Seeing Alice’s expression soften again at his words, Ryan couldn’t help but let out a smile.
He discovered again that being with Alice made him feel like laughter was bubbling up inside him.
Their eyes met again. Crouched down like a puppy, Alice was organizing her bag, and suddenly her face turned to Ryan, leaving him flustered and unsure where to look.
“I don’t plan on giving this girl flowers or anything…”
After finishing organizing her bag, Alice stood up. Ryan didn’t take his eyes off her as she moved up and down.
“I’ll let it go, considering Secretary Alii’s sincerity.”
Ryan opened the glass door and offered the small bouquet.
This was the first time he had placed a bouquet down, using Alice as an excuse. Following Ryan’s lead, Alice placed her bouquet next to his.
Ryan stared intently at her back as she quietly gazed at the urn, as if she were saying something to herself.
Thinking it over, there wasn’t a single unkind thought.
Dressing in a well-fitted suit to greet a mother-in-law he was meeting for the first time, preparing a bouquet by hand, and thinking she should wake up early to come to the incense altar together, even though she must have been tired.
Her sincere heart was precious.
When Ryan looked at Alice after finishing his thoughts, her face was flushed red, as if she had been thinking something.
“Why is your face like that?”
“What… what do you mean?”
“It looks like you’re about to burst?”
“Vice President, have you finished your greetings? Should we… go now?”
Alice, suddenly in a hurry, seemed strange, but Ryan readily agreed.
He needed to go and sort out his thoughts a bit more. This churning heart of his.
***
After returning from the columbarium, Alice couldn’t sleep properly due to tossing and turning.
Thanks to all the tossing, she barely managed to get through the night and arrived at work an hour early.
Since she was just lying there blinking her eyes, she thought it would be better to go to work leisurely.
Looking in the mirror, she noticed the area under her eyes was hollow, similar in color to her freckles.
“Am I going to end up with a dark face like this?”
Her skin seemed to have become rough…
I can’t let my skin health deteriorate like this!
Determined to start a daily mask routine from today, Alice clenched her fist.
As she put the mirror down, the events from the columbarium flashed through her mind.
Ryan’s face reflected in the transparent glass, and the gaze that was fixed on her. As she placed the bouquet for Harlow, she remembered Ryan’s face reflected in the glass door, and her face turned red again.
‘Why was he staring so intently? How embarrassing.’
Ryan’s gaze kept coming to mind, leaving no room for her face to cool down. Alice shook her head to shake off the thoughts.
Beeep-.
She picked up her ringing phone. It was a message from Olive.
[Don’t forget this Friday!]
Ah! The party!
She had completely forgotten about the Friday party while planning and preparing to pay her respects at Harlow’s Columbarium.
She hadn’t even mentally prepared yet…
Suddenly, she felt regret.
Maybe she shouldn’t have said she would just go.
Ha, but since it was Olive’s request, she couldn’t refuse.
[I remember.]
Alice replied to Olive’s message.
[There’s nothing to prepare. Let’s just get our hearts ready!]
She wasn’t sure if that would work, but she sent it anyway.
Alice earnestly hoped this week would pass slowly.
“Hello, Secretary Alii.”
As she was wishing for time to pass slowly, she felt a presence in front of her.
Why is this woman acting like this all of a sudden?
The owner of the voice, which pretended to be kind and sweet, was Genevieve.
A woman with a personality thrown into Andromeda was imitating someone else for some reason.
Did she change her concept?
Did Ryan’s comment from last time make her lose her spirit?
Looking at Genevieve, who was not to her liking, Alice forced a smile.
“A new employee has joined our department, and they came to greet the vice president.”
Now that she looked, a tall man was suddenly standing behind Genevieve.
“Hello. I’m Alice Wesley, the secretary…”
Alice quickly raised her head, which she had been bowing, and stared at the man in front of her.
And she blinked in disbelief.
This tall, handsome man.
This familiar face!
The man standing behind Genevieve took a step forward, beaming with a bright smile and slightly bowing his head.
“Hello. I’m Atlas Beck.”
Beneath his well-groomed, sharp eyebrows were crescent-shaped eyes that exuded a puppy-like charm, a look that women adored. He radiated an exceptionally kind gaze.
The chubby aegyo-sal beneath his eyes softened what could have been a sharp impression due to his eyebrows.
