Married To the Billionaire CEO

Isabel would never take it lightly with Lilian. Is she trying to seduce Alex and drive a wedge between him and his family? Isabel was not the submissive wife she appeared to be; she failed to see through the affairs happening when she was still married to Alex.

She was more intelligent than Lilian and would never tolerate infidelity in her marriage. Alex has never belonged to her and never will. He was hers, and hers alone.

***

The following day, Lilian prepared her daughter for school. It was Aurora's first day at school and also Lilian's first day at her workplace. As Lilian looked at her daughter, she saw how great she looked in her school uniform. At four and a half years old, Aurora possessed the intelligence and maturity of a ten-year-old.

"Will you take me to school, mommy?" Aurora asked in her adorable voice. She had been attending kindergarten at her previous school until her mother informed her that they were moving back to their home country and enrolling in a new school.

"Of course, my dear. I'll drive you to school and pick you up later," Lilian replied, planting a kiss on Aurora's forehead before escorting her to the car.

After getting into the car and starting the engine, Aurora was filled with excitement about attending a new school and making new friends.

Lilian dropped her off at school and then proceeded to the MetroXcel company where she was scheduled to start work. As she stepped out of the elevator, she accidentally bumped into a tall figure. Nearly losing her balance, she found herself falling into the man's arms.

"Oh gosh…I'm so sorry…" Feeling embarrassed, Lilian quickly muttered an apology before regaining her composure.

For a moment, she caught a whiff of the man's pleasant scent, and oddly enough, Lilian found it somewhat familiar. Apologizing, she hadn't yet lifted her head to look at the man's face when he casually nudged her aside, taking out a handkerchief to clean the areas of his arms and suit where Lilian had inadvertently fallen.

With his back turned to her, the man nonchalantly proceeded out of the elevator, leaving Lilian behind as the doors slowly closed. Glancing around, she noticed unfamiliar faces staring at her.

"Hello, I'm Lilian, a new employee of the company. I need to see the CEO first before settling into the office," Lilian explained to the person nearest to her.

She had been directed to the executive officer's floor to meet him. Presuming the person she was addressing was a secretary, given the ID card hanging around her neck, Lilian continued the conversation.

"Don't you recognize the CEO if you see him?" the lady asked, to which Lilian responded in the negative. She had never met him before.

"I assume the man you collided with as you exited the elevator is the CEO, and I guess that he's currently going on a business trip," the secretary responded, offering a smile to Lilian.

Lilian was left speechless. The CEO was departing as she was arriving. Who would now facilitate her introduction to the office?

"Welcome, Lilian. I'm Aiden Rowan, the vice president," a voice called out from the other side of the lobby.

Turning towards the voice, Lilian laid eyes on a charming man who bore an uncanny resemblance to her daughter. Squinting for a moment, she then smiled.

"Hello," Lilian greeted him with a friendly smile. She approached him, and they shook hands before he invited her to follow him.

As she turned back, Lilian flashed a smile at the secretary who had initially spoken to her and waved. The secretary offered a slight bow and returned the smile.

The secretary was immediately taken with Lilian and found herself drawn to her. Lilian's infectious smile had a way of spreading warmth and goodwill.

Aiden escorted Lilian to his office, a well-appointed room featuring an elegant sofa and a desk crafted from exquisite wood, possibly mahogany.

"Please, have a seat," Aiden offered warmly, gesturing to the sophisticated sofa. "I'll be the one welcoming you to the company since the CEO will be away for a week."

As Lilian settled into the seat, Aiden continued, "I'm Aiden Rowan, Allen Rowan's brother." He took a casual sip of wine before adding, "I'll give you a quick introduction to the company."

Lilian, impressed by Aiden's friendly demeanor, smiled appreciatively. "Thank you, Mr. Aiden. I'm looking forward to getting started."

Aiden suddenly laughed.

"Please. Aiden will do just fine."

Embarrassed, Lilian nodded once with a smile.

After the brief introduction of the company, Aiden rose to his feet.

"Let me show you to your office."

Lilian followed him as they walked through the office corridors, reeling with excitement about her new job.

"Here's your workspace. Aiden uttered as he opened the door that led to her workspace. "Make yourself comfortable and feel free to ask me any questions if you need help."

Lilian stepped inside and took in a deep breath, feeling a sense of anticipation.

"Thank you, Aiden. I'll be sure to reach out if I need guidance."

Later that day, Aiden approached Lilian in her new office.

"I have your first assignment for you," he said with a smile. "You'll be tasked with creating a marketing campaign for our upcoming product launch."

Lilian's eyes lit up with excitement. "That sounds like a great opportunity! I can't wait to dive in and start working on it."

"I like your enthusiasm. Keep that up." He commended with a smile and went on to explain the details.

Lilian was diligent at her job and immediately got to work. After drafting the sketches and preparing to start the designs on her system, it was time for lunch. During her break, she coincidentally ran into Aiden in the cafeteria.

"There you are." He greeted her with a charming smile. "Would you like to join me for lunch?" He offered as she looked around at the orderliness of the canteen with wonder.

"Sure, I'd love that." She beamed.

They ordered their meal and ate quietly.

The more Lilian observed Aiden, the more she noticed similarities between him and her daughter.

She found it strange to contemplate whether Aiden could be her daughter's father, but she was not willing to share Aurora's affection with anyone else. Aurora belonged solely to her, and she was not prepared to accept anyone else as her father figure. She was adamant about not allowing any man to come forward and request shared custody of her daughter.

"Have we met before?" Lilian suddenly asked, acting on her impulsive thoughts. Aiden looked up at her, creasing his brows in confusion.

"I don't believe so. I only saw your resume and photos this morning."

Lilian smiled, embarrassed.

"I'm sorry, I just…can't shake this feeling of familiarity with you, but perhaps it's just a coincidence. Let's not dwell on it."

Aiden chuckled at her words.

"What makes you think we've met before?"

"I…I don't know…I just feel that way." She shrugged. When he tried to keep the conversation going, Lilian kept changing the topic, and soon, he realized that she wasn't interested in that talk anymore, so he decided to let it go.

***

Ryan eagerly waited for Maureen's arrival, and his face lit up with joy when she entered. When they saw each other, Maureen waved slightly, and he waved back at her. Taking the seat across from him, she greeted him with a faint smile.

"I was hoping you'd come. I'm glad you did." Ryan uttered with a grin.

"Me too. Thank you for inviting me. I don't go out…often." she uttered shyly and he smirked.

"No need to thank me. It's my pleasure."

Ryan signaled the waiter to take their orders. Maureen chose a Caesar salad while Ryan opted for a grilled chicken sandwich, and they began their meal. Engaging in light banter, Ryan shared stories that had Maureen laughing.

As they finished their lunch, Ryan settled the bill and then took Maureen's hand as they left the restaurant. They headed towards Ryan's car, and once inside, Ryan turned to Maureen.

"I know this is weird, but…I think we should be friends first, and get to know each other better. If you're interested, maybe we could consider a relationship... if you're not already seeing someone, that is." He broke the silence, tilting his head awkwardly with a shrug.

Maureen found him quite sweet and smiled.

"I... I don't know what to say."

Maureen had felt a connection with Ryan since they first met the day before, and his proposition left her both intrigued and unsure. He was quite a charmer and all, and she never really gave any sort of romantic relationship a thought until that moment.

Ryan went on to tell her that he was currently single and had not been in a relationship for a long time. He waited for Maureen's response but she just lowered her head with a sigh.

"I'll give you time, but we can still see each other," Ryan proposed. However, Maureen declined to start a relationship with him for a specific reason.

"Why don't you want to be with me? What's the reason?" Ryan asked, narrowing his gaze at Maureen. She remained silent once again. Ryan understood that she was shy but already had some interest in him.

Ryan thought for a moment and could only think of one possible reason: Lilian! Maureen must be concerned about his relationship with Lilian.

"If you're worried about Lilian, let me assure you that we are just friends. I will talk to her and make it clear that I have feelings for you and want to start a relationship," Ryan explained, hoping to ease Maureen's concerns.