While I was lost in thought, my phone suddenly vibrated. It was a message from Elena Carter: "Ryan, you haven't contacted me all day." I had thought she might be angry for a few days, but it seemed that today everything was fine again.

"Are you not angry anymore?"

"I'm not angry today."

"Why today?"

"Because I was angry yesterday, but someone, with a heart colder than a wolf's, didn't even send me a message, let alone comfort me. So today, I'm not angry anymore."

"Well, okay. But Elena Carter, you know I have a girlfriend now, and I can't give you any answers."

"I don't need your answer. I'm your mother's daughter-in-law, and your mom has already approved me."

"Elena Carter, are you really this stubborn?"

"When is your so-called girlfriend coming? I'm ready to duel her to the death."

"Don't make trouble!" I said, slightly trembling.

"Heh, are you worried? Are you worried about her, or are you worried about me?"

"I'm worried about both." It was a question I preferred not to answer.

"Ryan, you're really a man of great love, I quite like it. But who do you worry about more?"

"Elena Carter, I have to get to work. The boss is calling me!"

"Is that so? Really? I don't believe it!"

I quickly exited the chat and returned to my office, still contemplating the conversation. I couldn't help but feel a little uneasy. Where had Sophie gone this morning? She actually took the day off today. How can a boss behave like that? Oh, well, she is the boss after all. But it was easier without her; the office felt fresher without the sound of her heels clacking on the floor.

Time passed quickly, and the clock had already approached noon. Just as I was preparing to sneakily play a game while no one was paying attention, the door to the office suddenly slammed open. Sophie entered with a smug expression, holding a cup of coffee in her hand. Her eyes scanned the room, and the smile that had been on her face vanished in an instant, replaced by a stern expression.

"What did you do this morning?" she asked, her voice sharp and direct.

I blinked, trying to appear as innocent as possible. "What could I do without you here?"

Her expression grew even darker, as if a storm were gathering. "Why didn't you approve these? You didn't even look at this financial report? You've been sleeping all morning?"

Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

I silently groaned but maintained my calm demeanor. "I wouldn't dare touch these without you here."

"Do you think I'm joking? I told you that these documents need your approval first. Didn't you hear me?" Her voice rose an octave, clearly irritated.

"What's the use of my approval? You still have to sign them," I muttered under my breath.

"What did you say?" Her eyes pierced through me.

"Nothing, I'll approve them, alright?" I said helplessly.

I carried the documents back to my desk, filled with frustration and resignation. Sophie, however, resumed her beaming smile and pulled out her phone, likely chatting with Lucas Steele again. She looked so pleased, it left me speechless.

Staring at the pile of documents on my desk, my head began to ache. After all, I had only recently begun this work, and there was so much to learn. I wasn't as quick as Sophie, who could identify the issues at a glance. I had to sift through the documents, calculating various figures, silently cursing whether this woman was just trying to slack off.

Time passed slowly. The office was silent except for the faint sound of Sophie's occasional laughter as she read something on her phone. Meanwhile, I struggled through the paperwork, my mind growing heavy, and the text before me blurred into indecipherable shapes.

"You look exhausted," Sophie suddenly looked up, her eyes sparkling with mischief, her tone teasing.

"Can't you tell?" I replied irritably, my pen leaving crooked marks across the paper.

She took the documents I had approved and gave them a slight shake. "Well, you're exhausted, huh? What did you expect? You didn't work hard before, now you're stuck with overtime."

My beloved alpaca was back. Sophie always liked to tease me this way, leaving me both exasperated and amused.

At lunchtime, I devoured my meal quickly, almost like I was in battle, before returning to my desk to continue approving the documents. Sophie looked at me curiously, raising an eyebrow. "Why are you so motivated today? Actually doing overtime?"

I smiled wryly and shook my head. "If I don't, I might not be able to leave tonight."

She shrugged. "This is a first for you."

Finally, after processing the last of the documents, I walked over to Sophie's desk with a stack in hand, feeling a sense of accomplishment. She barely glanced at them, flipping through a few pages before handing them to the secretary to distribute.

Amazed, I asked, "Aren't you going to look at them?"

Sophie raised her head, a glint of mockery in her gaze. "Didn't you approve them? I wouldn't want you to say they're not valid after I check them."

"But I'm afraid I may have missed something," I said nervously, feeling a twinge of doubt.

"If you're worried, be more careful. Or, if you'd like, take another look," her voice carried a hint of sarcasm, as if she had expected this response.

I sighed helplessly. "I think they're fine."

"Well then, send them out," she said nonchalantly, as though it were of no great importance.

"But you're the chairman. Shouldn't you take another look?" I tried to reason with her, though I knew my hopes were slim.

"No need," she said firmly, her tone leaving no room for argument.

"But…" I began, still wanting to press the matter, but she cut me off mid-sentence.

"Are you the chairman, or am I?" she asked with a teasing smile, her eyes gleaming with cunning.

I glared at her, secretly displeased. She hadn't even looked at them, and now she was making me send them out. If something went wrong, wouldn't it be her responsibility as chairman? I decided not to argue further and proceeded to distribute the documents to each department.

As soon as the papers reached Angela in the administration department, she looked surprised. "Didn't Sophie sign them?"

I smiled indifferently. "Sophie said I approved them, so you can take care of it."

Their expressions shifted as if I had suddenly become someone of great importance.