6

After satisfying her ravenous appetite at the cafeteria, Chloe Bishop returned to her desk, only to find Samuel Grayson sauntering over.

Chloe immediately stood up. "Samuel."

"How... was my brother today?" Samuel Grayson asked, sounding like he was tiptoeing through a minefield.

Chloe nodded. "He was fine."

Samuel Grayson let out a massive sigh of relief and patted her heavily on the shoulder. "Congratulations on surviving Day One! Only fourteen days to go. You survived round one, soldier. Fourteen days left on the battlefield—stay strong!"

Looking at Samuel Grayson’s grand expression, as if he were entrusting her with the fate of the nation, Chloe: "..."

"Right, I'll head in to see my brother now."

Samuel Grayson pushed open the door and slipped into the main office.

"Come in."

Catching Samuel Grayson’s figure out of the corner of his eye, Xavier Grayson shifted his gaze over.

"Bro, Mom and Dad asked us to come home for dinner tonight," Samuel Grayson blurted out cautiously.

"You go." Xavier Grayson offered a cool, disinterested glance before refocusing on his paperwork.

"Bro, come on, don't be like this! Mom and Dad specifically ordered me to—" trick you into coming back, he almost blurted out, swallowing the words just in the nick of time. "—bring you home! Think about how long it's been since you last visited Grayson Villa! Mom and Dad miss you so much! What's the point of earning all this money if we don't honor our parents? Quality time is the ultimate form of filial piety!"

Samuel Grayson pulled out the guilt-trip card with absolute conviction.

Xavier Grayson knew his younger brother was practically the second coming of a nagging monk; if he didn't agree, he wouldn't get a single moment of peace for the rest of the evening. "Fine. I got it."

Samuel Grayson was so moved he could have shed tears.

With Big Brother acting as the primary target in the line of fire, Mom and Dad won't be nagging ME to get married tonight!

Hearing the office door click open, Chloe immediately stood up, knowing the Samuel was coming out.

To her surprise, two towering, long-legged figures stepped into the hallway side by side.

Chloe blinked, stunned for a beat.

Gotta hand it to them—these two brothers are a serious feast for the eyes.

"President Grayson, Samuel," Chloe greeted with a slight, respectful bow.

"We're heading out early today, Secretary Bishop. You can clock out now too," Samuel Grayson offered with a bright smile.

Hearing that she could finally call it a day, Chloe’s eyes lit up instantly. "Thank you, Samuel!"

The two brothers stepped into the private executive elevator.

Samuel Grayson stole a side-glance at Xavier Grayson, probing carefully, "So, Big Bro... are you satisfied with Secretary Bishop so far?"

He knew Chloe had made quite a few missteps today. Under normal circumstances, any previous secretary who committed those errors would have been shown the door without hesitation.

Yet Xavier Grayson hadn't shown a single trace of wanting to fire her all day...

Xavier Grayson’s voice remained as flat and indifferent as ever. "She'll do for now."

He told himself it was only because Samuel Grayson couldn't find anyone else on short notice. Besides, it was only for two weeks.

Hearing that answer, Samuel Grayson breathed a genuine sigh of relief.

To get his notoriously picky brother to admit someone was passable was already a major miracle!

"Does she really have two children?" Xavier Grayson’s deep voice suddenly broke the silence.

Samuel Grayson turned to stare at his brother in utter shock.

"Yeah, I told you that earlier, didn't I? Wait, Bro, why are you asking about that?"

Having grown up together, Samuel Grayson knew his brother's personality inside out. Xavier Grayson was the type of person who refused to waste a single second of his life on other people's personal affairs.

For him to actively ask a piece of workplace gossip about Chloe Bishop?

That was completely unscientific!

Xavier Grayson himself hadn't anticipated asking the question either.

Chloe Bishop was merely his temp secretary. He only needed her to do her job properly; whether she had two children or ten had absolutely nothing to do with him.

"I just wanted to confirm that she won't harbor any inappropriate intentions toward me," Xavier Grayson replied coolly.

If those words came out of any other man's mouth, it would sound hopelessly greasy and narcissistic.

Coming from Xavier Grayson, however, it sounded entirely natural and justified.

Samuel Grayson patted his chest with absolute confidence. "Rest assured, Bro! I double-checked with Secretary Bishop myself. She definitely doesn't have a single drop of romantic interest in you!"

"Good," Xavier Grayson uttered in his usual chilly, unreadable tone.