Mr. CEO, You Look Strangely Familiar

”Have you thought about what I just said?”

Toby Dalton spoke up. ”At this point, all I want is a safe place to live. I want to atone for my crimes. If I tell you what I know, I hope Your Excellency the Supreme Leader will grant me my freedom.”

”I can grant you that, but whether others will is not something I can control. Tell me, how do you plan to atone for your crimes?”

”I wasn’t the one who tried to assassinate you at the Fravian airport. It was Jonathan Bancroft. That assassination was years in the making.”

”That’s not really of any value to me. I know you’re his man, so did you think I wouldn’t figure out he was behind it? Don’t underestimate my intelligence.”

Toby Dalton continued, ”I wasn’t the mastermind behind the attack on your goddaughter and Quentin Grant’s son. At most, I was just a supporting actor.”

”Then who was it?”

”My ex-girlfriend, Saphira Sutton.”

Lillian Bancroft pressed on, ”Why would she do that?”

”...”

Toby Dalton laid out the whole story, explaining the cause and effect of the situation. Lillian Bancroft nodded. ”This is of some value. Young Master Ellsworth and Quentin just left. I’ll call and inform them. As for you... go. Leave this place. I’ll spare your life. Get far away. I’ll send someone to take over your position in Grestin.”

Toby Dalton heard this and asked, ”And Jonathan Bancroft, Your Excellency? How will you deal with him?”

”That’s none of your business. You’re like a clay bodhisattva crossing a river—you can’t even save yourself, yet you have the energy to worry about others? Get out of here before I change my mind.”

Since ancient times, the common folk don’t fight with officials, let alone the leader of a nation. Forget someone like Toby Dalton with his small number of men; even Quentin Grant wouldn’t dare to openly oppose a head of state.

No matter how great an individual’s power, it’s no match for a country, not even a small one.

Toby Dalton knew that Lillian Bancroft not holding him accountable was already a great mercy. He had to know his place.

So, he didn’t dare linger and quickly left the Imperial Palace.

As soon as he left, Lillian Bancroft called Quentin Grant and told him what had just happened, asking him to pass the message to Ethan Ellsworth. After receiving this news, Quentin Grant suddenly knew who was behind it.

His expression instantly turned grave.

”Young Master Grant, what’s wrong?”

He put down the phone. ”That was Mr. Bancroft. He said that while Toby Dalton was the one who hurt the two kids, the main planner was a woman named Saphira Sutton. The reason she hurt the children was primarily to lure and capture our two sons. Your Dorothy was simply caught in the crossfire. He’s stripped Toby Dalton of his power in Grestin, but... I don’t think it’s that simple.”

”What do you mean?” Ethan Ellsworth asked. ”Doesn’t he lack any real power now? Would his people in Grestin still follow his orders?”

”An ambitious man will always be ambitious. His ambition won’t be extinguished by his circumstances or other difficulties,” Quentin Grant said slowly and methodically. ”Let’s not make a move on him for now. I’ll have my people monitor his every move. It’s always better to be prepared.”

Ethan Ellsworth nodded. ”That’s a good idea. But what about that woman, Saphira Sutton? What’s your plan for her?”

”I’ll handle her personally. I need to pay a visit to her family.”

The plane flew smoothly and swiftly through the sky.

By the time they arrived at the Alveria Group estate, it was already past eight in the evening.

Just as he entered the living room, Quentin Grant froze and shouted, ”Dad, what are you doing?”

Luna Ainsworth, who had been deliberately sitting on Faye Sinclair’s lap, shot up like a spring.

She gave him an awkward smile. ”It’s nothing, nothing.”

Faye Sinclair’s face flushed as well. She shot Luna Ainsworth a look, then asked, ”Quentin, have you eaten?”

”Not yet.”

”Mom will go make you something. Just a moment.”

Seeing Faye Sinclair walk into the kitchen, Luna Ainsworth followed her in like a little shadow.

Quentin Grant saw this, smiled, changed his shoes, and went upstairs.

He gently pushed open the bedroom door and peeked inside, finding Nora Ainsworth sitting on the bed, looking at her computer.

He stood in the doorway and, without a word, knocked on the door.

Nora Ainsworth looked toward the door. ”Come in.”

Quentin Grant didn’t enter. He knocked again. Nora Ainsworth said again, ”Come on in, stop knocking.”

He still didn’t move and continued to knock.

Nora Ainsworth got annoyed. She set her computer aside, got off the bed, slipped on her slippers, and walked toward the door, muttering as she went, ”Who on earth is it?”

She yanked the door open and was met by his smiling eyes.

Nora Ainsworth’s expression suddenly broke into a wide grin. She took a step forward, wrapped her arms around his neck, and hooked her legs around his waist. ”You’re back.”

Quentin Grant supported her nightgown-clad bottom with both hands, kicked the door shut, and carried her to the bed. ”Miss me?”

”What do you think?”

He mused, ”I don’t know.”

Nora Ainsworth poked his head. ”You’re just pretending. You know the answer. You were gone for days and didn’t even call me once.”

”I just wanted to clear my head. The moment I hear your voice, my mind gets all jumbled.”

”Are there a lot of beautiful women in Harrowin?”

”Hmm... I honestly didn’t notice...”

Nora Ainsworth clearly didn’t believe him. ”For real?”

He captured her delicate hand and placed it on his chest. ”Of course it’s real. If you don’t believe me, listen to this.”

Nora Ainsworth went with the motion and rested her head on his chest, listening to his strong, quickening heartbeat. For the two of them, this brief separation felt better than a honeymoon; the feeling was magical.

She sat up, gave him a couple of pecks on the cheek, and pouted. ”I haven’t been sleeping well these past few nights. It’s all your fault.”

Seeing her rare coquettishness, he naturally replied in a gentle voice, ”Then how about I make it up to you tonight?”

”Okay.”

Quentin Grant moved closer, gently capturing her lips. His hand unconsciously came to rest on her chest. He spoke between kisses, ”They’ve gotten bigger again. Did you touch yourself while I was away?”

Nora Ainsworth burst out laughing. She met his eyes, then feigned anger. ”Get lost!”

This drew a hearty laugh from Quentin Grant. ”Get lost where? How about on top of you?”

Just then, Faye Sinclair’s voice came from the doorway. ”Quentin, I’ve made you some noodles. Come down and eat.”

”Okay, I’ll be right down,” he called back.

Nora Ainsworth pursed her lips. ”Go on, get down there and eat. You can come back up after.”

”Have you showered?”

”Not yet.”

Quentin Grant took off his suit jacket, leaving just his blue shirt. He rolled up his sleeves and said, ”Wait for me, we’ll shower together when I get back.”

”Okay. Now hurry up and go.”

When Ethan Ellsworth and Chloe Marshall got home, Dorothy was already asleep.

Zoe Ellsworth and Herman Hawthorne were, for once, sitting quietly in the living room watching TV. Seeing the couple return, Zoe Ellsworth quickly stood up, her baby bump now showing, and asked, ”Sister-in-law, is the first lady really dead?”

Chloe Marshall nodded.

Zoe Ellsworth cursed, ”Damn it! Those sons of bitches! What kind of people bully a pregnant woman? The bastards killed her parents, too! Holy shit, they’re not even human!”

Herman Hawthorne whispered a reminder, ”Don’t get so angry. Be careful not to pass those bad feelings on to the baby in your belly.”

”How can I not be angry? I’m pregnant too, so I can empathize. I can actually understand why she killed herself in the end. Her child was gone, her parents were gone, and she herself was... you know. How could she go on living?”

Chloe Marshall nodded. ”The day before yesterday, Boss Ellsworth and I went to pay our respects. I hope she can rest in peace. After all, Silly will get her revenge for her.”

”I’m really curious how Lillian Bancroft will deal with those two culprits.”

”I don’t know. We’ll have to wait for his judgment. It probably won’t be long now. It’ll be in the news.”

”Well, Bro, Sister-in-law, you two go to bed. We’re heading back.”

Ethan Ellsworth spoke up. ”Don’t go back. It’s late. There are plenty of rooms upstairs. You think there isn’t enough space for you two?”

Zoe Ellsworth nodded. ”I’ll go up first, then.”

Seeing her go upstairs, Herman Hawthorne immediately followed at her heels. She turned around, annoyed. ”Why are you always following me?”

Hearing this, Chloe Marshall couldn’t help but laugh. ”Haven’t you two made up? You looked so harmonious sitting there together just now.”

”Who said I made up with him?”

”You, of course.”

Zoe Ellsworth shook her head and said seriously, ”We haven’t.”

Then she went upstairs. Herman Hawthorne had no right to speak at all, so he could only spread his hands in a shrug and continue to chase after her.

”What’s the deal with those two? The baby’s a few months along already. Are they going to stay like this until it’s born?”

But Ethan Ellsworth just smiled. ”You don’t know what Zoe is thinking. I don’t think they have any major problems. The main issue now is whether Zoe is willing to clear the past and forgive him. I’ve said it before, Zoe won’t forgive him easily. Once a woman loses her sense of security, she won’t readily do something that makes her feel insecure again. Frankly, once you lose her trust, it’s not easy to get it back.”

Chloe Marshall nodded. ”I get it.”

”Honey, let’s go to bed too.”

”Okay, I’m going to go pour a glass of milk.”

”You go on up. I’ll pour it and bring it up to you.”

Chloe Marshall nodded, gave him a peck on the cheek, and cheerfully went upstairs.

When Ethan Ellsworth went up with the milk, he found she had changed into her pajamas and was about to take a shower.

Ethan Ellsworth pestered her to let him shower with her. Once the two of them were in the bathroom, it was inevitable they’d get some ’exercise’ in. As a result, it was already nine-thirty by the time they came out.

Wearing her bathrobe, Chloe Marshall suddenly remembered Nora Ainsworth’s TV show.

”Hurry! A few episodes of Nora’s show have probably aired already. I want to watch.”

He brought the laptop to the bed, found the show online, and the two of them snuggled together to watch.

Even though she knew it was fake, Chloe Marshall was completely absorbed. ”Does the male lead have to look so young and fresh?”

”He’s three or four years younger than Nora. What’s so strange about that?”

”Boss Ellsworth, do you know why I was in such a hurry to watch this show?”

”Because Nora’s in it?”

”Not entirely. First, the plot is good. Second, this is the last TV series Nora will ever act in.”

Ethan Ellsworth was stunned. ”How do you know that?”

”Nora told me herself. There’s a kissing scene in it, right? Young Master Grant was furious when he saw it, so she said she won’t film any more TV shows in the future. At most, she’ll do movies, and she’ll let Young Master Grant approve the movie’s theme before deciding whether to film it or not.”

”Chloe, I want to do that too. I’ve decided to start a film and television company. I’ll upgrade myself to a boss, and you can be the boss’s wife.”