That guy was acting all serious today—he’s definitely up to something. Alice Parker grinned and responded, then turned to wave at a few girls at the front desk before heading toward the elevator.

Suddenly, the elevator doors opened. The sharp clack of leather boots echoed, the steps short but unhurried, steady and powerful. Just from the sound, you could tell it was a woman. And not just any woman—a sharp, formidable career woman. Only a truly confident woman could walk with such brisk, self-assured steps.

Alice Parker looked up. Sure enough, it was the chairman and CEO, Grace Sutton, striding toward them, followed by her secretary, who was hurrying along with a nervous, anxious expression.

Grace Sutton, 25 years old, 169 centimeters tall, with a slender waist, curvy hips, and a full, ample chest. According to reports, her measurements were 89–63–90, and she had a perky D-cup bust. Especially in that light gray business suit, her S-shaped figure was wrapped tightly, accentuating her alluring presence. Her long, jet-black hair was elegantly pinned up, making her fair neck look even longer and adding a touch of nobility and coolness. As Alice Parker sized her up, these stats about her popped into his mind.

At Maoyuan Company, Grace Sutton was the quintessential dream woman in every man’s eyes. Not just the unmarried young guys—even some middle-aged men with families couldn’t help but fantasize about her. Alice Parker had overheard people gossiping about Grace Sutton in the company more than once. Even that old guy Henry Carter often lamented in front of him that he’d married too early and missed his chance to pursue Grace Sutton—one of his life’s great regrets. Alice Parker could barely resist the urge to kick him—seriously, his own kids were old enough to get married, and he was a close friend of Grace Sutton’s father. How could he shamelessly say something like that?

But Grace Sutton wasn’t perfect. Beneath her flawless appearance, the only pity was that her beautiful, rosy face was always cold as ice, making it hard for anyone to feel close to her. A chill flashed in her bright eyes. Clearly, Alice Parker’s earlier glances hadn’t escaped her notice.

“President Mu.” At Alice Parker’s side, Henry Carter immediately greeted Grace Sutton with utmost respect, even though she was nearly two cycles younger than him. Although Henry Carter was a company veteran and had a good relationship with Grace Sutton’s father, Mu Maoyuan, he was a smart man. From the very first day Grace Sutton became acting chairman, he’d never tried to pull rank.

The front desk girls, seeing Grace Sutton standing not far away, turned pale and hurriedly greeted her, “Hello, President Mu.” Especially Zhao Jia, who kept wringing her hands in front of her stomach, probably worried that her earlier banter with Alice Parker had been noticed. As for Henry Carter, she wasn’t too concerned—he was always known for being kind and approachable in the company, and he was close friends with Alice Parker.

No wonder they were nervous. In the year since Grace Sutton took charge of the group, she’d become known for her cold, iron-fisted methods. More than thirty people had been dismissed under her watch, from janitors to department managers, all handled with lightning speed, leaving people no time to react. Because of this, no one in the company dared to underestimate the young chairman.

With a cold, aloof expression, Grace Sutton swept her gaze over Alice Parker and the others, her eyes finally landing on the potstickers and soy milk in his hand. Her elegant brows furrowed slightly, but her expression didn’t change much. She said in a chilly voice, “Alice Parker, come to my office this afternoon.”

“President Mu, here’s the thing.” Seeing his direct subordinate in trouble, Henry Carter quickly rubbed his hands together and said, “Yesterday I sent Alice Parker out on some business, and he probably didn’t get home until two or three in the morning. So…” He grinned sheepishly and pointed at the plastic bag in Alice Parker’s hand.

“President Carter, you’re covering for your subordinate. Come to my office at one this afternoon and explain together.” Grace Sutton gave Alice Parker a cool glance, then swept past them like a gust of wind, her high heels tapping out a brisk rhythm as she headed for the door, leaving behind a faint, elegant fragrance. Her secretary shot Alice Parker a dissatisfied glare before hurrying to catch up.

“How did she know I was covering for you?” Watching Grace Sutton’s departing figure, Henry Carter gaped at Alice Parker in disbelief. “That’s uncanny!”

“Sigh!” Alice Parker helplessly patted his shoulder, shook his head, and turned toward the elevator. He was smiling bitterly inside—wasn’t this like slapping Grace Sutton in the face right in front of her? He’d played World of Warcraft until three in the morning yesterday, and Grace Sutton knew all about it.

Henry Carter followed Alice Parker into the elevator, pressed the floor button, and kept shaking his head in confusion, stroking his chin. “Could it be that the people in our department have all been bought off by President Mu?”

“Stop overthinking it. She probably saw through you because your eyes weren’t sincere.” Alice Parker chuckled, flicked out a cigarette, and stuck it in his mouth. The elevator lurched and shot upward. But inside, he was still smiling wryly: “That excuse is laughable, too. Because Grace Sutton… is my wife!”

Chapter Four: Hard to Tell What’s Real

However, since there were other people in the elevator, Henry Carter immediately fell silent. The high-speed elevator really was fast.