Mr. CEO, You Look Strangely Familiar

”You’re so young. You can get through anything.” For some reason, Nora Ainsworth felt a pang of sympathy whenever she looked at her. She pulled her to her feet. ”Let’s go back.”

The wobbly figure stood up, and Nora helped Sierra Ainsworth back to her room.

The room was very simple. After laying her down, Nora started to take off her shoes.

The first shoe came off easily, but the second one was noticeably harder to remove.

Nora Ainsworth knelt down and untied the shoelaces one by one. When her hand touched Sierra Ainsworth’s foot, it was distinctly hard and cold, with no warmth at all.

She was secretly alarmed. With trembling hands, she gently pulled down the sock. The sight that met her eyes sent a chill down her spine. Nora then pulled up her pant leg and discovered that her lower leg and foot were a prosthesis.

’When did the daughter of the richest man in Valeria lose her leg and foot?’

’Do Sierra’s parents know?’

’How did she lose them?’

’Was it a car accident?’

’Something this major should have been in the news. I’ll look it up when I get back.’

Nora Ainsworth put her shoes back on, covered her with the blanket, and then left.

She had just gotten back to her room and opened her laptop when Quentin Grant returned.

He carefully scanned the room and, just as he suspected, found a listening device, which he immediately disabled.

”What are you looking at?”

”Quentin, I’ve discovered something huge.”

”Hm? What is it?”

Nora Ainsworth’s hands were typing on the keyboard. She paused and looked at him. ”Did you know? I ran into Sierra Ainsworth in the wine cellar tonight. She was dead drunk. I took her back to her room, and when I was taking off her shoes to tuck her in, I discovered one of her legs and feet is a prosthetic.”

Quentin Grant was stunned. ”What?”

”Her lower leg and foot are a prosthesis.”

Quentin Grant grew thoughtful. ”I’ve never heard any news about her having an accident. Check online, see if you can find anything.”

Nora Ainsworth nodded, her eyes on the screen. ”Nothing. Not a single thing.”

Quentin Grant sat down. ”Nora, remember that time Catherine Callahan tampered with your car, and you found that dismembered female leg? That case is still unsolved.”

Nora Ainsworth was taken aback. ”You think it’s related to that incident?”

Quentin Grant analyzed the situation. ”If Sierra’s leg was lost in a car accident, or if my godfather and godmother knew about it, then it’s probably not related. But if—and I’m just saying ’if’—they don’t know either, then it’s a possibility. We’d have to see if the timeline matches up.”

”Quentin, this family isn’t as simple as it seems. There are deeper secrets here. But setting that aside for now, from observing Sierra Ainsworth, I’ve noticed she doesn’t seem to have much attachment to this family. Especially when she said she ’really wanted to die,’ it shows this home holds no real affection for her. But she’s supposed to be the apple of their eye. Why would that be? The reason is still unknown.”

Quentin Grant thought for a moment. ”We’ll find out in time. For now, I’m doing everything I can to get information from my godmother. Herman has arrived and is staying at a hotel. He’s already placed informants in the places my godfather, godmother, and Catherine Callahan frequent, and he’s assigned high-caliber subordinates to tail those three 24/7.”

”Your godfather is included in that?”

”We don’t know if he’s involved. It’s better to be cautious. After all, everyone has ambitions.”

Nora Ainsworth closed her laptop, turned to her side, and rested her head on his shoulder.

”Quentin, no matter the cost, promise me you’ll find the children. Even if... one day, you have to choose between me and the children, promise me you’ll choose them. They’re so young. The slightest mistake could cost them their lives.”

He squeezed her hand tightly. ”I won’t let a situation like that happen. We’re only human, not gods, so we can’t be perfect, but I won’t rest for a single day until I find our children.”

She nodded, her eyes welling with tears.

”Hello? What’s up?” Zoe Ellsworth said as she pushed open her car door, got out, and started walking.

”I’ve arrived,” came Herman Hawthorne’s voice from the phone.

”You don’t need to report your every move to me. You’re under no obligation.”

A dry chuckle came from the other end. ”I just wanted to tell you not to miss me too much.”

”Get lost!” Zoe Ellsworth said as she walked up the steps. ”I’m home. I’m not talking to you anymore. Go to sleep.”

Then, before Herman Hawthorne could say another word, she hung up.

Walking into the living room, Zoe Ellsworth sat down next to Mrs. Ellsworth. ”Your Majesty, why aren’t you in bed yet?”

”I was just talking with your father about Quentin’s two children. How could something like this have happened? We don’t even know if those two little ones are still safe.”

Zoe Ellsworth sighed. ”Quentin and Nora Ainsworth already know who did it, but they don’t have any evidence. They’re also worried that if they try to forcefully restrain the person, it might provoke them into harming the children. It’s very worrying. Is my brother’s phone on yet?”

Mrs. Ellsworth shook her head. ”He wanted to have a completely secluded honeymoon with Dorothy and Chloe. He’ll be back in a month.”

Zoe Ellsworth stood up. ”You two should get some sleep. I’m going up to bed.”

”Wait, I’m not finished talking.”

Zoe Ellsworth stopped and turned back with a smile. ”What else is up?”

”Since you don’t seem to have any intention of finding a boyfriend, your father and I discussed it and decided to arrange some blind dates for you. You’re in your twenties now—this is when you get to be picky. Once you’re past thirty, it’ll be the men who are picky with you.”

”Mom, I don’t want to walk down the aisle just yet.”

”No one’s telling you to get married right away,” Mrs. Ellsworth explained. ”Just date for a while, fall in love, and get married when the feelings are deep enough.”

”I’m not doing it. Even if you arrange it, I won’t go. I’m exhausted. I’m going to bed.”

”Hey, I’m telling you, you brat.”

Zoe Ellsworth quickened her pace as if afraid Mrs. Ellsworth would leap after her.

She returned to her bedroom and lay down, but her eyes were wide awake.

DING. The sound of a text message.

She pulled her phone from her pocket to check it. It was from Herman Hawthorne. When she saw the content of the message, Zoe Ellsworth shot upright.

”Herman Hawthorne, you son of a bitch!” Zoe Ellsworth cursed out loud as she stared at the message.

The reason was none other than the fact that Herman Hawthorne had sent a full-body nude photo of himself, taken in a bathroom mirror.

Below it was a provocative message: *You dare send one of yours back? Haha, I know you don’t have the guts.*

Zoe Ellsworth tossed her phone aside and huffed indignantly, ”You think I’m going to fall for that?”

Another text came in. She couldn’t resist looking. It read: *Knew it. You don’t have the guts, Zoe Ellsworth.*

”Hmph.” Zoe Ellsworth’s mood was soured. ’Is this guy trying to bait me into a trap?’

She knew it was a trap, but then again, she thought, sending a photo wouldn’t kill her. In fact, it would be the perfect way to get some revenge.