Chapter 1: Alyce White

Cold, ruthless, and brilliant.

Those were the words people used to describe her.

Starting with nothing but ambition, she built A&T Company into a multinational giant in only a few years.

Everyone knew her name.

Alyce White.

The elevator doors closed behind them.

The moment they were alone, Clara burst out laughing.

"Alyce, I swear one day you're going to give me a heart attack."

Alyce raised an eyebrow.

"What did I do this time?"

"What did you do?" Clara repeated. "You pulled out a gun in the middle of a shareholder meeting!"

Alyce shrugged.

"He was being annoying."

"Annoying?" Clara stared at her. "The man almost cried."

A small smile appeared on Alyce's face.

"Then perhaps he shouldn't have threatened me."

Clara shook her head.

"I spent three hours preparing that presentation. Three hours, Alyce."

"And?"

"You solved the entire problem in thirty seconds."

"Work smarter, not harder."

Clara groaned.

"You're impossible."

Alyce laughed softly, something almost nobody outside her inner circle ever witnessed.

"Yet you've been my friend for years."

"Unfortunately."

"You love me."

"Don't get ahead of yourself."

The two stepped out of the elevator and entered the executive floor.

Instantly, the atmosphere changed.

Employees lowered their heads.

Conversations stopped.

The friendly smile vanished from Alyce's face, replaced by the cold, commanding expression the world knew.

Clara leaned closer and whispered,

"And just like that, the Ice Queen returns."

"I have an image to maintain."

"You were literally laughing ten seconds ago."

"No one can prove that."

Clara rolled her eyes.

"Right. I'll make sure the security footage mysteriously disappears."

For the first time that day, Alyce laughed openly.

Several employees nearly dropped the files in their hands.

The legendary Alyce laughing?

Nobody was going to believe them.

"Back to work, everyone."

Alyce's voice turned cold and domineering the moment she addressed the employees.

Instantly, everyone scattered back to their desks. Within seconds, not a trace of the earlier crowd remained.

Clara let out a sigh.

"You know, if you keep acting like this, you're never going to get married in this lifetime."

Alyce glanced at her before casually shrugging.

"Who wants to get married?"

She began walking toward her private elevator.

"I already have everything I could ever want—loving parents, wealth, this God-given beauty..."

She paused dramatically.

"...and a bunch of unwanted but caring monkeys."

Clara narrowed her eyes.

"By monkeys, you mean us."

"Of course."

Alyce's lips curved into a teasing smile.

"Besides, why would I waste my time looking for a man when I already have someone who wants to marry me?"

She threw Clara a wink and continued walking.

Clara froze.

Her brain stopped working.

The tablet slipped from her hand and landed on the floor with a loud clatter.

Alyce didn't even turn around.

"The company will deduct that from your salary."

Clara ignored her completely.

"YOU HAVE SOMEONE WHO WANTS TO MARRY YOU?!"

Her voice echoed throughout the lobby.

"AND WHY AM I HEARING ABOUT THIS FOR THE FIRST TIME?!"

Several employees secretly looked up from their desks.

Alyce merely waved a hand dismissively as she walked away.

"Because watching your reaction is far more entertaining."

"ALYCE!"

The elevator doors closed, cutting off Clara's outraged scream.

Inside, Alyce quietly chuckled to herself, knowing full well that Clara would spend the rest of the day trying to uncover the identity of this mysterious person.

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***