The Pursuit of Love by the Female CEO

On the sixth blind date, the man in front of me started talking about having a house.

My name is Isabella Martinez, 28 years old, an only child, unmarried. I am currently the CEO of the Southeast Region at TR Group, with an annual income in the eight figures.

The man in front of me was carefully selected by a high-end matchmaking company, claiming to be a promising candidate.

I neither agreed nor refused, and asked, "Oh, tell me, what makes you think you can make this demand?"

The man with a sense of entitlement said, "First of all, I am younger than you. I just turned 23, at the peak of my youth. I have good health and great looks. Although I don't earn as much as you, being your husband will bring great face. Don't you think so?"

"And we agreed beforehand that we wouldn't get married. With your high income, you are fully capable of buying a house in full and putting both our names on it. That makes sense, doesn't it?"

I have been on many blind dates and have met shameless people, but I have never encountered a man so shamelessly trying to freeload.

"Sorry," I took a sip of coffee and mocked him with a glance, "With all due respect, you are not worthy of my house."

As I left the cafe, I felt relieved.

My driver, Benjamin Clarke, asked, "CEO Isabella, are we going home or back to the office?"

"Let's go back to the office," I replied casually.

Sure enough, as soon as I got in the car, my mother called. I have become numb to her repetitive nagging and can only give her perfunctory responses.

After hanging up the phone, I sighed helplessly.

As I grow older, my mother is drifting further away on the path of urging me to get married.

She urges me every day, from breakfast to lunch and afternoon tea, believing that no matter how capable or wealthy I become, it is all meaningless if I don't get married.

I must get married.

As I arrived at the underground garage of the company, as soon as I got out of the car, a white car whizzed past me. There was a man wearing a white turtleneck sweater sitting in the driver's seat, and he passed by in a flash.

I didn't see his face clearly, but in that moment, my heart skipped a beat. Without thinking, I took out my phone and captured his license plate number.

My driver was puzzled, "CEO Isabella, what was that?"

"It's nothing," I casually tossed my phone back into my bag.

Although I said it was nothing, ripples of emotions stirred inside me.

Five years ago, I was just a regional manager at TR Group Southeast Region, and Ethan Anderson was my mentor. I used to admire him, but he took advantage of my admiration and made a move on me.

He took me to the presidential suite of a hotel.

Just when I thought I was finished, someone appeared and saved me. However, I was in a dazed state at that time and didn't see who saved me.

But just now, in that instant, I felt like I had found my savior from back then.

As soon as I arrived at the office, I instructed my assistant, Olivia Mitchell, "Compile a list of eligible bachelors for me, aged between 24 and 30. No bad habits, no smoking or drinking, good character and appearance. That's all I can think of for now, the rest is up to you."

I no longer relied on high-end matchmaking agencies.

Olivia Mitchell has been by my side for many years, and she is efficient. Soon, she handed me a list.

I carefully read through the resumes of all the men on the list and finally focused on a handsome man.

"Him," I said. Two days later, I met the man named Sebastian Miller.

Although he was handsome, I still passed on him.

No spark.

After he left, I continued to sit and enjoy a rare moment of tranquility, sipping my coffee.

Just then, a sharp voice shattered the peace.

"Liam Thompson, if I approve of you, then you can be my boyfriend. Don't underestimate me."

A tree blocked my view, and all I could see was a slender figure. The man had broad shoulders, dressed in a plain white sweater, with neatly trimmed hair.

Just from his back, he gave off an air of elegance.

That strange feeling surged within me once again.

Seeing that he was unresponsive, the other person softened their tone, "As long as you agree to be my boyfriend for a month, I'll give you one million."

Tsk.

I lightly tapped my fingers on the table.

Publicly flaunting one's wealth is nothing new, but a million is not a small sum to offer.

I stared calmly at the back of the man's head, thinking that faced with such temptation, he must be moved, right?

The man seemed to smile lightly. He spoke, his voice calm, "One million just for being your boyfriend?"

"Don't you think it's a little less?" the other person asked.

"It's not about the amount, it's about you not deserving it," the man replied, then turned around to leave.

In that moment, I saw his face clearly.

No wonder that wealthy young lady was chasing after him relentlessly.

No one could resist the presence of that face.

Sharp eyebrows, beautiful brow bones, a perfectly sculpted nose, and those eyes, like obsidian washed by mountain springs, exuded a chilling aura that kept others at bay.

Unspoiled by the mud, for some reason, I thought of this phrase.

In that moment when he turned around, our eyes met briefly before he quickly looked away.

I did not feel embarrassed because of watching the play, instead I smirked at him and whispered, "Do you need my help?"

He ignored me and just stared at me without moving, seemingly lost in thought.

How could a rich girl endure such humiliation? She immediately called her bodyguard to stop him.

Liam Thompson frowned, his expression starting to show impatience.

I looked down and glanced at his clenched fist, wondering if he was going to fight here. I wondered if he could win against those two bodyguards.

Those two bodyguards were strong and powerful, clearly professional. Although he was tall and had long legs, it was unlikely that he could win against the two of them. Besides, engaging in a public fight would probably lead to consequences.

"Aren't you leaving?" Liam Thompson glanced at me with his dark eyes and spoke in a soft voice.

Although I usually didn't like to intervene, I changed my mind now.

The rich girl walked over and said, "Liam Thompson, I'll give you one last chance. Will you be my boyfriend?"

"Not willing."

"You..."

"A forced melon isn't sweet." I stood up and walked over to the rich girl. "There's no fun in biting a hard one."

"Who do you think you are, meddling in other people's business?" The rich girl glared at me angrily. "Could it be that you also like this pretty boy?"

As soon as she mentioned the term "pretty boy," Liam Thompson's fist clenched again.

I found it amusing.

This young girl, who hasn't even grown her hair fully, clearly likes someone but insists on using the most extreme means. She's probably taking advantage of her status, behaving recklessly and without any filter.

"So what if I do?" I looked at her with a faint smile, not wanting to explain.

"Then how much are you offering?" She looked at me disdainfully.

Liam Thompson gave the rich girl a menacing look.

"Well, unlike you, I'm not crude enough to use money to win him over, but..." I took out a card from my bag and placed it in her hand. "I don't mind using money to solve some troublesome matters, like dealing with you."

"There's one million in here. Starting today, you are not allowed to bother him again, otherwise, don't blame me for being rude."

I lowered my voice and said to her, "You're the youngest daughter of the Lin family, right? Your good father just sorted out a mess you got into not long ago. If I were you, I would lay low for a while and be a good daughter."

"You..." She looked up at me, disbelief in her eyes.

"Take care." I patted her shoulder.

I walked over to Liam Thompson.

I looked up, he looked down.

He was tall, probably around one meter eighty-eight.

"Let's go," I said to him.

He followed me out.

"Why did you help me?" he asked.

I ignored him and found my car, opened the door, and sat in the driver's seat. When I was about to close the door, he once again blocked it, his tall figure standing by the car.

"Answer me."

"What, you want to repay me?" I smirked, taking a glance at him. "I'm afraid you can't come up with that much money all at once."

"So, what do you want?" His eyebrows furrowed, looking at me suspiciously.

I held the steering wheel, smiling as I looked at him. "You'll find out soon enough."

Afterwards, I had Olivia Mitchell investigate Liam Thompson's information.

Liam Thompson, twenty-five years old, height one meter eighty-eight, occupation unknown, currently living in the Happiness Residential Area.

Olivia Mitchell said that this was all the information she could find about Liam Thompson.

I observed Liam Thompson and although his dress style seemed cheap, he exuded a refined air, managing to turn even market stall items into high-end fashion.

A few days later, I arrived at the Happiness Residential Area where Liam Thompson lived.

The old residential area had messy electrical wires, uneven roads, and even the stairs were run-down. My high-heeled shoes squeaked as I walked on it.

I covered my nose and walked up to the third floor.

The walls next to the door were filled with advertisements, but this door was clean and out of place in this chaotic environment.

I knocked on the door, but no one answered.

After about half an hour, I used my phone to handle some business and finally heard the steady sound of footsteps in the corridor.

For some reason, I was sure that it was Liam Thompson returning.

He saw me standing at the door but wasn't surprised. However, he simply treated me like a transparent person, opening and closing the door, forgetting to ask me, "Come in and have a seat?"

I blocked the door with my hand, preventing him from closing it. "Won't you invite me in for a while?"

"The place is too shabby, not suitable for you," he made an excuse to refuse.

"I don't mind," I said. As I spoke, I confidently walked in.

The room was small but well-kept, clean and tidy. There was even a pot of jasmine flowers on the windowsill, adding a touch of elegance.

He sure knows how to live.

Despite invading his privacy, Liam Thompson didn't show much resistance. He went to the kitchen and poured two glasses of water, handing one to me. "Only tap water at home."

I reached out to take it. "Thank you."

"How did you find me?" he asked calmly, without getting annoyed.

I took a sip of water and joked, "The power of money."

"That rich girl hasn't bothered you again, has she?"

He paused for a moment, then nodded.

I doubted she would dare to bother him again.

"Did you just go grocery shopping? I haven't had lunch yet. I don't like spicy food, so please don't put any chili or garnish in it. I dislike strongly scented food."

He replied in a deep voice, "I don't remember inviting you for a meal."

I crossed my legs calmly and smiled at him. "After all, I did help you, so it's only reasonable for you to treat me to a meal."

After a brief moment of silence, he said, "Wait a moment," then turned and went to the kitchen to cook.

As he cooked, I boredly observed the room, my gaze drawn to an upside-down photo frame. I wondered, who would display a photo frame like that at home?

Blown over by the wind, perhaps?

But from what I observed, the location of the frame was out of reach of the wind.

Out of curiosity, I approached, intending to flip the frame over.

"What are you doing?" The sudden voice startled me, almost causing me to drop the frame.

Before I could explain, he effortlessly took the frame away from me, wearing a displeased expression. "Who allowed you to touch my things?"

"I didn't-"

"Did you see the photo?" he cautiously asked.

I was about to look, but his sudden scare prevented me from seeing it. However, his question only piqued my curiosity, so I asked, "What's so special about this photo?"

"Nothing special," he coldly replied, taking the frame with him.

I shrugged and thought to myself, what an unpredictable person.

With that little incident over, Liam Thompson finished cooking.

Looking at the delicious dishes and soup on the table, I couldn't help but commend him, "Well-hidden talent."

He didn't seem impressed with my casualness. He ate quietly and gave me an eviction notice, "Once you finish eating, you can leave."

"Liam Thompson..." I called his name.

"We're not that close," he retorted.

His words caught me off guard, but I wasn't the kind of temperamental young lady who could be easily provoked by a few words.

"Well, actually, I wanted to talk to you about something," I said.

He looked up and stared at me.

I began slowly, "Liam Thompson, let's get married."

At my words, Liam Thompson's beautiful peach blossom eyes widened suddenly. I knew that my sudden "proposal" had caught him off guard.

"Don't panic, just listen to me until the end before you give your opinion."

"I know my proposal is sudden, but I'm sincere. I need a marriage, and you..." I used a polite term, "you should know that you have a certain charm and were probably frequently approached by others in the past."

"I think we can cooperate amicably and agree to a three-year marriage. During that time, I will do my best to play the role of a good wife, but I must also mention that due to my work, I may frequently work late and be away from home."

"As for having children, if you are willing, that would be great. But if you still want to divorce me after three years, the custody of the child must be given to me. I will take full responsibility for all the expenses and costs associated with their upbringing."

Liam Thompson finally spoke, "Are you done?"

"Basically, that's what I mean," I summarized.

Liam Thompson put down his chopsticks. His dark, shiny eyes stared directly at me as he leaned closer. His plump lips moved, opening and closing. "Don't think that just because you helped me, you can make unreasonable demands of me. Marriage is a lifelong commitment. Making such a hasty decision, what's the essential difference between you and that spoiled rich girl?"

I didn't know why, but as he said those words, his eyes held a hint of resentment and disappointment.

Or to put it more accurately, a sense of loss and disappointment.

Disappointed?

What is he disappointed in me for?

"Of course, there is an essential difference. I've fallen in love at first sight with you, which is why I want to enter into a marriage contract with you. Besides, feelings can also be developed slowly, can't they?"

When he heard the words "fallen in love at first sight," he hesitated, and a slight blush crept up his ears. For a moment, he couldn't find a reason to refute me.

I seized the opportunity, "Not to mention, I'm no less than other women. What they have, I also have. By marrying me, you won't be at a loss, right?"

There was a momentary confusion in his eyes.

I thought I had the upper hand, but just as I was feeling triumphant, his gaze regained clarity, and he said coldly, "We're almost done eating. You can leave now."

I wasn't willing to give up, but I had tested his attitude today. If I forced him, he would definitely develop a rebellious mentality.

In that case, what's the difference between me and that spoiled rich girl?

I would have to think about this matter in the long run.

Never would I have expected that when I was about to take a nap, a stroke of luck would be handed to me by the heavens.

When Liam Thompson came to the front desk of our company to deliver milk tea, Olivia Mitchell ran into him. She told me, "Liam Thompson came to the company to deliver milk tea, but he has already left."

Liam Thompson worked at a milk tea shop?

I tapped the table with my fingers. "Olivia Mitchell, go to the front desk and get Liam Thompson's contact information."

"CEO Isabella..."

I smiled. "It's been a while since you had milk tea, hasn't it? It's on me."

I ordered over twenty cups of milk tea, and one of them had to be personally delivered to the CEO's office by him.

When Liam Thompson arrived, I was reprimanding a certain manager. His arrival was like a life-saving straw for the other person.

"Alright, you can leave now," I said, adjusting my