Wife by Day, Boss by Night by Thalia Quillspeak

Chapter 1

“Natalie Wright!”

The sharp bark of her name jolted Natalie awake, and her eyes snapped open to meet a pair of brooding, dark eyes.

She blinked, disoriented for a few seconds, before realizing where she was.

Brian Howard’s gaze fell on her petite figure, and his pupils contracted sharply. Without a word, he grabbed a blanket and tossed it at her.

Natalie scrambled beneath the covers, her clear eyes quickly misting with tears.

She watched Brian rise from the bed, his back to her as he strode into the bathroom. Feeling adrift, she managed to utter a single word, “Brian…”

Her voice trailed off as Brian’s icy stare cut through her. “Brian?” His tone was too cold, too cutting, and Natalie’s heart skipped a beat, prompting her to correct herself hastily, “Mr. Howard…”

remembered coming home last night to a power outage. Brian dragged her into his room before she could make sense of it. She wasn’t sure if he was drunk or what, but she could smell a faint hint of whiskey and something metallic like

a blur, a

she caught sight of a long, bloody gash

clear look, Brian turned, grabbed her chin with a fierce grip, and growled, “Natalie, do you think

I…” She began to protest. But her plea was cut short by the

his unguarded expression, and then she

the surprised voice of the housekeeper, Sadie, “Isn’t this Miss Natalie’s dress? How did

Natalie and tossed her a shirt, his voice commanding. “Put this on and get

with the house full of people, huh? They would

She clutched at Brian’s arm, pleading softly, “Can you just listen to me,

shook off her hand with a force that sent her tumbling back onto the bed, his face a mask of frost. “Natalie, you’re just like your

stung more

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Chapter 1

understand or intervene in her parents‘ affairs. She only remembered begging them not to divorce, but