The CEO’s Substitute Lover

“Well, I do love you, but Ms. Lilian loves you too, and most importantly, Tredan, you love Ms. Lilian! It’s the best ending. Thank you, Tredan, for all the wonderful memories you have given me!”

Why did she think he loved Lilian Drye? Why couldn’t she think of herself?All text © NôvelD(r)a'ma.Org.

That night, Octavia Gills and Tredan Davi slept with their backs to each other, each with their thoughts, he was sad and troubled, and she was in pain and crying.

Overnight, as Tredan Davi had predicted, Floyd Davi proved to the Drye family that he was looking forward to having a daughter-in-law by having the announcement dominate the headlines on the BBC news early in the morning. Group Davi’s Twitter platform also shared the political marriage with the entire business community.

Octavia Gills checked the BBC news on her phone’s Facebook feed and felt gloomy at all those words about a beautiful man and a beautiful woman, a match made in heaven, a strong union, etc. She was thankful that Tredan opened up to her last night, instead of just sleeping with her as if nothing had happened. Otherwise, she wouldn’t know how she could face him proudly as a woman this morning? At least Tredan Davi did not lie to her and didn’t let her be the last to know. She felt like a lucky woman because Tredan gave her the heads-up, even though hearing the news was sore and painful for her! Thankfully, it’s all okay!

Tredan Davi in the bedroom had also seen the headlines on Tencent on his phone. His father really moved fast, but now that the picture Tredan Davi had dreamed of finally came out, he was not happy at all, why? Why does he feel that Lilian Drye was becoming more and more alien to him, while Octavia Gills is becoming more and more familiar? How can he stop this engagement, a deal made for profit?

As usual, Tredan Davi came downstairs smelling the fragrant aroma of Octavia Gills’ cooking and she set up their breakfast like nobody’s business!

“Come on down and eat, you’re up a bit late today so eat quickly or you won’t make it to Monday’s board meeting!” Octavia Gills is Tredan Davi’s sage, and with her in his corner, Tredan Davi always had this feeling of pure warmth inside. It’s nice to have someone always looking out for him, it’s nice to have someone to cook his favorite meals, and it’s nice to have someone to remind him at night to take care of himself and rest early!

“Well, you should eat too, I’ll take you to work today!” Tredan Davi also wanted to do something for Octavia Gills, something a man in love would do.

Octavia Gills couldn’t believe her ears, was Tredan Davi offering to drive her to work? Usually, she is only chauffeured to work to avoid the hassle, but if the man who has just made the headlines today does give her a lift to work, she will be the one making headlines tomorrow.

“No, no, just let the driver drop me off, the subsidiary and the head office are not even in the same direction, the distance is so far, no need to go through all that trouble.”

Is Tredan Davi trying to make it up to her because he feels guilty for her? Octavia Gills thinks that he doesn’t need to make up for it because she willingly did it for him.

“All right then!”

Octavia Gills expected Tredan Davi to hold out, even for a second, but he said straight out, “All right then!”

Tredan Davi knew how his father could do so much with his ‘old man’s Kung fu,’ so Tredan Davi put on his sunglasses, hit the gas, and drove off knowing full well that Floyd Davi must have arranged a launch for him. He reckons Uncle Drye and Lilian must be on their way there now!

He sent a message to Lilian Drye on Facebook telling her not to go to Group Davi as he had left there and he was waiting for her at the usual place!

Lilian Drye was surprised and delighted when she received the message, happy that Tredan Davi had finally reached out to her. However, she was afraid it wouldn’t be a good idea to leave the venue at this stage and even ask her out alone! Should she go? After staring at her phone for a long time, Lilian Drye said to the driver, “No need to go to Group Davi, pull up in front!”

A confused driver pulls the car over for Lilian Drye, the princess runs off midway, how will he explain this to Master Drye?

“Go back and tell my dad that I don’t want to go to this press conference, I don’t want this to be high profile, and tell my dad to cancel it for me!”

The children of the rich can indeed have many choices! Lilian Drye hailed a taxi and went to Tredan Davi.

The air was cool and refreshing in the elegant hillside farmhouse and Tredan Davi went to the spot where he and Lilian Drye used to sit. Halfway up the hill, a separate pavilion with a square table and two wicker chairs for swinging looked romantic and beautiful and the unpolluted air was particularly refreshing. Because Lilian Drye loved this place, Tredan Davi used to take her here for a meal, a walk, or even a room for a night when he had time, and they were as happy as honeymooners! Tredan Davi never came with her again after she returned from her trip.

As she walked to their usual spot, Lilian Drye tried to recall how wonderful and happy she had been with Tredan Davi going to this pavilion. As she neared their spot, she saw Tredan Davi already sitting, with the morning sun shining softly and gently on him. Lilian Drye was mesmerized by the sight of Tredan Davi in his crisp blue suit, looking so masculine and seductive, if she could only go back to the time before she left the country?? Back then, this man treated her like a treasure, he was always looking after her, doting on her?? but now he was so cold! It was all because of that bitch Octavia Gills, that shameless woman who had estranged Tredan Davi from her, and she would not let go of him!

“There you are!”

Tredan Davi saw Lilian Drye standing not far from the pavilion, staring at him in disbelief. Tredan Davi raised his hand and gestured for her to come and sit down, but he didn’t know what Lilian Drye was thinking and didn’t give Tredan Davi any response until he called out for her to come. It was only when he called her that Lilian Drye was pulled back to her senses, putting away her bitter hatred for Octavia Gills, and returned to her seemingly innocent and pure face and smiled at Tredan Davi.

“I’m coming!” Lilian Drye walked slowly to the pavilion and sat down on the wicker swing where Tredan Davi was sitting, as she always did. She took out her phone from her bag, turned on the self-timer to take a picture of her and Tredan Davi, and post it on Twitter with the caption: A beautiful day, a beautiful man and a beautiful woman, isn’t this a match made in heaven? Yes!

“Why are you still so fond of taking pictures and posting them on Twitter? Go over and sit down, I ordered the grilled fish that you like the most, I guess it’s almost ready to be served. Do you want the roast chicken too?” Tredan Davi placed the cutlery that was on hand in front of Lilian Drye.

“Tredan, you haven’t changed much, have you? You’re still the same man who always thinks about me, right?” Lilian Drye wanted to hold on to that little bit of the goodness that she and Tredan Davi used to have, that she still had it and that Tredan Davi should have it too! Lilian Drye was particularly happy to see Tredan Davi as he had always been.

“Here’s the fish, eat it, see if it’s still as light and sweet as before, these little grated mushrooms are oozing with the sweet fish sauce and are so delicious, here, try some!” Tredan Davi did not respond to Lilian Drye’s question, he was absorbed in what he was doing as he thoughtfully spooned a portion of the fish into the rice bowl of Lilian Drye.

“Knowing you like greens, I deliberately went to see the patch where they grow them when I got here. The pearl greens looked particularly perfect and are fresh. So, I ordered the pearl greens for you, sauteed with garlic!”

“Tredan, you’re so sweet!” Lilian Drye felt like a child being pampered by Tredan Davi and she loved it she was overjoyed at the thought of it!

“Eat! Then we’ll talk after!” At the sound of Tredan Davi’s words, Lilian Drye had a vague feeling of a bad omen in her heart.

“It’s such a nice day, let’s agree not to talk about bad things, just good things, okay Tredan?” it was Lilian Drye’s last effort to avoid that foreboding thought but Tredan Davi refused to lay it to rest!

“Lilian, we’ve known each other for so long and you and I know each other well, so you do know that I’m not willing to base my marriage on trying to save this project. I hope you understand that.”

“I don’t understand, Tredan, I don’t understand! It was only a matter of time before we both got married, why couldn’t we just get engaged. After all, it’s only an engagement. Why did you have to reject me so callously? Tredan, why? You can’t do this to me!” Lilian Drye was so confused. What was wrong and why did it turn out this way?

“Lilian, you and I are not the same anymore, you’ve changed so much! I don’t know when I started to feel so strange about you, but I just feel that this marriage is something that needs to be thought through. I don’t want to be so irrational and get engaged in a way that won’t be good for you or me later! Do you understand?” Tredan Davi was afraid he wouldn’t be able to do right by her as he always did, but he had to find out what was really in his heart!

“I can’t understand, I can’t understand, Tredan, before I left the country you said let’s both get married, why have you changed since I came back, how can you do this?” Lilian Drye still remembers clearly when Tredan Davi himself said to her so that she wouldn’t leave the country: “Don’t go, let’s get married and spend every day together forever!” Why did Tredan Davi change his mind when she had just returned home!

“Back then, there were no business interests tied to it, it was my heartfelt desire to marry you as my wife, only, you refused, didn’t you? You were the one who abandoned me and left the country. You were the one who gave up on my desire to marry into your family, isn’t that so?” Tredan Davi remembered the time when he offered his heart on a plate to Lilian Drye, only to be rejected by her without pity.

“But, Tredan, I needed to go abroad for further studies at that time? Why couldn’t you have been more understanding? It’s not like I was not coming back, so why didn’t you accommodate me for a year? Besides, I’m back now, aren’t I? Why can’t you be just like you were before?” Lilian Drye tried to grab Tredan Davi’s big hand on the table, but Tredan Davi evaded it!

“Considerate? Accommodating? Since I met you when I was three years old, you were the one who put up with my occasional bad moods and tantrums, who stood in front of me whatever happened and took care of it for me, who comforted me and enlightened me with great patience no matter how much I scolded and bullied you. You were there for me through the darkest days of my life. Because of this, over the years, no matter how much of a princess you were, no matter how willful and unreasonable you were, I always patiently accommodated you without any boundaries.