Ivy was still rattled by the overheard conversation when she got home later that evening. The day had been exhausting, between trying to avoid running into the assistants again and the chaos of the office, her mind was buzzing. But the moment she walked through the door, she was met with an unexpected but heartwarming scene.
Her best friend Pearl was sitting cross-legged on the living room floor with her grandparents, laughing hysterically. Her grandpa, always the prankster, had somehow managed to teach Pearl how to juggle using the apples from the kitchen. The room was a mess, apples rolling everywhere, but the joy was infectious.
"Ivy!" Pearl jumped up, stumbling a little as she caught one last apple mid-air.
"You missed all the fun!"
Ivy chuckled, dropping her bag by the door. "I don't even want to ask what happened here."
Her grandmother smiled warmly. "We're just keeping busy while waiting for you. How was work, dear?"
Ivy groaned dramatically, throwing herself onto the couch. "A disaster. I think I might be working with criminals."
Pearl gasped, over-exaggerating her reaction. "Criminals? Spill, spill! Is Lu Cheng secretly a mafia boss or something? Oh my god, is this why he wears the mask? Does he have a villain scar?"
Ivy laughed, feeling her stress melt away. "No, no! It's not that. But I did overhear some of his assistants talking about some mysterious files, and they were acting really shady about it."
Pearl immediately grabbed a pillow and clutched it like a detective in a crime drama.
"Sounds suspicious, Ivy. Very suspicious. I say we break into the office tonight, wear all black, and find out what they're hiding."
"Or," Ivy countered, smirking, "we can just pretend like we didn't hear anything, because I don't want to get fired or go to jail, thank you very much."
Her grandpa chimed in, always the voice of reason. "Sounds like a good plan, Ivy. Better to let things reveal themselves naturally."
Pearl, of course, ignored this. "Nope! We need to get to the bottom of this! We can dress up as janitors, sneak into the building at midnight, oh, I can even make a grappling hook!"
Ivy laughed harder, imagining Pearl dramatically scaling the side of the office building with makeshift spy gear.
"You've been watching way too many action movies, Pearl."
Pearl put her hands on her hips, feigning offense. "Excuse me? I am just trying to bring some excitement into your life. Your job sounds way too serious. And I'm good at action scenes."
"Well, it doesn't help that the CEO has everyone walking on eggshells," Ivy sighed. "I still haven't even seen his face. The mystery of Lu Cheng continues."
Pearl gasped, eyes widening in mock horror. "What if he's secretly... a vampire? That's why he wears the mask! He's hiding his true nature!"
"I'm going to regret telling you anything, aren't I?"
Pearl flopped onto the couch next to Ivy, dramatically draping an arm over her forehead.
"I'm just saying, we need to be prepared for anything. You could be working for a supernatural being and not even know it!"
Ivy shook her head, grinning. "Or maybe, just maybe, he's a regular guy with a scar or something, and not a vampire. Or a mafia boss. Or anything else from your wild imagination."
Pearl sat up suddenly, her eyes gleaming with excitement. "Speaking of wild imagination! Tell me everything about your day at the office since you resumed. I bet there's more to it than just shady secretaries."
Ivy rolled her eyes playfully. "Fine, fine. But promise you won't turn it into a whole thing."
Pearl crossed her heart. "Scout's honor. No dramatics. Just pure, professional gossip."
Ivy began recounting her day, describing the tense office atmosphere, her strange encounter with the band members, and the suspicious conversation she overheard. Pearl listened with rapt attention, her expressions ranging from overly concerned to completely amused.
When Ivy finished, Pearl jumped up dramatically, pointing at her like an old detective. "It's obvious! The band is in on it too. They're hiding something major. This goes all the way to the top!"
Ivy burst out laughing. "You're impossible!"
"How is an ordinary boy band related to he CEO". Ivy said laughing hysterically.
"And you love it," Pearl replied, throwing herself back onto the couch. "Okay, but seriously, are you going to follow up on what you heard? Or just let it go?"
"I don't know," Ivy admitted, her tone more serious now. "I mean, part of me is curious. But I also don't want to get in trouble, and Lu Cheng, he's... intimidating."
"Maybe you'll find out more in time," Pearl suggested, "without snooping around too much."
"Hopefully," Ivy agreed, though deep down, she couldn't shake the feeling that something bigger was brewing at the office. Something she was already unintentionally a part of.
They sat in comfortable silence for a moment, before Pearl broke it with her usual dramatic flair. "So... any cute guys at the office today?"
Ivy groaned, throwing a pillow at Pearl. "Why do I tell you anything?"
Pearl ducked, laughing. "Because you love me, and I am your source of endless joy and entertainment."
Ivy smiled. "You're definitely something."
As the night wore on and they continued chatting about Ivy's work, her friend's dramatic reactions kept the mood light, leaving the tense events of the office behind for now. But Ivy couldn't help but feel like this was just the calm before the storm. Whatever was happening at the company, she had a feeling it was only going to get more complicated from here.