Liza’s face was clouded with frustration as she asked sharply, “Why do you keep putting up with the Reed family? They’ve been making unreasonable demands just because they helped save Old Master Stone once. Why do you let them get away with it?” She truly couldn’t understand. Gavin was known for his decisive and domineering nature. Why would someone like him allow the Reed family to throw their weight around and cause such chaos in his own home? If anyone else dared to behave like this, Gavin would have dealt with them long ago, leaving no room for such insolence. Gavin’s expression turned cold, his voice low and hoarse. “Some things aren’t as simple as they seem.” Liza frowned, her confusion growing. Suddenly, she recalled something George had mentioned before. The Reed family’s ability to push Gavin to this point wasn’t ordinary. George had hinted that Grandpa Reed had been blackmailing Gavin, using something important to force him into tolerating their behavior. The rumors that Sophia was Mrs. Liza and even Gavin’s presence at the Civil Affairs Bureau that day—it was all because he wanted to retrieve certain belongings. Her heart raced. What kind of relics could be so significant that Gavin, who was usually unyielding, would let the Reed family manipulate him like this? What was so important that it made him silently endure such humiliation? Sensing her thoughts, Gavin spoke calmly, his tone steady. “You don’t need to worry. I have everything under control.” Despite his reassurances, Liza’s mind was swirling with unanswered questions. She wanted to understand what burden Gavin was carrying. But then, a sobering thought hit her—this wasn’t her place. Their marriage wasn’t real; it was only temporary. When the time came, they would part ways. Knowing too much about his secrets might only complicate things. He clearly didn’t want to share, and she decided not to press further. Lowering her gaze, Liza sighed quietly, then turned and walked away.As soon as she was out of sight, George appeared, looking both concerned and confused. “President, why didn’t you just tell her the truth? Haven’t you been tolerating the Reed family because of her belongings? And wasn’t your trip to the Civil Affairs Bureau part of your plan to meet her?” Gavin leaned back, a faint, self-deprecating smile playing on his lips. “Do you think I should tell her that I didn’t go there to marry Sophia, but that the entire thing was intentional?” George nodded earnestly. For a long time, the president had kept this from Young Madam because the timing wasn’t right. But now, their relationship seemed to be growing closer. Surely, it was time to come clean. If she knew the truth, she would stop misunderstanding him and calling him heartless. George sighed internally. He felt like he was constantly fretting over the president’s love life. But Gavin remained unshaken. “Not yet. If she finds out, she might be too happy, and I don’t want that to distract her.” George froze, rubbing his ears as though he’d misheard. “...Happy?” What was going on in his boss’s mind? From Liza’s perspective, she believed Gavin had shown up at the Civil Affairs Bureau that day intending to marry Sophia, with her being little more than an afterthought. She would never guess that his actions were part of a carefully laid plan. If she found out the truth, George mused, it was anyone’s guess whether she’d be thrilled or furious. George wore a serious expression as he began, “President, I think you should—” Gavin’s indifferent gaze cut him off. “George, if you say one more word, you’ll find your paycheck gone.” George’s lips twitched in frustration. The thought of his hard-earned salary vanishing silenced him briefly, but he soon muttered nonchalantly, “Even if you tell Young Madam the truth, she won’t be happy. Let’s be honest, she doesn’t even like you. You two are just husband and wife in name, after all—” Gavin’s sharp glare stopped him mid-sentence. “That was in the past. Things are different now. Liza already likes me—a lot. If I told her I’ve wanted to marry her all along, she’d be thrilled. Besides, I don’t need to say anything to prove it. It’s obvious that Mrs. Liza likes me.” George froze, his eyes wide in disbelief. “??” Was the president delusional? Where had he gotten the idea that Young Madam liked him? George couldn’t believe the sheer level of confidence Gavin had. Trying to reason with his boss, he said earnestly, “President, sometimes it’s important to face reality. When has Young Madam ever shown that she likes you? In her eyes, you’re just… well, a jerk. You need to change that perception! If you told her the truth, she might not be ecstatic, but at least she’d understand your intentions. She might even respect you for being honest. Living in this fantasy where she adores you isn’t going to help your case. You can’t magically fix your image in her eyes without effort—hey, I’m not finished talking!” Gavin had already walked away, leaving George grumbling under his breath. Stomping his feet, he vented his frustration. “Why can’t he just tell her the truth?! It would solve so many problems!” After Gavin left, George approached, his face a mixture of confusion and disbelief. “Do you really talk to the president like that?” George shrugged confidently. “Of course. It’s for his own good! Besides, Young Madam calls him a jerk all the time, and honestly, she’s not wrong. Don’t you agree that the president can be a bit… uh, difficult?” George stared at him in stunned silence, clearly at a loss for words. Truthfully, George probably shouldn’t be getting paid at all. How had the once-dutiful assistant become this bold? Perhaps Liza’s influence had rubbed off on him. Young Madam frequently teased and called the president a jerk, yet Gavin never seemed to mind. Somehow, George had taken this as permission to follow suit. What exactly had Gavin endured these past months to allow this kind of behavior from both his wife and his staff? Later, in the bedroom, a notification lit up Liza’s phone. It was a message from Albert: [The news about Gavin having Healing Herbs is spreading everywhere, but he doesn’t actually have any. Isn’t this situation getting out of hand?]