3. Annoying Boss

This morning, the SM Century office was in an uproar over new rule changes. Not only were the regulations new, but so was the vice director—the successor who would take over the SM Century company from his father. Naturally, many employees were curious about the identity of the new vice director.

The marketing division was especially excited and noisy about this change.

"Oh my God, all the rules suddenly changed! Does that mean the report I prepared yesterday won't be submitted today?"

"But honestly, I'm more curious about our new boss than the new rules. They say he's still single, and he's at the right age for marriage."

"With whom? You?" Eliza chimed in.

Park Lin-Lin nodded confidently. "I'm beautiful, so I could totally be a candidate for our new vice director's wife. If I become his wife, you can all relax—I'll make sure our workload isn't this heavy anymore."

"Not a chance. Your wealth is far below the standard," Eliza replied, glancing at Lily, who had just arrived. "Now, Lily, on the other hand, could be a real contender. She's beautiful, competent as a secretary, and her wealth is still negotiable. Plus, she holds significant influence in SM Century."

"What's with all the gossip so early in the morning? And why am I part of it?" Lily responded with a small smile. "Good morning, everyone. What's going on?"

"Have you heard, Lily? We're getting a new leader and vice director today. They say the big boss's son just returned from overseas, right?"

"I know," Lily answered casually, grabbing a drink from the office pantry.

"I knew it! Of course, you'd already know," Sony added, also pouring himself a drink next to Lily. "Big Boss's favorite would never be left out of the loop. Have you also been informed about the new regulations?"

"Yes, I was told yesterday," she replied nonchalantly.

"Then you must know what our new president looks like, right? Spill a little—handsome or not?" Lin-Lin asked with excited eyes.

Lily, who had been smiling, suddenly diverted her gaze. She picked up her glass and headed to her office, shrugging indifferently. "I don't know. You'll find out soon enough. I'm heading to my office. Good luck, everyone—hope you don't suffocate under the new rules and new boss."

Just as she placed her tea cup on the desk, Daniel and Alger arrived at the office. The two men, differing in age but each exuding his own charm, immediately became the center of attention. Employees quickly straightened up, offering respectful bows as their superiors entered.

"Good morning, everyone," Daniel greeted warmly.

The gossiping employees immediately stood and bowed.

"Good morning, sir."

"This is my son, your new boss. By now, you should all know that starting today, we're not just implementing new rules but also welcoming new leadership," Daniel announced.

"Welcome to SM Century, sir. Please guide us if we need to adjust to the new rules you've implemented," Sony said while bowing.

Alger gave a slight nod, his expression serious, without even a hint of a smile. His sharp gaze scanned the room, searching for someone he was hoping to see. Then, his eyes landed on Lily, who had just arrived and immediately stepped beside Daniel.

The beautiful young woman offered a polite smile and bowed slightly in respect to her new superior.

"Good morning, sir. Allow me to introduce myself—I'm Lilyana, Mr. Daniel's secretary, and I have now been assigned as your secretary."

Polite and elegant, Lilyana's demeanor left Alger slightly confused. It was a stark contrast to yesterday when she had been bold and defiant toward him.

Daniel gave a faint smile, leaning slightly toward Alger. "You should differentiate between work and personal matters. Lilyana is highly professional in her job. That's why I like her so much."

Alger cleared his throat before turning back to the employees standing before him. "Please return to your work."

"Yes, Sir," they responded in unison before promptly heading back to their respective divisions—except for Lilyana, who remained standing beside Daniel.

"Lily, show Alger to his office. I'm just here to accompany him, but starting today, I'm officially retired. It's Alger's turn to take my place. And don't forget to stay close to him. Besides being your new boss, he's also your future husband," Daniel whispered.

Lily gave a faint smile and shook her head. "I understand, Sir."

"Aren't you going to come in first, Dad?" Alger asked.

"I have no interest in working anymore. I trust that you can manage the company. Everything you learned while studying abroad must be put to use. And remember—don't be too harsh on Lily, and don't intimidate the employees with that stern face of yours."

Alger didn't reply. Instead, he turned and headed straight for the elevator.

"That boy… always walking away when I talk to him," Daniel muttered before shifting his gaze back to Lily. "I hope you can handle working with him."

"Understood, Sir. If that's all, I'll return to work now. Enjoy your retirement, Sir. Hopefully, you can start planning a vacation with your wife."

Daniel chuckled softly. He had indeed been thinking about taking a vacation to enjoy his later years, and deep down, he hoped Lily was the right woman for Alger.

However, as soon as Lily stepped into the elevator, her smile faded. She rubbed her face roughly and leaned against the back wall of the elevator.

"I don't even know what my life will be like from now on. Will it get even darker?" she murmured.

Taking a deep breath, she exhaled slowly, bracing herself mentally to stay sane at work. Just yesterday, she had met Alger and found his cold personality exhausting. But what could she do? If it weren't for the pressure, she would never have agreed to marry a man she neither loved nor even knew well.

Alger cleared his throat, shaking his head. Damn it. Lily had completely changed—like a total 180-degree turn. The gentle girl who had once cruelly broken his heart had now transformed into a workaholic. In just one night, she had already taken care of everything.

"Read me today's agenda," Alger ordered, having no other excuse to reprimand Lily.

Lily nodded and calmly read out the day's agenda for Alger.

She had changed, but Alger would never forget how ruthless she had been toward him.

After finishing, Lily closed her tablet. "If there's nothing else, I'll take my leave, Sir."

"Wait!" Alger stopped her, standing up and approaching her.

"Mr. Alger, w-what do you want?" Lily stammered, stepping back a few steps nervously.

Swiftly, Alger grabbed Lily's wrist and pulled her forward, bringing her body dangerously close to his.

The man lowered his head to her level, a smirk forming on his lips. "How many men have you trapped with your manipulative charm? How many rich men have you served before setting your sights on me as your next target?"

"Excuse me, Sir. This is the office. It would be best if you didn't bring your personal grudges here. I—"

"I don't care. This is my office, and I have every right to do as I please to get back at you, Lilyana. The wounds you inflicted have turned into a deep-seated hatred, so don't expect me to forget everything," Alger hissed.

Lilyana struggled to break free from Alger's grip, her breathing unsteady.

"Here, I respect you as my superior, so I hope you won't bring personal matters into the workplace."

After saying that, Lily immediately left the room, just as James appeared at the door with some documents in his hands.

"Oh, Lily? Mr. Alger is inside, right?"

Lily nodded with a faint smile.

"Please go ahead. Mr. Alger is inside, Sir."

James shrugged and walked in without hesitation. He placed the documents on Alger's desk.

"The data you requested."

"Good. Leave it there, I'll check it later."

James leaned in slightly, curiosity evident in his expression. As Alger's friend, he couldn't help but feel puzzled. "Why are you asking for your secretary's biodata? Don't tell me you're already interested in her?"

"None of your business. Do your job properly unless you want to be fired."

"So secretive, Mr. Alger. But seriously, why not just ask her directly? It makes sense—you just returned from overseas, so you need to adjust to your new subordinates."

Still typing on his laptop, Alger shrugged indifferently. "Why bother? It would only inflate her ego."

"Relax, Lily isn't that type of person."

Alger's fingers froze over his keyboard. He looked up at James, who was sitting comfortably in front of him.

"How much do you know about that secretary?"

James shrugged and straightened up. "For the past three years, actually. When Lily first joined, I was the one who guided her. It wasn't exactly hard, but it wasn't easy either. She said this was her first corporate job, and she was lucky to be personally selected by your father."

"My father? They know each other?"

James shrugged again. "I'm not sure, maybe they knew each other before she worked here. But over the past three years, Lily has been incredibly professional. Out of all the secretaries who have worked with your father, she's the most outstanding, in my opinion. Many people from other departments admire her. But lately, she seems obsessed with work and uninterested in love."

Alger fell silent. For some reason, his thoughts were now occupied with Lily. How did his father find her and even decide to arrange a marriage between them? Had he missed something in the past five years? As far as he remembered, Lily's English wasn't even that good back in high school.

"You're spacing out again. Be honest—do you like your secretary? Or… have you finally moved on from your ex and fallen for Lily at first sight?"

"Mind your own business."

"What do you mean? You're my best friend, in case you forgot."

"We're at work. If you have nothing work-related to discuss, you should leave."

James chuckled softly as he stood up. He patted Alger's shoulder twice. "Let go of the past. Don't get stuck in an old relationship. You deserve to be happy—remember, not all women are the same, Al."

"Hmm."