Alessia sat in her sleek office at Kane Enterprises, her wedding band catching the light as she tapped her pen against a stack of reports. It was surreal, really. Just a week ago, she had been walking down the aisle, and now, here she was—a married woman. Every so often, she’d glance at her phone, scrolling through photos from the wedding or the endless media coverage of the event.
Her assistant, Natalie, had tried to shield her from the frenzy, but Alessia wasn’t bothered. The headlines ranged from “Kane Heiress Ties the Knot in Stunning Ceremony” to “Inside the Most Romantic Wedding of the Year.” Alessia smiled to herself. It had been perfect, despite the drama.
The buzz of her intercom interrupted her thoughts. “Mrs. Deveraux,” Natalie’s voice came through, tentative. Alessia still wasn’t used to hearing her new name.
“Yes, Natalie?” she said, sitting up straighter.
“There’s a woman here asking to see you,” Natalie said hesitantly. “She says it’s urgent.”
Alessia frowned. “Did she give her name?”
“She said her name is Zoey,” Natalie replied.
“Zoey?” Alessia repeated, the name unfamiliar. “Alright, send her in.”
The door opened, and a woman walked in, her presence commanding. She was tall, with sharp features and dark hair styled perfectly. She carried herself with confidence, her heels clicking against the polished floor as she approached Alessia’s desk.
“Alessia,” the woman said, her voice smooth but laced with an undercurrent of tension. “I’m Zoey.”
Alessia stood, offering a polite smile. “Zoey, it’s nice to meet you. Please, have a seat. What brings you here?”
Zoey didn’t sit. Instead, she placed her bag on the edge of Alessia’s desk and crossed her arms. “I’m Theo’s ex,” she said bluntly, her eyes locking onto Alessia’s.
The words hit Alessia like a slap. She blinked, trying to process them. “Theo’s… ex?” she repeated, her voice steady despite the sudden knot in her stomach. “I wasn’t aware he had an ex named Zoey.”
Zoey smirked, a touch of bitterness in her expression. “Well, now you know. And I’m not just his ex—I’m also the mother of his child.”