The CEO’s Substitute Lover

Octavia Gills lifted her face, and with teary eyes, she looked at him and turned to walk out the door.

Tredan Davi stayed in place. “Octavia!”

Octavia Gills walked slowly.

Tredan Davi’s heart was full of remorse, “Octavia, I’m sorry! I… I missed you too much?? yesterday…”

Octavia Gills stopped, her tone full of sadness: “Tredan Davi, leave me alone, I don’t want to be a tool for your lust anymore, I just want to start my life over.”

Tredan Davi caught up with her in two steps, grabbed her arm, and said sharply, “You’re not a tool, Octavia, you know how I feel.”

Octavia Gills stopped and looked at the man she had loved for twenty years in front of her, disheartened. “I know your heart, you said you loved me.”

Tredan Davi quickly nodded his head.

“Tredan, I’m just an ordinary woman who knows I’m not worthy of your illustrious family, the past is over, you’re engaged and soon to be married. You love me in a way I can’t accept, I can’t be your secret lover anymore. Let us, each of us, be at peace!”

“Will you stand still!” Looking at Octavia Gills’ back, Tredan Davi’s heart caught fire.

“What do you mean, you’re fine? It’s you who wants to be at peace, isn’t it?”

Tredan Davi turned Octavia Gills around and stared into her eyes as he asked.

“Are you in love with Eddison, after all, you still want to marry into the Davi Family, you don’t think I can marry you, so you found someone who could? Did you?”

Octavia Gills looked at Tredan Davi’s angry face and was suddenly discouraged, “Well, if you say so, at least Eddison is single!”

“Slap!” Tredan Davi looked up and slapped her.

Octavia Gills fell to the ground in an instant.

Tredan Davi hastily knelt and reached out to help her up, regretful as hell.

Octavia Gills pushed his hand away, gritted her teeth, and stood up without looking at him as she hobbled out the door.

Tredan Davi remained in that crouched, kneeling position and looked at his hand, the hand that had just slapped Octavia Gills, the hand that had just been pushed away by Octavia Gills.

Tredan Davi clenched his hand into a fist and punched the ground.

When Domino came to see Octavia Gills, she had just finished writing an inscription.

“All that was, like yesterday’s death

From now on, like today’s birth

This righteousness regenerates the body”

Domino and Gar looked at each other and neither one of them said anything.

Octavia Gills looked back at them and smiled, “Is it my bad writing? It’s been a long time since I practiced my writing.”

“No, no, it’s quite good. It’s the Four Sermons on the End, and I’ve almost forgotten it. I’m, ah, slowly turning into an uneducated person now.” Domino smiled forcibly.

“Let me frame it for you, sister, and hang it on the wall.” Gar sighed inwardly, still smiling on the surface.

Octavia Gills thought about it, “Yeah, you can have it.”

Gar walked away and Domino wanted to say something.

Octavia Gills took her hand, “Domino, I know what you want to say, I know it all in my heart. Anyway, it’s enough to have loved. You don’t have to worry, I’ve got a lot to do next, my film will soon be shown in the UK and I will need to promote it. I’ve decided to start an animation company with Eddison, and we have a creative deal with Woodrow’s company, you see, there’s so much to do, I’m going to have to forget about it. Love, after all, can’t be all there is, can it?”

This left a bitter taste in Domino’s mouth and heart.

“Octavia, I’m on your side in whatever decision you make, we’re sisters for life!” She hugged Octavia Gills.

“I’m content with you, Mum, Gar, and Eldwin.” Octavia Gills whispered in response to her hug.

Domino’s mood turned sour.

Woodrow doesn’t know what’s wrong with him, and he’s been a bit cranky these last few days.

When he and Domino dined that day, she wanted to sit a little longer and have ice cream, but Woodrow was anxious to see Tredan Davi, and muttered, “Women are a pain in the ass!”

Domino flipped out on the spot, “Woodrow, who matters more to you, me or Tredan?”

Woodrow frowned, “Don’t be unreasonable, I’m annoyed enough as it is.”

Domino gasps, “Fine! I’m irrational, I’m annoying, then I’ll disappear.”

After the unhappy break-up with Woodrow, Domino also wondered how their fight had come to be.

But Woodrow hadn’t called her, so naturally, she wouldn’t take the initiative to do so.

Thus, the inexplicable cold war started.

The two have been in a relationship for over a year now, and this is the first time they’ve ever been in such a mess.

After thinking calmly, Domino realizes that she and Woodrow don’t know each other very well, especially when it comes to their families.

Neither one of them had ever asked about the other’s family home, and although they’ve both been to each other’s flat, they both knew that it did not count as their ‘real home’.

Neither one of them has mentioned how their families are doing.

Domino only knows that Woodrow’s brothers are abroad and the family business will be inherited by him in the future.

Woodrow also knew only that Domino’s parents were abroad, that Domino was a professional woman and was financially independent, and that Domino had never been financially dependent on Woodrow.

Woodrow doesn’t give a damn about Domino’s family background; to him, a thousand-year-old girl, a little girl, or even a Cinderella, doesn’t stop him from falling in love with her.

But it seems, they know very little about each other’s families.

Neither of them cared about this, as they felt that loving each other was a matter between two people and no one else.

If there are people in their families who are opposed to their relationship, and who may obstruct their love just like in the 8 o’clock dramas, it really didn’t matter.

Apart from that, the two know each other like the back of their hands, their habits, their preferences, the brands of their clothes, their taste in food, etc.

The two are in a serious relationship, although they had no immediate plans to get married.© 2024 Nôv/el/Dram/a.Org.

And now, Domino began to suffer, and it was perhaps influenced by Tredan Davi and Octavia Gills, whose love affair was so turbulent.

Domino kept looking at her phone, always thinking that at the next moment she would receive a call from Woodrow or even a Facebook message.

But, no.

Domino became moody, initially expecting that if Woodrow would just send a Facebook message admitting his mistake, she would forgive him and be nice in the future and not lose her temper, so what’s the point of getting jealous of Tredan Davi?

Then came the disappointment and sadness. It’s true that men are all the same, after being with them for a long time, they don’t even woo her anymore.

What’s the big deal? He’s just a stinky man! What’s the big deal? Will the world stop turning without him?

Two days passed and Domino hasn’t heard a word from Woodrow. Domino secretly vowed to forget about this man from now on.

Domino’s bad mood has also affected her mood at work.

The manager is in a particularly bad mood these days and simply comes in with a bag of dynamite on her back, lighting it up and causing a big explosion.

After two supervisors had been scolded, the staff under them all knew about it and were talking about it in private, fearing that they might make a mistake and be caught and criticized by the manager. The manager’s scolding is severe that it will make you feel ashamed of yourself.

Domino is coming to Xinhua Department Store today for a tour.

The store supervisor held a regular meeting in the morning, and the staff was given a thousand instructions, with special emphasis on letting everyone think about whether they went to any public places yesterday, and no one should smell of smoke or alcohol, or they will be dealt with accordingly.

After listening to the lecture, the salesmen went back to their posts to prepare for their work.

“Did you hear? A salesperson at Walmart Supermarket was given a public scolding by the manager yesterday?”

“Huh? No way? Was it so serious?”

“I heard that, yes, the manager smelled smoke when he walked past her?”

“Is that so? That’s not unjust, salesmen are forbidden to smoke and should not smell of smoke before they start work.”

“Not really, the saleswoman had gone to a KTV with her friends the night before and forgot to take off her silk scarf, which smelled of smoke, and before she went on duty in the morning she put it under the service counter, and that was what the manager smelled.”

“Oh my God! What’s the manager’s genus? She’s got a great nose, isn’t it?”

“Who said it wasn’t! She ended up getting mad on the spot. I heard that a week’s probation was given.”

“Then we need to be a little more careful too, and hurry up and check for any oversights.”

“I heard from someone at the company that the manager has been in a bad mood lately and has been particularly grumpy at the office as well.”

“Is something wrong? Lost love?”

“I don’t know, I haven’t heard that the manager is in a relationship.”

“The supervisor is walking over, so hurry up and get ready.”

When Domino came over, it was clear that the staff in this mall were more disciplined than those in the one yesterday, which pleased her more.

The mall was having an event this week and was a bit crowded with customers. She didn’t let the mall supervisor follow her and took her time to wander around the mall by herself.

“Robbery! Catch the thief!” Suddenly a scream was heard ahead.

There was a momentary outcry from those who didn’t know what was going on.

Domino watched as a man in a duck cap dodged left and right through the crowd and as he reached her, she saw that he was clutching a woman’s handbag.

Not far behind, a middle-aged woman, well dressed, shouted as she ran, “Stop him, he’s a thief!”

Domino understood at once and turned to give chase.

Today’s shoes are at least 10cm and it’s impossible to run, so Domino simply kicked off her shoes and went after the man barefoot.

The women’s clothing department was on the eighth floor. The floor is always largely filled with women and rarely with men, and when thieves pass by, they only cause screams but no one steps in to stop them.

But since there were a lot of people, the thief couldn’t run fast enough dodging left and right to avoid bumping into people.

Domino chased after him and called security for support on her mobile.

The security guards on this floor quickly came running and several of them surrounded and pinned the thief to the ground.

Domino ran over, panting, picked up the handbag, kicked the thief in the face with her bare foot, and gasped, “Stupid thief! You think you can run again, go on, try to run now!”

The security guard looked at Domino, who was barefoot and hastily stopped her, saying, “Manager, manager, leave it to us, you should hurry back and find your shoes.”

Domino crossed her arms and gasped, waving her hand at the security guard.

Carry that handbag and walk back slowly.

The owner came running along carrying her pair of shoes.

“Girl, girl, your shoes.”

Domino smiled, “Your bag, open it and check if anything is missing.”

The middle-aged woman took a glance at it and closed it, “Nothing is missing.”

The middle-aged woman surveyed Domino, who was putting on her shoes, “Thank you, girl! Thank you so much!”

Domino smiled and shook her head, “No need.”

“Hey, little girl, let me thank you for helping me retrieve my bag.”

“No, no need, you’re welcome, it’s my duty to serve you.”

“That won’t do, let me buy you a cup of coffee.” The middle-aged woman was polite.

“You don’t have to take it to heart, I’m still at work,” Domino said with a smile, raising the handstand in her hand, the aunt in front of her reminded her of her mum, she hadn’t been with her mum for a long time, maybe it was time to consider taking a holiday and flying out to spend time with her.

“Well, then, leave me a number.”

“Okay.” Domino gave her phone number and went back to work.

The middle-aged woman watched her back thoughtfully, watched her enter a nearby women’s clothing shop, and followed quietly behind.

Domino made her rounds, did her routine check, and left.