The CEO's Runaway Lover

“Zane Grey, the head of Bos Group, is set to marry Quinn Bennett, the daughter of VentureOne Group, on the 9th of next month.” Joanne Wren read the news while Zane was in the shower. The sound of the rushing water created the illusion that the air around her had turned to mist. Her body temperature instantly dropped to freezing point. She rolled off the bed, pulled a cigarette from the pack on the bedside table, lit it, and quickly walked out onto the balcony. The smoke swirled around her, and her beautiful eyes grew even colder. Apart from that, her face showed no emotion. Having been with Zane for more than two years, she had already become like him—her emotions no longer showing on her face. But inside, a storm was brewing. He was getting married, and she wasn’t the bride. The day had finally come. Joanne had long known that she and Zane could never be together. He was the only son of the Grey family, born with a silver spoon in his mouth, while she was just his secretary. In terms of family background and financial power, he was undoubtedly the stronger party, and even in matters of the heart, he held the advantage. Two years ago, when she first joined Grey’s Group, a major crisis had happened at home. She was feeling down, and at the welcome dinner, she drank to drown her sorrows. By coincidence, Zane was also drunk, and the next morning, they woke up in the same bed. After that, they naturally became a couple, sharing passion and intimacy, but they had never spoken the words “I love you” to each other. During the nearly constant time they spent together, Joanne had thought that he, like her, had developed feelings over time. It was only now that she realized it had been one-sided. To him, she was just a distraction. It was she who had taken it seriously. . So even though he was about to get married, he never bothered to tell her a thing. The night was quiet, with no stars in sight, it felt as though an invisible hand had gripped Joanne’s heart, making it ache so much that it was hard for her to breathe. Behind her, the sound of steady footsteps approached. She calmly extinguished her cigarette, adjusted her expression, and turned to walk back inside. Zane was shirtless, with water droplets from his damp hair sliding down his muscular chest and slowly dripping toward the towel around his waist, exuding an untamed wildness, his entire body radiating s****l tension. Joanne handed him the clothes she had already prepared, glancing at the wall clock. At this time, he would usually have already left. To her surprise, Zane took the clothes, threw them back on the sofa, and pulled her into his arms, whispering above her head, “I’m not leaving tonight.” Joanne paused in surprise. Because Mrs. Grey’s health was poor, he rarely stayed here overnight, but she quickly regained her composure. “Then wait a moment. Let me change the sheets.” The bed had become a mess from the hours they’d just spent together. Just as Joanne turned, Zane wrapped his arms around her from behind. His unique woody scent enveloped her. “There’s no rush, we’ll change them later.” His voice was low and husky, carrying a hint of seduction, and his warm, wet kiss slowly traveled from her ear down to her collarbone. Joanne turned her head to avoid him. she murmured.“I haven’t showered yet.” “I’ll help you.” Zane said as he lifted her and carried her toward the bathroom. The fine spray from the shower quickly drenched her white shirt. The thin fabric clung to her body, outlining every curve, and Zane’s eyes darkened even further. He had originally planned to simply help her with the shower, but at that moment, he changed his mind. In the steamy bathroom, Zane’s well-defined silhouette was sharp and striking. Joanne unexpectedly locked eyes with him, his gaze dark and mysterious. Just before she looked away, Zane leaned down and kissed her lips. She had intended to struggle, but her legs felt weak, leaving her no choice but to hold onto his neck as they melted into the heated atmosphere of the shower. After Zane cleaned her up and carried her back to the bed, Joanne thought, with a sense of relief, that it was good she hadn’t changed the sheets earlier; otherwise, it would have been a waste. The first light of dawn arrived, and everything grew calm. Joanne was exhausted and drowsy, her eyes barely open. Suddenly, Zane called her name. Joanne replied, “Hmm?” “I’m getting married next month,” he said. Curled in his arms, Joanne lay motionless, as if she had fallen asleep. After a long pause, Zane finally heard her reply, her tone faint. “Mm, got it.” He lowered his gaze to her half-closed eyes, expecting her to say something. But she remained silent, just as she always was—quiet and reserved. To be fair, Joanne was the most impressive woman he had ever crossed paths with. During the day, Joanne was his chief secretary, handling any task he gave her with precision. At night, she was his bed companion, attending to him with complete devotion. She was clever and quick-witted, effortlessly switching between these two roles, and even he, who was often overly particular, could find no fault with her. When Zane opened his eyes, Joanne was no longer beside him. He washed up and went downstairs, where his favorite breakfast was already laid out on the table. A chicken sandwich, a tuna and avocado salad, a glass of iced milk, with cherry tomatoes and half a sliced banana as fruit. Zane had gone abroad to study at seven and didn’t return to Shoreline City until he graduated with a master’s degree, so he had developed a taste for Western food. But Joanne wasn’t fond of Western cuisine; her usual breakfast was simple congee with side dishes. He guessed that today she was probably having something like chicken and vegetable porridge. Just as Zane picked up his milk, he received a message from her on w******p. “Mr. Grey, breakfast is downstairs. I’m heading to the office now.” See? She’s got it all figured out. The moment it's time for work, she switches seamlessly into professional mode.