The CEO's Seven-Day Lover: Five Years Later, I Brought His Child Back

In City S, behind the glittering neon lights, countless transactions of money and power take place. After a flurry of clinking glasses and billowing smoke, ugly faces emerge, laughing and joking through the haze. Their topics are invariably limited to two things: money and women. Julian Hawthorne listlessly finished his red wine, put on his suit jacket, and appeared to be leaving. At that moment, a well-dressed man standing beside him said, "Mr. Hawthorne, we've found you some entertainment today." Then, seemingly out of nowhere, the man pulled a graceful girl from behind him. The girl wore a white chiffon blouse and a blue skirt, giving her an ethereal and pure appearance. Julian Hawthorne glanced at her a few more times. The man from before rushed forward and said, “Mr. Hawthorne, this is my niece, Yvaine Hayes. She’s eighteen. Yvaine, quickly greet Mr. Hawthorne. He’s a big shot in City B; he’ll be staying in City S for a week. Why don’t you keep him company?” With that, he gave the girl a push around the waist, pulling her into Julian Hawthorne’s arms. The surrounding men smiled simultaneously, all knowing what was about to happen. The girl’s face paled slightly, and she pursed her lips. “Y-you…hello…” This was her way of greeting Julian Hawthorne. Sending women around was commonplace in this circle. He didn’t particularly like it because he had high standards; if someone didn’t meet his expectations, he wouldn’t even give them a second glance. But this girl was an exception. Julian Hawthorne gazed at the girl’s small face before him. Her long hair flowed freely; she wasn't tall, but she had a slender figure. Her large, clear eyes were bright and sparkling, and her long eyelashes weren't glued on, but naturally long and curled. He'd seen many beautiful women, but he'd never seen anyone as beautiful as her. This woman had a refreshing quality, like drinking ice water on a hot summer day—cleansing and soothing, making him irresistibly drawn to her. Julian Hawthorne smiled. "What's your name?" The girl lowered her head, biting her lip, looking a little timid, her face flushing red. "Yvaine Hayes." Yvaine's innocent answer left a deeper impression on Julian Hawthorne. This girl was as pure as a blank sheet of paper. However, he didn't take Yvaine into his arms. Instead, he patted her shoulder and said, "Study hard." Then he walked straight down the corridor and disappeared at its end. Yvaine looked up, watching his retreating figure. Was he the man her uncle wanted her to sleep with? She had assumed her uncle had found her a man in his forties or fifties, with a beer belly and reeking of cigarettes. She hadn't expected him to be so young. “Yvaine, what are you standing there for? Hurry up and chase after him!” Her uncle slapped her shoulder, urging her on. “But, but… he didn’t ask me to go with him, Uncle…” she replied, looking at Julian Hawthorne who was about to get into the car. He had clearly rejected her. If she chased after him like this, what would he think of her? “What do you know?! The more a man says no, the more he means yes! Hurry up and go. Your uncle and your father are counting on you this time! You don’t want your uncle and your father to be harassed by the bank for debt and end up in jail together!” Yvaine’s uncle shouted, not caring if others heard. This morning, her father had told her that the real estate business he and her uncle had jointly invested in was facing bankruptcy. The only way now was to ask this man to help him resolve the crisis and build another subway line next to the land his father and uncle had invested in; otherwise, the houses they were building would never sell. Yvaine hesitated for a moment, then finally ran towards Julian Hawthorne's car. Just as he was about to close the door, her hand gripped the door of his Rolls-Royce tightly. "Wait a minute—" Julian Hawthorne didn't speak, nor did he look at her. He simply sat in the car, his cold, stern face looking like that of a shrewd king. "What is it?" he said. Yvaine's hands trembled uncontrollably, and she struggled to speak, "Please, let me..." Yvaine Hayes's eyes reddened, her voice so soft that only she could hear it. Julian Hawthorne stared at her for a moment, his cold gaze meeting Yvaine's tense and uneasy eyes. “Do you know what you’re doing?” Julian Hawthorne asked. She certainly knew what she was doing, and she knew even more that this man was someone she couldn’t afford to offend. But she had already considered every possible way to save her father and uncle’s company, and now he was her only option. Her small hands gripped the car door tightly, her palms almost sweating. “I know, sir.” The next second, everything spun around her, and Julian Hawthorne’s strong arm reached out of the luxury car, quickly pulling her into the cabin. He slammed the door shut and said bluntly, “Drive, to the hotel.” Behind the car, Yvaine’s uncle watched Julian Hawthorne’s car drive away with satisfaction, thinking: The company is saved now.