Michelle stared at the earnest-faced man in front of her, expressionless. In her mind, she muttered a curse. "How could someone so handsome be so... off?" she mused internally. "Such a waste of good looks." She locked eyes with the man for a moment, then with a serene and gentle smile, suggested, "Shall we get back to discussing Lizzy?" Meeting her gaze, Alex's eyes and tone were as gentle as possible. After all, he had unintentionally frightened her to tears during their last interaction. He didn't want a repeat of that episode. "I've always felt that you're evading things," he began, "Whether it's about Lizzy or about you." At his words, Michelle paused, then looked up, her gaze searching. "Have I?" she questioned. Alex nodded. "You've always seemed... elusive to me." Michelle met Alex's eyes, a playful glint in her own. "Maybe it's because your brain doesn't function well." He watched her, noting her feigned composure, as if she had no secrets to hide. He felt a hint of amuse

Regarding the decision of whether or not to continue funding NexRealm Studios, Alex needed some time to deliberate. He didn't provide Derek with any instructions or hints, simply asking him to get back to work. Derek, relieved not to receive a reprimand, sensed Alex's foul mood and hastily left to attend to his duties. Among all the companies under Alex's purview, NexRealm Studios had been the biggest money pit. Alex had considered letting go of the gaming firm for some time. But the decision to ax NexRealm Studios wasn't solely his to make. He had to take into account the wishes of his nostalgic friend, his moody cousin Brandon, who had abandoned the project halfway, and Eleanor, who seemed to take pleasure in seeing him squirm. Years earlier, Eleanor had acquired an online literature company. With the backing of both the Ye and Su families, she was flush with resources. She then invested heavily, hiring top-tier online novelists to drive traffic to her platform. The once-dying web

Michelle's refusal to "Leonard," who had a quirky username, was influenced by two primary factors. First, she was hesitant to leave Lizzy behind. Alex was known for his workaholic tendencies, and Michelle wasn't far behind. She dreaded coming home to a sobbing child, knowing the onus of comfort would fall on her. Such a scenario was emotionally taxing. Secondly, Michelle disliked complications. A structured job was too restrictive for her taste. She cherished the freedom to manage her own time. However, Leonard persisted even after her initial refusal, continuing to send messages. Leonard: "If you prefer working from home, that's an option. Just ensure tasks are completed on schedule." Leonard: "As for the compensation, we can offer you this amount." He sent a screenshot of a lucrative figure. The sum tempted Michelle; she realized it was equivalent to half a month's pay for just a few assignments. Noting her hesitation, Leonard sensed an opportunity. Leonard: "Take your time and

Michelle truly wanted to wander around, window shop, and perhaps make a few purchases. However, the prospect of doing so with Eleanor made her reconsider. It wasn’t just the apparent generational gap between them; the mere fact that Eleanor was Alex's biological mother gave Michelle chills. Michelle had once lived with the Ye family and, although her understanding of Eleanor was rather superficial, she knew that Eleanor was a homebody. The older woman rarely stepped out, preferring to have her needs delivered to her doorstep, leading what Michelle deemed a rather dull life. Yet, for such a woman who seldom left her comfort zone, Michelle felt nothing good would come from their sudden rendezvous. Detecting Michelle's reluctance, Eleanor looked at her, the curve of her lips painting a perfect smile, yet her eyes betrayed little warmth. Michelle hesitated, but eventually yielded. There was something about Eleanor’s almost mocking smile that intimidated her. She always had this lingerin

Alex, in a rare moment, found himself lost in a deep, contemplative silence. After what felt like an eternity, he gave a faint acknowledgment to Derek, signaling his understanding of the situation. Without even sparing a glance in Derek's direction, he simply said, "That's all for now. You can leave." Relieved that Alex hadn't expressed any grievances toward NexRealm Studios, Derek took advantage of his boss's seemingly calm demeanor and quickly exited the office. However, not ten minutes had passed when Derek was summoned back. On the outside, he maintained a composed appearance, but internally, his heart raced with apprehension as he entered Alex's office. "Damn," Derek thought, "I haven't been with NexRealm Studios for years. Don't pin their spending on me." With a nervous stride, Derek approached Alex's desk, eyes darting towards the man seated behind it. Alex looked up, his instructions concise. "Get the documentation from Leonard regarding the work of the new strategist." D