From Neglected Wife to CEO’s Obsession novel Chapter 6

Cindy burst out laughing at Remy’s silly face, then flopped onto my lap and gazed up at me. “Daddy already said sorry. Won’t you forgive him, Mom?”

I let out a silent sigh. I didn’t want our adult drama to weigh on her little heart. Running my fingers gently through her hair, I just said, “You’re such a good girl, Cindy.”

Remy’s shoulders slumped when I didn’t say I forgave him. Still, he tried to make up for it by piling food onto my plate, urging me to eat more. He ended up barely eating anything himself, wincing every time his hurt lip moved.

I didn’t touch a single thing he picked out for me. I just finished the cereal I’d made for myself. After last night, I felt hollow. Suddenly, nothing about Remy seemed to matter anymore.

Still in that funk, I sideswiped another car on my drive to work, and barely managed to clock in at the last minute.

My company used to be called Elite Global, but about a month ago, we were bought out and renamed Elite Tech. Now, instead of selling products, we were all about tech research and development.

As soon as I stepped inside, I was told to head straight to the big conference room to meet our new boss.

His name was Elliot Swanson. He couldn’t have been more than thirty, tall and broad-shouldered. His dark hair was slicked back, showing off a clear, strong forehead. He had sharp brows, a straight nose, and lips with edges that looked almost carved. Even just standing there, he gave off an intense, commanding vibe.

He looked like the kind of person who made the rules and expected everyone to follow. But then there were his eyes—dark and striking, with a hint of softness that somehow made him even more magnetic.

There was something about his face that felt familiar, like maybe we’d crossed paths before.

Elliot stood up to speak, calm and polite, his gaze sweeping over everyone in the room. When his eyes landed on me, I felt like I couldn’t move.

I’d majored in core programming at university, graduating near the top of my class. This trip was for a high-end industry summit, all about how AI could be used in healthcare and daily life.

I spent the whole day pulling together materials. After everyone left, I stayed another hour to finish.

When I finally got home, Remy was still out. Cindy was sitting on the carpet, happily playing with her toys.

Remy’s mom, Marissa, was perched on the sofa like a queen. She was short and heavyset, squeezed into a tight, expensive dress that dug lines into her body. Every inch of her hands, wrists, and neck glittered with jewelry—like she wanted the world to know exactly how rich she was.

As soon as I walked in, Marissa’s face twisted into a scowl. “Do you know what time it is? You left Cindy here alone with just the housekeeper—what if something happened? If you can’t handle being a mother, you should just step aside and let someone else do it. I can find Cindy a new mommy.”