Mr. CEO, You Look Strangely Familiar-Chapter 55: You Have Always Been My Fiancée

"What are you doing here?"

Wearing a surgical mask, Quentin Grant approached her, grabbed her arm, and pulled her out of the hospital.

He shoved her into his car and yanked off the mask. His hawk-like eyes narrowed. "Nora Ainsworth."

She looked back at him. "What?"

"If you needed a boyfriend to step in for you, why didn’t you ask me? I’d have been more than happy to help."

Knowing he was saying it just to provoke her, Nora seethed. "President Grant is a very busy man. I wouldn’t want to trouble you!"

Quentin Grant leaned back against the seat. "No trouble at all. After all, you’re still branded as my—Young Master Grant’s—woman."

"Is there anything else? I need to go be with my mom."

"On the sixth, you must be at my wedding," he said, his tone deceptively light.

Nora was completely baffled and refused point-blank. "I’m no longer part of the Ainsworth family. There’s really no need for me to be there."

"I have a feeling you won’t regret going. That’s all. Get out." He started the engine, signaling that he was leaving.

Nora opened the door and got out. As she watched the car drive away, she was lost in thought. A past comment from Quentin Grant suddenly came to mind, and she had a sinking feeling that something was going to happen at the wedding on the sixth.

Even if she had an inkling of what was to come, Nora had no intention of getting involved.

*

She kept trying to call Leon Lynch to apologize, but she couldn’t get through.

That evening, she tried again, and this time, the call connected. 𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖

Leon’s voice sounded a little distant. "Nora? Is there a reason you’re calling?"

"Leon, can we meet?" Nora asked softly.

He hesitated for a moment before replying, "Okay."

When Nora arrived at their meeting spot, Leon was already there.

He was wearing a black puffer jacket, standing under a barren sycamore tree with a cigarette between his fingers.

Nora walked up to him. "Leon, I’m sorry."

Under the dim streetlights, he looked at her with a deeply furrowed brow.

He strode forward, bumping right into her nose. The impact nearly brought tears to her eyes, and she stumbled back a couple of steps.

His expression softened considerably. Seeing her rubbing her nose, he let out a laugh.

"What are you laughing at?"

His eyes twinkled. "I’m laughing because you have such a short memory. I told you, if you ever dared to say sorry to me again, I’d kiss you for every time you said it. Did you forget?"

Nora lowered her head, her defensive posture crumbling, her voice tinged with grievance. "But I *should* be sorry. Leon, I’m not part of the Ainsworth family anymore. I can’t marry you, and on top of that, my scandal was exposed, which must have embarrassed you."

Leon cupped her face in his hands. He was backlit by the streetlight, his expression hidden in shadow.

"Who said I would only marry a daughter of the Ainsworth family? Hmm? And so what if there’s a scandal? My own reputation isn’t exactly stellar, anyway. Makes us a perfect pair."

Nora was left completely speechless by his words.

"Leon Lynch, do you really love me that much?" she asked, tilting her face up to his, her tone half-joking.

He pressed a finger to her lips. "Nora, you silly girl. Why do you always ask such foolish questions?"

She retorted, "Is that right? Well, maybe it’s because I’m a bit of an idiot myself. I can’t understand anything too complicated."

He smiled. "A bit of an idiot is good. I like it. I don’t know when it started, but I’ve wanted you for my own ever since. No matter who tries to slander you, I’ll never believe them. In my heart, you’ve always been my fiancée. That’s never changed."

"But what if it’s not slander? What if it’s the truth?" she asked, her eyelashes fluttering as the words left her lips.

Leon’s finger left her lips. "All right," he said, changing the subject. "Go home and get some sleep."

Nora didn’t know what else to say. "Okay, I’ll head back then."