Three blocks away from here, there’s a small market. It’s up to you." He shrugged.

She nodded and grabbed her bag. She immediately left and headed to the market he mentioned. While walking, she couldn’t stop taking pictures. Photography was her passion. She loved capturing scenery and places because she felt free with every photo she took.

After a few minutes of walking, she finally reached the small market. Though small, it was crowded with people buying things. She quickly searched for everything she needed for her cooking.

Once she was done, she hurried back to Chance’s house. It was already 6 PM, so she had to move fast. When she entered the house, she found Chance busy with his laptop. She even stared for a moment when she saw him wearing eyeglasses.

"I'm here!" she exclaimed.

He didn’t even glance at her. Frowning, she just headed to the kitchen to start cooking. Green curry was very famous in Thailand, so that’s what she decided to make.

It took her about an hour to cook. When she peeked at Chance, he was still in the same position. She slowly walked over, cleared her throat to get his attention, and when he finally looked up, her heart skipped a beat.

"Uhmm. Are you ready to eat?" she asked hesitantly.

He simply nodded and went to the kitchen. She followed him and found him looking at the food she had made.

"What’s this?" he asked without looking at her.

"That’s green curry. You eat chicken curry, right?" she asked as she approached him. She grabbed a plate and served him some rice.

He ate in silence while she kept glancing at him. She couldn’t believe she was seeing him again. The last time they met was at Annisa and Duke’s wedding—Duke being Chance’s friend.

"What are you looking at?" Chance asked, not glancing at her.

She flinched slightly at his cold voice. She just smiled sweetly and shook her head.

"Cold," she mumbled to herself.

"I heard you."

"I know. I meant for you to hear it."

After they finished eating, he simply went upstairs without a word. No thank you or anything about the food being good. He just went upstairs, leaving her annoyed while she washed the dishes. She felt frustrated with him, but there was nothing she could do about it.

Once she finished the dishes, she went to the living room. Just then, her phone rang. It was her cousin Jared calling her.

"Jared—"

"Where are you?!" he asked frantically.

"I'm at my friend’s house. Why?"

"Shit! Get the hell out of there now! Your father sent more MIBs after you. Leave before they find you! I’ve already booked a flight for you!"

She panicked. Quickly, she packed her things. She couldn’t stay calm because if her father’s men caught her, she was in big trouble.

Just as she was about to leave, she remembered Chance. It was rude to leave without saying anything, but she didn’t want to wake him either in case he started asking questions. So, she decided to leave a note instead.

Once she finished, she hurried out of the house. A taxi just happened to pass by, so she quickly jumped in.

She breathed heavily. She knew this wouldn’t be the last time she would see Chance.

When she arrived at the airport, she quickly got in line.

"Goddamn it!" she cursed loudly when she saw a few MIBs around. Passengers around her glanced in her direction. She quickly bowed her head, feeling embarrassed, especially since there were some Filipinos around. She moved cautiously, trying not to attract attention from the MIBs. She put on her cap and sunglasses to hide her face.

It wasn’t until she was safely inside the plane bound for the Philippines that she finally relaxed. She knew it was the safest place for her, because her father, the president, wouldn’t be able to find her there. After all, she was the president’s secret niece.

Chance woke up feeling light today, which was very unusual for him. He didn’t know why, but he was kind of happy to get up from bed and go down to the living room.

He quickly got ready. He had a 9 PM flight today back to the Philippines. When he reached downstairs, he immediately scanned the area. His brow furrowed when he noticed that the girl wasn’t there. He went to the kitchen to check, but she wasn’t there either.

Just as he was about to leave to look for her, he saw a note on the table next to the sofa.

‘I’m sorry if I left without saying goodbye properly. I just got an emergency, but I know this is not the last time we will meet. See you in the PH, Chance! Don’t worry, I’ll make it up to you!

- Carly Maganda Xoxo He felt disappointed, but he quickly brushed it off. He didn’t care, and he didn’t give a damn. He put the note in his wallet and left. He lost his appetite to eat.

He was in a bad mood until he arrived in the Philippines. He had planned to go home to his house, but he was too tired to deal with his mom, so he decided to go back to his place instead. He needed a peaceful night. He didn’t want to be angry to the point of losing control. It would be a big issue with his family again.

When he got to his apartment, he immediately rested. His head hurt from all the work he had finished. It was hard to be the CEO of a big company and a lawyer at the same time. But he wanted a lot of work. He needed a distraction.

His whole month went by like usual. Home, work, then home. Sometimes, if his friends invited him out, he would go with them. His life was too plain, but he didn’t complain. He had gotten used to this kind of life.

He always wanted to be alone since high school. Back then, he only spoke to his twin, and when he reached college, he met Duke, Hunter, and lastly, Leo. But even then, his habit didn’t change.

It was Sunday morning when Chance decided to have breakfast in Palawan. He had been there for a week due to a business meeting. He was silently watching the sea when he spotted a very familiar figure of a woman.

She was wearing a white Boho Maxi dress. Her blonde hair was flowing in the wind. She was holding a camera and taking pictures. Her face showed happiness. He didn’t know why, but she often came to mind. Maybe it was just because of the delicious food she had made in Thailand. Yeah. That was probably the reason. Nothing more.

And he didn’t even know how, but he found himself slowly walking towards her. And God forbid, this girl was a real goddess, and he wanted to claim her! He wasn’t a sex monster, but this girl was a temptress! He wanted her! There! He fucking admitted it!

Perhaps she noticed that someone was staring at her, so she looked over at him. Her brow furrowed for a moment, then her face brightened, and she smiled.

"Chance!" She happily exclaimed.

He hid his emotions. "Are you following me?" he asked.

Her brow furrowed. "Overacting! No! I have work here!" she said, showing him her camera.

He just shook his head, averted his gaze, and walked away. The safest thing to do.

"Grumpy!" Carly shouted as the man walked away from her. She shook her head and continued taking pictures. She had been invited to an exhibit in Palawan about nature and the beauty of the place. She had just arrived yesterday, and of course, fate was on her side.

She never expected to see Chance here. He was always elusive. The only time she saw him was when his twin brother, Chase, was around at the bar. Chase and Chance looked very similar, except for their eyes. Chase had dark violet eyes, while Chance had dark green eyes. They had the same face and body shape, but their personalities were where they differed. Chance was the opposite of Chase.

When she finished taking pictures, she headed to the nearest coffee shop. She hadn’t had breakfast yet because she had been waiting for the sunrise.

She saw Chance outside the coffee shop, busy with his laptop. She quickly approached and sat in the empty seat next to him.

"Hi!" she greeted him, but he didn’t even look at her. He kept typing away.

"Chance." She saw him stop what he was doing and clench his jaw before starting to type again. "About last month, sorry if I left without notice, I had—"

Chance sighed. He closed his laptop and looked at her with an emotionless expression. "You don’t need to explain. I’m not asking for it." he said before standing up and leaving.

She was slightly hurt by what he said. Fine! If he didn’t want her explanation, then that was okay! She shouldn’t have even left a note. She angrily left and went back to her hotel. She had lost her appetite to eat.

What a real grump! That guy really lost some good points on his looks.

In the afternoon, she headed straight to the venue where the gallery exhibit was being held. Since it was a formal event, she had no choice but to wear a dark blue cocktail dress. Her shoulder-length hair was left down, and she only put on light makeup. She was ready to go.

Inside the venue, she couldn't help but be amazed by the photos on display. Everything was magnificent—from caves, mountains, beaches, ponds, and lakes. But what really caught her eye were the underwater pictures. She had never tried diving or snorkeling. She wasn’t that good at swimming or diving, but still, she’d love to give it a try!

She quickly approached some photographer acquaintances. Her friend Larry, a gay photographer, noticed her. He immediately called her over and introduced her to his friends. After the introductions, she pulled him aside to a quiet spot.

“What’s up, Carly? You look so frantic,” Larry asked her.

She pouted and nudged his arm. “Lar! I want to try the underwater photoshoot!” she said excitedly.

Larry’s eyes widened. “You’re crazy! You don’t know how to dive!” he scolded.

“But still! I want to try it, and they have safety equipment, right? Please?” she pleaded. She really wanted to give it a shot.

He thought for a moment. “Fine! We’ll go tomorrow to Siete Pecados for snorkeling. If you want, you can join us! But I’m telling you, Carly! Don’t stray far from me!” he warned. Larry knew how much she loved taking solo shots when she was photographing. She nodded eagerly.

When the night ended, her friends invited her to the bar. Since she was in the mood to drink, she went along. They went to a high-end bar and settled at a round table with five of them. The place was noisy because it was already 11 PM, and the crowd was starting to get wild.

She had lost track of how many beers she had drunk. She was a little tipsy but still in control. After gathering some courage, she made her way to the center of the dance floor. The song was wild and sexy, exactly what she liked. She raised her arms and began to dance when she felt someone touch her waist. She grinned and continued dancing.

When both hands were on her waist, she turned around and found a foreigner with blue eyes. He looked cute.

"Hey, there," the guy greeted her with a suave smile and a British accent.

She smirked and tucked some hair behind her ear. “Hi, Cutie,” she said in a playful tone.

The guy grinned. “You look gorgeous...” he said huskily.

She laughed. “Enough talking. Let’s just dance, shall we?” she said with a laugh. The guy laughed too and handed her a drink. She gladly accepted it and drank it immediately.

They were busy dancing when someone bumped into her. She almost lost her balance but was caught by a firm arm.

“Ohh,” she laughed. She was definitely tipsy by now. “Sorry!” she said.

“Damn it!” a man’s voice growled.

She tried to make out the figure but her vision was spinning. She suddenly felt someone pulling her away.

“Hey, she’s dancing with me—”

“You better back off!” someone hissed.

But since she was already out of it, she didn’t pay attention to the commotion. She just let herself be dragged until she was seated in a car. Then, everything went dark.