Mr. CEO Sassy Bride

Nelson tried to conceal his surprise better but his face still betrayed a hint of astonishment he couldn’t suppress.

If he had not been the one to order the clothing she adorned, he might have convinced himself that the woman in front of him was not Leilani.

She donned a tight black dress that clung to every curve, with a slit running up the side and a low-cut neckline between her perfect breasts.

It was a devastating combination, wrapped in a seductive bow. Her silky brown locks cascaded down her shoulders in loose waves, adding to her breathtaking appearance.

She exuded a presence that demanded attention, a woman who could easily be seen by a man like Nelson. However, her makeup was nothing to write home about.

On her lips was a bold red lipstick, complemented by a thick layer of foundation on her face, giving the impression of a painted wall. And if that weren’t enough, a generous amount of blush adorned her cheeks, making her look like a clown.

Nelson couldn’t help but realize her ploy, and the rage inside him caused his features to contort with malice. He clenched his fists tighter, barely containing the urge to strangle her in that moment.

To add insult to injury, Leilani sauntered closer to where he stood, wearing a smug grin the whole time. “Sorry for keeping you waiting, hubby,” she said with a wink, and in that instant, Nelson wanted nothing more than to end her life then and there.

And to make matters worse, the media had begun to approach them, eager to interview the wife of a prominent business tycoon in the country.

But as they neared, they couldn’t help but take notice of Leilani’s ridiculous makeup. Murmurs and chuckles could be heard among the journalists, and they wasted no time in capturing Leilani and Nelson together, with Leilani standing out in particular. Her makeup was so outrageous that some of them couldn’t contain their laughter.

“No, you can’t do that here, please stop!” Herbert stepped forward, attempting to block the cameras from snapping photos of the couple.

But the media didn’t heed his request. And to make matters worse, Leilani turned her attention to them, smiling and waving at the cameras with a false sense of grace.

As Leilani displayed her attitude towards the media, Herbert was taken aback, his jaw dropped in shock. He couldn’t help but think, “Did she not even glance in the mirror before stepping out?” With an internal eye roll, he resumed his struggle to prevent the press from recording.

Suddenly, Nelson forcefully grabbed Leilani’s hand and hurriedly dragged her away with him. Leilani had expected this kind of behavior from him. Despite smiling to herself, she quickly stopped when Nelson abruptly let go of her hand behind the event space.

“What the hell is wrong with you, Leilani? Are you actually crazy? How could you do this to me on such an important occasion? Are you out of your mind?” Nelson’s fists tightened in rage as his intimidating form shook, his jaw clenching and unclenching. The fire in his eyes showed his desire to destroy something, a volcano ready to erupt.

Leilani had never seen him this furious before, and she instinctively took a step back. She knew he would be angry, but she didn’t expect him to be this angry. He looked like he wanted to tear her into pieces.

“Well, that’s what happens when you hold me captive and make promises with no intention of fulfilling them,” Leilani retorted confidently, without stuttering or shaking.

“If you had kept to our agreement, I wouldn’t have had any complications in doing my job properly, but you–”

Before she could finish her sentence, Leilani found herself suddenly submerged in the large swimming pool next to where they were standing. Struggling to catch her breath, she coughed out the water in her mouth and quickly wiped her face, staring at Nelson in shock. She couldn’t believe what had just happened.

“This is the ultimate level of wickedness I’ve ever witnessed, you imbecile! Let me out of here!” she shouted, splashing water to keep herself from drowning.

Nelson’s lips contorted into a sneer as he slipped his hands into his pockets and spat, “That’s what you get for crossing me, you insane woman. Sort yourself out, and if you can’t, then drown in your own misery.” With a scoff, he turned on his heel and strode away.

“Hey! Don’t you dare leave me here! I don’t even know how to swim!” Leilani’s screams echoed after him as she thrashed in the water, desperately trying to stay afloat. But Nelson didn’t spare her a backward glance, let alone stop walking.

Terrified, Leilani looked around the vast pool, panic rising within her. She screamed for help, but there was no one coming to her aid.

“God, am I really going to die here?” she whimpered, attempting to swim to safety but failing. Water, especially in large quantities, had always been her greatest fear.

Meanwhile, Nelson had returned to the party, where awards were being given out to those deemed worthy. He took his seat among other influential individuals, but his mind was elsewhere.

“I don’t even know how to swim!” Leilani’s words kept ringing in his ears, and he tried to block them out, to no avail. He couldn’t help stealing glances at his watch, feeling increasingly agitated.

“And now, I’d like to invite our man of honor to say a few words. Please give a round of applause for Mr. Nelson Carter,” the host announced into the mic, and the audience erupted in cheers.

Nelson rose from his seat, attempting to force a smile, but it faltered on his lips. As the applause continued, he made his way to the stage, but suddenly, he stopped in his tracks as Leilani’s words replayed in his mind.

“Shit!” he cursed under his breath before breaking into a sprint, leaving the audience bewildered and murmuring amongst themselves.

Back at the pool, Nelson’s heart pounded in his chest as he looked for Leilani, but she was nowhere to be seen.

“Lani?” he called out, his voice soft at first, as he approached the pool.

“Lani!” he shouted in a fury, catching a glimpse of her beneath the shimmering water. Herbert, who had followed his boss, was concerned by Nelson’s reckless dive into the pool.

Swimming to the bottom, Nelson retrieved Leilani from the depths of the pool. Despite his repeated calls, she showed no sign of movement.

“Shit! Shit! Shit! Have the damn doctor meet me at home now!” Nelson instructed his assistant as he lifted Leilani’s lifeless form and hurried out of the premises.

“Right away, sir!” Herbert responded promptly, dialing Nelson’s personal doctor’s number.Belongs to (N)ôvel/Drama.Org.

“Get out of here, you worthless journalists!” Herbert bellowed at the few reporters capturing the scene as he raced after Nelson.

When they reached the backseat of the car, with Leilani still cradled in his arms, Herbert took the wheel and began driving.

“Open your eyes, Leilani,” Nelson pleaded, gently tapping her face, but to no avail.

“Lani, stop playing and open your damn eyes,” he demanded firmly, starting chest compressions.

But still, Leilani showed no sign of consciousness, and without hesitation, Nelson leaned down and gave her mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.

Herbert watched this from the rearview mirror and grinned. Nelson looked up at him with a fierce glare and growled, “Drive faster or I’ll throw you out of this car!”

“I’m following traffic laws, Mr. Carter,” Herbert argued.

“Who gives a damn about laws? Step on it, Herbert!” Nelson commanded, his voice carrying a lethal edge.

At his boss’s order, Herbert increased the speed, overtaking any cars in their path.

*

The next morning, Leilani opened her eyes to the faint glow of early dawn shining on her face from the window.

“Ugh,” she groaned, holding her head as she sat up gingerly in bed.

Wait, bed?

As she blinked, the realization flooded her senses. She was truly lying on the bed. But wait, what occurred? Why was she not on the floor as she should be?

As she pondered these uncertainties, her thoughts wandered back to the previous evening, and that was when everything came rushing back to her.

She remembered how her so-called husband had forcefully thrown her into the pool. How she had desperately fought to break free, but to no avail, and how she had eventually succumbed to the water.

Yet, here she was this morning, alive and well. This could only mean that someone had come to her rescue.

But who was it?

The sound of the door opening snapped her back to reality, and as she turned to see who it was, she couldn’t help but admire Nelson’s stunning appearance in his running shorts and simple white t-shirt.

Rolling her eyes, Leilani shifted her gaze away from him. If it weren’t for her brother’s involvement, she would have gladly disappeared from Nelson’s life for good last night.

“So, how was paradise? Did you enjoy your little dip?” Nelson’s mocking words filled the room.