Sophie Belmont, a devoted secretary for six years, watches in horror as her husband and CEO Magnus Van Adler's new "personal assistant" arrives. Although he claims that this woman, Roxanne, is only there to ease his professional responsibilities and avoid a scandal, Sophie knows the truth: Magnus will do anything to protect his reputation, even sacrifice it. But Sophie is not the type to let herself be defeated. As Roxanne quickly gains influence in the company and destroys everything Sophie has built, Sophie discovers a secret contract that ties Magnus to questionable deals. What is Roxanne's real role? And why does Magnus seem more and more distant and mysterious?
Chapter 1 Chapitre 1
The smell of new leather and the glare of the white light of the open space hurt her eyes. Sophie stopped in front of the glass door of Magnus's office. The space, usually a refuge of silence and authority, vibrated with a tension she did not yet understand. Her husband's deep voice resonated, sharp, almost aggressive.
- I don't want to hear that. It will be as I have decided.
Another voice rose, higher-pitched, incisive, and exuding an almost casual assurance. A woman.
- You can play the tyrant if you want, Magnus. But without me, your little house of cards collapses. So, let's calm down and negotiate.
Sophie advanced slowly, slipping into the shadows. The silhouette of the woman was outlined behind the glass. Slender, upright posture. A red dress. Sophie felt dizzy. The scene before her seemed unreal, like a painting to which she did not belong.
Magnus, his fists clenched on his desk, listened in silence, an expression she didn't recognize on his face. A mixture of frustration and... respect?
- We'll talk about it again tomorrow, he finally said.
The woman gave him a cold smile, turned around, and left the room with slow, calculated steps.
Sophie didn't have time to hide. Their eyes met. The woman stopped for a moment, examined her, then continued on her way as if she didn't exist.
Magnus straightened up when he saw her enter.
- Sophie, what are you doing here?
She ignored his question, arms crossed, gaze fixed on the door the woman had just exited through.
- Who was it?
He sighed, exasperated, as if the answer didn't matter.
- Roxanne. A potential collaborator. Nothing out of the ordinary.
- Nothing out of the ordinary? Are you kidding?
Magnus walked around his desk, trying to calm things down, but Sophie took a step back.
- Why are you always in the drama? he got annoyed. Roxanne is going to work with me on sensitive projects, period.
She felt anger rising.
- And you're telling me this like I have no say in this? Like I don't exist?
Magnus raised his hands, a gesture he always used to end a discussion.
- We'll talk about it tonight, okay? Not here, not now.
But that night the words were even worse.
They dined in silence, the clinking of cutlery against plates punctuating a palpable unease. Sophie wasn't hungry, but she mechanically cut her meat, her eyes fixed on her husband.
Magnus finally put down his fork.
- I wanted to wait for a better time to tell you, but given your behavior today... Roxanne accepted the job.
- What position?
He hesitated for a split second.
- Personal collaborator. She will help me lighten my workload.
Sophie burst into a mirthless laugh.
- You mean she's going to help you get rid of me? Because that's exactly what it sounds like, Magnus.
He frowned, his tone hardening.
- Stop with your insinuations. You know very well that everything I do is to protect this company, to protect our future.
- Protect what? Your ego? Your reputation? I don't recognize the man I married anymore.
He stood up abruptly, making the table shake.
- Because you do better, maybe? Always playing the victim, always doubting me, as if I were the bad guy in the story.
Sophie felt tears welling up in her eyes, but she refused to give in.
- So tell me, Magnus. Tell me one good reason to trust this Roxanne. Just one.
He stared at her, an icy glint in his eyes.
- Because without her, I lose everything.
And he left the room, leaving her alone, with that sentence echoing in her head like a hammer blow.
That night, she didn't sleep. Lying in their bed, the cold sheets around her, Sophie mulled over every detail, every word. She got up silently, crossed the darkened apartment, and entered Magnus's office.
The office still smelled of her perfume, a woody blend she had once loved. Now it seemed foreign to her.
She turned on the desk lamp and started rummaging. The drawers were far too tidy, as if someone had cleaned everything out recently. But under a pile of unremarkable files, she found a notebook.
Opening it, she recognized Magnus's handwriting. Notes, numbers, names. And one word that came up often: "Roxanne Accord."
Her heart was pounding. She turned the page over and found an envelope, sealed. She hesitated for a second, then opened it.
Inside, a contract. Long, dense, filled with legalese she barely understood. But one detail stood out: the confidentiality clause, strict and final.
"Any failure will result in prosecution."
She closed the envelope, her hands shaking. Magnus was involved in something much bigger than she had imagined. And Roxanne wasn't just a collaborator.
Sophie sat down in the leather chair, her gaze fixed on the papers in front of her. For the first time, she felt a visceral fear invade her.
But behind this fear, a decision was born.
She wasn't going to let herself be erased, not without a fight.
Chapter 1 Chapitre 1
04/12/2024
Chapter 2 Chapitre 2
04/12/2024
Chapter 3 Chapitre 3
04/12/2024
Chapter 4 Chapitre 4
04/12/2024
Chapter 5 Chapitre 5
04/12/2024
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