The Accidental Mistress Novel by Elara. J _ Novel





The Accidental Mistress Chapter 01

"Daddy, Mommy is starting to rot! And you're still flirting with your kept woman!"
Chapter 1
As I was finalizing the endorsement deal with Lennox Preene, the Los Angeles business tycoon, his three-year-old daughter suddenly burst in.
"Daddy, Mommy is starting to rot! And you're still flirting with your kept woman!"
I shot to my feet and pulled out my phone.
What? Who was starting to rot?
We had to call the police right now.
Wait a second, who did she call a kept woman?
Me?
No one even told me about this! And I certainly never got any money!
***
Everyone in the room was stunned by Penelope Preene's words.
The reporters present went into a frenzy, snapping photos of the three of us, eager to break the scandal.
A powerful scion, a freshly minted award-winning actress, and a little girl who couldn't possibly lie—what a story.
Lennox rubbed his temples wearily and addressed the crowd. "Please don't take a child's words seriously. My relationship with Valeria Wilcoxen is strictly professional."
Penelope burst into heart-wrenching sobs. "Daddy, don't you want Mommy and me anymore?
"Mommy's already dead..."
When he saw me about to call 911, Lennox's frown deepened.
With no other option, he took us back to his house to check on his wife, Charlotte Scammell, who was said to be rotting.
He searched every room in the Preene's residence but found no trace of Charlotte.
I noticed Penelope's eyes kept darting toward the bathroom.
"Mr. Preene, have you checked the bathroom yet?"
A realization seemed to strike Lennox, and he stormed into the bathroom.
"Charlotte! How long are you going to keep this up?
"Get out of here now!"
His roar made everyone shudder. The reporters exchanged a glance, then rushed in with cameras rolling.
Charlotte lay in the bathtub, dressed in white, her body soaked in vivid red liquid. She looked hauntingly beautiful and peaceful.
Penelope broke into tears. "Mommy, don't leave me! I'll be good, I promise!
"I got Daddy back from that mean woman! Please open your eyes and look at me!"
As she cried, she glared at me with unmistakable hatred.
Before I could dial 911, Lennox reached into the tub and hauled Charlotte out. "Charlotte, cut the act.
"There's no smell of blood in here. It's just red ink."
The scared onlookers snapped back to reality. "He's right! There's no blood scent at all!"
"And Mrs. Preene doesn't have a single cut on her!"
"Then why would the little girl say that?"
All eyes turned to Penelope.
Her face flushed crimson as she stared at her shoes.
Just as she seemed lost for words, Charlotte slowly opened her eyes. "Lennox? What are you doing here? What happened to me?"
Looking at her tear-streaked, pitiful face, Lennox let out a weary sigh. "Charlotte, are you done with this drama?
"Why did you stage a fake suicide and have Penny call me back?"
Charlotte's tears vanished. She pointed a finger at me and barked, "Because of her!
"Don't think I don't know that Valeria is your new mistress! And she just won the Best Actress award...
"You haven't been home in a week because of her!"
I was speechless.
I might be a glamorous actress, but I lived with integrity—I won that award on my own merit.
Yet Charlotte's insinuation made it seem as though my achievement was anything but earned.
Charlotte's eyes filled with tears. "I... I just missed you so much. I didn't know how else to make you come home..."
Lennox closed his eyes briefly, starting to explain. "I told you, I've been swamped with work—"
I cut him off, my voice firm. "Mrs. Preene, whatever misunderstanding you have about me, Mr. Preene and I are strictly business partners. His company's vision aligns with my career goals, which is why I'm their brand ambassador."
Charlotte collapsed into Lennox's arms, sobbing. "Valeria, please don't tear my family apart.
"I love Lennox more than anything. Our daughter needs her father.
"That lace thong you deliberately left on the couch last time—I washed it. I'll give it back. Just please, give me my husband back."

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