The CEO’s Substitute Lover

“Ottilie is determined to let Eddison push me out of Group Davi, and I’ve let them take most of the rights away from me and prepare for my exit. When Grimm threatened me with Group Davi again, I was able to use that opportunity to pull out. I didn’t realize we had missed the boat, and it was a wake-up call that their generation is not as moral as they say they are, but rather that we are too emotional.”

“As for Octavia, Gar’s surgery is her biggest worry right now, Eddison is… treating her well and I think she’s at least safe.” Tredan Davi sounded a little sullen.

“Shall I ask Domino to let her know?” Woodrow thought of Octavia’s melancholy eyes and was a little worried.

“No, why worry her.” Tredan Davi was a little gloomy.

Octavia has taken a week off work; Gar is having surgery tomorrow and she is staying with him.

“Do you have a wish, sis?” Gar was a little excited tonight.

“Me? My greatest wish is for you to be healthy and well. What about you?” Octavia Gills said with a smirk, she was actually nervous, but couldn’t let Gar see it.

“Me? I have a lot on my mind, to get a job to support myself, to support you and mum, and Eldwin, yes, and Eldwin.”

“You can feed yourself just fine, we don’t need you for that.” Octavia Gills laughs.

“Gee whiz, you look down on me!” Gar had an unhappy look on his face.

Octavia Gills smiled and squeezed his face, “My wish was for my family to be happy together and just live an ordinary life. When I was a child, I wished to grow up quickly and earn money so that my mum wouldn’t have to work so hard, and later I wished I could get you operated on sooner. You see, all my wishes have now come true, so God has treated me well, I am a blessed.”

“Sister, don’t you have any wish for yourself? All you think about is me and mum.”

“Yes, I’m fine when you’re fine, you’re all I have.”

Gar leaned his head towards his sister, “Sis.”

Octavia Gills took his head in her arms and stroked it with a real sense of gratitude.

“Sis, I’m the one who’s most blessed to have you as a sister.” Gar’s voice was a little choked.

Octavia Gills gave him a pat on the back, “Idiot, they say that when you are brothers and sisters, there is a present life but no future life, so if you are a brother and sister in this life, you should cherish it.”

Gar took his sister’s hand, sat her down in a chair, and seriously said, “Sis, there are always risks with surgery, who knows, maybe I will?? or maybe?? I won’t make it, but there are some things we’d better talk about first.”

“Nonsense!” Octavia Gills’ eyes saw red for a moment and she slapped hard at Gar’s hand.

Gar didn’t hide and looked into his sister’s eyes, “I’ve been sick for so many years, in fact, the times I’ve made mental preparations are countless, it’s just that people are greedy for life, I can’t let you let go of mum, but there’s a silver lining, and I’ll do my best to make it. Let’s just talk about the what-ifs, sis, be objective, things will be like that at worst, it’s not a bad thing to be mentally prepared.”

Tears poured down Octavia Gills’ face and Gar lifted his hand to wipe them away. “Can’t you hear my wish?”

Octavia Gills nodded, “Yes, tell me!”

“Sister, Tredan loves you very much, I can see how hard it is to meet someone who loves you, don’t miss out, don’t give up. Get married and live well, that will reassure me.”

Octavia Gills looked away, “What do children know about love!”

Gar smiled and didn’t argue, “Eldwin is a good man, I don’t have any memories of my dad and Eldwin has been acting as my dad since I was a kid, mum has always lived a hard and humble life, we are all grown up, let’s find a chance to set them up so they can be a companion to each other in their old age.”

Octavia Gills froze, she’d never thought of it that way, although she’d always been close to Eldwin.

“Sister, you don’t agree?”

Octavia Gills laughed, “You’re very meticulous, why didn’t I think of that? Well, I’ll mention it to them when the right opportunity arises.”

Gar smiled back, “Then I have nothing to hang my hat on.”

Octavia Gills’ tears came again, “What nonsense, what do you mean there’s nothing to worry about, Gar you listen carefully, you must live, neither your sister nor your mother can live without you. Don’t leave us behind, do you hear me? We’ve only been siblings for so long, can you bear to let our whole lives be so short?”

Looking at his tearful sister, Gar sighed with laughter, “Come on, don’t cry, I’m just saying what if.”

“Not even in case!” Octavia Gills was mean to him.

“Fine, fine, I won’t say anything.” Gar made a gesture of raising his hands in surrender.

The two siblings whispered to each other and together they overcame the inexplicable fear of being together before the operation, and perhaps even spending these moments as their last time together.

As Octavia Gills said, as brothers and sisters, there is a life and not an afterlife, so live it and cherish it.

Today is the day Gar will have his operation.

Octavia Gills came over early in the morning and placed a bouquet on Gar’s bed, the white lily of the valley and green four-leaf clover was fresh and set elegantly, and Gar was delighted.

A little later Eldwin and Elda came together and Gar was happy to see them, pouting and squeezing his eyes at her sister as Octavia Gills looked on amused. After hearing Gar’s thoughts last night and seeing her mother and Eldwin again today, Octavia Gills also felt relieved that they got along well and that Eldwin had become part of the family for so many years with his unfailing care for the three of them.

Domino and Woodrow came together, but as Domino was disgusted with Woodrow, the smile he gave Octavia Gills was a forced smile. Octavia Gills shook her head and found herself amused, the titular Woodrow, in front of Domino every day is not as bright as sunshine today. How can Woodrow, who was always shining in front of Domino, be forcing a smile right now.

What Octavia didn’t expect was for Eddison to come along too.

Elda and Eldwin were both happy to see Eddison and Gar could only look at Octavia in disbelief, Octavia Gills smiled and introduced Woodrow and Eddison to Gar.

“Sis, isn’t brother Tredan coming?” Gar asked aloud as he glanced at Eddison.

Octavia Gills stiffened.

“Gar, such nonsense!” Elda stopped her son.

“Mum, you and Eldwin go ahead and wait there in the lounge area, it’s ok to leave all of us here.” Octavia Gills didn’t want her family to say anything else and rushed to arrange what each would do.

“Vice President Davi, you can go ahead if you have something to do, and thank you for coming to see my brother.” Octavia Gills said politely to Eddison.

“Octavia, I’m just here to keep you company today, I’m fine.” Although Octavia Gills’ detached attitude hurt Eddison, he kept a smile on his face.

“No, no, the company is very busy these days and we won’t have much to do when my brother goes in…” Octavia Gills was a little flustered.

“Octavia, let me stay with you, or I won’t feel comfortable either.” Eddison pleaded and looked to Elda for help.

“Octavia, you should let Eddison stay, he’s also worried about you,” Elda advised.

Eldwin, however, tugged on Elda’s shirt, “Elda, let’s go over there first.”

Woodrow was observing everything and was worried for Tredan Davi, but there was nothing he could do.

Domino was already happy with this boss of hers, but she knew that Octavia Gills only had Tredan Davi in mind, and seeing Octavia Gills bow her head, she couldn’t help but sigh, “Vice President Davi, let’s go over there too, so the siblings can have some moments to themselves. ”

Gar lay on the trundle bed, and at the last moment before entering the operating room, he grasp his sister’s hand and said, “Sister, remember my words and be happy!”

Octavia Gills smiled and nodded as she watched her brother enter the operating theatre.

The length of the operation could not be anticipated and everyone waited outside in the hall.

There is a large LCD TV in the center of the hall.

At the moment, a Steam engagement ceremony is being broadcast live on TV.

The patient’s family members murmured enthusiastically at the screen.

“Look, that’s the engagement of Tredan Davi, Grand Prince of Group Davi, and Lilian Drye, Princess of Group Drye.”

“What a couple!”

“No, it’s a good match.”

“I heard that this Mr. Tredan and Ms. Lilian have been engaged since they were three years old, a true childhood friend.”

“It will be a strong combination when these two get married, they will be the next successors to Group Davi and Group Drye.”

“I heard that this Mr. Tredan is so infatuated that he never looks at any woman except this Ms. Lilian.”

“It’s simply a modern fairy tale, a prince and a princess!”

…

Octavia Gills stood at the entrance of the hall, the exclamations that reached her ears were not as exciting as the images that met her eyes.

The engagement ceremony was not a Steam luxury.

Lawns, fancy arches, crowds of spectators in tuxedos.

There were occasional close-ups of the Chairman and his wife from the Sheng Long Group, the Managing Director and his wife from the Daheng Company, the Chairman of Hua Tai Industrial, the Managing Director of Jia An Real Estate…, a real business gathering, and a news sensation, Chairman Floyd and Mr. and Mrs. Grimm Drye greeted their guests with dignity and grace.

Octavia Gills felt gloomy, and her heart ached painfully.

The Master of Ceremonies announced, “The engagement ceremony of Mr. Tredan Davi to Ms. Lilian is officially underway!”

Applause and music were heard.

Lilian Drye walked in with a bouquet in one hand and Tredan Davi’s arm in the other.

You can only see their backs on TV, but they still looked so well matched and harmonious.

Walking to the main stage and turning around, Lilian Drye raised her head and looked with a happy face at Tredan Davi, who smiled back with a faint smile.

That smile, so familiar to Octavia Gills, a smile that never failed to make a woman fall for, a smile that Octavia Gills drowned in, willing to live for him and die for him.

But so what?

After all, she was just a stand-in lover. They have made it right, as for her, it is time for her to retire.

Yes, and her heart, she might as well be dead.

Octavia Gills reached for the hall door and said silently told herself, “Take a deep breath! Take a deep breath Octavia Gills, it’s none of your business, it’s none of your business.”

Eddison was wondering why Octavia Gills hadn’t come over yet when he noticed Octavia Gills shaking in the doorway when he looked towards the door.

“Octavia!” said Eddison, rushing over.

“What’s wrong with you?”

Octavia Gills tried to smile, “I’m a bit tired, I’m fine, I’m fine.”

She walked over to the bench holding Eddison’s arm and greeted her mum, Eldwin, Domino, and Woodrow.Ccontent © exclusive by Nô/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

Domino and Woodrow looked at her with pity.

She smiled, “I’m fine, I’m just a bit tired, a little tired.”

Eldwin looked at her and said with concern, “Octavia, what’s wrong with you? Why do you look so pale?”

Domino looked at her with tears in her eyes and murmured, “Octavia…”

Octavia Gills released her grip on Eddison’s arm, unaware of how strong her grip was on his arm as Eddison helped her sit. Eddison’s heart ached at the forced smile on Octavia Gills’ face as she thanked him.

Octavia Gills looked at Domino, “Fool, what are you doing, don’t make it sound like I’m dying of a terminal illness.”

Domino slapped her playfully, “What are you talking about?”

Octavia Gills laughed and tried to evade Domino and look at the big screen, Domino gets in her way again, “No looking, what’s there to see, look at me, look at Domino!”

Octavia Gills pushed her away, “Stop it, let me see how nice it is, Domino, when I get married later, I want to do the same?? “