Offer To The CEO

Anna looked at Hou Yi and asked "That woman called you CEO Hou. Who are you?"

Hou Yi, quickly responded "I am the CEO of the family business Hou Enterprises. While I am a private person and try and keep out of the spotlight, when attending business events I am aware that my photograph appears in the papers, so I am guessing that she remembered seeing a photograph of me, hence she called me CEO Hou."

Hou Yi, was careful in everything that he said. He was absolutely truthful in his response. He was CEO of Hou Enterprises; he hated the spotlight but appeared in the papers when out for functions tied to the business, so his ident.i.ty was not secret. The only thing he did not tell Anna, was the size of Hou Enterprises, as he could be the CEO of a small or medium business as much as he was the CEO of a business as large as Hou Enterprises. His ident.i.ty as a business CEO did not depend on the size of the business, so he did not want to correct the impression Anna had yet. He would tell her the full truth when it was necessary, and it was not necessary at this time.

He looked at Anna, who by the look on her face had clearly accepted what he had told her. Anna, then reached out, and took a hold of his hand, which was then when Hou Yi realised that when they sat down he had not taken a hold of her hand again. It appeared to Hou Yi in looking at her face, she needed something to anchor herself, given everything that had happened, and he was willing to provide this to her, as he knew that this was the person, he fell for in Australia at a glance and was willing to spend his life with her. She simply did not realise it at this time.

With that Hou Yi slightly leaned towards Anna, and at the exact same time, she leaned towards him, ending resting her head on his arm. They simply sat there waiting, almost as if they were in a world of their own. All that either of them could hear was murmurs of voices, and not make out what was being said. However, more and more people were gathering and they were getting louder. The tenor of what they were saying was such that they identified Hou Yi, and could not believe what they were seeing, the affection that he was displaying for a woman in public, without a care in the world, and that they were apparently awaiting to get a marriage certificate. Many started to grab their mobile phones to take a photograph and upload it to social media, before they remembered that the foyer area was clearly signed as an area where mobile phones could not be used, and photographs were strictly prohibited. Many realised that the penalties for breaking this were significant, both financially and the likelihood of jail as it was a government building. The best that they realised that they could do was post what they had seen on social media as soon as they left the building.

Before the gathering crowd could get close to them, someone came through a door slightly to their right, and walked up to them. "CEO Hou, Miss Jones, I am Official Song. If you could follow me, I will help finalise all the arrangements for the issuing of your marriage certificate."

Official Song speaking to them, shook both Anna and Hou Yi out of their daze. With that Hou Yi helped Anna sit back up straight and stood up. He then held out his hand to her, and simply said, quietly, but loud enough for many of the onlookers to hear "Darling…".

Anna took his hand and used his a.s.sistance to stand up. Hou Yi, let go of he hand, but he immediately turned and stood beside Anna and then offered her his arm to hold onto as they followed Official Song. For some reason, something penetrated Anna"s dazed state, and she heard from the people that apparently had been observing her and Hou Yi, a number of comments all saying effectively the same thing. That CEO Hou was so romantic, to this woman who had captured him, that they could not be waiting to post on social media what they had seen, and from the woman, that they wished that their boyfriends acted to them as CEO Hou was acting to his fiancé. All Anna thought about Hou Yi"s behaviour was that he was being courteous and helpful to her, and that given what had happened he was a little bit protective, so that she would not fall down in a heap when the emotions of the last hour or so really got to her.

Hou Yi, realised exactly what was being said about them, but he did not care at this point in time. All he wanted was to achieve is to tie Anna to him, and everything else, even his plans to stop the Lu"s was secondary. Yes, they would get their revenge, but securing their marriage was the important thing now.

With that Hou Yi and Anna, followed Official Song through the door he came out to meet them, and down along the corridor.