My CEO Husband Says I'm Irreplaceable

Chapter 101: Chapter 101: Choosing a Man, Too?

Zane Rivers glanced down at her, his fingertips gripping her chin. But the smile on his face didn’t reach his eyes.

"Are you questioning me? Or do you think I need to report my whereabouts to you?"

The smile on Roya Winters’s face froze instantly, and a flicker of panic flashed through her eyes.

"Of course not... I just missed you."

She traced circles on his chest with her fingertip, flirting with him intimately as if no one else was there. The people around them seemed unfazed, as if this were a common sight.

Zane Rivers coolly withdrew his hand and gently pushed her away.

"Can’t you see I’m busy? I’ve been too lenient with you, and now you’ve forgotten what’s appropriate for the situation."

He turned his head to look at Vesper Grayson, his tone polite but distant.

"Apologies for the scene, Miss Grayson."

Vesper Grayson simply curled her lip slightly, offering a faint smile without a word.

The elevator doors slid open slowly. She stepped inside first, and Zane Rivers followed right after.

Roya Winters bit her lip, wanting to follow, but Zane Rivers’s frigid glare stopped her in her tracks. She could only stand there, frozen to the spot.

As she turned, she was met with a variety of stares. A wave of helpless anger simmered in her chest.

’Zane had never treated her like this.’

Yvonne Lowell averted her gaze and looked at Lana Chandler. "Miss Lana, if there’s nothing else, I’ll get back to work."

"Yes, go ahead."

Lana Chandler had just turned to leave when Roya Winters called out to her.

"Miss Lana, are you free? Let me treat you to a meal."

Lana Chandler chuckled. "Well, now. The sun must have risen in the west. You’re actually offering to treat me to a meal."

"Oh, don’t say that. You were the one who took me under your wing when I first joined the company. How could I ever forget that kindness?" Roya Winters looped her arm through Lana’s familiarly, swaying it gently. "Come on, Miss Lana. Humor me."

...

「A Western Restaurant.」

They were at a table by the window on the second floor.

Outside the floor-to-ceiling windows lay a bustling view of the entire CBD. The soft, clear midday sun slanted through the clean glass, casting a warm, golden glow across the tabletop and bathing the restaurant in a tranquil, elegant light.

Zane Rivers poured himself a glass of wine and looked up at her.

"Care for a drink?"

"No, thank you. I don’t make a habit of drinking at lunch," Vesper Grayson declined with a faint smile.

Zane Rivers idly swirled his wine glass as he spoke.

"Starlight has plenty of suitable artists. Why, Miss Grayson, did you specifically choose Yvonne Lowell? And don’t try to brush me off with some excuse about a ’good feeling.’"

Vesper Grayson smiled faintly, her tone candid.

"There’s no particular reason. I just liked the look of her. I’ve always been one to do as I please, following my mood."

Zane Rivers narrowed his eyes, his tone tinged with amusement.

"Is that how you choose your men, too?"

"Of course." Vesper Grayson cut a piece of steak and leisurely brought it to her lips, her expression composed. "If someone is easy on the eyes, it’s more pleasant to be around them. Wouldn’t you agree, President Rivers?"

"A fair point," Zane Rivers said with a faint smile. "What happened last time was a misunderstanding. Did it give you a poor impression of me, Miss Grayson?"

"My impression of you isn’t important, President Rivers. After all, outside of this collaboration, we’re unlikely to have any further dealings."

"I wouldn’t be so sure." Zane Rivers leaned back in his chair, his posture relaxed as he sized her up. "Elias and I are friends, so we’ll probably be seeing a lot of each other. And having met you twice now, Miss Grayson, I’ve noticed you seem to enjoy helping others."

Vesper Grayson looked up, her tone mild.

"Are you implying, President Rivers, that I was being meddlesome and upset your precious sweetheart?"

"Are you referring to Roya Winters?"

"It seems you have quite a few female ’confidantes,’ President Rivers."

Zane Rivers drained his glass in one gulp and chuckled.

"Your misunderstanding of me runs deep, Miss Grayson. There’s nothing going on between her and me. She’s just helping me fend off all the other women throwing themselves at me. I’ve never so much as touched her."

Vesper Grayson paused, slightly surprised.

’But she didn’t doubt him. He might look like a carefree playboy, but he had an underlying frankness. He wouldn’t lie about something like this.’

’In the worlds of business and entertainment, putting on a show was common practice.’

’Many people who appeared inseparable were simply part of a transaction with a clearly marked price.’

Just then, Vesper Grayson’s phone rang. It was Jared Hawthorne.

"Did it go well?"

His voice was deep and magnetic, so sexy it sent a slight shiver through her.

"Yes, it’s all settled."

"That was fast."

"I found the right person, so I finalized it. There’s no need to drag these things out."

’She never liked to drag things out, and she trusted her own judgment. Yvonne Lowell would not disappoint.’

’Of course, her judgment wasn’t always perfect. For instance, she had once been certain that Luke Lockwood was the right man for her. Looking back now, it all felt like a ridiculous farce.’

"What are you doing now? Come over and have lunch with me."

"I’m already eating. President Rivers is treating."

Jared Hawthorne’s brow furrowed. Suddenly, the food in front of him seemed completely tasteless.

"Where are you?"

"Huh?" Vesper Grayson paused. "You’re coming here?"

"Am I not welcome?"

’She didn’t mind, of course, but someone else was paying for this meal. It felt a little inappropriate for him to just show up.’

Across from her, Zane Rivers chuckled. "Let him come."

’It’s not like I’m going to eat her. Or is he actually afraid I’ll devour Vesper Grayson?’

’So damn petty.’

’He suddenly recalled something Noah Nash had once said: Vesper Grayson was the woman Elias cherished more than anything.’

’Who would have thought that after years of steering clear of women, the man was hiding such a deep, secret crush? He was playing the pure love game.’

’Tsk, tsk. You really can’t judge a book by its cover.’

Vesper Grayson gave him the address. The Hawthorne Group headquarters was nearby.

Ten minutes later, Jared Hawthorne walked directly to Vesper Grayson’s side and sat down. His deep, dark eyes swept coolly over the table.

"Eating well, I see. Even having a little wine."

Zane Rivers let out a laugh. "I didn’t let your woman have a single drop of alcohol. We were just having a meal and clearing up that little misunderstanding from before."

"What misunderstanding?"

"I was worried Miss Grayson had a bad impression of me, which might lead you to avoid me. I had to prove I’m one of the good guys."

"She doesn’t need to associate with you even if you are a good guy." Jared Hawthorne lowered his gaze and said quietly to Vesper Grayson, "Stay away from him. This guy is up to no good. He’s not a good person."

Zane Rivers was left speechless.

Vesper Grayson didn’t know what to say either.

Just then, a waiter brought over the steak. She quickly took the plate, carefully cut the meat for him, and pushed it in front of him, trying to ease the tension.

"Here, eat."

A small smile played on Jared Hawthorne’s lips, his mood instantly brightening.

He took a bite of steak and asked casually, "So who did you pick?"

"Yvonne Lowell."

"Never heard of her. Is she a newcomer?"

"She’s one of the ’Four Junior Actresses.’ Her image and reputation are both excellent." Vesper Grayson looked at Zane Rivers opposite them. "President Rivers, actually, Elena from Vaudin initially recommended Roya Winters to me, but based on my observations, she isn’t the right fit."

’Lana Chandler was also pushing Roya Winters hard today. It’s clear she’s on the rise at the company, and with her status, her endorsement fees would be substantial.’

Jared Hawthorne commented nonchalantly, "She is getting a bit arrogant from being spoiled. Zane, you should rein her in."

"No wonder Elena was asking Lana Chandler about Roya Winters, even saying she was their intended spokesperson for the Asia-Pacific region, only for it to go quiet. So, the final decision was put in your hands." Zane Rivers’s gaze shifted to Jared Hawthorne, his smile widening with understanding. "I suspect you had a hand in this collaboration, didn’t you?"

"That was all Vesper’s ability. It had nothing to do with me."

Zane Rivers chuckled softly.

’Go on, keep spoiling her.’

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