The first time Alsa laid eyes on him, he was a gentle and clean-cut young boy. But as he grew up, he became a frivolous playboy-who also happened to be her newlywed husband. After an unexpected one-night stand with Ross, their next encounter was anything but romantic-she had to help him handle the aftermath of his latest scandal, comforting a half-dressed starlet at the scene. Alsa remained unfazed, her expression unreadable. In name, they were husband and wife; in reality, they were merely a CEO and his secretary. But Alsa had her own hidden agenda. As a spy, she had entered this flash marriage with Ross for one reason-to secretly investigate The Moore family. What she didn't expect was that her playboy husband was terrifyingly perceptive. He saw right through her from the start, yet he said nothing. Instead, he watched and waited, like a cat playing with a mouse, waiting for her to slip up... Ross was infamous in high society-reckless, carefree, and seemingly incapable of true feelings. Everyone thought he was all about lust, never love. Until one day, a video surfaced. In it, Ross looked like a devoted believer, his fingers tightly clasped around a woman's slender wrist. His eyes burned with fervor and longing, his voice hoarse and desperate. "Alsa, please... look at me."
Chapter 1 Crisis
When Alsa arrived at the hotel, snow had begun to fall.
The crowd of reporters gathered at the entrance stood in stark contrast to the bleak weather.
Ross's assistant spotted her and hurried over. "Alsa, what are you doing here?"
Alsa had the kind of beauty that could captivate souls, but her usual lack of smiles lent her a serious and composed demeanor.
Without a change in expression, she removed her leather gloves and lifted her gaze. "Where is President Moore?"
The assistant hesitated. "He's in the room."
Alsa withdrew her gaze and walked forward to knock on the door. A moment later, a young woman, barely in her twenties with red-rimmed eyes, opened it.
The girl didn't recognize Alsa. She sniffled and asked in a delicate voice, "Are you from President Moore's crisis management team?"
Alsa nodded slightly and stepped past her into the room.
Just as she entered, Ross emerged from the bathroom, a loosely tied towel hanging around his waist. Droplets of water fell from his damp hair, tracing down his collarbone before disappearing beneath the towel. His effortless sensuality seemed almost innate.
Seeing Alsa, Ross smirked-completely unbothered by the fact that his newlywed wife had just caught him in a scandalous scene. "Why is it you?"
Alsa met his amused, teasing gaze with unwavering calm. "This situation is tricky. There's a swarm of gossip reporters downstairs, and no one else wants to handle it."
Their conversation flowed smoothly, an odd mix of indifference and familiarity.
Apart from Ross's assistant, no one knew they had been married for three months.
Ross walked over to a chair and casually threw on a bathrobe, leaving the collar open just enough to reveal a hint of his collarbone. He lit a cigarette and leaned back lazily. "Find someone else to take care of it."
Alsa ignored his remark and turned her attention to the young woman standing beside her.
She recognized the girl-a rising starlet under The Moore family's entertainment division, who had recently gained traction through celebrity relationship rumors. Just days ago, she was even called out by a famous director's wife on Twitter.
It had only been a short time, yet Ross still had an open-door policy for such affairs.
Sensing Alsa's gaze, the young starlet felt a flicker of unease but maintained her composed posture. Her voice remained sweetly delicate. "There are so many reporters downstairs. If it really comes to that, I could just admit to being in a relationship with President Moore. Once the media attention dies down, we can clear things up..."
Her intentions were written all over her face-she simply wanted to use Ross to boost her own career.
Before she could finish speaking, Alsa coldly cut her off. "I already contacted your agent on my way here. By now, they should have arrived. You can leave now."
The starlet blinked in shock. "Leave?"
Alsa's voice was crisp and unyielding. "Yes."
With that, she walked over to Ross and plucked the cigarette from his lips, extinguishing it. "President Moore, please head to the room next door. President Black and the others are waiting for you."
Ross lifted an eyebrow, a lazy smirk playing on his lips. "You've arranged everything?"
Alsa's expression remained cool. "You have exactly five minutes, President Moore. After that, hotel security will 'accidentally' allow the reporters upstairs."
Ross locked eyes with her for a few seconds before chuckling and standing up. In the starlet's stunned silence, he opened the door and walked next door without a fuss.
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