The Painter is the CEO's Wife

First Meeting

October 23, 20XX (Tuesday)

Café Procope

Mei Li knew that love was for the selfless. Knowing how selfish she could be, she expected a loveless life, but that changed when she met Chen Zhong at a party with one of her university friends. Their romance was a whirlwind of fast and impulsive decisions. What fueled this romance was their mutual love for the arts. Now she realized that it was not the similarities that make a couple lasts instead it was the differences that they choose to accept that matters most.

She had refused to give everything to him due to her principle of staying a v.i.r.g.i.n until her wedding night.

And he did not choose to wait for her.

And now look at her; Brokenhearted in a romantic city.

Her eyes wandered back to her book while her hands were slowly inching towards her Chocolat Viennois placed at the center on the circular table, mindful not to wet the pages of her opened book. Litters of opened honey packets messily gathered at the side of her Crêpes flambées au Grand Marnier plate.

She was faced to face with love in the form of a stranger with dark hair and an annoying smile, but unfortunately, she didn't know that. She had no idea that this foolish stranger with red wine was love only for her until coincidences decided to put them together in the way of a crowded cafe and a vacant seat in front of her.

"Is this seat taken?"

She shook her head no as an answer and averting her eyes elsewhere. Anywhere is fine as long as it's not a stranger's eyes.

"Would you mind?" the stranger asked.

"Not at all," She replied gesturing towards the seat with palms out. Her eyes now focused on her book. Just another stranger she will never meet again; nobody important. She returns to reading her book as if nobody was there in front of her memorizing all the contours of her face.

At first, she bore no mind the unknown man with the pretty dark eyes, cute smile and a horrid decision to drink wine for lunch with the same Crêpes flambées she ordered.

Nevertheless, the man sitting in front of her, cleared his throat loudly to gain her attention and it did.

'AHEM!'

Mei Li could not help but to finally look up with a jolt. Immediately, light brown eyes meet with dark ones similar to her best friend's, who had already boarded the private plane headed to Beijing just hours ago.

Mei Li instantly recognize the stranger, already staring at the man's face with avid interest before the sudden realization came. She coughed awkwardly to hide her nerves since she doesn't know how to behave with this particular Zhao.

"Is something wrong, CEO Zhao?"

Mei Li was not sure if the upturned of his lips, sarcastically or amusedly placed. Or he could be both because here they are, both the epitome of opposites; The North to her South Pole.

"You recognize me?" His amused question did not falter the grin plastered on his face. Mei Li briefly wondered if there was a time when he stops smiling?