Love's Greatest Secret: My Wife's Legendary Double Life

"I won't marry him!" Ivy Russell's scream cracked through the living room as the vase beside her exploded against the floor. She faced her father with raw panic in her voice and said, "Owen White can barely move on his own, and everyone knows he's been sick for years. They say he's strange-looking too. How could you expect me to throw my life away for that?"

Cade Russell's fury surged, and his hand shot out as he shouted, "Do you even understand what the White family represents in Aresrora? If you marry into their household, they'll pour money into the Russell Group, and we'll rise again! Use your head for once!"

Failure had hounded the Russell business for years, with every project crushed by competition, leaving them drowning in debt. If things continued this way, bankruptcy would be the only outcome.

Cade had fought half a lifetime to take charge of the Russell Group, and he refused to watch everything collapse in front of him.

Under normal circumstances, their family would never have been worthy of a connection to the White family.

But Owen's grandmother held an old connection to a Russell elder, and with Owen's declining health, she was desperate to find him a wife. That desperation had dragged the Russells into this arrangement.

There was no escaping it.

Cade clenched his jaw and fixed Ivy with a hard glare. "I've given you a comfortable life for over twenty years. It's about time you did something for me in return."

Those words struck Ivy like a slap, and she blurted out, "Dad, you raised Anna for twenty years too! Why isn't she the one marrying Owen?"

Cade stiffened at the mention of Ivy's half-sister, Anna Russell, and unease flickered across his face.

Anna had survived a crash with her mother when she was thirteen, and her mother had died shielding her.

That accident had left Anna with lasting brain damage, leaving her mind stuck at the level of a young child.

The mention of Anna instantly darkened Cade's mood. "With her state, sending Anna into the White family would only bring disaster to us!"

Ivy refused to back down. "Why make it complicated? The Whites just want a Russell daughter. They never said it had to be me!"

Worried that her father would shut her down, Ivy pleaded, "Please, Dad! Owen isn't going to live much longer anyway. If Anna goes through with the wedding, we'll still get the investment, and I'll be free to marry someone else rich. That would help your business even more!"

Cade paused, her reasoning striking a chord deep inside him.

Getting the White family money was one thing, but once Owen was gone, any future advantage would vanish unless they played it smart.

Compared to Ivy, Anna was a liability. After all, she had been stuck with a brain injury for years, and no one expected her to recover.

If Anna married into the White family, it seemed like a risk-free move.

Besides, everyone who knew the details of the past was gone-except one.

Cade believed what he had done remained a secret, with every loose end tied up.

He was on the verge of agreeing when a sudden presence at the stairs made him jolt.

Anna stood silently on the landing, dressed in what used to be a white dress, now turned grey with time and neglect.

Her face bore the stains of wandering outside, and she hugged a battered rabbit doll to her chest, fixing her gaze on Cade with an intensity that sent a chill down his spine.

For a brief second, Cade felt an inexplicable dread, as if Anna might lunge at him.

Anger won out, and he shot to his feet. "What are you doing standing there? Come here right now!"

Anna clung to her battered rabbit, inching forward with downcast eyes. "Daddy... I'm hungry."

She barely made it to the couch before Cade snapped his belt free and brought it down hard. "You're worthless! All you care about is eating!"

"Ah!" A shriek broke from Anna as she curled into herself on the floor, arms covering her head. "Daddy! Please stop! I'll behave... I promise I won't eat anymore."

No trace of sympathy crossed Cade's face. The belt kept falling, leaving angry red marks that seeped through her faded dress.

Jemma Russell, Ivy's mother, hurried down the staircase, alarm growing as she watched Cade's rage spiral. If he kept this up, Anna might be too battered to go through with the wedding. Putting on her softest tone, Jemma reached out to catch Cade's arm. "Honey, she's only asking for food. There's no need to be so cruel."

She motioned for a servant. "Bring Anna something to eat, and make sure her medicine is waiting in her room."

"Yes, Mrs. Russell." With a quick glance, the servant hurried off to carry out her instructions.

Turning back to Anna, Jemma offered a gentle smile. "Annie, your father's just under a lot of pressure because of work. Don't hold it against him, alright? Let's go upstairs, sweetheart."

Still shaking, Anna nodded, forcing herself to agree. "I'll be good... I won't be mad with Daddy."

Jemma shoved open the attic door, her nose wrinkling as she fanned away the stench that met her.

Boxes and broken furniture crowded the small, shadowy space, with nothing but a grimy mat to sleep on and an unpleasant odor clinging to the air.

She spun around and nearly yelped when Anna's vacant eyes met hers in the gloom. "Can't you give someone a warning before you sneak up like that?"

Anna edged closer, reaching out for Jemma's sleeve. "Jemma."

Jemma sidestepped her as though Anna's touch might infect her.

Now that they were alone, her mask of tenderness fell away without hesitation.

A servant soon appeared, balancing a tray with a steaming cup of water and two pills. "Mrs. Russell, the medicine's here."

Jemma brightened, motioning Anna over with a sweet smile. "Come here, Annie. Take the medicine with water."

Anna stepped forward without protest and grabbed the pills, but the moment she grasped the cup, the heat seared her hands. "Ow! It's burning me!"

Jemma's grip clamped around Anna's wrists, pinning her in place. Her tone dripped with sweetness, but her eyes glittered with cruelty. "You know you're the most obedient, Annie. Take your meds now."

"I'll listen... I'll do what you say." Anna lifted the scalding cup with trembling hands that turned red beneath the heat. She bit back tears and managed a smile for Jemma's benefit. "I'll finish it-every drop!"

A cold satisfaction flickered in Jemma's gaze as she watched the burns spread across Anna's fingers. In her mind, Anna was useful for now-otherwise, she would have let her rot in this attic long ago.

Anna put the medicine in her mouth, and as she forced the cup to her lips, Jemma's eyes sparkled at the prospect of Anna suffering through scalding water.

No matter what, Anna and her mother had always belonged under her heel.

Then, without warning...

Anna's hands seemed to finally give out, and she hurled the steaming cup straight at Jemma, sending a wave of boiling water splattering across her face.

Screams tore from Jemma as the burn hit, her hands flying to her cheeks as the pain threatened to peel the skin from her bones.

The servant who had lingered in the doorway froze in terror before rushing forward. "Mrs. Russell! Are you alright?"

Wild with pain, Jemma could only clutch her face, her cries growing louder. "My face! Somebody help me-my face is burning!"

One look at Jemma's blistered skin made the servant blanch in horror, nearly dropping the tray.

The flawless complexion she had always boasted about was now ruined, mottled with angry red burns and swollen blisters.

"I'll call the doctor-right away! Please, let me help you," the servant stammered, trying to steady Jemma.

Jemma burned with rage and humiliation. She wanted nothing more than to punish Anna herself, but she remembered Anna still needed to marry into the White family. She swallowed her anger and lashed out with a savage kick, catching Anna hard in the chest.

"Lock the attic! She's not to have dinner tonight, no matter what!" Jemma snapped.

Shaken, the servant hurried to support the sobbing Jemma and led her from the room.

The attic door slammed, shutting off the last sliver of light and leaving Anna alone in darkness.

After a moment, Anna lifted her head. A cold, sharp smile curved her lips, and a dangerous glint flickered in her eyes.

This was only the beginning of what she had planned. Jemma would pay dearly.

Getting to her feet, Anna crossed the cramped attic, shoved aside broken boxes, and pressed her fingers to a hidden switch on the wall.

A ladder slid down from above, revealing a passage to a secret room tucked away beyond anyone's notice in the Russell family's home.

Up in that hidden space, a man lounged on a weathered sofa, swirling a glass of wine. The moment Anna climbed up, he set the glass aside and said, "Back in trouble, I see? I keep telling you, just give the signal and I'll make everyone downstairs disappear before morning."

Anna shot him a steely look before moving to the far side of the room and settling into a chair. "Cade's not sharp enough to have orchestrated everything back then. Whoever gave him orders is still in the shadows. My only option is to keep playing the fool until the real mastermind shows up."

He studied her for a moment, then asked, "They're marrying you off to the White family as a pawn. Do you honestly think you can dig up the truth from there?"

A bitter smile tugged at Anna's lips, but her gaze stayed cold. "Being married off is actually a step up. With fewer eyes on me, I'll finally be able to move freely."

Seven years had crawled by since the crash that shattered her life.

Memories of her mother's final moments never faded from Anna's mind.

Inside that wrecked car, her mother had spent her last bit of strength shielding Anna, her voice frail as she begged, "Hide your intelligence. Survive this. Steer clear of the Russell family."

Anna pressed her nails into her burnt palm, refusing to let any pain reach her features.

Nothing mattered more than watching Cade and his precious family crumble, piece by piece.

"It's not as if you'd listen to me anyway." Joshua Bradley leaned back, a trace of resignation in his voice. He reached for his phone and added, "You should know your last payment's already in your account. And there's another job waiting, if you're up for it."

He retrieved a photo from his pocket and slid it across the table. "You have three months. The organization wants this man gone."

Anna lifted the picture and studied it.

Though out of focus, the photo still managed to capture the man's striking features-a sharp jawline, strong profile, and a presence that commanded attention even in a candid shot.

"I need everything you can get me on him," Anna replied coolly.

"He's the mastermind behind the Shadow Group overseas. Four years ago, three of the most powerful families tried to take him down together, but he dismantled two of their empires all by himself. Plenty have tried hunting him since then, but after that, he disappeared completely. No one's glimpsed his real face, except for this single, fuzzy photograph. We've just received-he's laying low somewhere in Aresrora." Joshua spoke with quiet certainty.

Anna studied the blurred photo, then shot Joshua a skeptical look. "You really think I can track down someone with nothing but a shadowy profile? That's asking a lot, even from me."

Joshua's lips twisted in a knowing grin. "Let's be honest, there's nobody else in the group with our eye for faces. I have to stay behind the scenes. If you can't pull this off, nobody can."

She traced the outline of the man's jaw with her thumb, considering. "If the price is right, I'll take the job."

After Joshua slipped away, Anna sparked a match and held it to the edge of the photograph.

She watched as flames licked across the image, a sly smile spreading as the picture curled and blackened. "Russell family, your quiet days are over. I hope you're ready for what's coming."

On the morning of the ceremony, the White family delivered a wedding gown meant for Anna.

Ivy, on a whim, slipped into the dress herself. She spun in front of the tall mirror, beaming as the expensive fabric shimmered around her.

In the reflection, Ivy caught sight of Anna hovering uncertainly nearby. She turned with a grin and approached. "Anna, what do you think?"

Anna's hands flew together, her face bright with a guileless smile. "It's nice, Ivy. It's really nice!"

A soft laugh escaped Ivy as she sized Anna up from head to toe.

Standing there in an old-fashioned red frock, Anna had a huge artificial flower pinned awkwardly to her hair.

As far as Ivy was concerned, Anna could never do justice to the designer gown from the White family. That dress deserved to shine on someone like her.

"Come on. Let's get moving," Ivy said.

When they arrived outside the Serene Hotel, Ivy climbed out and fussed with her dress before yanking Anna out of the car. "Stop stalling and get going!"

Together, they walked into the banquet hall, drawing a wave of curious eyes their way.

"Is she the one marrying into the White family?"

"She doesn't stand out at all, does she? Even with that high-end gown, it just doesn't look right on her."

"And who's the woman in red next to her?"

"I heard Cade's got a daughter with a brain injury. That must be her."

"Look at her! Even in that old-fashioned dress, she's actually gorgeous!"

That single remark from the crowd lit a fire in Ivy's chest. How could Anna, dressed so ridiculously, still manage to draw admiration? The urge to hush everyone up nearly overwhelmed her.

Before Ivy could say anything, Roderick Green, Owen's assistant, stepped forward and addressed Anna. "Miss Russell, the ceremony hasn't started yet. Mr. Owen White wants you to wait in the lounge and rest for a bit."

Casting a sideways glance at Roderick, Ivy quickly grabbed Anna's arm. "I'm coming too. I don't trust leaving my sister by herself."

Roderick's eyes lingered on Ivy's gown for a moment, but he only nodded. "This way, please."

As they walked, Ivy dug her fingers into Anna's side, hissing under her breath, "Don't you say anything you shouldn't once we're inside!"

Anna's eyes widened in pain and she nodded, shrinking back, her lips tightly sealed.

At the lounge door, Roderick knocked and then opened it. "Mr. White, your bride is here."

They stepped inside together, and Ivy immediately craned her neck, eager for her first glimpse of Owen.

Her breath caught when she spotted the man waiting in a wheelchair. Despite looking delicate, there was a striking elegance about him that couldn't be ignored.

"That can't be right!" Ivy blurted, stunned.

She had always believed the rumors about his supposed ugliness, but the man before her was anything but unattractive.

Even Anna, standing quietly at her side, couldn't hide her own shock.

What surprised her wasn't Owen's appearance, but the realization that the man in the wheelchair was her new target, and once she took him out, she would get three billion dollars.

Roderick's expression tightened. "Please, lower your voice. Mr. White is not to be agitated."

Regaining her composure, Ivy guided Anna by the arm. "Mr. White, let me introduce my sister. She's the one who will be marrying you."

"Is that so?" Owen's eyes drifted to Ivy. "If she's supposed to be my bride, why are you the one wearing the gown that was sent for her?"

Even with illness written across his face, Owen's gaze had a gravity that made Ivy's confidence falter.

"I-" Ivy started, then shoved Anna ahead. "Anna asked me to put it on. She insisted it looked better on me, didn't you, Anna?"

Anna stared, eyes wide with curiosity, taking in every detail of the man sitting before her.

Owen met Anna's gaze, a small, amused smile tugging at his lips.

When Anna didn't answer, Ivy jabbed her sharply. "Say something!"

Anna lurched forward, almost losing her balance.