Chapter 2: The Queen

The elevator doors slid open with a soft ding.

Alyce stepped out and walked down the private corridor leading to her cabin.

Unlike the rest of the building, this floor was completely silent. Only a handful of people had access to it.

Reaching the large double doors, she pushed them open.

The moment she entered, a familiar voice greeted her.

"Finally."

Kayla was sprawled across one of the couches, lazily scrolling through her phone.

"Do you have any idea how long we've been waiting?"

"Approximately twenty-three minutes and forty-two seconds," Lisa replied without looking up from her laptop.

Kayla pointed at her.

"See? Even Lisa is keeping count."

"I wasn't keeping count. I simply noticed."

"That's literally the same thing."

Seated by the floor-to-ceiling window, Hazel calmly sipped her coffee while pretending not to listen to their argument.

Meanwhile, Elsa was helping herself to the expensive snacks that had been placed on the table for guests.

"These cookies are amazing," Elsa announced.

"Those were meant for the foreign investors," Alyce said.

Elsa slowly placed another cookie into her mouth.

"Were."

Alyce shook her head with a faint smile.

Some people spent years trying to earn an audience with the infamous owner of A&T Company.

Her friends, however, treated her office like their personal living room.

Hazel glanced at Alyce.

"How did the shareholder meeting go?"

Before Alyce could answer, Kayla grinned.

"Judging by that look, someone got destroyed."

"A shareholder attempted to threaten her," Clara's voice suddenly echoed from outside the cabin.

The door burst open.

Clara stormed in dramatically.

"AND APPARENTLY SHE HAS SOMEONE WHO WANTS TO MARRY HER!"

Silence.

Four pairs of eyes immediately turned toward Alyce.

Alyce paused halfway to her desk.

"...Clara."

Elsa slowly lowered the cookie in her hand.

Hazel nearly choked on her coffee.

Lisa finally looked away from her laptop.

Kayla jumped to her feet.

"EXCUSE ME?"

Alyce closed her eyes for a moment.

She had intended to enjoy five minutes of peace.

Clearly, fate had other plans.

Alyce walked behind her desk and took her seat.

Four pairs of eyes were still fixed on her, waiting for an explanation about the mysterious person who supposedly wanted to marry her.

Alyce calmly picked up a file.

"Keep that aside for now."

"No, we absolutely will not keep that aside—" Kayla began.

"Clara."

Alyce's single word immediately cut her off.

Clara grumbled but opened her tablet.

"There's nothing urgent for now. Most of today's meetings have been postponed."

She scrolled through her schedule.

"You have a meeting with the CEO of Roberts Company in three days."

A smirk slowly appeared on Alyce's face.

Seeing that expression, the others exchanged glances.

It was never a good sign.

Hazel raised an eyebrow.

"Why do I suddenly feel bad for the CEO of Roberts Company?"

"Because your instincts are excellent," Lisa replied.

Alyce ignored them and gestured for Clara to continue.

Clara nodded.

"That's all regarding the company."

Before anyone could speak, Hazel placed her coffee cup on the table.

The room instantly grew serious.

"There is one more thing you need to know."

Alyce looked up.

"What is it?"

Hazel's expression darkened.

"The King of the Underworld is returning."

Silence filled the cabin.

Even Kayla stopped joking.

Elsa slowly set down the cookie she had been holding.

Alyce's eyes narrowed slightly.

"Are you sure?"

Hazel nodded.

"The information came from three independent sources. None of them have ever been wrong."

The atmosphere in the room changed completely.

Outside these walls, Alyce was known as the cold and powerful owner of A&T Company.

Very few people knew the truth.

Behind the scenes, she ruled a significant portion of the underworld, earning the title of Underworld Queen.

Fewer people still knew that she also held a high-ranking position within the government—one so classified that even most senior officials were unaware of her identity.

Only the five women in this room knew every side of her.

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