IMDD CHAPTER 144 [NOVEL] (Patreon)

In the CEO office of ACEON, Gage was fully engrossed in signing the stack of documents requiring his signature.

"Anything else?" he inquired, addressing the assistant secretary standing before him. Without wasting a moment, the assistant promptly handed him another folder.

At the sight of the still towering pile of papers, Gage licked the inside of his cheek. But he accepted the folder and commenced scanning the contents.

The assistant secretary couldn't help but feel a trickle of sweat as he witnessed the CEO's lightning-fast scanning speed. How was he able to go through the papers so swiftly? Was he truly reading anything at all? Was this approach even appropriate? These papers contained sensitive information, and a single mistake could have catastrophic consequences for the company!

Anxiety overwhelmed the assistant secretary. He couldn't help it. He acknowledged the CEO's brilliance, but he believed it was crucial to conduct a thorough check. Could you please slow down? And stop glancing at your wristwatch like that! Oh God, he's both incredibly fast and incredibly distracted! I can already sense a looming disaster!

"Uh... sir, please calm down a..." the assistant's sentence was cut short by a single glance from Gage, his eyes penetrating with an intensity that sent a shiver down the assistant's spine.

What… was that?

And then just like that, the CEO resumed his rapid work. The assistant swallowed hard. This was the first time he had witnessed such a stern and piercing gaze from their typically charming and lenient CEO. Gage Acheron was known for his approachability and leniency. He was far from being a tyrant. The assistant had never seen him gaze at anyone in that manner or behave in such a way—working at an almost inhuman speed, seemingly careless and uninterested in the details. Granted, he had only been working with Gage for less than a month, but the CEO seemed different now. And come to think of it, something had seemed off ever since his personal secretary went on leave!

It dawned on the assistant that Gage's current disposition might indeed be connected to the absence of his personal secretary. It wasn’t only him that actually noticed a change in Gage's demeanor since Miss Lee, the usual presence by his side, had taken leave. They had thought they were just used to seeing their CEO with Miss Lee next to him but now, the assistant was almost certain that Gage really appeared different and almost off-balance that he was by himself. What could be going on? Was the CEO simply grumpy just because his personal secretary was absent? Seriously?!

"Done. Anything more?" Gage's voice dripped with boredom, as if the work held no interest for him. However, it was obvious that he wanted nothing but to finish everything as soon as possible.

Nervously scratching the back of his neck, the assistant hesitated before speaking up. "There's actually more, sir..." he trailed off, noticing Gage's recurring glances at his wristwatch. The assistant couldn't help but wonder if Gage was anxiously waiting for someone or something.

The assistant observed as Gage picked up his phone, which had softly buzzed, just before he could tap on it. Something unfathomable crossed his dark eyes as he read what appeared to be a text message. What could be the contents of the message that seemed to trigger such reaction?

"You can take a break for now, sir. This matter is urgent, but you can certainly finish it later—"

"No," Gage cut him off abruptly. "Bring them. I might have to leave suddenly in a few minutes, so gather everything and bring them here now."

"Y-Yes, sir," the assistant stammered.

Soon, the assistant could only watch again as Gage continued to scan and sign the papers at that very same astonishing pace. But this time, the assistant dared not speak further, even as the CEO continued to glance at his wristwatch and phone every few minutes.

An hour passed, and suddenly, Gage halted. His pen, which had furiously glided across the papers, froze mid-air. His gaze fixed on a point in space. The assistant couldn’t read Gage's expression but he was certain that it was a mixture of some spine-chilling intensity and something else he couldn't quite decipher.

Putting his pen down, Gage directed his attention to his wristwatch and then reached for his phone once again. It seemed as though he was re-reading the message he had received. And then in an instant, his demeanor shifted in an inexplicable manner, sending a violent chill down the assistant's spine. The once composed and approachable CEO now exuded an aura that made the assistant's blood run cold. Wh-What was happening now?

"Leave," he said, a one-word order. And the assistant didn't quite know why he had scrambled out of the room like he was running for his life. When he closed the door, the assistant was sweating and even panting. What the hell... What in the world was that?! Why was the boss suddenly so freaking scary?!