The CEO's Forbidden Obsession

Chapter 6 A call from a stranger

Now that his long-held wish had been fulfilled, Adrian found himself feeling far less satisfied than he had imagined. Seeing the look of utter disgust on Lila's face made him uncomfortable in a way he hadn't expected.

"Adrian, I don't want to talk to you anymore. Stop wasting your time." With that, Lila slammed her bedroom door shut and locked it from the inside.

After packing her belongings, Lila and Serena dragged four large suitcases out of the house. They couldn't take many of their valuable items with them because Attorney Chen insisted that those, too, were part of the collateral. Lila was filled with anger, realizing she had truly fallen in love with the wrong person all these years.

As they left their home, Lila felt a deep sense of despair. She had no friends in A City, and she didn’t want to confide in her colleagues at the hospital. So, she found a run-down apartment, and she and Serena temporarily settled there.

"Mom, I'm sorry for making you suffer," Lila said as she unpacked, her eyes brimming with tears.

Serena paused, then softly said, "Lila, it’s us who’ve made you suffer."

"Mom, I'm not suffering at all. As long as you and Dad are with me, I feel happy," Lila replied with a tearful smile. In the past, she never thought her life was extravagant. But now, having moved out of their upscale neighborhood, Lila truly understood what it meant to live.

As Lila continued to unpack, her phone suddenly rang, playing a familiar tune. It was an unknown number. Lila typically didn't answer calls from unknown numbers, but today she feared it might be about her father, so she answered.

"Is this Lila?" a middle-aged man's voice came through the phone.

Lila hesitated for a moment, then replied, "Yes, it's me."

"Our Mr. Sebastian would like to speak with you. Are you available now?" The man, who introduced himself as Uncle Zou, spoke respectfully.

"I'm sorry, I don't know any Mr. Sebastian. You must have the wrong number," Lila replied, her frustration evident in her voice. She was already in a bad mood and now a strange call was adding to her stress.

Uncle Zou, sensing the impatience in Lila's tone, chuckled softly. "Perhaps you remember the mask from last night? Our Mr. Sebastian mentioned that he would like you to bring the mask to JS International by 2 PM today."

Lila's heart skipped a beat. The mask? The man with the mask from last night wanted to see her?

Before she could decline, the call was abruptly ended.

Lila stood there, her mouth slightly open, unsure of what to say or do.

Serena, noticing her daughter's troubled expression, approached her with concern. "What's wrong? Did something happen?"

"Mom, it's nothing," Lila forced a bitter smile. She glanced at the clock on her wrist; it was already 1:30 PM. She had only half an hour left.

"Please, tell me what's going on," Serena urged, growing increasingly worried as she saw Lila's distracted state.

"Mom, I have something urgent to take care of. I'll be back soon, so I'll need you to look after the place for now," Lila said hurriedly before grabbing her bag and rushing out.

JS International—Lila knew the name well. It was a company that resonated throughout A City, a leader among all enterprises. It was a giant in real estate, jewelry, information technology, food, and entertainment industries.

Although Lila had only recently returned to the country, she had heard of the company. Even as a child, she remembered her father, Damien, mentioning JS International's founder, Ethan—a ruthless tycoon in the business world who was feared by all.

As Lila drove, her mind was swirling with thoughts that made her increasingly uneasy. Could last night’s man really be Ethan? That didn’t make sense. Ethan should be around her father's age, but the man she saw last night looked much younger. He definitely wasn't Ethan.

With a mix of anxiety and anticipation, Lila finally arrived at the famed JS International.

JS International was located in the most bustling and scenic part of the city center, a landmark skyscraper that stood sixty-six stories high. The building was grand and magnificent, a symbol of power. As Lila looked up, the blazing sun was mostly blocked by the towering structure, and she couldn't help but imagine that the building's owner must be just as cold and unyielding.

Security at JS International was tight, with private guards from Knight patrolling outside. It was Lila's first time in such a place, and she couldn't help but feel a bit nervous.

Clutching her sweaty palms tightly, she patted her bag, where the Zorro mask was hidden, her emotions a chaotic mix of tension and anticipation.

But surprisingly, her journey to the top floor went smoothly, right up until she found herself in the CEO's office.

The office, designed with an upscale and sophisticated flair, was so quiet it felt almost unnaturally still.

A tall, well-built man stood with his back to her, gazing out of the massive floor-to-ceiling windows. Lila couldn’t take in the luxurious surroundings, her heart pounding like a drum in her chest.

“Um…excuse me, are you Ethan?”After a long silence, Lila couldn’t hold it in any longer and blurted out the question. If this went on, she might suffocate from the tension.

Sebastian slowly turned around. His hands were casually tucked into his pockets, his features striking, with deep-set eyes, a high nose bridge, and thin lips—just as she had seen last night. His face was extraordinarily handsome, the kind that could make countless girls swoon in an instant. But for some reason, Lila sensed a domineering aura and a certain coldness emanating from him.

So, it was this scoundrel who had slept with her last night, Lila thought bitterly.

“I am Sebastian.”His appealing lips moved slightly, and there seemed to be a hint of a smile in his eyes. But in a blink, that smile turned into a cold, sharp gaze.

Lila took a deep breath, startled by how quickly his expression had changed. She had never seen a man who could switch moods faster than flipping a book.

“What does Mr. Sebastian want with me?”Lila, usually quite bold, felt somewhat intimidated by the man before her, so she asked in a meek and hesitant voice.

“Lila, I won’t beat around the bush. I heard your family is in trouble,”Sebastian said, his face suddenly serious.

How did Sebastian know about that?

Lila was speechless. Then, thinking it over, she realized who Sebastian was—the CEO of JS International. It wouldn't be hard for someone like him to find out about her family's situation. The real question was, what were Sebastian’s motives?

In this day and age, it wasn’t unusual for men and women to have that kind of relationship. Although Lila had a liberal mindset, her actions were still quite traditional. But now that things had happened, Lila didn’t want to pursue it, perhaps because of the fear she felt inside.