Mr. CEO, You're Just A Substitute

People in the meeting room were relieved after Filip left.

However, Austin could not sigh a relief because he was Filip's secretary and he was supposed to follow Filip wherever he went. Following several feet behind Filip, Austin held his breath.

Filip entered the lift as it arrived.

Staff of the secretary department immediately sat up straight when they saw the rage on Filip's face as he passed by.

Once in the office, Filip turned around to gaze at Austin and commanded impatiently, frowning, "Shoot!"

"A staff of Flameheart just called. Their leader wanted to have a meal with you. Which time do you think is better, this week or next week?"

Filip answered without hesitation, "Turn them down."

"Got it. I'll tell them."

Filip did not respond. Austin fled from his office with business files without any other words.

People came over and crowded around Austin when he had just left Filip's office, "What happened to Mr. Pearson? Was there anything wrong during the meeting?"

Austin cast a look at the door of Filip's office to make sure Filip would not walk out of his office now. He whispered, "I have no idea. The business plan was not good enough and he was angry about it. Then, his phone suddenly buzzed and he was more furious after reading the message."

"I guess he'll stay angry for a long while."

"Who knows! Let's get back to work now. I hope I can go home soon!"

Indeed, no one wanted to infuriate Filip anymore.

Filip was alone in his office after Austin left.

He took up the phone and read the message again.

His phone buzzed again when he had just finished reading.

It was a call from the Pearson residence.

Eyebrows knitted, Filip picked up the call, "Aunt Martha."

"Young master, Lady Frances wants you to come home for dinner tonight."

Before he could answer, Martha added, "Today, the old lady asked someone to clean Ms. Bradley's room and they found something she left."

"Got it."

"Alright, good bye, sir."

After hanging up the call, Filip rubbed his temples heavily.

It was getting dark outside and his phone was silent.

Dillon did not send any other message to him since the last one ten minutes ago.

Filip picked up his phone and read the message one more time, turned off his phone and then turned it on again.

Again and again. He could not wait any longer, so he texted Dillon, "So you are the one who spread rumors now?"

Dillon did not text back as quickly as usual. He stared at the phone and grew more and more irritated. Three minutes after he sent the text, he turned off the phone, put it back in his pocket and left the office. He directly went to the Pearson residence after he left the company.

The dinner was ready. Frances greeted him, "Welcome home, Filip. Dinner is ready." Lily was there too.

Lily did not dare to provoke Filip anymore, so she kept quiet throughout the dinner. After their meal, Frances sat on the sofa eating fruits while Lilly browsing her phone. Filip was peeling a pear. He did not like pears and he handed the peeled pear to Lily. Lily was surprised and could not believe her eyes. She asked haltingly, "For... for me?" "You can throw it away if you don't want it."

Filip took out a piece of tissue and wiped the pear juice on his fingers.

It would be a great loss if Lily did not accept the peeled pear.

"Thanks, Filip!"

Filip answered with a monosyllable word. Then, he glanced at Frances and broached a new topic, "I heard that the maids have found something Starry left in her room today." Frances eyed him and asked, "Do you want to have a look?"

Filip pressed his lips and answered, "Yes. I can give them back to her tomorrow since I have some deals with her."

Frances did not buy his explanation at all, and yet she did not debunk his lie, "Then come with me."

She took out a piece of tissue to wipe her hands and then stood up to walk upstairs.

Filip followed her. Lily was curious about the things that the maid had found, but she did not dare to ask either her brother or her grandmother. She stared behind them.

Then, she turned to Martha and asked, "Aunt Martha, what did you find in Starry's room?"

Martha smiled and answered, "I have no idea. Frances did not show them to me."

Lily pouted. She knew that Martha must have lied to her, but she did not dare to complain since, after working for the family for so many years, Martha was also greatly respected by the whole family. Frances walked straight ahead to the study. Once in it, she handed a file bag to Filip, "These things belong to her. Return them to her tomorrow."

"Okay."

Filip took the file bag and answered.

Frances cast another glance at him and asked, "I heard that you wanted to bid a vase for me. Did you win the bid?"

"No, I didn't"

Frances frowned, "Who won the bid then?"

"Starry."

"What did she bid that for?"

Filip did not answer the question but said, "Good night. I have a meeting tomorrow morning, so maybe I should go home now." Frances waved her hands and said, "You go ahead."

Filip nodded and then exited the study.

Martha then entered the study with cups of tea. Realizing that Filip was leaving, she asked, "Young master, why not stay here tonight?" "No. I have a meeting tomorrow morning."

Martha sighed with pity. Yet, she did not persuade him to stay but only told him to take care of himself and then entered the study.

Frances commented as soon as Martha was in the room, "Humph, he'll learn some lessons this time.

Martha was amused by Frances's attitude, "Well, he is your grandson after all. Why not give him your best wishes?"

Frances took a sip of her tea and said, "He asked for it."

After a pause, she added, "I asked him about the vase just now. He looked quite upset."

Martha answered with a tone of helplessness, "He is still young and not experienced in these matters."

"He is not that young. He is just too proud."

Frances knew her grandson well. His reaction today made his attitude and feelings towards Starry well clear to her.

He was too proud-he always convinced himself that Starry had been good to him only because of the contract they once signed and he never admitted his love for her. Humph, let him suffer from his pride.

When Lily saw Filip come downstairs, her eyes roamed over the file bag in his hand curiously. However, he left the villa determinedly and was out of her sight soon. Filip walked out of the villa and straight to his car parked outside.

Instead of starting the engine, he sat in the car with mixed feelings, staring at the file bag for a long while before he opened it.

He turned it upside down and something slid out.

The dim street lamp shone through the window, enabling him to have a look at it. It was a sketch and he recognized the figure on the sketch at first sight.

He was startled. It was him.

It was him in Starry's sketch.