Outside the building, Mason was practically bouncing with excitement as he threw an arm over Liza’s shoulders. “Sister Liza, why on earth did you suddenly agree to collaborate with Stone Corporation? You don’t have to feel pressured just because of me. Seriously, you’re not obligated to say yes!” His enthusiasm was met with Liza’s unamused expression. She rolled her eyes, making it clear she wasn’t in the mood to explain herself further. Meanwhile, Gavin and George had finally managed to shake off the university leaders and were descending the steps of the building. The moment they stepped outside, their eyes fell on the scene ahead: Mason leaning closely toward Liza, his arm draped comfortably around her shoulders, chatting away non-stop. From a distance, they looked oddly in sync. Mason’s animated chatter was met with Liza’s occasional nods and short responses. The contrast between her calm demeanor and his energy created an odd sense of harmony. George sneaked a glance at Gavin’s face, trying to gauge his reaction. “Uh… President, Madam and Mason seem… um, pretty close, don’t they? Haha… But it’s not surprising. After all, Mason mentioned Ruby co was his junior, right? They’re probably catching up after not seeing each other for a long time…” Gavin didn’t respond. His gaze remained fixed on the arm that Mason had so casually slung around Liza’s neck. Suddenly, Mason seemed to sense an icy chill down his spine. Turning his head, he saw Gavin and George approaching. Without hesitation, he waved enthusiastically. “Brother Gavin! Come on over. Let me introduce you. This is my junior—” Before he could finish his sentence, Gavin stopped abruptly, standing three meters away. His tone was calm but left no room for discussion. “Are we going home together?” Mason blinked in confusion. “Huh? A gathering at your place today? I didn’t know about that…”Liza sighed deeply, pinching the bridge of her nose in exasperation. “Let’s just go,” she said, cutting off any further chatter. She was tired of listening to Mason’s endless talking. Gavin gave a small nod and turned to walk toward the parking lot. Without hesitation, Liza shrugged off Mason’s arm and casually excused herself. “I’m leaving. See you.” She didn’t look back as she followed Gavin. Left standing alone, Mason watched the two walk off together, utterly stunned. His mind raced as he tried to process what just happened. Unable to contain his curiosity, he grabbed George’s arm and demanded, “Wait, hold on! Brother Gavin and my junior—when did they even meet? And why do they seem so close? I should know about this, shouldn’t I?” George, visibly uncomfortable, stammered, “Uh… I think… they haven’t known each other for very long?” “Not very long?” Mason repeated incredulously. “Then why are they going home together?!” The word home suddenly hit him like a ton of bricks. His expression shifted from confusion to disbelief. “Wait, what’s going on here? George, you better tell me the truth! What’s the relationship between them?” George, clearly ready to escape, muttered under his breath, “It’s nothing… They’re just legally married.” “What?! Married?!” Mason’s voice rose in pitch, but before he could grab George again, the latter had already darted off, leaving him frozen in shock. It took a full minute for Mason to fully process what he had just heard. His junior—his junior—was married to Brother Gavin? Legally? Officially? They were husband and wife?! “Holy sh*t!” Mason exclaimed loudly, his mind still reeling. Liza had been preparing herself for an interrogation. After all, she had just revealed herself as Ruby co and agreed to a major collaboration with Stone Corporation. She fully expected Gavin to probe her about her decisions or question her motives. But to her surprise, nothing happened. Gavin didn’t ask a single thing—not about her identity as Ruby co, not about the collaboration, not even about Mason’s earlier chatter. The silence was almost unsettling. George glanced at her curiously a few times during the ride, but Gavin’s behavior was as composed and calm as ever. As they arrived back at the villa, the tension that Liza had been holding in finally eased. She let out a small breath of relief and quickly made her way up to the third floor, eager to escape any lingering awkwardness. As she climbed the stairs, a notification on her phone caught her attention—a reminder about a birthday. She paused mid-step, her thoughts momentarily drifting. Westbrook's birthday was approaching, and Liza found herself deep in thought. In the past, she would create a cheerful birthday animation and send it to him as a gift. However, things were different now. She had bombarded him with so many questions recently that celebrating his birthday this year wouldn’t be so simple. Scratching her head in frustration, Liza reflected on her impression of Westbrook. He always came across as composed and mature. But their recent interactions had made her question that perception. Was it possible that Westbrook wasn’t as old as she initially thought? Maybe he was actually quite young... After some deliberation, she decided she would just craft something for him this time. It felt more personal and thoughtful. Meanwhile, in the study on the second floor of the villa, George glanced up from the files he was sorting. “President, your birthday is coming up. Have you decided how you’ll celebrate it this year? Will you visit the Stone family’s mansion or plan a gathering with friends?” This question had become routine whenever Gavin’s birthday approached. Gavin, however, looked up from his work and spoke flatly, “Or… I could spend it with my wife.”He then dropped the document he was holding onto the desk with a thud. A trace of frustration flashed in his usually calm eyes. “As if that’s going to happen. Do you really think she’d celebrate my birthday with me? She doesn’t even know when it is!” George froze. He stared at his boss, unsure of how to respond. “Uh…” The tension in the room was broken when Liza’s name suddenly popped up on George’s phone screen. She was calling. Not daring to hesitate, he quietly moved to a corner to take the call. “Madam, is something the matter?” “I need you to get me something,” Liza said casually. George, curious but cautious, asked, “What is it?” After hearing her request, he paused for a moment. His expression grew puzzled. “Madam, are you interested in craftsmanship? If so, there’s a shop under the president’s name that specializes in artisan tools and equipment. The facilities there are state-of-the-art.”“Don’t let him find out,” Liza replied firmly, cutting off any further suggestion. Her tone left no room for argument, but George couldn’t help but feel a bit suspicious. Why the secrecy? His voice wavered slightly as he ventured to ask, “Madam, if I may… what exactly do you need these materials for?”