Mr. CEO, You Look Strangely Familiar

Shea Rhodes stammered, ”I... I’m... not really... sure.”

He handed the invitation back to her. ”Take it back. Whether she gets married or not has nothing to do with me. My tolerance for her outrageous behavior has reached its limit. Tell her to live her own life peacefully. If she keeps acting up, I don’t mind dealing with her myself.”

Shea Rhodes hadn’t expected him to be so merciless.

She could only nod. ”I’ll tell my sister exactly what you said.”

”You can go.”

”Okay.”

Shea Rhodes left his office and relayed Herman Hawthorne’s exact words to Bianca Rhodes.

Bianca looked at the returned invitation, snatched it up, and said, ”I’ll deliver it myself.”

”Sis!” Shea Rhodes called out to stop her. ”The boss is already... Don’t go asking for more humiliation.”

”What do you mean, ’asking for humiliation’? I don’t see this as an insult. What’s the point of having my wedding if he’s not there to attend?”

She took the invitation and went to the school herself.

When Herman Hawthorne saw her, he said coolly, ”What is it?”

She placed the invitation on his desk. ”I had Shea bring this to you personally. Why won’t you come?”

”Why must I go?” he retorted. ”Is it that important to me?”

”You...”

”Is it important to *you* whether I go or not? You’re the one getting married. As long as you have a good life, what could be more important than that? Go and live your life. Stop doing these pointless things.”

Looking at the man she once loved, Bianca Rhodes suppressed the feeling of helplessness welling up inside her and picked the invitation back up from the desk, holding it in her palm.

”I’ve already decided to emigrate. I won’t be coming back. You... take care. For so long, I just pushed you further and further away. I thought that after you divorced Zoe Ellsworth, I would get my wish and be by your side, but that’s not how things turned out. Herman, I’ve paid a heavy price for my own stubbornness. So heavy that in the end, you won’t even come to my wedding. But I don’t blame you. I was the one who gave up on our relationship in the first place. This is all my own fault.”

After she finished speaking, she left.

Herman Hawthorne sat there, motionless.

’It’s good for both of us that she’s finally seeing things clearly. This is for the best.’

’For the best...’

A single tear streamed unexpectedly from his eye, marking the true end of their years-long, lingering connection.

*

Nora Ainsworth’s press conference for her new drama was held a week later.

Nora Ainsworth’s long hair was down, revealing a smooth forehead and a delicate face.

In this drama, her main role was that of a quirky, eccentric character, while the male lead was played by Vincent, a popular rising star who had already appeared in two hit shows.

This was Nora Ainsworth’s first TV series since her comeback, and also her first time working with Vincent.

Quentin Grant had specially made time to bring their two little treasures to sit in the front row. Nora Ainsworth was standing with the main cast. To Nora’s surprise, the supporting male actor was Ryan again. ’Luckily, the director is a man this time,’ she thought.

When it was time for the main actors to take the stage, they stood close together, each speaking in turn.

Sitting in the audience, the two little treasures were dressed in small suits.

Dylan Grant said admiringly, ”Daddy, Mommy and that handsome guy look so good together.”

Elmer Grant, ever the little troublemaker, chimed in, ”Yeah, Daddy! Look, Mommy’s linking arms with the handsome guy!”

Quentin Grant looked closely and saw it was true.

He was about to stand up when Dylan Grant quickly pulled him back. ”Daddy, what are you doing? Don’t be impulsive! Did you forget what Mommy told you before we came? ’Be quiet, and don’t make a scene!’”

Quentin Grant loosened his tie. ”If it wasn’t for the sake of your mommy’s job, I...”

”It’s just linking arms! Don’t be jealous, Daddy. He’s so handsome, if it were me, I’d link arms with him too...” Elmer Grant, a lollipop in his mouth, added more fuel to the fire.

Quentin Grant turned his head. ”So Daddy isn’t handsome?”

Elmer Grant nodded vigorously. ”If anyone dares say my daddy isn’t handsome, I’ll kick their head like a soccer ball!”

Quentin Grant turned back around. ”Then how do I compare to that guy on stage?”

”Of course Daddy is more handsome! He can’t compare to you at all. Your face alone puts you miles ahead of him.”

Quentin Grant huffed. ”You’re just buttering me up. That’s not what you were implying a moment ago.”

Then he stared straight at Nora Ainsworth.

Feeling the burning gaze on her, she knew a huge vat of jealousy was bubbling in the audience. Nora Ainsworth unconsciously let go of Vincent’s arm.

Her face was all smiles.

’That man of hers,’ she mused. ’He just couldn’t relax, so he dragged the two kids here to keep an eye on things.’

After the press conference, Nora Ainsworth left directly with Quentin Grant in their car.

”After you finish this series, don’t film any more.”

Nora Ainsworth looked at him. ”What’s wrong now?”

”Mommy, can’t you tell? Daddy is jealous. A whole pot full.”

Quentin Grant said sullenly, ”I just don’t want to see you acting in intimate or romantic scenes with other men.”

”Then you can just come supervise on set,” Nora Ainsworth said, unconcerned. ’It’s all fake anyway.’

”You think I won’t? Of course I will. And if I can’t make it, the two little treasures will be there to keep watch. Use a body double whenever possible for this show. All bed scenes must be deleted, and use camera tricks for any kissing scenes.”

”This show is a pure romance. There are no bed scenes, and very few kissing scenes.”

”Well, that’s a relief,” he said. Then he asked, ”That actor... what do you think of him?”

As if trying to fake a casual air, Quentin Grant kept his gaze fixed straight ahead.

Nora Ainsworth had to stifle a laugh. She knew exactly what answer he wanted to hear.

”He’s nothing special. He can’t hold a candle to you.”

”Hmph. My thoughts exactly.”

Nora Ainsworth was cracking up inside. ’This is the answer you wanted to hear, isn’t it?’

”That secret you’re keeping, when are you planning to tell me?” He changed the subject, glancing at her. ”Do you really not trust me that much? I’ve always been curious. What is this secret buried in your heart?”

Nora Ainsworth thought for a moment, then asked, ”Quentin, in the Grant Family, besides your second uncle’s daughter, are there really no other girls?”

”I remember you asked me that question a long time ago.”

”I just feel like the Grant Family seems to have very few children.”

Quentin Grant didn’t think much of it. ”Having too many would lead to a lot of internal conflict. Things are already quite discordant as it is. I don’t have much contact with the children of my second and third uncles. We all do our own thing, even though we’re all part of the Grant Family.”

Nora Ainsworth knew that wealthy families always had a lot of troublesome issues.

”I suppose your family isn’t very peaceful, then? I heard a long time ago that the Grant Family once lost a child... Is... is that true?”