"Grace, you look like you haven't slept in days. Rough night?" Alex asked, noticing Grace slumped over her desk, looking decidedly less vibrant than usual.
"You have no idea," Grace retorted, lifting her head with a weary sigh. "That guy said he had tickets to a concert. Since I had nothing better to do after dinner, I went along. It was like a lullaby, though. I swear I dozed off halfway through. Then, of course, I was wide awake the second it ended, my head buzzing with violins and… other instruments. I didn't finally crash until three this morning!"
"Let's just say you're more of a club girl than a concert aficionado, Grace. Highbrow entertainment isn't exactly your forte," Alex chuckled. The idea of Grace, with her notoriously short attention span, enduring a concert, let alone enjoying it, was rather amusing.
"Who knew 'highbrow' was so damn boring? I'm officially swearing off concerts for life," Grace declared, stretching languidly. "And don't think you can make yourself look sophisticated by insulting me."
"I never claimed to be sophisticated," Alex replied with a grin. "I'm a complex individual, Grace. A unique blend of unconventional, eccentric, mischievous, and undeniably charming. A touch lazy, a dash of rogue, quick-witted, and… let's just say persistent. Take it or leave it."
A ripple of laughter went through the office as Alex delivered his self-assessment.
"As if anyone would be lining up to 'take' you," Grace scoffed, though a smile played at the corners of her lips.
"Am I really that undesirable? I'm a model citizen, recommended by… well, let's just say a very reputable organization, a designated essential for… special occasions, certified by… a highly prestigious quality control system, and an officially recognized… exceptionally handsome man," Alex declared, striking a heroic pose.
"Right," Grace said, looking him up and down skeptically.
"Don't believe me? Put me to the test," Alex challenged, winking at her.
"Tempting, but I'll pass," Grace replied dismissively.
"Actually, I'm not really interested in you either. I just wanted you to… introduce me to some of your… lovely friends. Don't get any ideas," Alex said with a mischievous grin.
"In your dreams, Stone," Grace retorted.
"By the way, Alex, how's the auction going? Any progress?" Sue asked, changing the subject.
"Everything's under control, Sue. I've been to the auction house, met with the CEOs of the participating companies… let's just say I have a few aces up my sleeve," Alex replied confidently.
"Really? You seem very sure of yourself. So, the land is as good as yours?" Sue asked with a smile.
"Pretty much. Unless that Jin guy tries to pull a fast one. I've never actually been to an auction before. It should be… an experience," Alex said, leaning back in his chair.
"Me neither. And we're actually bidding on this one! Thirty million—the company's really putting a lot of faith in us," Gwen commented.
"Thirty million? That's a huge chunk of our operating budget. Alex, you're going to be rolling in it!" James exclaimed.
"Yeah, yeah, Alex, dinner's on you!" Lily chimed in.
"Do you really think I get to keep the thirty million? If I were in charge, this place would be a five-day work week, two days off. I wouldn't be like that greedy, money-grubbing… CEO in Shanghai," Alex said, glancing at Emma Winter. As expected, she bristled, her fists clenching under the table. It wasn't surprising, considering the "money-grubbing CEO" he was referring to was her father.
"If those words get back to him, you'll be in big trouble," Emma Winter said through gritted teeth.
"Don't worry, he won't hear about it. He'd be a fool to cross me," Alex said with a smirk, enjoying her frustration.
"Speaking of which, it's been a while since our company was acquired. Apart from the announcement, that CEO hasn't even shown his face here. Do you think he's forgotten about us?" Grace wondered.
"Don't be naive, Grace. Do you think CEOs are idiots? He definitely has someone on the inside keeping tabs on us. Otherwise, he wouldn't be so hands-off," Alex said, glancing at Emma Winter again. His words made sense to everyone else, but to Emma Winter, it felt like a personal attack, as if *she* were the "someone on the inside."
"It's not so bad, though. At least we still have the same benefits as before. Imagine if they canceled our paid vacations!" Sue said with a smile.
"Yeah, those trips are the highlight of the year. It's all thanks to the company," the others agreed. Good benefits were hard to come by these days, especially with the increasingly competitive job market. In other departments, layoffs were a common occurrence. But in Team Six, things were different. They were the top performers, and Alex was their ace in the hole. Their little corner of the office was a haven, a refuge from the cutthroat corporate world outside.
During lunch with Grace and Emma Winter, Alex's phone rang. He glanced at the caller ID—it was Grant.
"Boss, I've got the information you requested. When do you want to come and get it?" Grant asked, getting straight to the point.
"I'll be there this afternoon," Alex replied. He'd almost forgotten about it. Those two heiresses were driving him crazy, his mind a constant whirlwind of chaos and confusion.
"Okay," Grant said, and hung up.
"Who was that? You sounded like some kind of… secret agent," Grace asked, looking at Alex curiously.
"Didn't your mother ever tell you it's rude to eavesdrop?" Alex retorted, putting his phone away.
"My mother never said anything like that," Grace replied, a mischievous glint in her eyes.
"It was a manager from one of the companies participating in the auction. I'm meeting him later to discuss some things," Alex explained, making up an excuse. One of the perks of his job was that he could leave the office anytime he wanted, under the guise of a client meeting.
"That's a lie," Emma Winter said flatly.
"What do you mean?" Alex asked, turning to her.
"You were way too casual with him. For a manager from another company, you seemed… dismissive," Emma Winter observed, raising an eyebrow.
"And you expect me to… beg him for information? We're just exchanging information about the auction. It's not like I'm asking him to hand over the land. Why would I need to… suck up to him?" Alex retorted, annoyed. "But then again, some people have no other choice but to use their… charms to get what they want. It's a sad state of affairs, really. But what can you do when you have nothing else to offer?"
"Are you saying I use my 'charms' to get ahead? That I have no brains or skills?" Emma Winter demanded, her eyes flashing.
"You said it, not me. But I have to admire your self-awareness. It's a rare quality," Alex said with a smirk, continuing to eat his lunch.
"Stop eating! You have to explain what you meant! How exactly do I use my 'charms' to manipulate people?" Emma Winter's voice rose in volume, attracting the attention of the other diners. She reached across the table and grabbed his chopsticks, preventing him from taking another bite.
"There's no need to shout, Winter. Are you trying to make a scene?" Alex said calmly, extracting his chopsticks from her grasp. Her outburst only amused him. The more flustered she became, the more he enjoyed it.
"What's going on with you two? You look like you're about to start a fight," Grace said, looking at them both. They'd been bickering throughout lunch.
"I hereby declare that Emma Winter and I are sworn enemies…!"
"Have you ever heard the saying, 'To judge a nation's education, look at its public restrooms; to judge a person's character, look at their eyes; to judge a person's worth, look at their rivals'? So, don't try to elevate yourself by using me as your enemy. You're not even worthy of being my rival," Alex said, a mocking smile playing on his lips. It was a blatant provocation, and Emma Winter was fuming. Her face flushed crimson, her hands trembling as she gripped her chopsticks, the clatter against her plate a strangely satisfying rhythm to Alex's ears.
"Hey! What are you doing, Grace? Let go of my ear!" Alex yelped as Grace suddenly reached over and twisted his ear.
"What do you think I'm doing?" Grace retorted, her grip tightening.
"How would I know? I haven't done anything to you!" Alex said, dropping his chopsticks and covering his ear with both hands. What was wrong with this woman?
"Did you forget that Emma Winter is under my protection? You bullying her like this is like... insulting me!" Grace explained, twisting his ear even harder.
"That's your reason? You might as well say the earthquake in Japan was caused by me yawning," Alex retorted, wincing in pain.
"Whether or not the earthquake was your fault, you're not allowed to bully her anymore, understand?" Grace demanded.
"Ouch, ouch, okay! I understand! Just let go!" Alex pleaded. He'd forgotten, again, that these two women were in cahoots.
"Good," Grace released his ear, satisfied with his surrender.
"Thank you, Grace! You're the best! You're my idol!" Emma Winter said sweetly, beaming at Grace.
"Don't mention it. If he bullies you again, just let me know, and I'll take care of him," Grace said, puffing out her chest proudly.
"You should probably clean your own apartment before you start playing the hero," Alex muttered under his breath.
"Alex! I told you not to mention that again! Do you want to die?" Grace glared at him, her playful demeanor vanishing instantly.
"I don't have any plans to die anytime soon. You can send me a condolence card when I do. Just make sure you leave the door unlocked… you know, for the… mourners," Alex retorted with a smirk.