Chapter 2 — Kissing the CEO by Mistake, Winning the Ideal Husband

For the remainder of the banquet, I hid in a corner, trying my absolute best to blend into the background, praying to the heavens that the formidable tycoon had forgotten all about me. It took forever for the celebration to finally wind down and the guests to depart. I quickly changed out of my bridesmaid dress, shouldered my backpack, and planned to slip away through the side exit leading to the parking lot. The night air was biting and cold, sharp enough to clear my head. As long as I ran fast enough, humiliation would never catch up to me. I muttered words of reassurance to myself and quickened my pace.

Tap, tap, tap.

Steady, measured footsteps echoed behind me in the deserted parking lot, each beat falling like a hammer against my chest. I didn't dare look back, fleeing almost in a panic. A sleek, pitch-black Bentley silently drifted forward, blocking my path. The door swung open, and a pair of long legs stepped out. It was the silhouette I desperately wished I could forget. Mo leaned against the vehicle, both hands shoved casually into his trouser pockets; the dim streetlamps failed to conceal the chilling, predatory gaze in his eyes. He looked at me the way a leopard stares down its trapped prey. I froze where I stood, my limbs turning to ice, forgetting even how to breathe.

What are you running for?

He spoke, his voice deeper than it had been inside the banquet hall, like the sound of cold metal sliding through the midnight wind.

I... I am just afraid of missing the last bus. I blurted out a clumsy excuse.

A low, mocking chuckle escaped his lips.

Miss Lin.

He called me by my exact full name.

My heart plummeted straight down to the abyss—he knew who I was! He took deliberate strides closer, his overwhelming aura suffocating me. Finally, he came to a halt right in front of me, trapping me securely between his formidable frame and the car door.

Did you find that little game so amusing? He leaned in close, his hot breath brushing against my ear.

I trembled, pressing myself flat against the icy car door, not daring to make a single sound.

That... that was just a misunderstanding, I stammered.

A misunderstanding? His voice was low and raspy, vibrating right beside my ear. So... you kiss me and then just plan to wipe your hands clean and run away?

I had not yet fully processed the implication of his words before he pressed me further against the wall. A freezing wall pressed into my back, while a scorching chest blocked my front. He lowered his head, whispering every single word like a hypnotic spell.

You have already kissed me... do you not intend to take responsibility?

The air seemed to freeze completely. I was tightly fenced in his embrace, my senses overwhelmed by the subtle, cooling scent of cedarwood radiating from his skin. My heart felt as though it wanted to leap straight out of my throat. Take... take responsibility? What kind of responsibility are we talking about here? This powerful tycoon—did he possess some deeply flawed understanding of the word responsibility? I swallowed hard, desperately trying to pull myself out of this ridiculous, television-drama scenario.

President Mo... that was merely a game, a penalty I had to accept for losing... I am truly sorry, I...

My voice grew progressively weaker because the look in his eyes was genuinely terrifying. That gaze was like an unfathomable abyss, threatening to suck my very soul right out of me.

Sorry? He repeated, his lips curling into a cold, thin smile. Does Miss Lin truly believe a single apology is enough to erase the profound terror I had to endure?

Terror? My goodness, are you seriously calling that terror? Getting kissed by a nobody like me—wasn't that little more than a mosquito bite to someone of your stature? I screamed internally, while my face forced a smile that looked far worse than crying.

Then... then what do you want? Or perhaps... I should compensate you for your emotional distress?

Even as I spoke, I frantically began calculating my pitiful little savings. I had no idea if it would even be enough to pay for a single kiss. He must have heard something immensely amusing, letting out a low, gravelly chuckle. The vibration in his chest passed right through the thin fabric of my clothes, shooting straight into my back and making me shiver violently.

Emotional distress? He stepped even closer, his warm breath sweeping across my cheek. Does Miss Lin believe my very first kiss is worth a mere pittance?

First... first kiss?! My eyes widened in disbelief, nearly popping out of my skull. Impossible! He was nearly thirty and still a virgin? Who on earth would ever believe such a thing? Noticing my saucer-wide eyes, he laughed softly, genuine amusement dancing in his gaze. He slowly straightened up, increasing the distance between us slightly, though he still had no intention of letting me leave.

Very well, let's just say you have quite a bit of nerve, he stated leisurely, sounding like a judge pronouncing a verdict. I will give you a chance to take responsibility.

I have been forced to go on endless blind dates lately, and it is rather annoying.

He paused for a fraction of a second, his evaluating gaze sweeping over me from head to toe.

You will act as my shield girlfriend.

What?! I blurted out at the top of my lungs, completely abandoning any remaining pretense of decorum.

This was even more outrageous than demanding money!

President Mo, stop joking around, I...

I never joke, he interrupted coldly, leaving no room for argument.

I am merely a low-level employee, how could I possibly...

That is irrelevant, he replied offhandedly. You simply need to play a role alongside me and fool my family. Once the task is completed, I will reward you handsomely.

No! Absolutely not! I shook my head frantically like a rattle-drum.

Are you kidding me? Be a tycoon's fake girlfriend? I had no desire to become the protagonist in some melodramatic soap opera! I only wanted to peacefully live the life of a lazy slacker, slowly gathering enough money to open my very own little flower shop.

This is utterly absurd! I refuse! I mustered all my courage, looking at him with a righteous expression.

Mo's face remained entirely expressionless. He pulled out his phone, casting an indifferent glance at the screen.

Tianyu Design, design department, Lin Wan.

He read my name out syllable by syllable, his tone completely placid yet sending my heart into wild palpitations.

An easy job where you leave work right on time every single day. And this month, your performance bonus was entirely docked because you ruined a design draft?

My blood ran cold. How on earth did he know all of this in such detail? This was... a threat! A blatant, shameless workplace threat! I suddenly recalled the icy-faced department head Bai Xue, remembered my own shaky employment status, and instantly wilted. That pitiful little shred of courage I had mustered looked so utterly pathetic in the face of absolute power and wealth.

You... you investigated me! I stammered, tears nearly spilling from my eyes.

Know your enemy and know yourself, and you will never be defeated in a hundred battles, he calmly pocketed his phone. Do you still find it absurd now?

I stared at him—possessing an absurdly handsome face yet maintaining the calm demeanor of someone who held every piece on the chessboard. I was like a helpless chick targeted by a massive eagle, completely powerless to resist. Anger, grievance, terror... a swirling vortex of a hundred conflicting emotions surged within me. Yet I knew it all too well—I had no other choice left. Compared to offending a ruthless tycoon, playing the role of his fake girlfriend for a few months... perhaps it wasn't quite so difficult after all?

If... and I mean if... I began tentatively, my voice trembling, if I agree, what... what's in it for me?