The Retired CEO's Guide To Being Spoiled-Chapter 261: Dating "Someone Else"
Ethan Caldwell: [When I came back, I suddenly ran into Harrison Thornton’s daughter and her lover.]
Ethan Caldwell: [I heard Harrison Thornton is hosting a networking party with the elite tomorrow evening. The partners mentioned it to me earlier, it seems they want to invite me, but I am not very interested.]
The messages stopped here for a moment, it seemed Ethan Caldwell had run into someone halfway. About ten minutes later, Ethan Caldwell texted again.
Ethan Caldwell: [Right after running into Harrison Thornton’s daughter, I ran into the man himself.]
Ethan Caldwell: [Since he has spoken up, I cannot refuse. I will have to attend the party tomorrow.]
Attached to this message from Ethan Caldwell was a sticker of a little dog lying flat on its stomach, heaving a long sigh full of exhaustion and helplessness. Looking at that silly sticker, Julian Sterling could not help but burst into laughter in the middle of the quiet office. This adorable expression looked somewhat out of place, not fitting the usually aloof, serious image of this man in the slightest. He truly did not know where the dignified CEO Caldwell found these funny images to save on his phone.
Ethan Caldwell: [Otherwise, why don’t you arrange to come with me tomorrow?]
Ethan Caldwell: [Otherwise, I will have to face a swarm of people swarming me.]
Ethan Caldwell: [Oh, Harrison Thornton is a tycoon of Kensington city. He knows people from both the underworld and the righteous path, one must give him face.]
Ethan Caldwell: [It is almost lunch time, has my baby rested yet?] 𝐟𝕣𝗲𝕖𝕨𝗲𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝗲𝚕.𝗰𝚘𝐦
The last message popped up on the screen right as Julian Sterling was intently reading the previous lines. He briefly glanced at the time displayed on the computer and saw that it was indeed almost time for a break. He was in no rush to call the man, but instead leaned back in his chair, clicking away on the phone keyboard, carefully answering each of his sentences one by one.
Julian Sterling: [It is good that the partners are not making things difficult.]
Julian Sterling: [Work slowly, do not force yourself to finish early. I am waiting for you at home.]
Julian Sterling: [What a coincidence, running into the daughter and then the father. They must be very impressed with you.]
Julian Sterling: [If you have the chance, make more friends, why cling to me.]
Julian Sterling: [There is actually someone who makes CEO Caldwell utter the words "give face"? How terribly powerful.]
Julian Sterling: [Just getting ready to rest. Now that you are gone, I am preparing to go on a date with another man.]
Just as he hit send on the final teasing message, Ethan Caldwell immediately replied very quickly. Only a single massive question mark appeared on the screen, expressing confusion and vigilance. The very next second, his phone displayed an incoming call from the other party. Julian Sterling leisurely picked up the phone, deliberately dragging out his tone full of teasing: "What is it? It has only been one morning since you left, and you already miss me?"
"Are you meeting Seraphina Cole for lunch later?" The place where the man was seemed to be in a private office, so it was quite quiet. Julian Sterling could occasionally only hear the soft rustling of papers turning. Ethan Caldwell was probably taking the opportunity to review the document files before the lunch break.
"It is true that Seraphina asked me out, but I postponed it, telling her we will go celebrate once the entire image review is done." Julian Sterling paused for a moment, the corners of his lips slightly curling into a sly smile: "But I have a lunch date with someone else later."
"Hm?" Ethan Caldwell’s voice deepened, carrying a hint of hidden danger.
"What do you mean ’hm’? Such a smart CEO, try to guess who it is."
"Gabriel Cole?" He replied very quickly, without any hesitation.
"Wow." Julian Sterling feigned extreme surprise, clapping his hands in applause through the phone: "Whose husband is so amazing~ Guessed it right on the first try."
The other end suddenly went dead silent for a long time. Just as Julian Sterling was about to open his mouth to ask if he was still on the line or if the signal was glitching, the man cleared his throat and spoke up, his tone becoming incredibly serious: "Do you know where you are going to eat yet? Let me guess, you will not choose the restaurant yourself but let the other person choose it, right?"
"So smart, you even know my intentions." Julian Sterling nodded approvingly, using a tone like he was coaxing a child to comfort the worried man on the other end of the line: "Since we took the trouble to lure the snake out of its hole, we have to make it feel safe and in control. Only then will he easily expose his flaws."
"Wherever you go, remember to message me the exact address. You are not allowed to act alone on your own accord."
Having lived together for so long, Julian Sterling also vaguely understood this man’s style and cautious way of working. Thus, he frowned and asked back directly: "Did you just contact the bodyguard team at home?"
"Mhm, I truly do not feel at ease letting you go alone."
"What is it? I am just going for a normal lunch with another man, and you are already jealous and uneasy?" Julian Sterling’s voice was very relaxed, full of carefree teasing. But the man was not joking at all; he answered him very seriously, word by word: "You know full well I do not mean it like that, I completely trust you. I am just worried about your safety."
Hearing up to this point, Ethan Caldwell did not need to continue for Julian Sterling to completely know what he was afraid of.
The past was still there. Last time, it was also when Ethan Caldwell had to go on a business trip away from home, Julian Sterling went to meet Gabriel Cole alone and ultimately ended up in an extremely dangerous kidnapping setup. Fortunately, Ethan Caldwell managed to rescue him in time back then, but this time was different, risky matters were very hard to predict.
Although both of them clearly knew in their hearts the principle that a cliché play should not be staged twice, and Gabriel Cole might not necessarily be stupid enough to repeat the same old trick, it was not as if Julian Sterling would be so unlucky as to encounter a life-threatening incident every time he met Gabriel Cole.
But who could anticipate the unexpected, Gabriel Cole was a madman after all, and the brain circuits of a madman were very hard to predict.
Therefore, after careful consideration, Julian Sterling did not object to the man carefully arranging for extra people to follow and silently protect him: "Alright, I will listen to you. Tell them to act carefully and naturally, do not let anyone notice something and alert the enemy."
"Later, just have your close-protection bodyguard follow you, tell him to stand and observe from a distance is fine, as long as it is within his line of sight."
Julian Sterling’s close-protection bodyguard was the very person who concurrently served as his daily driver, always accompanying him on every route. Julian Sterling thought about the rationality for a moment and also nodded in agreement with this plan. The two continued to give instructions and chat for a little while longer. Right before preparing to hang up, Ethan Caldwell suddenly asked again in a deep voice: "What do you think about my proposal from earlier?"
"Hm, what proposal?" Julian Sterling blinked, pretending not to remember.
"Arrange to come to my place tomorrow, I will tell the assistant to book the earliest flight ticket for you."
"Let me think and review my work schedule first. Now my appointment time is almost up, I cannot be late, goodbye CEO Caldwell."
Then, without giving Ethan Caldwell a chance to reply, Julian Sterling hung up the phone. At this moment, Gabriel Cole’s message also appeared on the phone; he offered to come pick him up. But Julian Sterling refused, and only then did he send the address to his phone.
It was also quite close to Caldwell Empire.
Julian Sterling forwarded the message to Ethan Caldwell while checking to see if he had any schedule for tomorrow.
