Mr. CEO, You Look Strangely Familiar

Standing there, she watched the vibrant young men and women coming and going.

Her long hair hung loose. She pulled the hood of her jacket over her head, put on the sunglasses from her pocket, and walked inside with her hands stuffed in her pockets.

The campus had a lake surrounded by willow trees. The weeping willows swayed gracefully in the breeze. Benches sat beneath the trees, where couples would briefly sit after class to talk and laugh. At their age, in their early twenties, it all seemed perfectly natural.

She found an empty bench and sat down.

She glanced over at another bench not far away, where a young couple was kissing passionately, oblivious to the world around them. ’I’ve never experienced anything like that.’

Turning her head back, Zoe Ellsworth suddenly saw a familiar-looking young man.

Miles Coleman.

The young man from Temptation, the one she’d paid to talk to her.

She hadn’t seen him since.

It didn’t take a genius to figure out what had happened.

’There were only three possible outcomes: one, Herman Hawthorne had him killed; two, Herman bribed him; or three, Herman threatened him.’

’Clearly, it was the second one.’

A slender, long-haired girl was with him.

They were holding hands. A couple.

Zoe Ellsworth, still seated, stood up and called out, "Miles Coleman."

Miles Coleman and his girlfriend stopped in their tracks and looked over.

He thought she looked vaguely familiar.

"You are...?"

Zoe Ellsworth took off her sunglasses. "It’s me. You remember, don’t you?"

When Miles Coleman saw her face, he looked as if he’d been struck by lightning, instantly ill at ease.

He said awkwardly, "It’s you, Miss Ellsworth."

"That’s right, it’s me. So you go to this school? What’s your major?"

Miles Coleman told her his department.

Zoe Ellsworth’s eyes widened in understanding. "Ohhh, Herman Hawthorne is your professor. No wonder."

He turned to his girlfriend. "Flora, why don’t you head back to class first? I need to speak with Miss Ellsworth for a moment."

His girlfriend, Flora, nodded and walked away.

"Is she your girlfriend?"

Miles Coleman nodded. "Miss Ellsworth, what brings you here?"

Zoe Ellsworth gestured ahead. "Come on. We can talk while we walk."

As they walked together, she said, "I was just taking a walk around campus. I didn’t expect to run into you."

"Before... when you called me, was it because..." He trailed off, hesitant to continue.

"I get it." Zoe Ellsworth smiled. "He wouldn’t let you answer the phone or come see me, right?"

"Yes."

"You could have just told me. It’s not like I would have forced you."

"I’m sorry, Miss Ellsworth. Can you please not tell my girlfriend about me being at Temptation? I only went that one time. I’ve never been back."

Zoe Ellsworth promised, "I won’t say a word."

"Thank you." He looked uncomfortable. "Miss Ellsworth, why did you and my professor get a divorce...?"

"It’s a long story. I remember you must have seen him at the door when you came that time, right?"

"Yes. I told him I was looking for a friend. But then you opened the door, and once I saw you, I knew my lie was exposed. The professor didn’t give me a hard time, though."

Zoe Ellsworth looked at him. "You shouldn’t go to places like that anymore. Your girlfriend seems nice. Treat her well."

"Yeah, I will."

"You should head back. I’m going home, too."

"Okay, Miss Ellsworth. Bye."

She raised a hand and waved. "Bye."

She turned, but her steps faltered.

Herman Hawthorne was standing not far behind them. She had no idea how long he’d been there.

She took off her hood, stared at him for a moment, and then tried to walk around him.

He strode forward and grabbed her hand. "Zoe."

"Hmm?" Zoe Ellsworth didn’t get emotional, her response was faint.

"Why didn’t you call me when you came?"

"I didn’t see the need. It’s not like I came to see you."

Herman Hawthorne pointed at Miles Coleman’s disappearing figure. "And you think I’d believe you came to see him?"

"Suit yourself."

He pulled her along. "Come with me."

"Where are we going?"

"You’ll see when we get there."

Herman Hawthorne led her back to his private lounge.

He closed the door and handed her a bottle of coconut water.

"Let me know when you’re going to the hospital for your check-up. I’ll go with you."

Zoe Ellsworth twisted open the cap. "I can go by myself. This coconut water... did you drug it?"

He took it from her, drank a few mouthfuls, and handed it back. "Satisfied?"

She wiped the mouth of the bottle in disgust. "I was just making a random comment."

"But I took it seriously."

Zoe Ellsworth took a sip. "I can’t believe I ran into that guy I chatted with. And he’s your student, no less. I thought you would’ve disposed of him by now."

"I’m not a homicidal maniac. However, that Jason Irving and his buddy who were harassing people on the first floor of Temptation that night—I had them killed. Haven’t you noticed you haven’t seen him in a long time?"

"If they’re dead, they’re dead. I came out for a walk and I feel much better. I’m getting a little sleepy. Can I lie down here for a bit?"

He stood up and straightened his bed. He was overjoyed. ’For her to act this way, without that intense reaction... it means she’s softening.’

"Go ahead and sleep. I have to go to class soon. Call me when you wake up, or if you get hungry."

"Okay. But don’t you dare harass me, or else..."

Herman Hawthorne compromised with a broad smile. "I know, I know."

He got up and left.

Zoe Ellsworth took off her shoes and lay on the soft bed. Lately, she always felt like sleeping. The drowsiness could hit her anytime, anywhere, leaving her feeling drained and weak.

Then, she sat up again and scanned the room. She opened the door to the balcony and stepped out. Only then did she realize she could see the lakeshore from there. ’No wonder he appeared behind me so miraculously just now,’ she thought. ’It wasn’t a coincidence. It was planned...’

She went back inside and opened his closet. Besides a few of his own clothes, Zoe Ellsworth’s eyes locked onto a set of women’s lingerie hanging on a hanger.

It was hers.

Memories washed over her like a tidal wave, and a blush crept onto her cheeks.

She closed the closet door.

Only then did Zoe Ellsworth lie down to sleep, and she quickly drifted off.

Herman Hawthorne’s good mood was palpable.

Everyone he passed, from the faculty office to the classroom, could see that he was in an exceptionally cheerful mood.

A rare smile was plastered on his face.

Even the way he greeted people was upbeat.

The other professors in the office were all gossiping, wondering if he was in love.

When he entered the classroom, his students were all dumbfounded.

Herman Hawthorne was usually cold and rarely smiled. But today, he smiled from the moment he walked in until the very end of class, and even threw in a few rare jokes.

During his third lecture of the day, his phone rang mid-class. He immediately pulled it out and walked toward the door to answer.

"I want pizza."

The three words were like an imperial decree.

"Okay. Wait for me."

He put his phone away, walked back to the lectern, and closed his textbook.

He looked out at the students. "All right, that’s it for today’s lesson. For the rest of the period, you can have a study hall."

The students all had the distinct feeling that he had only decided to give them a study hall because of that phone call.

But they would get no answers; he was already gone.

Chloe Marshall had just seen Dorothy’s tutor out when her phone rang. It was Lillian Bancroft.

She glanced at the screen and answered.

"I’m arriving in Harrowin tonight. I’ll be in the Capital for an official visit in a few days. I want to stop by your place tonight. I miss Dorothy."

Hearing this, Chloe Marshall said, "Of course! But you should bring extra security."

He laughed on the other end of the line. "Don’t worry. The news of my arrival hasn’t been released. It won’t be sent to the media until tomorrow morning."

"Okay then. Call me when you land, and Ethan and I will come pick you up."

After hanging up, she called Ethan Ellsworth.

"Boss Ellsworth, Silly is coming to visit our country."

"He called you?"

"He did. He said he’s arriving here tonight and will head to the Capital in a few days. I told him you and I would go pick him up."

Ethan Ellsworth checked his schedule. "Honey, I can’t make it tonight. I’ve already delayed too many scenes, and I can’t push them back any further. I have a few shoots tonight, and we won’t wrap until after two in the morning."

"That’s true, you can’t delay filming any longer. Okay, I’m a little nervous going alone, so I’ll ask Nora to come with me."

"Okay, I’ll feel better if Nora’s with you. You two should wait at that bar near the airport. Flights from Fravia can be delayed, and the weather’s bad today. Double-check his arrival time with him later."

Chloe Marshall agreed. "Okay."

She checked the time and called Nora Ainsworth. Then she walked into the living room, where Dorothy was hunched over the table, doing her homework.

"Dorothy, your godfather is coming over tonight. Mommy and your auntie are going to pick him up, and your daddy won’t be back until early in the morning. How about you stay at Grandpa and Grandma’s house for now? Mommy will come get you after I bring your godfather back, okay?"

Dorothy Ellsworth’s eyes lit up. "Yay! Is Godmother coming too? I’ve seen her on video calls. I hope she comes with Godfather!"

’For a state visit, he should be bringing the First Lady,’ Chloe Marshall thought.

"We’ll find out when he gets here. Now, you be a good girl at Grandma’s, okay?"

"Okay!"

After Dorothy finished her homework, Chloe Marshall took her over to the Ellsworth Residence.

She changed into a more suitable outfit—she couldn’t look too sloppy. At six o’clock, Nora Ainsworth picked her up, and they drove to a bar near the airport to wait.

It was raining outside, so the flight would likely be delayed.

Chloe Marshall texted Lillian Bancroft to double-check and, sure enough, got confirmation that the flight was delayed.

She and Nora Ainsworth had no choice but to wait.

To avoid being disturbed, the two of them got a private room.

After singing karaoke for a while, Chloe Marshall excused herself to go to the restroom.

She had just stepped into a stall and was about to unbuckle her pants when she realized she’d walked into the wrong restroom.

She could hear men talking in the next stall.

"Boss, the weather’s pretty bad. Are you sure your intel is good? Is Lillian Bancroft really coming?"

Chloe Marshall froze, not daring to move, and listened intently.

"Yes, Boss, don’t worry. I’ve already set up the ambush at the airport. It’s foolproof. Okay, we’ll stay in touch by phone."

Chloe Marshall’s mind went into a panic. ’Didn’t Silly say the news of his visit hadn’t been released? Could he have a mole on his team?’

Her hands trembling, she pulled out her phone. She threw open the stall door, ready to make a frantic escape, but just as she reached the restroom entrance, a voice shouted from behind her, "Freeze!"