Chapter 5: Following Him to the Office

When Alaric Vane arrived at the dining room, Seren Thorne was already eating.

She looked as though she had been starving for ages, eating with incredible speed. Yet, it didn't come across as boorish; on the contrary, watching her made one feel quite hungry.

Seeing him enter, Seren swallowed her food and asked, "Alaric, what’s this dish called? It’s absolutely delicious."

Alaric glanced at the maid waiting nearby. Taking the hint, the maid explained to Seren, "Madam, this is Double-boiled Fish Maw with Matsutake and Bamboo Pith. We used an old hen to create a clear broth, then simmered it with fresh matsutake, bamboo pith, and premium soaked fish maw. It’s very nourishing.

"Beside it is Sous-vide Australian Wagyu, served with a Truffle Onsen Egg. The Wagyu is M9 grade..."

The maid introduced each dish with detailed patience, and Seren appeared to be listening intently as if memorizing every word.

In reality, her mind was recording it as: {This is old hen soup, that’s big steak with a tiny egg, and over there is a big bowl of vegetables...}

While listening to the descriptions, a sudden, abrupt chuckle sounded from across the table.

She looked up and caught the lingering trace of a smile on the man’s lips.

She rolled her eyes at him.

{Laughing at what, you nutjob?}

The smile on Alaric’s lips widened. He picked up his knife and fork, beginning to eat with effortless elegance.

By the end of breakfast, Seren’s side was completely polished clean, while several plates on Alaric’s side remained mostly untouched.

{Such a waste. It feels like he only took a few bites of every dish. If I’d had this much good food in my past life...}

Seren felt the wastefulness in her heart but said nothing. After all, everyone had different habits. The Vane family was elite; a little wasted food didn't infringe on anyone's rights, and she had no standing to lecture him.

Alaric paused mid-thought upon hearing her. He looked at the maid and asked, "Was the leftover food from yesterday sent to the nearby animal shelter?"

"Huh?" The maid was confused as to why Alaric had suddenly started caring about such trivial matters, but she quickly nodded. "Yes, sir. It’s sent on time every day. Was there something specific you wanted to instruct?"

Alaric picked up a napkin and wiped his mouth. "Nothing. Just a random thought."

Hearing this, Seren’s originally somber mood instantly lightened.

{I didn't expect this big villain to be a decent person. Not only does he have no bad habits, but he actually cares about cats and dogs.}

The corners of Alaric’s mouth curved slightly, but a second later, he heard Seren continue: {But then again, he’s only normal for now. Later on, for the sake of the heroine, he’ll do everything from arson to murder. Truly psychopathic! It’s a pity that despite all that simping, he never actually gets the girl.}

At those words, Alaric’s smile vanished instantly. How many times a day was this woman going to mention that damn heroine?

He clearly hadn't fallen for anyone in his entire life, yet Seren spoke as if he were already an unfaithful criminal. He hadn't done a single thing, yet he was being buried under a mountain of false accusations. Even a martyr would feel wronged.

Alaric stood up with a cold face. "If you're done, let's go. Come with me to the office."

The matter regarding Brooks had been cleared; the leak of company secrets was indeed his doing. Since Seren could help him root out a traitor like Brooks, she could surely root out the others. There were plenty of old-timers in the company holding positions without doing any work; it was time for some fresh blood.

Seren, oblivious to his plan, was deeply confused. "What am I going to your office for?"

"You'll find out when we get there."

Seren’s initial instinct was to refuse. She had labored for over twenty years in her past life and finally had a chance to breathe and enjoy some luxury; she didn't want to go out and toil again.

But then she remembered that Alaric’s company was packed with people. She might be able to expand her clientele for fortune-telling and face-reading. Her interest was piqued. This time with the Vane family was likely the closest she would ever get to the top-tier elite. She might as well seize the chance to rake in some cash and network. Even if she divorced and Alaric gave her nothing, she could still live off her skills.

"Fine. Let's go."

Seren followed Alaric out, and they headed together to Vane Group.

Alaric took the CEO’s private elevator, encountering almost no one along the way except for his assistants. Seren was starting to feel deflated at the lack of potential clients.

However, when Alaric led her into the conference room and she saw the large hall filled with executives and board members, her eyes instantly lit up. she looked at them as if they were precious treasures.

There were over forty core personnel from Vane Group gathered in the room. Half an hour ago, they had received a sudden message from Alaric stating that anyone within the city limits had to drop everything and attend an immediate meeting.

Vane Group had never held a meeting with so many executives gathered in one place. Almost every department head was present. Everyone assumed the company was facing a crisis; many were so stressed they wondered if the firm was going bankrupt.

Yet, seeing the CEO arrive with his wife, the situation didn't seem quite so dire.

Confusion filled the room. Someone finally dared to ask, "Mr. Vane, what is the purpose of this emergency meeting?"

Alaric pulled out a chair for Seren to sit, then took the head seat beside her. He said casually, "A mid-month report. No need to be stiff; just report on your recent work progress. Two-minute limit per person. Don't go over."

The tension in the room didn't ease after his words.

The simpler the agenda, the more difficult it often was. No one believed Alaric would gather all the top brass for such a mundane reason. If they said the wrong thing today, they might be out of a job by tomorrow.

Despite their internal anxiety, they began their reports one by one.

The first man to stand was so nervous he stammered a couple of times, casting terrified glances at Alaric. Alaric’s standards were notoriously high; usually, a mistake meant a death glare, and in severe cases, immediate firing.

However, today Alaric really seemed to have called the meeting on a whim. He didn't seem to care about the content and even appeared somewhat distracted.

Seeing that Alaric wasn't angry, the man breathed a sigh of relief and sat down quickly after a brief summary. Others followed suit, their nerves gradually settling as they realized the boss wasn't as demanding as usual.

While they spoke, Alaric was fully focused on listening to Seren’s inner thoughts.

{Holy crap, this middle-aged guy is a cheater! He’s keeping three mistresses at once. How shameless. But his fun days are numbered; in a few months, his wife will report him, and his bribery of government officials will come to light. Not only will he lose his job, but he’ll be heading straight to prison. He'll be singing the blues behind bars for the rest of his life.}