THE CEO’S

Chapter2

With one last glance at Susan, he walked out of the boutique, stepping into the bright afternoon sun.

Susan smirked in victory while the other staff laughed. Little did she know she had just made the biggest mistake of her life.

Mr. Benson halted a taxi and got inside, giving the driver his address. As the car moved through the busy city streets , he looked out of the window, his mind filled with thoughts. He had seen true kindness today and he had seen true cruelty.

When the taxi pulled up in front of a massive estate, the driver’s eyes widened in shock.

“Sir… this is your house?” the driver stammered.

Mr. Benson only smiled and handed him the fare. He stepped out and walked through the golden gates of his mansion.

Inside, everything was luxurious — marble floors, golden chandeliers, and walls decorated with famous paintings.

At the center of the grand living room stood Leonard Benson, the powerful CEO of Lux Group. Handsome, sharp-eyed, and dressed in an expensive suit, he looked every bit the billionaire he was.

“Grandfather!” Leonard’s deep voice filled the room as he rushed forward. “Where have you been? You were gone for hours.”

Mr. Benson smiled. “I was testing the world, my boy. And I met a very kind soul.”

Leonard frowned. “Testing the world?”

Mr. Benson sighed and told him everything — how he had entered the boutique, how the staff had mocked him, and how Diana was the only one who treated him with kindness.

When he finished, Leonard’s expression turned cold.

“They treated you like that?” His jaw clenched. “They threw you out of our store?”

His grandfather nodded.

Leonard’s hands tightened into fists. “That boutique belongs to Lux Group. They work for me. How dare they throw out my grandfather!”

Mr. Benson placed a hand on his grandson’s arm, his voice calm. “The girl — she was different. She was kind. She must be rewarded.”

Leonard turned to his assistant, a sharp-dressed man named Richard. “Get me the security footage from the boutique,” he ordered.

Minutes later, Leonard sat in his private office watching the footage on a large screen. He saw everything — Diana ignoring the insults, still treating him with respect. Diana taking out her own money and giving it to him.

Leonard leaned back in his chair, his expression serious.

“Find her,” he said at last.

Richard, his assistant, hesitated. “Sir?”

“Find this woman. I want to know everything about her,” Leonard repeated, his voice firm. “I want to see her.”

Richard nodded and hurried out.

Leonard sat alone in his office, watching the screen once more. A kind and innocent girl — who was she?

Diana walked slowly down the street, her feet aching, her heart heavy. She was jobless with no idea where her next meal would come from. She had given her last money to Mr. Benson and now she had nothing.

The afternoon sun burned her skin as she clutched her bag tightly. She took a deep breath, trying not to cry.

Then suddenly, a black luxury car rolled to a smooth stop beside her.

Diana froze. The car was sleek, polished, and more expensive than anything she had ever seen up close. The tinted window rolled down and a man in a sharp suit leaned out.

“Miss Diana?” he asked, his voice professional and firm.

Diana’s heart pounded. “Yes?”

The man smiled politely. “My name is Richard. I am the personal assistant to Mr. Leonard Benson, CEO of Lux Group.”

Diana’s breath caught in her throat. Lux Group?

Richard continued, “My employer would like to meet you. Please come with me.”

Diana stared in shock. This had to be a scam. Why would the CEO of a billion-dollar company want to see her?

She took a step back. “I… I think you have the wrong person.”

Richard shook his head. “No, we don’t. Mr. Benson has sent me personally to bring you to his estate. You will be perfectly safe.”

Diana hesitated, her mind racing. This was crazy. It made no sense. And yet something inside her whispered — go.

She swallowed hard, then finally nodded. “Okay.”

Richard opened the car door and Diana slid into the softest leather seat she had ever felt. As the car pulled away, she nervously clutched her bag, staring out the window. This was the biggest risk of her life.

The moment the car passed through the golden gates, Diana’s eyes widened in shock.

The mansion before her was massive — the kind of place she had only seen in movies. The driveway stretched endlessly, leading to a grand estate with towering marble pillars and glowing chandeliers.

As the car stopped, uniformed staff rushed forward to open the door for her. Diana stepped out, feeling like she had entered another world.

“Please, this way,” Richard said, guiding her toward the grand entrance. Everything was polished, extravagant… perfect.

And then she saw him.

At the top of the marble staircase, standing tall and elegant, was Leonard Benson.

Diana froze in place. She had only ever seen his face in magazines and business articles, but in real life, he was even more sophisticated, more powerful looking, more breathtakingly handsome than she had imagined.

Everyone in the city knew that name — Leonard Benson. The youngest billionaire. The most successful CEO. The man every woman dreamed of marrying.

Diana suddenly remembered Susan’s words at work. If I ever meet Leonard Benson, Susan had once said, I’ll make sure he falls in love with me. He’s the perfect man — rich, powerful, and handsome.

And now he was standing right in front of her.

Diana felt like she was in a dream.

Leonard’s gaze was sharp, but his lips curled into a small, knowing smile.

“Miss Diana,” he said smoothly. “I’m Leonard Benson.”

Diana forced herself to breathe. “I… I’m Di-an,” she said nervously.

Leonard’s smile widened just slightly, as if he found her reaction amusing.

Then suddenly — “Ah! There she is.”

Diana turned quickly, and her eyes lit up.

Mr. Benson stood at the bottom of the stairs, his face glowing with happiness.

“Diana, my dear,” he said warmly. “Thank you for coming.”

Diana smiled in relief. “You… you live here?”

The old man chuckled deeply. “Oh yes, my dear. I’m not as poor as I seemed, am I?”

Diana felt her knees go weak. This wealthy, powerful family — and she had unknowingly helped its grandfather. She suddenly felt so small in this grand place.

Mr. Benson turned to Leonard and said firmly, “This is the kind of woman you should marry.”

Diana gasped. She laughed shyly, waving her hands. “Oh no, I — that’s not…”

But when she looked at Leonard, she… she froze. He wasn’t laughing. He wasn’t smirking.

He was just staring at her. A long, silent stare. And for some reason, it made Diana’s heart race.

Diana sat in the grand living room of the Benson Mansion, feeling completely out of place. The soft glow of the chandelier, the expensive velvet couch beneath her, and the quiet hum of servants moving about — it all felt unreal.

Across from her, Leonard Benson sat with his usual unreadable expression.

“I ran a background check on you,” he said calmly.

Diana’s heart skipped a beat.