The CEO’s Substitute Lover

“Tredan, after twenty years, do you still hate your mother so much?”

Tredan Davi did not expect his mother to recognize him, and for a moment he was at a loss as to how to react to the fact that this was his mother, calling him Tredan as she had done when he was a child, and Tredan Davi shed tears, having mixed emotions as he looked at his mother and shook his head. He has never complained nor had he ever taken anything against her. Like a mother who has been forgiven by her son, Mrs. Davi hugged Tredan Davi with all her might and finally cried with relief.

“Mum, you remember me, don’t you?” Tredan Davi was happy, so happy because he had waited so long for this day.

Just when Tredan Davi thought he saw a light of hope, Mrs. Davi fainted. “Mum, Mum, what’s wrong with you? Quick, get the doctor!”

“What’s going on here? Why did my mother faint suddenly?” Tredan Davi kept asking the doctor who was examining Mrs. Davi. The doctor had told Tredan Davi to relax and that he would talk to him when he finished his mother’s check-up.

“Come on, Tredan, let’s go out into the hall and sit quietly while the doctor examines Auntie, okay? It’s okay, it’s going to be okay!” Octavia Gills took Tredan Davi’s hand, wishing she could give him her strength.

“Aunty Caregiver, is Mrs. Davi recovering? Does she usually faint out of the blue like she did today?” Octavia Gills attentively asked the caregiver beside Mrs. Davi.

“Mrs. Davi has been much better over the years, better indeed but occasionally wakes up in a confused state. When she’s doing well, she just reads the Grand Prince’s newspapers and watches TV, and when confused she sits quietly by herself and lets out a few curse words! It is also true that for twenty years, both Mr. Floyd and his son have only visited once or twice. Even if the disease can be cured, she can never be cured. After all, it is a disease of the heart!”

As he listened to the caregiver’s description, Tredan Davi felt very bad! Octavia Gills saw Tredan Davi’s remorse and guilt and, cupping his face, she said tenderly and affectionately to him, “Don’t be like that, everything will be fine! Tomorrow will be better!”

“Mmm!” Luckily, he had her by his side, the best gift God had ever given him.

Upon seeing the doctor come out of the room, Tredan Davi got up and asked, “How is my mother? Why did she suddenly faint!”

“You are?” As Mrs. Davi’s attending doctor he rarely saw anyone visiting her, only that she was Mrs. Davi from Group Davi and that she had a son.

“I am her son!”

“You’re here, just in time, I was going to go out and get you if you didn’t come.” The attending doctor directed Tredan Davi to his office, where he showed him Mrs. Davi’s headlight film.

She can control her emotions and is as normal as a person should be, except that she has a voice in her mind that rejects sobriety, or to be precise, Mrs. Davi does not want to be fully sober. She wants to escape from something, thus creating a kind of intermittent closure, and in the long run, her condition will deteriorate, and if it does, the consequences will be so serious that she will not be able to be fully awake again, making her permanently insane. From a professional point of view, I suggest that both you and your father participate in this treatment and help Mrs. Davi have the ability and courage to face all the obstacles in her heart so that she can make a full recovery and be discharged to live a normal life!”

“So, doctor, how can I help my mother with this treatment and what can I do for her?” Tredan Davi asked anxiously.

“It’s simple, let her feel your presence, talk to her more about some of the very happy memories you used to have, and then encourage her to think positive about everything in her life that isn’t as good as it could be. It’s the only way to go.”

“Yes, I got it! Thank you, doctor!”

“It’s my duty, but I wish you could spend more time with her, just now Mrs. Davi fainted because she was so excited to see you. This also stimulated her instinct to shut herself out that she fainted, but next time it won’t be a good omen!”

“Thank you, thank you!”

Tredan Davi and Octavia Gills were sitting on the edge of the bed looking at his mother sleeping, Octavia Gills thought in her heart that his mother was a beautiful woman, she just couldn’t understand why Tredan Davi’s father could treat her this way?

Tredan wanted his mother to get better, he wanted nothing else. He could give his mother a good home with Octavia and him, along with each other’s relatives with them.

How nice that would be!

“Mum, do you hear me?” Tredan Davi silently asked in his thoughts to his sleeping mother. Tredan Davi hoped she could hear him! That was a promise her son had made to her, a promise of a home! A home, that he wanted her to have!

In a shop called ‘Afternoon Tea’, Mrs. Drye and Elda sat opposite each other.

“Elda, I only found out yesterday that you no longer worked for us at the Drye Family home, Lilian doesn’t know any better, don’t take it to heart.” Mrs. Drye had spoken to the other workers and Eldwin about what had happened that day, though she probably knew what had happened, including Lilian slapping Elda, Mrs. Drye wanted to apologize, but more than that, she wanted to know what was happening between Tredan and Octavia. Mrs. Drye’s heart ached as she watched her daughter sulk all day, constantly complaining that Octavia had played a trick on Tredan, and how a nice child had become like this.

“You speak kindly of me madam, and I didn’t take it to heart, I didn’t!” Elda knew in her heart that the Drye Family had been kind to her and she was a person who knew her place, not to mention that she did not approve of Octavia being with Tredan either.

“Elda, you know that I don’t like to beat around the bush. I heard from Lilian that your daughter Octavia is now with her boyfriend. Lilian also said that it was Octavia who disclosed to him about the incident when she accompanied Tredan abroad instead of Lilian and that Tredan was so angry with us and wouldn’t enter into marriage with Lilian.” Mrs. Drye spoke directly to Elda, then listened as Elda explained.

“Madam, I can assure you in my life that our family will never talk about what happened back then, I have asked Octavia about it and I believe Octavia has not told anyone about it. Tredan started by asking Octavia to be a stand-in lover for Ms. Lilian while she was abroad. It’s my fault for not keeping an eye on my daughter, I would like to apologize to the Drye Family for that! But don’t worry Madam, Octavia has promised me that she will leave the country and get out of here as soon as my son is well.” This was what Elda learned from peeking at the diary Octavia kept on her desk, and it was only then that Elda found out what Tredan’s purpose was in putting up money and effort to save Gar. It was wrong, yet she valued Tredan, being the only person who had helped save her son. Only, she sacrificed her Octavia, but thankfully the society is different now than it was in her day, and when Octavia leaves the country, no one will ask or mind this incident.

Mrs. Drye never imagined this to be as complicated as it happened in TV dramas.

“Elda, you and I are from the same town and we have been schoolmates, not to mention that I took you in from the beginning when your daughter Octavia went abroad in place of my daughter. Although she was there to care for a boy younger than her, remember that she also got a good learning opportunity, and a good prospect, no matter what, Octavia really shouldn’t have done that this time. What has happened has happened, it is useless for you and me to talk more about it, I just hope that your assurance to me today is true and in good faith!”

“I know ma’am, I have never forgotten the Drye Family helping our family through those hard times, don’t worry I will make sure Octavia leaves Tredan and never see each other again.” Elda picked up the teapot and poured tea for Mrs. Drye’s empty cup, in her mind Mrs. Drye was more than just a classmate, she was her lifesaver!

“I know you’re a sensible person, but what we think is not necessarily what our children think. Unlike Lilian, her father and I both think it’s stupid to drag a man who doesn’t love her into a marriage of convenience, but she’s so determined to do it that she won’t let go, no matter how much we persuade her. What can parents do? We just have to let her have her way! After all, she and Tredan have been together for so many years that it would be difficult for anyone to let go. I’m really worried! I hope Lilian will be happy.”

Although Mrs. Drye spoke gently, she did not beat around the bush with every word she said, and Elda listened carefully and understood.

“Don’t worry, Madam, I know what to do! I also wish Ms. Lilian happiness and joy!”

Mrs. Drye was kind of relieved to hear Elda’s words! “Elda, Eldwin has also resigned, and I can see that he usually looks at you differently, thinking of your welfare! Regardless of his reasons for resigning, I thought it would be good to let you know he’s a good man, you might as well find yourself something to fall back on! I wish you happiness, too!”Content protected by Nôv/el(D)rama.Org.

Why has Eldwin resigned? What could he do then? What will she do with all the money he’s given her? As Mrs. Drye had asked her out to talk to her about Octavia today, Elda put Eldwin aside for a while. She arrived at the entrance to Group Davi’s subsidiary and wandered in, having called Octavia when she arrived, waiting for her to come down.

“Mom, what brings you here? Is it something urgent?” Octavia Gills panted as she ran out, Elda never visited her at work, it must be something urgent. So, Octavia Gills came running down as soon as she got her call.

Elda didn’t say anything and flung a slap across her face. Elda hit Octavia and then slapped herself twice as hard.

“Mum, Mum what are you doing!” Octavia Gills didn’t know what was wrong, she had never seen her mother like this before, Octavia Gills took Elda’s hand and tried to stop her from slapping her face.

“Octavia, I feel utterly shameless! I have no guts to face anyone in the Drye Family because my daughter stole someone else’s daughter’s boyfriend, I have no courage to face your father in my next life because I didn’t take care of you and made you sell yourself for the sake of your brother’s health.” Elda, sobbed, if she had the power, her daughter wouldn’t be in this position!