Mr. CEO, You Look Strangely Familiar

Nora Ainsworth was about to burst from suppressing her frustration. Finally, she spoke up. "Young lady, don’t act like a child. Go back to your room and get some rest."

The young woman, however, was clearly overcome with regret. ’If only I’d agreed in the elevator,’ she thought, ’I would’ve at least gotten some benefit out of it. But now...’

The more she thought about it, the more absurd the whole situation seemed. She wasn’t willing to let it go so easily. "Are you really just going to drop it like that?"

Nora Ainsworth watched her calmly. "Then what is it you want?"

"I’m a very traditional girl. Since you saw me, you have to take responsibility. Or you can compensate me for my emotional distress." She was certain they would at least offer some money to make the problem disappear; after all, the Grant Family had more money than they knew what to do with.

But she didn’t know Nora Ainsworth. Having too much money didn’t mean you just threw it away on compensation like this.

Dylan Grant let out a dry laugh. "A traditional girl? You’re talking about yourself?"

Her friends tugged at her clothes, trying to signal her to stop making a fool of herself, but she wouldn’t budge.

"Of course I’m talking about myself. You’re all rich and powerful. It wouldn’t sound good if word of this got out." She stood her ground.

Quentin Grant frowned. "What other people say is their business. It’s late. Don’t cause any more trouble."

The other three girls nodded sheepishly, feeling they had been utterly humiliated in front of their idol.

They half-dragged, half-pulled the young woman back to their room.

The family of four also entered their presidential suite.

Nora Ainsworth told Quentin Grant what had happened. He roared with laughter, ruffling his two little treasures’ hair. "My sons are... absolutely diabolical," he said, grinning. "Well done!"

Elmer Grant, looking perfectly innocent as he drank from a bottle of milk, asked, "Daddy, was that lady pretty?"

"Which one?"

"That lady."

Quentin Grant glanced at Nora Ainsworth. "I didn’t notice what she looked like. She wasn’t impressive enough to even register."

Elmer Grant chuckled. "Daddy, Mommy told us that the first time you met was in a hotel, and it was an unpleasant experience."

"Your mommy told you that, did she?"

Nora Ainsworth cut in. "Go to sleep. I’m having a teacher come to the house tomorrow to give you lessons. You can’t go to kindergarten anymore, the risk is too great. By the way, Quentin, the boys’ previous kindergarten teachers died. Did you handle the aftermath?"

Quentin Grant nodded. "I handled it as soon as we got back from Valeria. We caused this incident, so we have to take responsibility for it. I paid three million in compensation to the family of each of the six teachers, and over a million to the principal. I also arranged jobs for any of their family members who were unemployed."

Nora Ainsworth nodded. "Good."

Seeing that her two little treasures still hadn’t scrambled into bed, Nora Ainsworth spoke again. "What is it now? Do you want to become night owls?"

"Mommy, are you really getting a teacher for us tomorrow?"

Nora Ainsworth nodded. "Of course. You can’t go to kindergarten anymore. Sweethearts, some people would use your identities as a bargaining chip to make money, and Mommy doesn’t want to put you at risk again."

"Then, Mommy, could you ask Auntie Chloe if Dorothy can have lessons with us? That way we’ll have a playmate."

Nora Ainsworth nodded in agreement. "I’ll call your auntie in a little while. Now, hurry up and go to sleep."

Only then did the two little treasures happily clamber into bed.

Nora Ainsworth called Chloe Marshall, who readily agreed. She said that Dorothy was often lonely with no one to play with, and it was perfect since their families lived so close—it was just a short walk.

Quentin Grant was over the moon. He knew exactly why Nora had ambushed him in the middle of the night.

"You still don’t trust me?"

"I trust you. I just don’t trust those ravenous female fans."

Quentin Grant cradled her face in his hands. "You’ve had a long day, too. Do you want to take a shower?"

Nora Ainsworth shook her head. "I’m too tired. I don’t feel like it."

"Alright, then I’ll bring you some water to wash your feet. I’ll wash them for you, and then we can sleep. How does that sound?"

Nora Ainsworth nodded. "Thank you, dear husband."

"It’s no trouble at all. Serving my lady is my greatest pleasure."

Nora Ainsworth lay there staring at the ceiling as sleepiness washed over her, her eyelids growing too heavy to keep open.

But she was aware of Quentin Grant washing her feet, giving her a gentle foot massage as he did. And then, finally, she drifted off to sleep.

When she woke again, it was daylight. Quentin Grant was getting dressed. She sat bolt upright, picked up his tie, and began to put it on for him. "I’ll take the boys home in a bit. They have their lessons, and I have to go sign the Leon Corporation contract. You... be careful tonight."

"My love, don’t worry. My heart is small—there’s only room for you inside."

With that, he kissed Nora Ainsworth on the lips. She nodded and returned the favor with a kiss of her own.

They went down to the second-floor buffet for breakfast.

Nora Ainsworth took the boys to get their plates of food. Having seen more than enough of their parents’ public displays of affection, the two of them decided to sit at a separate table.

Whether the girls from yesterday had spread rumors or something else had happened, it wasn’t long before two young women carrying trays walked up to their table.

"Hey, little cuties. Can we sit here?"

Dylan Grant didn’t even look up. "Miss, these seats are taken. Can’t you see?"

"But these two seats are empty, so it’s fine, right?" said one of the women. She had long hair, a delicate, palm-sized face with exquisite makeup, big eyes, and a sharp chin.

The two women had exceptional figures; they were absolute knockouts.

But no matter how beautiful they were, to the two boys, they were just old ladies.

"Of course it’s a problem. We prefer some quiet," Dylan Grant said, his words making the two women realize he was not easy to get close to.

The two women looked toward Elmer Grant. He giggled. "Ladies, if you two dare to strip completely naked right here, I’ll let you sit with us."

The two women glanced at each other, then around at all the people in the restaurant. ’If we stripped naked here, wouldn’t we end up on the news?’

After some consideration, the two women picked up their trays and scurried away with their tails between their legs.

As they walked away, they muttered, "The hobbies of rich kids are really something else."

**

It was ten o’clock by the time they drove back to Alveria. While the boys had their lessons at home, Nora Ainsworth drove to the Lynch Group.

Zeke Marshall, who was now back at work, accompanied her.

She walked into the lobby and went straight to the reception desk. "Excuse me, what floor is Leon Lynch on?"

"President Lynch is currently in a meeting in the eighth-floor conference room. Miss Ainsworth, if you’ll follow me, I’ll take you to the reception lounge."

"Alright, thank you."

The group headed toward the elevators.

"So that’s Nora Ainsworth? She’s gorgeous and has such an elegant air about her. She’s even more stunning in person," a cleaner named A remarked admiringly from a distance.

Holly Wood asked in confusion, "She’s here to see Leon Lynch?"

"Yeah," A replied. "Our company used to be endorsed by a different actress, but it’s obvious President Lynch gave the endorsement to Nora Ainsworth this time. I don’t think it’s just because he’s the godfather to her kids; I think he’s still in love with her."

Holly Wood froze. "President Lynch?"

A was a little perplexed. "Our President Lynch’s name is Leon Lynch. You didn’t know?"

Holly Wood shook her head.

"You poor thing. You don’t even know that? Don’t you ever watch the news? Just search his name online, you’ll see."

"I know who Nora Ainsworth is. I’ve seen her TV series."

"Do you know of the Grant Group?"

Holly Wood shook her head.

"The CEO of the Grant Group is Quentin Grant. Nora Ainsworth is his woman, and they have a pair of twin sons. It was all over the news. How can you be so out of the loop? It’s like you know nothing. The rumor is that our President Lynch likes Miss Ainsworth, but she’s not interested in him. Of course, we’re just outsiders, so we don’t know the details, but that’s what everyone says online. Anyway, the fact that she’s here for the endorsement means they must be on very good terms."

"I don’t really follow the news. I’ll look it up online after work."

In fact, as soon as she finished her cleaning duties, she sat in a restroom stall, pulled out her phone, and searched for Leon Lynch’s name online. That was the power of the internet: as long as someone was even a minor figure, you could find plenty of news about them.

After she finished reading, her spirits sank considerably.

She then searched for information about Nora Ainsworth. Reading her bio, Holly Wood felt a sense of inferiority. It seemed that in every single aspect, she couldn’t compare to Nora Ainsworth.

Nora Ainsworth came from a good family, Young Master Grant was her man, she had twin sons, and she was a famous actress who was beautiful and good-tempered. But this was all on the surface; Holly didn’t know what Nora Ainsworth had truly been through.

When she came out of the restroom, another member of the cleaning staff told her to go clean the president’s private lounge.

Holly Wood acknowledged the instruction and headed upstairs with her cleaning supplies.

Standing at the door to the president’s office, Holly Wood felt her heart fill with apprehension.

She raised her hand and, after a moment’s hesitation, knocked on the door.

Leon Lynch’s voice came from inside. "Come in."

Pushing the door open, Holly Wood kept her head lowered. "President Lynch, I’m here to do the cleaning."

Leon Lynch hadn’t expected it to be her, and he was quite surprised.

With Nora Ainsworth present, he simply gave a soft "Mm" in acknowledgment.

Holly Wood carried her cleaning supplies into the private lounge area.

Nora Ainsworth, sitting opposite him, put away the signed contract. "I haven’t been to your office often," she said. "It’s quite nice."

Leon Lynch looked down, pulled a photo album from a drawer, and handed it to her.

"What’s this?"

"Just look."

She opened it and was stunned. It was filled with pictures of her that he had taken at some point, she didn’t know when. In some, she was clearly in costume, obviously taken while she was on set.

Page after page, some of the photos even had notes and dates written beneath them.

Closing the album, Nora Ainsworth smiled. "You’re so thoughtful, Leon. I hope you find your own happiness."

He looked at her. "If you’re happy, then I’ll be happy."

"Yes, I will be," she said. "I should get going. I need to stop by home, and then I have to report to the film set this afternoon. I do have a contract, after all, and I’ve already been delayed for too long."

"Your mother... still no news at all?"

Nora Ainsworth shook her head. "My dad... he’s doing everything he can to find any clue. It’s been so many years, and Claire Sinclair won’t talk, so it’s not easy. Besides, if she passed away long ago... she’d probably be nothing but a pile of bones by now."

"It’s alright. Dead or alive, you’ll find her eventually."

"Okay. I’m heading out."

Leon Lynch stood and walked her out, accompanying her all the way downstairs.

When he came back upstairs, he saw Holly Wood with her back to him, apparently looking at the photo album on his desk.

"Ahem..." He let out a deliberate cough.