You, CEO’s Secret Wife

"I ca–called you, but y–you didn't answer." Tears streamed down Hui's cheeks as she struggled to keep her cool, but every time she tried to speak, her voice would crack and stutter.     

    

"It wouldn't hurt you to give me a few more calls wouldn't it?" Xia Bingbing snapped, pacing around her office. Her cheeks were flushed and her creamy stilettos pressed against the scattered documents around her. It had been three weeks ago when she had first met Huo Liancheng. They were in Hilton–when her grandfather, the Chairman of Ming's, had invited him to take over their company for the next few months. The first time she saw him, it was love at first sight. She didn't know that such a handsome man could even exist in this world.     

    

Not only was he handsome, but he was capable. This was the type of man that was far too good to be true–any woman would be insane enough not to fall for him.     

    

During that time, Xia Bingbing had walked up to him with her bold lips and fierce gaze. Why wouldn't she? She had always been confident in her own beauty, and she had plenty of suitors to prove that claim. However, before she could even speak to him, he had walked past her with a cold flash in his eyes that could render anyone silent. While others would've been discouraged, she treated it as a challenge.     

    

The next day, she called him under the guise of her grandfather and requested him to meet her at the coffee shop. There, she confessed her feelings for him, expecting that he'd say the same thing in return.     

    

What she didn't expect was for him to immediately turn and walk away without even waiting for her to say a single word. Her hands clenched in anger, and Xia Bingbing was just about to give him a piece of her mind when she saw him place an arm around that ugly woman's waist. Rage had taken over, and before she could get a hold of herself, she had already grabbed a coffee cup and poured it all over that woman, only to be pushed back and defeated at the end. Her shoulder ached at the reminder, and she gritted her teeth. From that point on, she had promised herself that she'd get her revenge and that she'd get her man.     

    

That was the only reason why she had entered Ming's as one of their managers. She thought that she'd be able to see Huo Liancheng every single day and charm him one step at a time, but she didn't expect that the 28th floor would be off-limits to simply employees like her. Because of this, she never had a chance to see him in person. And now that he had gone down to the staff's cafeteria to eat, it seemed that her opportunity to speak to him had passed like a fly.     

    

"But I do have something to tell you." Just as the woman was about to hit her again, Hui quickly changed the topic. "That Jian Yun is everywhere! She has this lawyer boyfriend who seems to know President Huo. He had even invited them to eat together at the same table!"     

    

"She has a boyfriend?" As expected, Xia Bingbing narrowed her eyes in attention.     

    

Hui nodded rapidly. "Yeah! But get this, she didn't finish her meal and left her boyfriend alone. When I tried to see where she was heading, I saw her going up to the 28th floor to follow him!"     

    

"That slut! Isn't she satisfied with her man already?" Xia Bingbing threw her stapler across the room, watching it slam against the wall before dropping onto the sofa. "Does she want to hook up with every rich man she sees? Doesn't she know when to quit?"     

    

"That's right! We can't let this slut stay in Ming's any longer," Hui whispered in agreement, hiding in the corner. When she saw the stapler flew from the other side of the room, she couldn't help but flinch. The last thing she ever wanted to be was on the receiving end of Xia Bingbing's anger. Although she may not look like it, the woman was lethal. Her stilettos were sharp enough to stab someone to death. "Otherwise, she might even steal him from you."     

    

At her words, Xia Bingbing grew even more feral. "Liancheng is mine! No one can take him away from me. No one!"     

    

"Sister Bingbing, lower your voice or else someone might hear you."     

    

"So what? Let them!" She scowled, flipping her hair. However, a part of her agreed. If Jian Yun stayed here any longer, the bitch might find a way to snag Liancheng out of her arms. Xia Bingbing needed to find a way to get rid of that woman. "Do you see everything around you? All of this belongs to my grandfather! Huo Liancheng may be managing this place, but this company still doesn't belong to him. I rule the corridors around here!"     

    

In the HR Department, all the employees tilted their heads towards the commotion coming from the manager's office, shaking their heads in disappointment. Manager Xia had always lost her temper every two to three days, so it wasn't really that surprising anymore. In fact, by the time she was done, they'd end up with broken appliances and crumpled papers that they were ordered to replace. At this point, it felt like they were handling a baby rather than a manager. If this went on, no one would be able to take it anymore. The salary may be competitive, but this mistreatment was just too much!     

    

Wu Wenjing was located closer to the manager's office. With her sensitive ears, she could hear almost everything that had transpired inside the office. "They're talking about President Huo," she mouthed to Jian Yun–who was sitting a few feet away from her.     

    

Jian Yun suppressed the urge to roll her eyes. From the sound of that woman's voice, the entire department had already heard her stake her claim on Huo Liancheng, but even then, they weren't all that affected. After all, it was impossible for such an ambitious man like him to fall for such a brainless woman. In fact, even if Xia Bingbing was the last woman on earth, she could bet that he wouldn't even touch her...     

    

Would he? Uneasiness crept into her chest at the thought of him even touching her, and she shuddered.     

    

Suddenly, she recalled the night when he had told her the truth–that he and Xia Bingbing had absolutely no relationship at all, that the woman wasn't even pregnant with his child–or any child for that matter!     

    

Blinking, Jian Yun turned away. There was no point in thinking about this. Besides, his relationships had absolutely nothing to do with her!     

    

The afternoon had passed by quickly, and she used most of her spare time to gulp down as much hot water as she could. Her pain was slightly relieved, and the more hours she had busied herself with all the documents stacked on her desk, the more she had forgotten the discomfort in her stomach. By the time, she had finally looked up, it was almost time to leave.     

    

Xia Bingbing had left with Hui before 4 P.M., leaving the entire department to themselves. Seeing the crazy woman stepped into the elevator and vanished from their sights, the other employees breathed a sigh of relief, relaxing. It was as if a large burden had been lifted from their shoulders. They wouldn't be working overtime tonight, that was for sure! Celebrating, they turned to their nearest colleague, discussing what they wanted to eat at dinner.     

    

Not having the strength to talk, she leaned against the table with a hand pressed against her stomach. Now that she didn't have much work left, it was as if her body was already falling apart by the second.     

    

She had three more minutes until she could get off work, but just as she was about to turn off her computer, a notification popped up from the corner of her screen. Jian Yun quickly opened the email to see four words: "Come up after work!"     

    

It was from the CEO's office.     

    

She pretended not to see it and aimed to close the mail. However, just as her arrow had hovered on the bottom left corner, another notification had popped up. With a sigh, she pressed on it again.     

    

"You dropped your phone here."     

    

That was the message that had struck her interest.     

    

At first, she had assumed that Huo Liancheng was making it up, but as she maneuvered around her desk and drawers, there was still no trace of her phone. Jian Yun frowned. She had remembered calling Wu Wenjing in the bathroom and had placed her phone on the sink once she was finished. After changing her clothes and putting her stained dress into her bag, she didn't waste any time before sprinting right out of the bathroom. Her cheeks flushed. So she really had forgotten it!     

    

"Why am I so stupid?" Jian Yun murmured to herself, knocking her head with her fists.     

    

"Who's stupid?" Wu Wenjing had walked over to her with her bag slung over her shoulders, impatiently tapping her foot on the floor. "Yun, are you going or not? Why don't we grab a bite?"     

    

"I have an appointment." Afraid that her friend would see the email, she quickly closed it.     

    

"With whom?" Wu Wenjing waggled her eyebrows, nudging her by the shoulders. "Is it with President Huo?"     

    

"Zhou Shaolong," Jian Yun replied listlessly, but her mind was far from her date with the lawyer. Instead, she couldn't help but think of how she was going to get her phone from the twenty-eighth floor without interacting with Huo Liancheng. Resisting the urge to scowl, she decided to focus all her attention on the desk in front of her. 'Out of sight, out of mind,' she thought mockingly.     

    

"And here I thought you'd be continuing your date with President Huo." Wu Wenjing pouted and sighed. "I don't even know why you like that lawyer."     

    

Jian Yun snorted. "Who says I like him?"     

    

"Huh?" Wu Wenjing furrowed her eyebrows. "Why are you dating him if you don't like him?"     

    

"It's not dating. It's just–my mother likes him, and you know how she is. Whenever she sees a picture of a man she likes, she'd ultimately push me towards him until I agree on a second date." Jian Yun sighed, shaking her head dismissively. Not wanting to see Huo Liancheng right away, she leaned against her desk once again, trying to lengthen the time she had before the inevitable.