Mr. CEO Sassy Bride

The following day, Leilani arose significantly earlier than Nelson, her mood contrasting vastly from the previous evening.

She exuded liveliness and optimism. After her customary routine, she donned a modest yet charming floral dress and proceeded downstairs, swiftly making her way to the kitchen to assist the cook.

As she busied herself with preparing the meal, she hummed along to a tune, occasionally even breaking into a light dance.

Although the cook had not yet had the chance to get to know Leilani, she couldn’t help but think that she had never seen the young woman so joyful since she had joined the household.

Leilani bantered with the cook, presenting herself as a regular girl rather than a wealthy housewife.

She even invited the cook to taste her cooking, to which the older woman wholeheartedly agreed, praising her as a talented cook.

In a matter of minutes, the table was adorned with a delectable feast, fit to be called a celebration. It was then that Susan entered the dining hall.

“Why are you doing this, Leilani?” she inquired upon seeing Leilani and the cook setting the table.

“Good morning, Mom,” Leilani beamed, leaving her task momentarily to embrace Susan and peck her on both cheeks.

In that moment, Susan could sense that Leilani was in a good mood this morning, unlike the previous night.

“I woke up early and thought I should be of service in the kitchen,” Leilani explained with a smile.

Susan tenderly caressed her face and replied, “I am delighted to see you so happy, my dear.”

Leilani simply nodded and added, “Do not worry, Mom. I promise to never keep anything from you again,” before leading her to a seat at the table.

“Nelson should arrive any moment, correct?” Susan asked, and Leilani nodded in affirmation.

He was still asleep when she left their room, but he should be awake by now unless he has decided not to go to work today. Who cares though?

Leilani served Susan’s portion and then her own before taking a seat, ready to enjoy the meal when Susan’s voice interrupted her.

“Shouldn’t you wait for your husband?” Susan wondered aloud.

With a slow and deliberate movement, Leilani dropped her fork, her lips pursing in a subtle display of annoyance.

The food she had prepared was not intended for Nelson, but rather as a gesture for Susan.

Yet now, she would have to wait for him before she could eat. How frustrating.

“Don’t look so displeased, my dear,” Susan began, taking note of Leilani’s expression.

“This small act strengthens the bond between you and your partner. Taking the time to check in with each other before meals, it’s what makes love blossom. Remember that, Leilani. It will make your love even stronger.”

Leilani felt like bursting out laughing but managed to hold herself back, though her eyes betrayed her amusement.

She couldn’t help but wonder, how could she be expected to wait for someone else’s child before eating? At that moment, Nelson walked into the room, looking as charming as ever.

He was dressed in a light blue plaid shirt, its sleeves loosely rolled up at the wrists, giving off a casual yet attractive vibe that was indescribable.

Leilani’s heart fluttered, just as it did yesterday morning. Damn, she thought. She might have to avoid him in the mornings from now on. What was going on?

“Good morning, Mother,” Nelson greeted, bending down to kiss Susan’s cheeks before attempting to take a seat next to her.

“No, no, no, son. You’re a married man now, your seat should always be next to your wife,” Susan lectured.

With a muffled groan, Nelson obediently crossed to the other side of the table, taking the empty seat beside Leilani.

“Can I finally enjoy my food, Mom?” Leilani asked playfully, flashing a grin. Susan nodded with a smile, picking up her fork and beginning to eat.

“Wow, this is delicious,” Susan exclaimed in surprise, causing Leilani to smile with satisfaction.

“Son, can you believe that Leilani cooked all of this? She’s quite the chef, isn’t she?” Susan asked, turning to her son, who responded with a disapproving frown.

“What happened to the cook? Why did she have to prepare the food?” Nelson asked, a hint of anger in his tone. Susan grinned mischievously.

“I understand that you care for your wife, but she voluntarily took on the task of cooking.”

Nelson’s breathing became labored as he tilted his head to meet Leilani’s gaze. She responded with a sly wink, and went back to her food.

A wave of fear washed over Nelson, and he had the sudden urge to push the plate away from his mother.

But he quickly dismissed the thought. Surely, she wouldn’t dare poison their food. And besides, Susan seemed to be thoroughly enjoying her meal. What excuse could he even come up with to stop her from eating?

As these thoughts swirled in his mind, Leilani broke the silence.

“Mom, can I ask you something?” she inquired.

Susan took a sip of water and nodded, “Of course, dear. What is it?”

“What can I do when my husband refuses to give me money?” Leilani’s voice was tinged with sadness.

“What?” Susan’s eyes widened in shock.

“Nelson, is this true? Why are you denying your wife money? She’s your wife!” she scolded him.

Nelson remained calm, not surprised by the outburst. Is this her way of getting back at me?

“Mom, did you know that he’s the reason I lost my job? And he promised to take care of me, but now he won’t even give me some money,” Leilani’s voice trembled as tears welled up in her eyes and spilled down her cheeks.

Susan’s temper flared at the sight of her Leilani’s tears. “Tell me this isn’t true, Nelson. Why would you deny her money? It’s your responsibility as her husband,” she reprimanded him.

Leilani couldn’t help but smirk at the scene unfolding before her, meeting Nelson’s gaze once again.

“I don’t even care what she needs the money for. I want you to send her some money immediately,” Susan ordered firmly, and Leilani almost applauded her.

“Thank you, Mom,” Leilani said, wiping her tears away. She then took a piece of paper from her pocket and handed it to Nelson on the table.

“Here’s my account details, dear husband,” she said with false sweetness. Internally seething, Nelson pulled out his phone, typed away for a moment, and then showed it to Leilani.

“Happy now?” he retorted.Copyright Nôv/el/Dra/ma.Org.

Leilani’s eyes lit up with a sunny gleam upon seeing the sizable amount of money Nelson had deposited into her account.

“Thank you, my dear husband. You’re simply amazing,” she cooed, playfully blinking at him.

“Now, let’s head out,” Nelson announced, grabbing his briefcase and making his way towards the door.

“Thanks, Mom,” Leilani chimed in, giving Susan a high-five before hurrying after her husband.

As they reached the front of their villa…

“What on earth do you think you’re doing?” Nelson’s tense jaw and clenched fists betrayed the brewing storm inside him.

Ugh, this man!

She felt like a child staring up at a towering pillar due to his height.

“Playing my part. You did say I must make this marriage appear genuine in front of Mom,” Leilani retorted.

“You’re taking this too far, woman! Just so you know, if I were to ever fall in love again, you are the last woman on my list,” Nelson warned, taking slow steps towards her like a predator closing in on its prey, his eyes never leaving hers.

“Stop that, Mr. Catarrh,” Leilani started to say, but Nelson cut her off.

“Carter, you little troublemaker!” he corrected, knowing full well that she was doing it on purpose.

Leilani responded with three exaggerated winks. “Oops, sorry, Mr. Carter. Anyway, my point is, don’t fool yourself. In real life, you wouldn’t even make it to the top ten of the eligible bachelors worthy of being my husband,” she concluded with a sharp glare before walking out on him.

Nelson stood rooted to the spot for what seemed like ages, his hand clutching his briefcase tightly.

*****************

In the meeting at Carter’s corporation…

“What are your thoughts on our plans for the project launch?” the project lead addressed the team in the conference room.

The average-height man observed as the chairmen and his colleagues whispered among themselves, making sure to avoid looking at the President’s seat.

According to Mr. Robinson Green, one of the primary shareholders in Carter’s corp., “it appears that you have a substantial amount of tasks planned prior to your deadline.

To ensure the success of our advertising campaign, my suggestion would be to push back the deadline, granting us more time for preparation,”

“Respectfully disagreeing with Mr. Green, project lead Adams Hill stated that our top priority is to launch before the holidays, and therefore, moving the deadline would not be in our best interest.,” Hill stole a quick glance at the President, who maintained a cold expression throughout the discussion.

The President remained seated in the owner’s chair, leaning back with a fixed gaze on the projection screen.

His fingers tapped rhythmically on the table, seemingly lost in thought. Leilani’s words from this morning continued to replay in his mind, and he couldn’t help but admit that he was not pleased with the outcome.

“Muttering to himself, the President couldn’t help but wonder, ‘I am not in the top ten?'”