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《The CEO'S Little Lamb 》全部章節：第 1 章 - 第 10 章

137 章節

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER ONE ““Lara Finn,” the pretty secretary called, hanging up the phone. “Yes, I’m here,” I replied nervously. “You’re next for the interview,” she said, eyeing me from head to toe. I knew my outfit was perfectly appropriate for a job interview—a pair of brown wide-leg trousers, a black T-shirt, black heels, and a matching bag. I knew my fashion well. I pushed open the brown mahogany door and stepped into the office. It was much colder than the reception—and huge. Wait… one, two, three… six? Six interviewers? I’m doomed. I was sure the shock was written all over my face. This was my third interview in eight months, and none had been like this. Then again, this was a huge company, what was I expecting? I swallowed hard as I walked to the center of the room, facing the long table where the panel sat. “Good day, sirs and ma,” I greeted, trying to sound confident, but my voice came out shaky. “Please, have your seat, Miss Finn,” the only woman among them said.

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER TWO The club was packed with people moving in and out, laughter and music blending into one chaotic rhythm. I showed my ID to the large, muscular bouncer, and he let me in without a word. Sadie and I had been here once before, so I roughly knew my way around. The music blasted through the speakers as I made my way to the bar. “Two shots of tequila,” I said. I needed to clear my head—just for a while. I climbed onto a high stool and downed the first shot, then the second. That was when I remembered. I was a light drinker. Great. I turned toward the lounge area and froze. A man was staring at me. No… not staring. Watching. My stomach tightened. His tattoos stretched across his chest and neck, dark ink creeping dangerously close to his face. Nope. Time to go. I quickly reached for my purse to pay and leave. Then I felt it—a cold hand brush against my back. “Hey,” a voice said. I stiffened. “Please, leave me alone,” I said firmly, pulling

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER THREE The moment I drove into our compound, I knew I was finished. The front door swung open before I could even step out of my dad’s Mazda MX-5. “Lara!” my mother exclaimed, rushing outside. “Where are you coming from?” But my father pushed past her immediately. “My car.” His eyes narrowed suspiciously as he circled the vehicle. “Why does it smell like alcohol?” I blinked rapidly. Great. “I—” “And why is there dirt on the tire?” he added, crouching slightly. “Did you drive recklessly?” Seriously? I almost got kidnapped last night and this man was worried about his tires. “Good morning to you too, Dad,” I muttered under my breath. “What did you say?” “Nothing.” My mother crossed her arms. “Where did you even sleep?” “At Sadie’s place,” I lied quickly.I needed my freedom so badly Dad checked the side mirror dramatically like he was inspecting a crime scene. “Hmm. At least you didn’t scratch it.” I stared at him in disbelief. “That’s your concern?” “Do you

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FOUR My first week at Blackstone Conglomerate was terrifying. Not because the work was impossible. But because I feared encountering Adrian Romano again. And somehow— I did not see him again because he was the CEO, until when we had an impromptu meeting. I saw him. Our eyes locked. Yet somehow, his presence alone was enough to make me nervous. I hated it. Absolutely hated it. “Miss Finn?” I snapped out of my thoughts immediately. “Yes?” I looked up at Mr. Howard from the finance department. “We’re waiting for your input.” Oh God. Embarrassing. Heat rushed to my cheeks as I quickly glanced at the presentation screen. Right. Meeting. Work. Not Adrian Romano’s stupid green eyes. I cleared my throat professionally. “I think reducing supplier delays would help productivity in the long run,” I said calmly. “If we renegotiate timelines now, it’ll save operational costs later.” Silence filled the room briefly. Then Mr. Howard nodded slowly. “Tha

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER FIVE Chris was acting strange. Not terrible. Not rude. Just… different. And the worst part was that I couldn’t even explain it properly. The calls became shorter. The texts became drier. And every time I mentioned work, his mood changed. At first, I told myself I was overthinking. But by the second week at Blackstone, even I couldn’t ignore it anymore. “Babe, are you even listening to me?” I blinked and looked up from my laptop. “Huh?” Chris sighed from across the table. We were at a quiet café near his office, yet the atmosphere between us felt oddly tense. “I said my manager dumped an entire presentation on me today.” “Oh.” I immediately closed my laptop guiltily. “Sorry. Work has just been hectic.” “Clearly.”He sighed. The way he said it made my chest tighten. I studied him carefully. Chris looked good as always—clean haircut, fitted shirt, classy wristwatch. He had always carried himself confidently. That was one of the things that a

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SIX ADRIAN’S POV Rain. That was the first thing I remembered whenever I thought about that night. Cold, heavy rain pouring endlessly against the windows of the hotel while my mother sat across from me trying to smile through her fear. I was twenty-two then. Young. Angry. Desperate to escape the Romano name. My mother reached across the small table inside the hotel suite and held my hand tightly. “Once we leave tonight, your father will never find us again.” I wanted to believe her. God, I wanted to. For the first time in years, she looked hopeful instead of terrified. The suite smelled like coffee and anxiety. Two passports sat on the table beside a black envelope. Inside that envelope were documents, cash, and information powerful enough to destroy my father if he ever came after us. Our freedom. Our future. Mother glanced nervously toward the clock again. “She should be here soon.” I frowned slightly. “She?” “The courier.” I immedi

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER SEVENThe email came in at exactly 8:14 a.m.I almost ignored it.I was halfway through fixing my blouse in the bathroom mirror at work when my phone buzzed inside my handbag.Salary Credit Notification.For a moment, I just stared blankly at my phone.Then my heart started pounding.Slowly, I opened the message.And the moment I saw the amount—I gasped.“Oh my God.”It felt unreal.My first salary.My first real salary.After six whole years of rejection emails, failed interviews, and depending on my parents for almost everything.I leaned heavily against the sink as emotions rushed through me unexpectedly.Relief.Pride.Disbelief.My eyes burned suddenly.“Lara?”I looked up quickly to see Amelia from HR entering the restroom.“You okay?”I laughed shakily while wiping under my eyes.“I just got paid.”Her face softened instantly.“Oh.”That single word carried understanding.“First paycheck?”I nodded.And somehow, that made me emotional all over again.By

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER EIGHT LARA’S POV Moving out sounded like freedom. But no one really tells you that freedom also comes with… silence that feels unfamiliar. The first few mornings in my new apartment, I kept waking up expecting to hear my mother calling from the kitchen or my father asking where the remote was. Instead, there was just me. And the ticking sound of a clock I didn’t remember buying. I lay there for a moment, staring at the ceiling. Then I smiled. Because even the silence was mine. Work at Blackstone Conglomerate was still overwhelming, but I was slowly finding my rhythm. Slowly. Very slowly. My desk was becoming less chaotic. My email replies were faster. And I was finally starting to remember names without panicking internally. But something else had changed too. I noticed it one afternoon while printing documents. The CEO’s floor had been unusually quiet lately. Too quiet. No sudden meetings being called. No presence that made the air feel heavi

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER NINEADRIAN’S POVHong Kong was loud in a way I didn’t respect.Too many people. Too many lights. Too much noise pretending to be importance.I adjusted my cufflinks as another executive finished speaking across the glass conference table.Something about expansion projections.Something about numbers that didn’t matter.I stopped listening after the third slide.“Mr Romano,” one of them called carefully, “your approval is needed for the Southeast Asia merger strategy.”I exhaled slowly.“Proceed without me.”A pause.“Sir?”“I said proceed.”That ended the meeting faster than it started.Good.My assistant trailed after me as I left the room.“You have another meeting in forty minutes.”“I’m aware.”“And dinner with investors after that.”I stopped walking.“No.”A blink.“Sir?”“I said no.”He hesitated, then quickly adjusted his tablet like I hadn’t just reduced an entire schedule to dust.“Understood.”That was the thing about power.People rarely argued twic

CHAPTER TEN

CHAPTER TEN LARA’S POV I hated grocery shopping alone. Not because it was stressful. But because nobody warned me adulthood involved standing in supermarket aisles debating whether buying scented candles was financially responsible. It wasn’t. I still bought one. Vanilla scented. Because my apartment deserved personality. By the time I got home, both my arms were aching from carrying bags. “Jesus Christ,” I muttered, struggling to unlock my door without dropping anything. “Need help?” I turned immediately. Ethan. Of course. He leaned casually against his apartment door wearing grey sweatpants and a black hoodie, looking far too relaxed for someone who kept witnessing my suffering. Without waiting, he took two bags from me. “You bought half the supermarket.” “I got excited.” “You bought candles.” “How did you know?” “You have the face of someone who buys candles emotionally.” That made me laugh harder than it should have. We entered my apartmen

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