Chapter 2: Derrick's Second Wife

Derrick arrived less than twenty minutes later.

The moment his black car stopped outside the pool entrance, the atmosphere changed.

Hotel staff immediately lined up.

Managers hurried forward.

Security guards straightened their uniforms.

Rosalie's smug expression returned.

"See?" she said.

"My husband is here."

I didn't answer.

I simply stood beside Georgina.

Derrick got out of the car.

He was wearing a dark suit, his expression cold and controlled.

The moment his eyes landed on Georgina, his face changed.

"Mom?"

He hurried toward us.

"What happened?"

Georgina crossed her arms.

"Ask your wife."

Derrick froze.

His eyes moved toward Rosalie.

Then back toward his mother.

"My wife?"

"Yes," I said quietly.

"She seems to think she's your wife."

Rosalie immediately walked toward him.

"Derrick, I told you these women were causing trouble."

"She refused to leave the pool."

"Then she insulted me."

"And when I asked Dmitry to handle it, they attacked him."

I stared at her.

"You asked him to drown my mother-in-law."

"Don't twist my words."

Derrick's expression became colder.

"Rosalie."

She smiled and reached for his arm.

"Honey, tell them."

"Tell them this hotel belongs to us."

I watched Derrick carefully.

He slowly removed her hand from his arm.

"Don't call me that."

Rosalie's smile disappeared.

"What?"

"I said don't call me that."

The pool area became silent.

Georgina looked at me.

I looked back at her.

Something was wrong.

Very wrong.

Rosalie stared at Derrick in disbelief.

"You're embarrassing me."

"In front of everyone?"

"Why are you acting like this?"

Derrick's jaw tightened.

"Because you're making a mess."

"Of your hotel?"

"Of everything."

Rosalie turned toward me.

"You told him something, didn't you?"

"I didn't need to."

"He came because I called him."

Derrick looked at Georgina.

"Mom, what exactly happened?"

Georgina's voice was icy.

"Your guest ordered one of your employees to shove me underwater."

"I almost drowned."

Derrick's face changed instantly.

He turned toward Dmitry.

"Is that true?"

Dmitry looked nervous.

"Sir, I was only following Ms. Rosalie's instructions."

Derrick's expression became terrifyingly calm.

"I didn't ask why you did it."

"I asked if you did it."

Dmitry swallowed.

"Yes, sir."

"You're fired."

Dmitry's eyes widened.

"Sir—"

"Hand in your badge."

"But Ms. Rosalie said—"

"I don't care what she said."

Dmitry slowly removed the badge.

Rosalie looked furious.

"You can't fire him because of them!"

"They are guests in my hotel."

"They're not just guests," Rosalie snapped.

"She's your mother."

Derrick looked at her.

"Yes."

"And she's my wife."

I stopped breathing.

The words landed like a stone in my chest.

Derrick looked at me.

"Vera..."

I stared at him.

"You heard him?" Rosalie shouted.

"He admitted it."

"I'm his wife."

"No," Derrick said quietly.

"You're not."

Rosalie went completely still.

"What?"

"I said you're not my wife."

The smugness vanished from her face.

"Then what am I?"

Derrick didn't answer immediately.

He looked at his mother first.

"Mom, this isn't the place."

"It is now," Georgina replied.

"You will explain everything here."

Derrick took a breath.

"Rosalie is the daughter of one of our old business partners."

"Our families have known each other for years."

"That's it?" Rosalie demanded.

"That's it," Derrick said.

"Then why have you been staying in the top suite for months?"

"Because you allowed me to."

"Because I was trying to help your family after their financial problems."

"You gave me the hotel privileges yourself."

Rosalie's face changed.

"You said I could consider it my home."

"I said you could stay while your family recovered."

"You never said you were my wife."

Rosalie looked at me.

"But everyone knew."

"Everyone assumed."

"And you never corrected them."

Derrick fell silent.

That silence was enough.

Rosalie hadn't invented everything.

Derrick had allowed her to behave like his wife.

He had let the hotel staff call her Mrs. Hart.

He had let rumors spread.

He had given her privileges that made everyone believe she belonged beside him.

My chest tightened.

"So you weren't married," I said.

"No," Derrick replied.

"Then why did you never tell me about her?"

He looked directly at me.

"Because it wasn't important."

I laughed bitterly.

"Not important?"

"She has been using your hotel's top suite."

"Your staff obeys her."

"She calls you her husband."

"And you call that not important?"

Derrick's expression tightened.

"I was wrong."

"Clearly."

Georgina stepped forward.

"Derrick, look at Vera."

"Really look at her."

He did.

There were tears in my eyes.

I hated that he could still affect me this much.

Georgina's voice became cold.

"She came here believing she was your only wife."

"She came here with me because she trusted this family."

"And today, she learned that some woman has been living like the queen of your hotel."

"That is on you."

Derrick lowered his eyes.

"I know."

Rosalie suddenly shouted.

"This is because of her!"

"She always comes first."

"You've always chosen her over me!"

I stared at her.

Derrick remained silent.

"I loved you," Rosalie cried.

"You knew that."

"And you still brought Vera into this family."

My heart stopped.

There was something in the way she said it.

"Brought me into this family?" I repeated.

Rosalie realized her mistake.

Derrick's eyes narrowed.

"What are you talking about?"

"Nothing."

"You said too much."

She turned toward me.

"You think you're special because you married him?"

"You don't know what happened before you."

"Then tell me."

Rosalie looked at Derrick.

"Tell her."

Derrick's jaw tightened.

"Rosalie, stop."

"Why?"

"She's your wife," Rosalie shouted.

"Then she deserves to know how Derrick and I really met."

I looked at Derrick.

"What is she talking about?"

"Vera, this isn't the time."

"Then when?"

He had no answer.

Rosalie smiled through her tears.

"You want the truth?"

"I'll tell you."

"Derrick and I were supposed to get married before you ever entered his life."

Silence.

Georgina's eyes narrowed.

"That's enough."

"No," I said quietly.

"Let her finish."

Derrick looked at me.

"Vera—"

"I want to hear it."

Rosalie lifted her chin.

"His father promised our families an alliance."

"Everyone knew I would become Mrs. Hart."

"Then you came along."

My chest tightened.

"Derrick chose you instead."

She laughed bitterly.

"But he never told you why."

"Why?" I whispered.

Rosalie's eyes filled with satisfaction.

"Because your marriage wasn't supposed to happen."

"It was a business decision."

I slowly turned toward Derrick.

"Is that true?"

Derrick looked at me.

For the first time...

He didn't have an immediate answer.

And that silence hurt more than anything Rosalie had said.