Mr. CEO's Young Mistress novel Chapter 63

"Sharon, Leonard might seem tough here."

She watched as Puvis pointed to his heart.

...

Puvis smiled gently. "But he turns to putty in your hands."

"Grandpa..."

Puvis waved off whatever she had been about to say. "I've seen many things over the years. I know that Leonard is indifferent and apathetic to everyone, even family. While he may not have lost his temper at us, he has never cared about us either, so it's understandable for Nathan and Rosamond to be jealous of you. How can they be happy when their uncaring son chooses to care for someone non-related to them by blood over caring for them? So it's only natural that they resent you."

...

...

Sharon's heart was heavy, her face twisting into a frown. She whispered, "I know that, Grandpa."

That's why she never blamed Nathan or Rosamond for giving her the cold shoulder. Instead, she remained respectful and grateful for all they had given her. 

As for Selena, Sharon had no way of avoiding her hostility. But besides getting angry, she never once hated Selena.

She was aware that if she were in their shoes, there was no guarantee that she would be so accepting either.

...

Puvis brushed her head and soothed her gently. "I don't have any other intentions. I just wanted to let you know that Leonard loves you. But sometimes, he's too straightforward and inconsiderate of others' feelings. So don't take it to heart when he acts mean to you."

...

Sharon raised an eyebrow in confusion. 

"That reminds me! Never do something like yesterday again! What would Leonard and I do if something were to happen to you? Promise me that you'll never do that again! Even if you're mad at Leonard, you can come to me, alright?" Puvis fretted, getting more worked up. 

...

...

Yesterday, he almost had a heart attack when he learnt that Sharon had gone missing. 

He immediately thought back to the recent news reporting of a girl who had mysteriously disappeared and was found murdered. 

God knows what he should do if something like that had happened to Sharon. 

Although he had heard that Leonard had found Sharon yesterday night, he was still anxious. That's why he had rushed to the villa early in the morning the next day.

...

Sharon saw Puvis's troubled expression and finally understood what he was trying to tell her. 

Sharon held his arm tightly and apologised, "Grandpa, I'm sorry for making you worry."

"Sharon, it doesn't matter how Nathan, Rosamond, or Selena treats you. Ever since Leonard brought you back to our home, the two of us have considered you as our family. You are an indispensable part of our family. Do you understand?" 

...

Sharon's eyes were red as she nodded. "Yes, Grandpa. I promise I'll never make you worry again." 

Puvis sighed. "You silly child."

Sharon sniffled and rested her head on his arm. 

Puvis finally relaxed. He secretly glanced behind him and snickered when he saw Leonard's stiff expression. 

Puvis narrowed his eyes, suddenly thinking of something. He lowered his head and smiled at Sharon. "Sharon, he passed my first test."

Sharon blinked and looked up in confusion.

"Erm... It's him." Puvis hesitated. 

"Who?" Sharon raised an eyebrow. 

"Simon." Puvis winked at her.

Simon?

A strange expression appeared on Sharon's face.

"Erm... Simon Guerin, Yannick's son? The one who attended your birthday banquet," Puvis explained.

"Oh."

Sharon's face was stiff as she glanced behind her unconsciously. 

She heaved a sigh of relief when she saw that he was quite a distance away from them. 

That night, it was all thanks to introducing Simon as her boyfriend that she...

"Sharon, I think he's a fine young man." Puvis approved with a smile.

Sharon did not say anything. 

"Have you heard of Yannick Guerin?" Puvis asked.

"Yes." Sharon's eyes flickered, and she nodded slightly.

"The Guerin family has involved themselves in politics for generations, and they are quite well-known in Montreal. I heard that Yannick's son is an excellent individual. Although he is close to your age, everyone who knows him is full of praise for him. He is said to be better than even his father. He has a bright future ahead of him," Puvis noted.

...

Sharon had since long tuned out, constantly peeking behind for fear that somebody might overhear them.

"Sharon, I technically shouldn't be approving of you being in a relationship so early on, but since that kid seems alright, I'll decide after observing for a while. You should bring him over to the manor this Saturday. Let's have a meal together," Puvis suggested nonchalantly, not noticing Sharon's stoic expression.

...

"He wants me to bring Simon over for a meal?" Sharon shouted internally. 

Sharon took in a breath and stared at Puvis. "Grandpa, I don't think that's a good idea..."

"Why not? He's your boyfriend now. Bring him over so that I can assess him." Puvis gave her a sharp look.

"Grandpa, we aren't..."

Sharon wanted to clarify that they weren't a couple but bit her tongue when she recalled announcing it to them on her birthday. 

If she jumped out and explained now, wouldn't she be contradicting herself?

Puvis mistook Sharon's flushed face as being shy when she was actually panicking inside. 

He chuckled. "You weren't even shy when you introduced him to me that day. So why start now?"

Sharon was overwhelmed by her internal turmoil. "Grandpa, we're still young. Isn't it too early to bring him over? Why don't we do this later on?"

"What do you mean? I bet you weren't thinking about that when you two got together." Puvis brushed her off casually, convinced that she was shy.

...

"T-Then, I'll break up with him," Sharon stammered. 

Puvis stared at her, startled, before breaking into a frown. "Nonsense! I never objected to your relationship, so why would you do such a thing? Besides, I'm not so stubborn as to put my nose in your business. You're all grown up now, and I respect your choices." 

...

Sharon wanted to cry. 

"So now I can't even 'break up' with him if I wanted to?" she thought.

Puvis studied her unhappy face. He patted her hand and said in a low voice, "If you break up with him over this, wouldn't he think that you were playing with his feelings?"

"Playing with his feelings? Grandpa's overthinking it!" Sharon exclaimed to herself, biting into her lower lip. 

...

...

Puvis caught himself. He cleared his throat and softened his tone. "I've already told the cooks to prepare a feast on Saturday night. So be sure to bring him over no matter what, all right?" 

...

Did she have a choice?

"Aren't I just asking for trouble by inviting him for dinner?" Sharon wondered, her frown deepening into a scowl.

...

Puvis stared at her for some time. Perhaps he felt that he was not persuasive enough, but he narrowed his eyes and emphasized seriously. "I'll be angry if you don't bring him over. Let me warn you. I rarely get angry, but when I do, I'm a monster! Humph!"

...

Sharon said nothing. Instead of feeling intimidated, she couldn't help but think that he was adorable. 

......

As soon as Puvis left, Sharon was dragged upstairs and into a room. She could feel him suppressing his anger as he pressed her up against the door. 

His hand holding her waist was firm. 

And thanks to that, she wasn't sitting on the floor. 

"You little minx! Are you trying to provoke me?" Leonard pressed his forehead against Sharon's and rubbed the tip of his nose against Sharon's as he demanded in a hoarse voice. 

Sharon's legs felt like jelly as she glared at Leonard like a ruffled up kitten.

Leonard smirked. He brought his face to hers for a kiss. "Did Grandpa say anything to you in the garden?" 

Sharon's heart skipped a beat, and her eyes widened. Feeling guilty, she peeked at him hesitantly and replied, "No."

A glint flashed through his eyes as he studied her without saying anything. After a moment, he reached up to brush her swollen lips. 

His unfathomable expression turned her into a bundle of nerves. 

She did not dare to imagine what would happen if he saw her bring Simon over for dinner on Saturday.

...

"Sharon," Leonard called out softly. 

...

"Hmm?" Sharon froze up, her eyes shooting towards him. 

"Even if you run away, I'll catch you and bring you back. If you throw a tantrum, I'll spoil you however you want. You can have everything you want, but on one condition." 

Leonard narrowed his eyes, and Sharon caught the dark glint that flashed in his eyes. 

Sharon shuddered, her back breaking out into a cold sweat. 

"Don't test my patience," Leonard warned menacingly. 

Sharon stiffened and responded nothing.