Chapter 9 — Kissing the CEO by Mistake, Winning the Ideal Husband

My heart sank bit by bit, dropping all the way to the abyss.

Do you really think Mo genuinely likes you? Don't be so naive.

He merely finds you fresh, someone easy to manipulate.

Once the novelty fades away, you will be nothing at all.

I have seen countless women like you—dreaming of climbing high to transform into phoenixes, only to shatter every bone and perish in the end.

Every single word she uttered felt like a sharp blade, stabbing straight into my heart. I knew she was deliberately attacking me. I knew I should not believe her. But what if it were true? What if Mo and I... were truly nothing more than a passing fancy to him? I returned home completely spiritless, my mind tangled into a chaotic mess. That evening, Mo came to pick me up. He said he wanted to take me somewhere. The car drove all the way, finally stopping at the very hotel where we had first met. My heart pounded heavily. Why did he lead me here? He took my hand, stepping into the empty lobby. In the middle of the hall stood a small round table, adorned with burning candles, fine wine, and red roses.

This is...

Where our story began.

He pulled out a chair for me to sit down. Afterward, he retrieved a velvet box from inside his suit jacket. My breath caught in my throat. He knelt on one knee, opening the box. Inside lay a brilliantly dazzling diamond ring.

Van.

He looked up at me, his gaze overflowing with tenderness.

I know that using a contract to bind you by my side was cowardly.

But I am a businessman, accustomed to using the fastest, most efficient methods to attain what I desire.

And you—are the person I want to possess most in this lifetime.

The three-month contract expires tomorrow.

Now, I wish to sign a new contract with you.

He paused, his voice trembling slightly.

A contract... for a lifetime.

Van, are you willing to truly become my girlfriend, to become my future wife?

My tears burst forth uncontrollably. I had thought today would mark the end. Never did I expect it to be a new beginning. It turned out he had prepared everything long ago. It turned out the one who cherished this relationship more... was actually him. I watched him kneeling before me, both nervous and full of yearning. I nodded firmly, my voice choking with emotion as I spoke:

I do.

I am willing to walk through every spring, summer, autumn, and winter of life by your side. I am willing to become the brightest light in your world.

The relationship between Mo and me was finally clearly established. We began appearing together openly within the company, entirely legitimate. After learning of our engagement, Xue suffered a heavy blow and requested an extended leave of absence. I once thought our lives would simply remain blissfully happy forever. Yet, I had underestimated the terrifying nature of a woman whose love turns into hatred. Recently, the company has been bidding on an extremely crucial international project. Should we secure it, the firm's standing on the global stage will ascend to a brand-new pinnacle. Mo entrusted the entire conceptual framework of this project to my management. It was a demonstration of trust, as well as a test. I led my entire team working day and night without rest, ultimately finalizing an almost flawless proposal just a single day before the deadline. However, precisely one hour before the presentation, I discovered that the final version of the proposal on my computer had been stolen. In its place was a chaotic draft, riddled with flawed data and tangled logic. My entire body froze as if turning to ice. Who was it? Who could have done this? My immediate instinct pointed straight to Xue. She had returned. And the moment she came back, she had delivered a fatal blow. If I were to carry this draft to the presentation, not only would we lose the project, but the company itself would become the laughingstock of the industry. Mo would also be implicated due to my oversight, his reputation utterly ruined. I could not allow such a thing to happen! My colleagues panicked like ants crawling on a hot skillet.

What do we do now, Director? There is no time to redo it from scratch!

Oh heavens, how vicious can someone be? Clearly, they wanted to destroy the entire team!

I forced myself to remain calm. The more critical the moment, the less I could afford to lose my composure. I drew a deep breath and told the group: "Do not panic, I still have Plan B." Everyone froze in utter astonishment.

Plan B?

Indeed, Plan B. From the very day Xue began targeting me, I knew she would never let me go easily. Therefore, whenever I undertook major projects, I always reserved a fallback route for myself. I had long since encrypted the correct proposal and saved it on my personal USB drive. As for that stolen draft, it was essentially a decoy I had deliberately left behind. I glanced toward Xue—she was standing in a corner of the hall, chatting happily with the client representatives. Her face radiated absolute confidence, as though victory were already securely within her grasp. She must have believed I was utterly ruined. Very quickly, it was my turn to take the stage. I walked up, opening my presentation slides. When Plan B appeared with pristine clarity on the massive screen, I watched Xue’s expression shift instantly. Her smile froze completely upon her face. My presentation that day was more coherent than ever before, overflowing with unprecedented confidence. Because I knew this was the final battle. I could not simply win—I had to win resplendently. Throughout the entire presentation, Mo stood quietly below, watching over me in silence. His gaze was filled with unwavering trust and encouragement. It was precisely that look that granted me boundless strength.