Second Vows Adored by the Billionaire novel Chapter 2

The car stopped in front of Clarkson Group headquarters.

As she stepped out, a delivery person hurried past her toward the entrance, carrying a massive bouquet of red roses.

Eloise froze. She recognized that distinctive wrapping immediately—Victor's favorite florist, the expensive one downtown.

Her stomach dropped.

She followed the delivery person into the elevator, her pulse pounding. As the doors slid shut, she glimpsed the card tucked among the roses: "Happy Birthday, Anita. Love always, V."

The air left her lungs.

Today wasn't just their fifth anniversary. It was Anita's birthday too.

Victor's "working late" was nothing but another lie—an excuse to celebrate with his real wife inside the company.

Eloise clenched her fists until her nails bit into her palms.

The elevator doors opened. Before she could step forward, familiar voices drifted down the hallway.

It was Victor, talking to his business partner and closest friend, Brook Edwards.

"Brook," Victor said, his voice as smooth as ever, "today's my fifth anniversary with Eloise. Send her that custom bracelet I had made, and get a huge arrangement of white roses. Put something romantic on the card—'Forever yours' or whatever."

Eloise froze.

Brook laughed, half-curious, half-mocking. "You really go all out for Eloise. Everyone thinks you're the perfect husband. But I gotta ask—if you love her so much, why marry Anita?"

The hallway went quiet except for Victor's low chuckle and the flick of a lighter.

"Eloise is like... I don't know, something pure," Victor said casually. "She deserves everything—the ring, the title, the whole package."

"But Anita," he continued, "she knew what this was from the start. She doesn't need the spotlight. She gave me a daughter, she's loyal, and she never asks for more than I can give. Marrying her was the least I could do."

Eloise stood frozen in the shadows, all color draining from her face.

"It's been five years, Victor." Brook's voice softened with something like sympathy. "Eloise has wanted a child this whole time. But you poured oil on the floor on purpose. You made her lose the baby. And she still has no idea."

He paused. "And now Anita's pregnant again. Victor, aren't you worried Eloise will completely lose it if she finds out?"

Eloise's entire body went rigid. Her blood turned to ice. So that fall had never been an accident. Victor had planned it.

"Anita won't say anything," Victor replied after a pause, completely calm. "Eloise will never find out."

"I love Eloise," he added, and he sounded like he meant it. "When I had nothing, she supported me through four years of grad school. She scraped together half a million dollars for my startup. She stuck with me through the worst years of my life."

He paused. "But Anita's sacrificed a lot too, staying in the background all this time. I can't just abandon her. I want them both."

She'd thought he was being considerate, letting her take a break after years of hard work.

Now she understood—he'd been building a whole separate life with another woman. White roses for the wife at home. Red roses for the woman who mattered.

The white bouquet slipped from her hands, petals scattering across the floor like the pieces of her marriage.

She looked at the familiar faces inside, all fawning over Anita, and felt nothing but cold fury.

Taking a deep breath, she pushed open the door.

"Well," Eloise said brightly, "looks like quite the party."

Every head turned at once.

The room went dead silent. One could hear a pin drop.

Victor and Anita jumped apart like they'd been caught stealing.

A flicker of panic crossed Victor's face before he smoothed it over. In two quick strides, he was at Eloise's side and caught her wrist.

"Eloise, what are you doing here?"