Married to the Secret Stanger

Charles Baker's hand trembled as he reread the report.

He had been searching for leverage over Joanne.

But instead, he had stumbled upon a nightmare.

Alexander King… Joanne's husband?

The man who controlled half of New York's economy?

The mysterious, untouchable figure that even the most powerful men feared?

A cold sweat broke out on Charles' forehead.

He had unknowingly waged war against a monster.

—

A Change of Plans

Charles took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down.

He needed to rethink his approach.

If he had known earlier that Joanne was married to Alexander King, he would have never dared to dig into his background.

But it was too late to turn back now.

Alexander King must already know what he had been trying to do.

And that meant…

He had to act first.

With shaky hands, he grabbed his phone and dialed a number.

"Cancel the investigation. Destroy all reports. Act like we never looked into him."

The voice on the other end hesitated. "Sir, what about the deal with King Multinational?"

Charles swallowed hard. "Forget the deal. We will not provoke that man."

—

Meanwhile, At King Manor

Alexander sat in his study, sipping a glass of whiskey as Frederick stood beside him.

"Charles Baker has stopped his investigation," Frederick reported. "He's trying to erase all traces of it."

Alexander smirked, his fingers tapping against the rim of his glass.

"Typical. He thinks if he backs away now, I'll let him go."

Frederick hesitated. "Should we make a move?"

Alexander leaned back in his chair.

"No. Let him sweat for a while."

Frederick nodded but hesitated again. "Sir, should we tell Mrs. King about this?"

Alexander's smirk faded slightly.

Joanne was too naive when it came to her father.

She still thought Charles Baker was just a selfish businessman.

But Alexander knew better.

He knew the real Charles Baker.

And he knew…

That man was still dangerous.

For now, Joanne didn't need to know.

—

Joanne's Growing Suspicion

Joanne sat at her desk at Indigo Design, feeling uneasy.

She couldn't shake the feeling that something was happening behind her back.

Diana, who was sitting across from her, nudged her.

"Why do you look so tense?"

Joanne sighed. "I don't know. I just feel like… something isn't right."

Diana smirked. "You mean, besides the fact that you married a mysterious billionaire and still don't know anything about him?"

Joanne shot her a glare.

But deep down, Diana was right.

Alexander had been controlling everything from the shadows.

He had paid her mother's hospital bills.

He had humiliated Sophia and Jason at the mall and at the gala.

And now…

Her father was suddenly trying to do business with King Multinational?

It couldn't be a coincidence.

Joanne took a deep breath.

It was time to get some answers.

—

Charles Makes One Last Move

That night, Charles sat alone in his study, deep in thought.

He had spent years controlling Joanne.

Using her. Manipulating her.

And now…

She was married to a man he couldn't touch.

A man far more powerful than him.

Charles clenched his fists.

Was this really the end?

Would he really lose his leverage over Joanne?

Suddenly, an idea formed in his mind.

There was still one way to control her.

Her mother.

A twisted smile spread across his lips.

If Joanne still cared about her mother, then he still had power over her.

He reached for his phone and made a call.

"Find out everything about Linda Baker's condition," he ordered. "And find a way to get control of her treatment."