Lucius’s sudden arrival caught everyone off guard.

At that moment, Jackson, who had been working late into the night, emerged from the break room with his hair in a mess, a toothbrush still hanging from his mouth.

This was the typical sight of a programmer, but Lucius still furrowed his brows slightly.

It was understandable.

Our small studio could never compare to a large corporation like PrimeSphere.

I guessed Lucius might be regretting placing Cecily here.

But Cecily didn’t seem bothered. She pointed to a spot by the window and said, “Lu, this is my workstation.”

Lucius didn’t say anything.

Following his gaze, I saw that his attention had shifted to the workstation across from Cecily’s.

That was where I usually worked.

On the desk, besides the desktop computer, there was also an old black laptop—one that Lucius had won as a prize during a competition in his sophomore year.

It was one of the few gifts he had given me.

The specs were good, and I’d been using it ever since.

“Hey, Sylvie, your laptop is the same as Lu’s!” Cecily noticed this too, her large, doe-like eyes staring at me. She asked, “Is it easy to code on?”

I didn’t know Lucius had the same model.

But to avoid any unnecessary trouble, I calmly replied, “It’s old, not as good as the newer models.”

Just as I finished speaking, I heard Cecily ask Lucius, “Lu, what do you think?”

Oh my, she really did pass it to him, didn’t she?

Lucius didn’t answer but instead asked, “Are you thinking of changing your laptop?”

Cecily rubbed her nose. “The one I got before didn’t have the best specs. The seller tricked me.”

“You…”

It should have sounded like a reproach, but when Lucius said it, there was a hint of affection in his tone.

It felt somewhat out of place with his usual cold demeanor.

“Lu, are you calling me stupid again?” Cecily pouted, about to respond, but then, for some reason, sneezed.

Lucius immediately stepped forward, concerned. “Are you coming down with something?”

Cecily sniffled, her eyes flashing with alarm. “Oh no, it might be pollen allergy…”

Before she could finish speaking, she sneezed twice more.

I hadn’t had a chance to say anything to comfort her when Lucius immediately instructed, “Get rid of all these useless plants right now.”

He was referring to the succulent plants by the window.

Those were Lynne’s prized possessions.

I hesitated, saying, “Mr. Albrecht, these succulents have already passed their blooming period, but…”

“I don’t want to say it twice,” Lucius cut me off, his tone firm. “Add another air purifier.”

I was left speechless.

Cecily stood to the side, explaining, “Lu, Sylvie didn’t know about my pollen allergy. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have arranged for me to sit here.”

She was referring to the seat by the window.

I had always considered that spot the best in the office—great lighting and high privacy. It truly was the prime spot in the whole workspace.

Looking at the innocent expression on Cecily’s face, I paused for a moment before speaking, “It was our oversight. How about we move Miss Linwood to the office on the right? There’s usually no one there.”

Jackson, standing nearby, immediately responded, “Sylvie, that might not be appropriate. That office was left for you by Ms. Wales.”

He meant to say that Cecily wasn’t worthy of such an office.

Cecily caught on and shook her head, rejecting the offer. “I’m fine, Sylvie. I just need to take some allergy medication. After all, I’m the new one here. I don’t deserve an office.”

The rules are set by people, and with Lucius as the investor, the rules were bent.

As expected, Lucius quickly made up his mind, “Let’s do it this way.”

Cecily hesitated, looking at Lucius. “Lu, this doesn’t feel right.”

Lucius’s deep, dark gaze shifted to me, and I heard him ask in a neutral tone, “Manager Morrow, what do you think?”

For a brief moment, a crack appeared in the mask of my emotions. I smiled and said, “Let’s go with Mr. Albrecht’s decision.”

As Lucius wished, Cecily moved into the office.

Soon after, Lynne rushed over and dragged me to the café downstairs, complaining, “This isn’t an investment; it’s just a waste of money.”

I remained calm. “It’s just an office. It’s not that big of a deal.”

Lynne sipped her coffee, frowning. “Aren’t you worried this might be just the beginning? How am I supposed to feel secure about leaving on a business trip?”

I downplayed it, saying, “Don’t forget, Lucius is the investor. He wouldn’t throw away the money he’s put in.”

Cecily wouldn’t either.

She still needed to use this project for her graduation thesis.

Besides, Lucius was an investor, and it was normal for him to stir up some issues.

After returning to the office, I called Jackson and Cecily in for a meeting, calmly assigning tasks.

Jackson immediately got to work, but Cecily bit her lip, looking like she wanted to say something but hesitated.

I looked at her and asked, “Is there a problem?”

“Sylvie, I don’t have experience with front-end development.”

I was slightly surprised. Software majors usually have various practical experiences. I picked up a related textbook from the table and said, “Take a look at this first. If you don’t understand something, ask me.”

Cecily nodded lightly and went back to her office.

I dove back into my work.

We were all so busy that by the time the city lights were flickering on, I had finished clearing my desk and was on my way out.

I needed to rush to the mall before it closed to buy the air purifier.

The mall was bustling with people. As I stepped off the sightseeing elevator, I suddenly heard someone call my name.

“Sisi.”

I turned around, confused, and saw a middle-aged woman in a dark red velvet dress, standing two meters away.

I recognized her immediately—Helena Albrecht.

Lucius’s mother.

It had been two years since I’d last seen her, and she was already dressed like a proper lady of high society.

Our eyes met, and she quickly walked up to me, awkwardly tugging at the corner of her mouth, and asked, “When did you get back to Kingport?”

I answered flatly, “It’s been a few days.”

“Are you leaving again?”

She immediately felt embarrassed and added, “Your auntie, I, have a few excellent young men around. If you don’t leave, I can help you find someone. You know, I’ve always liked you.”

I understood immediately.

She was anxious because she feared I would continue pursuing her son.

Back when I had been so eager to win Lucius’s favor, I had spent a lot of time trying to please Helena too.

There was no natural bond between a mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, but my flattery had bridged that gap.

It made sense that she was wary of me.

I understood, but still, seeing a once-kind elder now eyeing me warily stirred a pang of bitterness inside me.

She probably didn’t know about the collaboration between Lucius and me.

She certainly didn’t know that Lucius had Cecily now.

Cecily was the one he truly cherished.

“Sisi?” Helena called my name again, seeing that I hadn’t responded. She asked tentatively, “You and Lucius…”

“Auntie, no need to worry,” I interrupted her, meeting her gaze and rejecting her offer. “I’m seeing someone.”

Look at me, after two years with Lynne, I’ve become quite good at lying through my teeth.

Helena visibly relaxed when she heard this, but the next moment, a flicker of panic crossed her face.

“Lucius… How did you get here so early?”

Following Helena’s gaze, I saw Lucius standing a few steps away.

He was wearing a perfectly tailored tailcoat, his entire body exuding an aura of coldness, as if he had stepped out of a fashion magazine—handsome and dignified.

His gaze was fixed on me, but there was a clear sneer at the corner of his mouth.