Mr. CEO, You Look Strangely Familiar

Nora Ainsworth smiled at her, pulled out a tissue, and handed it over. ”What’s there to cry about? Here, wipe your tears. I’m not scared. I’ll be cured. The most important thing is to have the right mindset. Young Master Grant won’t let me die. I will be cured. It’s just a different kind of surgery, one that requires a young woman in the late stages of cancer to willingly donate her uterus. There’s no precedent for an operation like this anywhere in the world, so I suppose I’ll be the first.”

Chloe Marshall wiped her tears, her eyes red and swollen. ”Then I’ll go with you. Zeke and I will both be there with you.”

Nora Ainsworth shook her head. ”You and Zeke should just wait for good news at home. Young Master Grant and I will go. He told me the surgeon is a reclusive Sage of Medicine, not a hospital doctor, and he only allows two people to visit his home. I’m confident it will be a success. Chloe, listen. While I’m away, you and Zeke need to stay home and not go anywhere. I’ll only be able to rest easy if I know you’re both safe. Don’t sneak out for any reason. Promise me.”

With tears in her eyes, Chloe Marshall nodded. ”I promise, Nora. You have to come back safe and sound. I’ll be right here waiting for you.”

Nora Ainsworth nodded. ”Chloe, we both need to remember that we’re not fighting our battles alone in this world. No matter what happens, we have to face it with a positive attitude.”

Chloe Marshall instantly felt her heart grow lighter. It was as if a few rays of sunshine had finally broken through.

It was a comforting warmth.

After leaving the coffee shop, the two walked side-by-side to the entrance of her apartment building. Chloe Marshall gave a shy smile. ”My dinner’s not ready yet. I’ll head up first.”

”Go on.”

Nora Ainsworth crossed the road and walked over to Quentin Grant. Before she could even open her mouth to speak, Jean Grant was already staring at her. ”What were you and Chloe Marshall talking about?”

”Nothing important,” Nora Ainsworth replied honestly.

Jean Grant looked skeptical. ”Don’t think I don’t know. You were definitely teaching her techniques on how to win over Ethan Ellsworth, weren’t you? Isn’t my brother already completely devoted to you?”

Nora Ainsworth replied, ”My mind isn’t as filthy as you seem to think.”

Quentin Grant gently took her hand. ”Let’s go home.”

Jean Grant grew angry. ”Brother, what’s that supposed to mean?”

Quentin Grant glanced back at her. ”Stop being ridiculous. Go home and take a good look at yourself in the mirror.”

With that, he led Nora Ainsworth by the hand into the courtyard.

Jean Grant turned to Ethan Ellsworth. ”Do I really look that bad?”

His voice was strained. ”Yes. Very bad. Jean, this is your last chance. If you don’t take it seriously, I can’t love you anymore. Because I’m almost at the point where I can’t afford to.”

Jean Grant felt a surge of insecurity. ”Ethan, I’m a little scared. I’m scared you’ll be just like Marlon Marshall. Please, don’t be like him. I’ll make the most of this chance.”

She squeezed Ethan Ellsworth’s hand, then wrapped her arms tightly around his waist, holding him close.

Ethan Ellsworth turned his head and looked toward the apartment entrance across the street, his expression unreadable.

Standing on her balcony, Chloe Marshall watched the embrace below before turning and walking back inside.

She turned on the stove in the kitchen, then sat down on the sofa and opened the most reputable matchmaking website she could find.

She uploaded a photo of herself without any makeup. Her criteria stated she wasn’t looking for someone ”tall, rich, and handsome,” but for a local man who was good-natured and humorous.

By the time she finished dinner and checked again, several men had already sent her messages.

After checking their profiles, Chloe Marshall decided to go on a series of blind dates that very evening. She scheduled meetings with five promising candidates: one at 6:00, one at 6:30, one at 7:00, one at 7:30, and one at 8:00.

She quietly closed her laptop.

She went to a salon downstairs and had her hair styled into long, brown curls. She had just gotten back when Nora Ainsworth showed up, carrying three different outfits and a full makeup kit.

”Nora, what is all this—”

Nora Ainsworth chuckled. ”Aren’t you going on blind dates? You have to get dressed up and look pretty. You’re so used to going without makeup; I want to see what you look like with it on. These are for you. They’re all new, I’ve never worn them. I think they should be your size.”

Chloe Marshall nodded.

”Quick, sit down. Let me do your makeup first. I’ll go with you tonight, and we’ll bring Zeke. We’ll give these guys a good look-over. Three-legged toads are hard to find, but two-legged men are a dime a dozen. Don’t worry, I have great judgment. I’ll help you vet them.”

Chloe Marshall sat down in front of her and nodded.

Although Nora Ainsworth’s hands weren’t very nimble, her makeup skills were excellent. She worked meticulously, and the whole process took over an hour.

Chloe Marshall’s face felt stiff by the time it was finally done.

Last was picking out an outfit: a stylish winter ensemble.

She wore a low-cut, long-sleeved white top with a designer pink puffer jacket. For the bottom, she had on black leggings under a pair of black denim shorts, all paired with high heels.

Standing in front of the mirror, Chloe Marshall could hardly believe it was her reflection staring back.

”Nora, don’t you think the neckline is a little low?”

Nora Ainsworth draped a green silk scarf around her neck. ”Leave the jacket unzipped. It looks great this way. There. All made up, Chloe, you look like a whole new person.”

Chloe Marshall smiled softly. ”It’s all thanks to you, Nora.”

”Now we wait. We’ll head out together when it’s time.”

**

This was the first time Chloe Marshall had ever gone on a blind date. The moment she stepped out the door, Zeke Marshall could hardly believe his eyes. ”Sis, is that really you?”

Chloe felt a newfound sense of confidence. ”Of course it’s me. This is our dear Nora’s masterpiece.”

Zeke Marshall gave Nora Ainsworth a thumbs-up. ”Let’s go.”

The three of them took a car to the designated meeting spot, a restaurant.

Nora Ainsworth and Zeke Marshall sat at a nearby table. Chloe Marshall walked up to a man and asked, ”Excuse me, are you Mr. Warner?”

The man nodded. ”I am.”

She sat down, offering a small smile. ”I’m Chloe Marshall.”

He asked casually, ”What would you like to eat? Order anything you want.”

Chloe Marshall shook her head. ”I’m not hungry.”

”You should eat something even if you’re not hungry,” Mr. Warner said, then called out, ”Waiter! Two bowls of ramen!”

Chloe Marshall actually thought that was fine. He seemed like a simple, down-to-earth person.

”Let me start by telling you about my situation. I’m a driver, and I make three thousand a month. I have a small studio apartment and only graduated from elementary school. I also have two younger brothers to support, so I’m just looking for a capable wife who’s good at managing a home.”

Chloe Marshall gave him a polite smile. ”You sound very resilient.”

Mr. Warner said with some embarrassment, ”I don’t have a choice. I have a whole family to support, so I have to be frugal about everything.”

Chloe Marshall thought a man like that wasn’t so bad. Being frugal was a good quality for someone to settle down with.

As the ramen arrived, they ate and chatted. During the conversation, she learned that Mr. Warner’s father was paralyzed and bedridden, and his mother had a difficult personality. But it was his next sentence that left Chloe Marshall completely stunned.

”On top of that, I have a son who’s about three or four. His mom ran off.”

The moment Chloe Marshall heard that, she knew it was a deal-breaker. She had no desire to be a stepmother.

When it was time to pay, Mr. Warner announced magnanimously, ”I’ll take care of the bill.”