Domineering Mr. CEO and His Impudent Love

She curiously inquired, “They… seem to be very afraid of you, don’t they?”

Aidan Lucas, hearing her words, lifted the corners of his mouth, but no trace of mirth touched his eyes. “This hotel is under my control. Last time I was here, 1 sacked over forty free-riding managers on the spot. Why wouldn’t they fear me?” he responded.

Upon hearing this, Lily Gray nodded in understanding.

The rumors of Aidan Lucas’s ruthlessness and high demands from his subordinates indeed had some truth to them.

She stopped probing and followed Aidan Lucas into the coffee shop.

The Seven-star King’s Palace was the first seven-star hotel in A City, and its first-floor coffee shop naturally was among the best in the city.

This coffee shop’s afternoon tea was renowned among A City’s socialite circle. It was still morning, so it wasn’t crowded. After lunch, it would be easy to bump into socialite wives and famous superstars here.

Even though Aidan Lucas was here in person and he had ordered the senior executives not to follow him, the coffee shop manager was still obsequiously attentive.

“Find a quiet spot,” he commanded. The manager playing the role of their personal guide promptly led the pair to the best, most secluded spot in the shop.

It was quiet and hidden, with the surrounding tables left unassigned to customers, which was a considerable perk. The spot was backed by an exquisite artificial indoor river, rendering it serene and elegant.

Soon enough, the afternoon tea that the Seven-star King’s Palace served in limited quantity—only thirty sets at two o’clock in the afternoon—was respectfully served by the coffee shop manager.

Zara Lowe was predictably late again. As was usual whenever she’d plan an outing with Lily Gray, she’d always make a grand entrance — fashionably late. Lily Gray didn’t care to wait, but Aidan Lucas was showing no signs of leaving, so she sat down to wait, munching on pastries.

Fortunately, the sweets at the Seven-star King’s Palace were just to her taste.

The last time she had feasted on these sweets was while her mother was still alive. Since marrying into the Austin Lucas family, she had no more opportunities to savor such delicious afternoon tea.

Just as she was sampling the flavor of the third pastry, Aidan Lucas suddenly reached over and grasped her jaw.

“Huh?” With his hand guiding her, she was compelled to turn and look at him. Blinking, she appeared a tad befuddled.

Aidan Lucas remained taciturn, observing her with emotionless black eyes for a moment before finally asking slowly, “Do you particularly enjoy the pastries here?”

Lily Gray paused, fearing that she had unintentionally upset him again.

Turns out, he just wanted to ask that.

She nodded her head and responded, “Yes, I do. They’re delicious.”

A nebulous emotion flickered in Aidan Lucas’s dark eyes as he swept his right thumb lightly across the corner of her lips, brushing away the crumb that was stuck there.

He then retrieved his hand, his lips tracing a path over his right thumb, before he slipped into his mouth the crumb that was on his thumb.

In the next moment, Lily Gray heard him say, “It’s not all that tasty.”

Judging by his tone, he seemed to be expressing extreme disdain.

Just as she was about to retort that it was merely his incapacity to appreciate good food, she heard Aidan Lucas instruct the manager standing to the side.

“Pack up the remaining pastries and have them sent to my car.”

Lily Gray was momentarily taken aback, thinking his actions belied his words!

The manager was equally stunned and explained, “Mr. Cooper, these pastries are limited to thirty sets per day.”

He wasn’t aware of Lily Gray’s identity, merely thinking that if Mr. Cooper was trying to win over a woman, it was simply too wasteful to use these prized pastries as bait.

A hotel’s reputation means everything.

If Mr. Cooper was only trying to woo a girl, he believed that splashing out cash would be more effective than gifting these pastries..