Mr. CEO's Young Mistress

For some inexplicable reason, Sharon's heart skipped a beat. "Do you recognise me?"

Ruby studied her for a while before shaking her head with a smile.

Sharon frowned and whispered, "Then it must have been my imagination."

"Why do you say so? Do you think we've met before?" Ruby asked, curious.

Sharon paused and shook her head.

Ruby did not press her further. She turned around and looked at Simon kindly. "Yolanda called. We better hurry, or she'll start worrying."

Yolanda was Alexandrina's aunt, as well as Simon's mother.

Simon hesitated and glanced at Sharon. "Sharon..."

"We were just about to leave. Well, goodbye, then." Sharon smiled and waved her hand. She pulled a stupefied Melanie along and headed towards Nick, who was watching them from afar. Simon watched as Sharon walked away, his eyes flashing with disappointment.

Ruby reached out to touch his arm and comforted him softly. "You have a long road ahead of you. So what's the rush?"

Simon turned pink, and he grinned bashfully. "We should get going too, Aunt Ruby."

Ruby nodded. They turned around and walked in the opposite direction of Sharon. Before Ruby turned around, she seemed to have glanced in Sharon's direction.

Melanie and Sharon were sitting in the car.

Sharon had been lost in thought ever since she got in, and Melanie had no idea what was going through her mind.

She nudged Sharon gently. "What are you thinking about?"

Sharon's brows furrowed, and she turned to Melanie. "Melanie, I think it's strange."

"Hmm? What do you mean?" Melanie was puzzled.

"I feel like I've seen Simon's aunt before somewhere..." Sharon murmured.

"Where?" Melanie asked.

Sharon pressed her lips together, staring at Melanie. After some thought, she shook her head. "I can't seem to recall exactly where."

"Well, it doesn't really matter, does it? So what if you've seen her before?" Melanie shrugged.

Sharon blinked. She nodded with a small smile. "You're right. I'm overthinking it."

"I think that it's quite normal to think that someone seems familiar even though we've never met," Melanie commented.

"Maybe that's what happened to me. And I don't think I've met her before." Sharon decided.

"That's why you shouldn't think about it anymore. You should reserve your energy for practising questions at home. With the amount of work you have, you'll be busy for days." "Dear me." Sharon touched her forehead dramatically.

"Good luck, beautiful!"

Sharon chuckled.

Sharon had Nick send Melanie back to her home in Washington before heading back to Coral Pavilion.

By the time they arrived at the villa, the sun had already gone down.

Kelley rushed out as soon as they saw the car stop.

She rushed forward when she saw Sharon carrying her bag. Taking over the bag, she immediately frowned at Sharon. "It's so heavy."

"Really? But I'm used to it." Sharon rubbed her shoulders and walked into the villa.

Kelley followed behind her. "Miss, why were you so late today?"

Sharon sighed. "I missed a week of classes, so I had tons of papers to do. I stayed back to finish some of them before leaving."

"Oh, no. When will you be able to complete them?" Kelley was shocked. She hadn't expected children nowadays to have so much on their plates.

"Who knows?" Sharon shook her head sadly.

They walked into the house together. Sharon took off her coat by the door. Her eyes immediately swept over the living room, and she let out a sigh of relief when she saw that he was not downstairs. "He's in the study upstairs," Kelley whispered behind her.

Sharon chose to remain silent.

"Sir hasn't had dinner yet. He was waiting for you." Kelley murmured.

Sharon pressed her lips together, frowned, and headed to the living room.

Kelley stood in the doorway. "Miss, shall I fetch Sir for dinner now?"

It wasn't until Sharon walked into the washroom did she hum softly in approval.

Kelley paused before grinning. She placed Sharon's bag onto the sofa and went upstairs briskly.

Standing outside of the study, Kelley raised her hand to knock on the door.

"What is it?"

A timbre voice answered after a moment.

"Sir, Miss has returned. She is waiting to have dinner with you downstairs," Kelley announced.

"I'll be there right away."

The man replied very quickly this time.

Kelley suppressed a smile. When she heard footsteps coming from the room, she turned around and went downstairs.

Kelley was halfway down the stairs when she heard the door upstairs creak open.

She looked up to see a tall man dressed in a black shirt and clean trousers walk out of the room.

His face was as stoic as usual as he strode towards the stairs.

Kelley turned around and hastened her steps. She dashed to the kitchen and brought out all the warm dishes.

Sharon came out of the washroom just as Leonard came downstairs, and their eyes met.

Both of them froze in surprise.

Almost immediately, Sharon swiftly looked away and walked towards the kitchen.

Leonard's brow twitched almost imperceptibly.

Sharon helped Kelley bring the dishes out to the dining table.

Kelley put some food on two plates for them and left the dining area.

Sharon stood beside the table as she watched Kelley walk out, a frown stretching across her face.

"Sit," Leonard ordered, after sitting down himself.

Sharon lowered her eyes and sat down in her usual seat.

They were seated facing each other, just like how they usually were.

Out of the corner of her eye, Sharon saw Leonard pick up his fork. She pursed her lips and followed suit.

They ate in pin-drop silence, not even hearing sounds of chewing.

Sharon soon finished her meal. Setting her utensils down, she mumbled with her head hung low, "I've finished." Sharon stood up, about to leave.

"Sit down!"

His voice was calm, with no trace of anger, but it still sent a shiver down one's spine.

Sharon stiffened, her lips pressing into a fine line. She muttered, "I'm going upstairs to study."

"Do not make me repeat myself!"

Leonard's voice was low, but he did not look at her.

Sharon watched as he lifted an empty bowl and poured some mushroom soup into it.

Sharon's fists clenched.

She did not want to argue with him because she knew she would be on the losing end.

Reluctantly, she returned to her seat. Her hands were on her knees as she glared at him resentfully.

He filled the bowl up and effortlessly placed it directly in front of her.

Sharon was bewildered.

Leonard finally lifted his head to look at her. "Finish it."

Sharon looked at him dumbly.

"Did he just stop me because he wanted me to drink soup?" she wondered, incredulous.

Leonard observed her quietly and said gently, "Finish the soup before you go."

When Sharon heard his tender voice, she felt a tingly sensation in her nose, as well as in her heart.

She looked at the bowl in front of her and sighed silently. She reached out and took the bowl, taking slow sips.

Leonard's face softened.

Sharon quickly finished her soup and placed the empty bowl on the

table, She licked her lips afet

at

. "I've finished it "oke +

M

Leonard glanced at her plump lips, his eyes darkening. He hummed in response.

"So, can I go upstairs now?" Sharon asked.

Leonard smiled. "Go ahead."

Sharon got up and stepped towards the door.

Leonard watched her like a hawk.

But just as she reached the door, she paused.

Leonard narrowed his eyes slightly, looking at her back. Slowly, he asked, "What's wrong?"

Sharon turned her head, her eyes hesitant. "S-Shall I accompany you?"

Leonard's eyes lit up as he stared at her heatedly. "Would you?"

Sharon stood unmoving. After a pause, she went back to her seat.

Leonard stared transfixed at the girl sitting across from him, his heart warm.

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Sharon also realised that he seemed to be in a happier mood after she to stay with him, his lips even curling up slightly.

He would peek at her from time to time, his eyes bright with childlike happiness. Seeing him in this state felt so foreign to Sharon, but it also warmed her heart.

Ever since she was young, this tall man had seemed as steady as a rock.

He had given her a home. On top of that, he gave her a sense of security that no one else could.

She had always regarded him as her elder, as well as her closest family.

To her, he resembled an unshakeable tree. He would always extend his branches to shelter her from the wind and rain.

How lovely it would be if they stayed like that. Forever.

A trace of sadness suddenly flashed across Sharon's eyes, so quick it was hard to catch.

After Leonard had his fill, they left together, and Kelley came in to clean up after them. When they passed by the living room, Sharon reached out to grab her bag from the sofa. Suddenly, a large hand reached out and picked it up before she could.

Sharon turned around, surprised.

Bet

Leonard was looking at her with deep and gentle eyes, lips curled into a smile. Holding Sharon's bag in one

hand, he clasped his other with Sharon's.

He tightened his grip, making Sharon's heart race.

...0000