Chapter 5: The Man Behind The Suit

"Mr. Mavis, M Corporation has compensated us with a 300 square meter plot of land and terminated Mr. Wade. This is the plot we've been targeting for months. They kept driving up the price, but now, they’ve handed it over for free." 

Arden placed the report on Rye’s desk, his tone light with satisfaction. Rye gave a curt nod, his expression calm as he leaned back, pressing his fingers to his temple in thought. 

“What do women typically like?” Rye asked, breaking the silence. 

Arden blinked, caught off guard. “My ex? She was obsessed with designer labels.” 

“Contact all the major brands. Have them bring their latest collections for Miss Willows to choose from. I’ll handle the cost.” 

"Boss, you’re impressively considerate! Miss Willows has really put in the effort on this project—it’s only fair she gets a reward. I’ll take care of it immediately.” 

Rye, however, wasn’t thinking about fairness. He was reflecting on his lack of understanding about women. Having never dated anyone, he couldn’t grasp the emotional intricacies of relationships—the need for attention, care, or appreciation. And someone like Sherry, who wrapped herself in layers of practicality and quiet resolve, was even more puzzling to him. Twenty minutes later, Arden returned, his earlier excitement replaced with a hint of embarrassment. 

“Miss Willows turned it down.” 

“Why?” Rye’s brow furrowed, his fingers pausing mid-motion. 

“She said she had already paid for her work, so fulfilling her obligations is natural. She also mentioned she’d like you to visit her house tonight.” 

“For what?” 

“She didn’t say.” 

She didn’t actually say anything, but I’m not going to tell you that.

Arden couldn’t help but chuckle to himself after the thought crossed his mind. After dealing with Sherry, he had come to appreciate her personality down-to-earth, cooperative, and surprisingly easygoing. It was a refreshing contrast to Rye’s strict, no-nonsense demeanor. If anything, they complemented each other in a way that Arden couldn’t help but find amusing.

“And that shameless woman?” Rye’s tone turned sharp as he leaned back, crossing his arms.

“Completely out of options.” Arden said. “After Wade cut ties with her and everyone else distanced themselves out of fear of Lady Katherine, she ended up selling off everything she’d been given. Eventually, she packed her things and moved back to her hometown.”

“That’s what happens!” Rye said flatly. “Without an education and relying solely on her looks, she won’t achieve anything significant.”

“I have to admit, boss, I half-expected you to pull some dramatic move, like arranging for her to ‘disappear’ entirely.” Arden teased, raising an eyebrow.

Rye shot him a cold, disbelieving glare. “Stop wasting your time on ridiculous crime shows. If you don’t, I’ll start deducting it from your salary.”

“Yes, sir!” Arden snapped to attention, hands raised in mock surrender. The thought of losing a paycheck was no joke—he had big plans, including a new luxury car that was just within reach.

“Wait!!”

Arden paused, glancing back. “Something else, boss?”

Rye opened a desk drawer and pulled out a small, neatly sealed bag of strawberry candy. “Take this to her.”

Arden blinked, momentarily taken aback. The gesture was simple, yet it spoke volumes—an odd mix of thoughtfulness and Rye’s characteristic restraint.

“You know she’ll probably overthink this.” Arden said, pocketing the candies with a faint smirk.

“Then don’t make a big deal out of it.” Rye replied coolly. “Just give it to her!”

Despite his composed, authoritative exterior, Rye harbored a hidden love for all things cute—a secret only Arden, his trusted assistant and lifelong friend, truly understood. The two had known each other since high school, giving Arden rare insight into the depths of Rye’s carefully guarded personality.

Rye came from a once-illustrious noble family. Their wealth and influence had dwindled over generations, leaving his grandfather and father scrambling to restore their former glory. Despite their relentless efforts, they failed, and by the time Rye was born, the family’s hopes rested entirely on him. From the tender age of four, Rye bore the crushing weight of their expectations. Anything deemed frivolous or unrelated to his education —no matter how small— was mercilessly cast aside or destroyed.

Arden only knew fragments of Rye’s past, as Rye was never one to share personal stories. However, one moment from high school had etched itself into Arden’s memory. In their junior year, Rye had secretly crafted a small white teddy bear inspired by a beloved childhood cartoon character. Rye treasured the little bear, sneaking it into his bag and occasionally pulling it out when no one was around. Arden had only seen it three times, each instance leaving an impression of the quiet joy it brought his friend.

That joy was short-lived. Somehow, Rye’s mother, Lady Layla, discovered the bear. Viewing it as a useless distraction, she tore it apart in front of her son without hesitation. The next day, Rye came to school as usual, his expression calm but distant. Arden, sensing something was wrong, did his best to console him, but Rye said nothing. He simply sat at his desk, and his shoulders tense, his eyes fixed on nothing in particular. Then, after a long silence, he let out a single, deep sigh.

That sigh spoke volumes. It wasn’t the sound of anger or frustration but quiet resignation. In that moment, Arden realized the immense burden Rye carried—not just the weight of his family’s legacy but the silent ache of a boy longing for understanding, for warmth, for the kind of love that wasn’t measured in achievements.

Now that Rye was an adult, the Mavis family had regained its former wealth and influence. His family treated him with care and admiration, but deep within his heart remained a scar —a faint yet piercing a reminder of the pressures of his past. Sharing his beloved strawberry candies with Sherry might have seemed like a small gesture, but for Rye, it was deeply personal— a quiet way of sharing a fragment of his own happiness. Arden understood the weight of that gesture but chose to remain silent. After all, love is something one must navigate on their own, isn’t it?

At the same time, in her small apartment, Sherry was drowning in embarrassment, her face buried firmly into a pillow. She couldn’t believe how she had broken down the night before, sobbing over something so minor. Worse still, she had smeared her tears, makeup, and even some lipstick all over Rye’s expensive suit jacket. Perhaps it was the overwhelming frustration of dying in such an abrupt accident, only to wake up in a bewildering new life, that had finally caused her to crack.

She groaned again, clutching the pillow as memories of the morning replayed in her mind. Rye had arrived with a collection of designer items, each one more luxurious than the last. But just looking at them had only reminded her of her mishap the night before, the stains on his suit replaying in her mind like a guilty echo. Unable to bear the reminder, she’d sent everything back, claiming she didn’t need any of it.

Then, to her surprise, Arden had shown up later that afternoon, holding a small bag of strawberry candies. He handed them over, smiling as he explained they were a gift from Rye. Sherry couldn’t help but feel her cheeks warm as she stared at the candies.

Does he think I’m some overly emotional kid he needs to pacify? She wondered, embarrassed yet oddly touched.

As the sun set outside, Sherry carefully tucked the candies into her drawer, sitting quietly for a moment. Her thoughts lingered on Rye, on his unreadable demeanor, and the unexpected softness he’d shown. With a faint sigh, she leaned back, her mind an unsteady mix of gratitude and confusion.

“What’s going on with me?”

She replayed her conversation with Arden in her mind, cheeks flushing with embarrassment. 

“About yesterday… I ruined Mr. Mavis’s suit. That jacket was probably really expensive!” Sherry said, nervously fidgeting with her fingers. Her voice was soft, and her gaze was fixed on the floor, making it impossible for Arden to gauge her expression. He had initially planned to brush it off —Rye had an entire wardrobe of suits— but then he remembered his boss’s unusual behavior that morning. A mischievous grin crept onto his face. 

One day, he’s going to thank me for this! Arden thought, practically rubbing his hands in delight. 

“Ah, well… Mr. Mavis happens to love vanilla cake.” Arden said casually, watching her reaction with amusement. Sherry’s head shot up, her eyes sparkling with hope.

What a remarkable assistant! Somehow, he had deciphered her real intentions without her needing to explain a thing. 

“Thank you so much! I’ll bake one for him tomorrow!” 

“Miss Willows, unfortunately, Mr. Mavis has an important meeting tomorrow!” Arden replied, barely suppressing a smirk. 

“Then the day after?” 

“His schedule’s packed that day, too!” 

“Then when is he free?” she asked, visibly deflated. 

“Tonight!” Arden said with a victorious grin. “I’ll make sure to bring him to your place. Goodbye, Miss Willows!” Before she could respond, he dashed out the door like a man on a mission. 

“Wait, what?!” Sherry blurted, frozen in the doorway. Her mind raced as she tried to piece together what had just happened. Her original plan had been to bake him a simple cake—how had it spiraled into hosting dinner at her house?