Billionaire's Abandoned Wife? I am the Secret Heiress!

The first thing I noticed was the pounding in my head. It felt like a jackhammer was trying to break free from my skull. I groaned, slowly opening my eyes to unfamiliar surroundings. Silk sheets, plush pillows, and the unmistakable scent of luxury hotel soap. This wasn't my bedroom.

As my vision cleared, I froze. Lying next to me was quite possibly the most gorgeous man I'd ever seen. His chiseled features were relaxed in sleep, dark hair tousled across the pillow. The sheet barely covered his muscular chest, leaving little to the imagination.

Oh god, what have I done?

But as I stared at him, a creeping sense of familiarity washed over me. Those sharp cheekbones, the strong jaw, the perfectly shaped lips... Where had I seen them before?

Then it hit me like a ton of bricks. Ethan. Ethan Blackwood. My husband Jackson's brother!

I clapped a hand over my mouth to stifle a gasp. I'd seen his photo before, heard whispers about his recent return to New York and plans to rejoin the Blackwood family.

But I never expected to wake up in bed with him!

Panic surged through me, momentarily overriding my hangover. I had to get out of here. Now!

Flashes of last night came back to me in a dizzying rush.

The bar. Drinking way too much. A pair of stunning blue eyes.

And then...

What I remembered was a whirlwind of heated touches and passionate kisses. I remembered the feeling of strong hands on my body, igniting a fire I thought had long since burned out. Climax after climax, each more intense than the last, until I lost count and lost myself in the pleasure.

Despite my pounding headache, I couldn't help but feel a spark of attraction as I looked at the sleeping man beside me. It had been so long since I'd experienced such raw, unbridled passion. Jackson hadn't touched me like that in... god, I couldn't even remember.

I shook my head, trying to clear it. What was I thinking? This was Ethan Blackwood. My soon-to-be ex-brother-in-law. This was a disaster.

Carefully, I slipped out of bed, wincing as my bare feet hit the plush carpet. My head swam, and I had to steady myself against the nightstand. God, how much did I drink last night?

I gathered my scattered clothes, face burning as I remembered how eagerly I'd shed them before my brother-in-law just hours ago.

My little black dress was a wrinkled mess on the floor. As I dressed, I couldn't help stealing glances at the sleeping Ethan. In the harsh light of day, he was even more stunning.

Digging through my purse, I pulled out all the cash I had – about $500. I placed it on the nightstand with a note: "Tips." praying he just thinks of me as a strange woman and wouldn't remember my face.

With one last lingering look at him, I slipped out of the hotel room.

The walk through the hotel lobby was torture. I kept my head down, terrified that someone might recognize me. The Blackwood family was well-known in New York social circles. If anyone saw me leaving Ethan's room... I didn't even want to think about the consequences.

Outside, the fresh air helped clear my head a little. I hailed a taxi and collapsed into the backseat.

As the city rolled by, reality started to sink in.

The memory hit me like a truck, as vivid and painful as if it were happening all over again. Our second wedding anniversary. I'd come home early to surprise my husband Jackson Blackwood, heart full of love and hope for our future together.

Instead, I got the surprise of my life.

I remembered every detail with agonizing clarity. The black lace bra on the floor...silk stockings on the sofa...And then...muffled sounds coming from our bedroom...

"God, you're amazing," I heard Jackson's groan, his voice husky with pleasure.

"Even better than Olivia?" A woman's giggle followed, and my stomach churned.

I recognized that voice. Jessica, his secretary. The one he'd sworn was just a harmless colleague, nothing to worry about.

"That frigid little designer doesn't know how to please a man..." Jackson replied and I felt my heart shatter into a million pieces. "Not like you do, baby."

...

Then I ran. The bar. The drink. The night with Ethan...

I shook my head, trying to clear the memories. It was too much.

As the taxi neared my destination, I knew it was time. Time to end this farce of a marriage, to reclaim my life.

With shaking hands, I pulled out my cell phone and dialed Jackson's number. My heart pounded as I waited for him to pick up.

Before I could even open my mouth, Jackson's excited voice came through the speaker. "Honey, I have good news for you!"

I blinked, thrown off balance by his enthusiastic greeting. This wasn't how I expected this conversation to go.

"Aurora actually accepted our invitation to be the chief designer of Blackwood SK," Jackson continued, his voice brimming with excitement.

I froze, my planned speech forgotten. "Which Aurora?" I managed to choke out, confusion momentarily overpowering my anger and hurt.

Jackson laughed, oblivious to my confusion. "Who else could it be? The legendary Aurora who turned the nearly bankrupt Agile into a first-tier brand in three years."

"She promised to come to SK to sign the contract next month," Jackson barreled on. "And this will be her first appearance in public! This will be big news!"

I felt like I was drowning, struggling to keep my head above water as wave after wave of confusion and disbelief crashed over me. How was this possible?

"I have a feeling that she will take SK to the next peak," Jackson continued, "so that even if my brother Ethan comes back, the board will only support me." He paused for a breath. "By the way, honey, is there anything you want to call me about?"

Ethan.

I swallowed hard, the words I'd been about to say dying on my tongue.

"Nothing," I lied, my voice barely above a whisper. "Just wanted to say that I came back from Paris today."

"Oh, great! We should celebrate the Aurora news soon. Maybe dinner tonight?"

"We'll see," I replied noncommittally. "I have to go now, Jackson. Goodbye."

I ended the call before he could say anything else.

My mind raced. I had never accepted any invitation from Blackwood SK. So who the hell had agreed to this?

The soft click of the door closing stirred the sleeping man. His eyelids fluttered open, revealing striking blue eyes that quickly scanned the empty hotel room. Ethan Blackwood sat up, the silk sheets pooling around his waist, exposing his muscular torso.

His chiseled features twisted into a frown as he took in the messy bed and scattered pillows.

A flash of green caught his eye. On the bedside table lay a stack of crisp hundred-dollar bills, topped with a hastily scrawled note: "Tips."

Ethan's eyes widened, then narrowed. A bark of laughter escaped his lips, tinged with disbelief and anger. "Tips?"

He snatched up the money, a mix of emotions swirling in his chest. Anger at being treated like a paid companion warred with an odd sense of amusement. This woman had some nerve.

His mind drifted back to the previous night. The bar. The stunning woman with emerald eyes and chestnut hair. The way she'd looked at him, a mixture of pain and desire swirling in those captivating eyes. Her soft cries of pleasure echoed in his memory, sending a shiver down his spine.

With a sigh, he reached for his phone. His fingers hovered over the screen for a moment before he made the call.

After several rings, a groggy voice answered, "Ethan? It's barely 8 AM. What's so urgent it can't wait till a decent hour?"

"Rise and shine, Marcus," Ethan replied, a hint of amusement in his tone. "I need you to check something for me."

Marcus Chen groaned. "Can't it wait? Some of us actually sleep at night, you know."

"I need you to identify a woman for me," Ethan pressed on, ignoring his friend's complaints.