C175 New Day

The next morning, I woke up earlier than usual. Today was my first official day at Lucia Goods, and no matter how much I tried to stay calm, I couldn't hide my excitement. After taking a long shower, I carefully put on the brand-new suit Alicia had prepared for me. I adjusted my tie several times, combed my hair neatly, and stood in front of the mirror.

I wanted to look confident... Instead, I looked like a nervous university student attending his first interview. Taking a deep breath, I finally headed downstairs. The moment I reached the dining room, I stopped in surprise. Alicia was already there. She was chatting happily with my parents while enjoying breakfast, as if she belonged there.

The moment she noticed me, her beautiful eyes lit up before she burst into laughter. "Husband..." She covered her mouth. "You really look like a nerd." Everyone at the table laughed. I looked down at my suit before smiling helplessly. "Good morning, Mom... Dad..." Then I looked at Alicia. "And good morning, wife." Mary smiled warmly. "Our son is handsome today." Quinton nodded proudly. "Very handsome."

Alicia tilted her head before teasing again. "Handsome? Maybe." "But he still has that innocent face." "I feel like everyone will know he's new the moment he walks into the company." I rubbed the back of my neck helplessly. "You two are bullying me." "That's because you're easy to bully," Alicia replied with a grin. We all laughed before sitting down to eat. The atmosphere was warm and lively.

Halfway through breakfast, Alicia suddenly remembered something. "Husband..." She looked at me. "Did you discuss Grandpa's proposal with your parents?" I paused. "Not yet." "I'll talk to them after work." Mary and Quinton exchanged puzzled looks. Mary asked curiously, "What proposal?" I smiled mysteriously. "Nothing serious." "I'll explain everything this evening." She narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "You've learned to keep secrets from your mother now?"

Quinton immediately laughed. "Let the boy breathe." "He hasn't even started work yet." Everyone laughed again. After breakfast, I stood up. Without saying a word, I reached for Alicia's hand. She looked at me with a gentle smile before intertwining her fingers with mine. My parents watched the two of us with satisfied smiles. Mary whispered to Quinton, "They're becoming more and more like a real married couple." Quinton nodded proudly. "They already are."

Outside the house, Alicia walked toward her Maserati. I looked at her curiously. "You came all the way here just to pick me up?" She nodded. "Of course." Then she yawned. "I woke up much earlier than usual..." "I'm still sleepy." I looked at her with concern. "Wife..." "You shouldn't sacrifice your sleep because of me." "Sleep helps you recover your energy." She smiled sweetly. "I know." Then she checked the time. "We're actually two hours early." I blinked. "So early?" She nodded. "Exactly."

When we reached the car, something unexpected happened. Instead of walking toward the driver's side... She casually tossed the car keys toward me. I barely caught them. "Huh?" She stretched lazily before opening the passenger door. "I'm too sleepy." "You drive." I stared at the keys in disbelief. "What?" "You can't be serious." "This is our first day." "What if I crash your car?"

She fastened her seatbelt calmly. "Then..." "You'll just have to drive carefully." I looked at her helplessly. "Alicia..." "I've never driven a car before." She smiled confidently. "I trust you." "I'll teach you." There was no way out. After taking a deep breath, I slowly got into the driver's seat. My heart was pounding. I looked at all the buttons on the dashboard. Everything seemed unfamiliar.

Seeing my nervous expression, Alicia couldn't help laughing. "Relax." "The car won't bite." She patiently guided me through every step. "Insert the key." "Good." "Now press the brake." "Start the engine." The engine roared to life. I almost jumped. She laughed again. "See?" "It likes you." I rolled my eyes. "You're making fun of me." She smiled. "A little." Under her guidance, I slowly shifted into reverse. Then into drive.

I held the steering wheel so tightly that my palms became sweaty. "Relax your shoulders," Alicia said softly. "Keep both hands on the wheel." "Don't grip it like you're fighting someone." I couldn't help laughing nervously. "You make it sound easy." "It is." "You just need confidence." For almost an hour, she patiently instructed me.

Whenever I became nervous, she'd gently remind me to breathe. "Slow down." "Good." "Now signal." "Excellent." "You did that perfectly." Little by little... My confidence began to grow. Finally, the massive Lucia Goods headquarters appeared ahead. I carefully parked the car. The moment I switched off the engine, Alicia smiled brightly. "You did it."

Only then did I realize I had been holding my breath. I let out a long sigh of relief. "I survived." Before I could say anything else, Alicia leaned over and wrapped her arms around me. "I'm proud of you." My nervousness instantly disappeared. I hugged her back. "Thank you... for trusting me." She smiled. "Always." The two of us got out of the car together.

As soon as we entered the company grounds... Countless employees turned toward us. Some immediately recognized Alicia. Others looked at me curiously. Whispers quickly spread through the lobby. "That's Director Mooney." "Who's the man beside her?" "That's her husband." "The new Vice Director?" "They look good together." Alicia remained calm. She simply smiled before taking my hand naturally. The whispers instantly became louder. For the first time... Everyone saw Lucia Goods' new Director and Vice Director arrive together as husband and wife.

Meanwhile, at the Chambers residence... Chris sat quietly at the dining table. Unlike his parents, he wasn't excited. His best friend had officially left Wood IT Company. Alicia, whom he treated like his younger sister, had left as well. He suddenly felt empty. David noticed his son's expression. He gently placed a hand on Chris's shoulder. "Son..." "Take this as the beginning of a new chapter." "Your lives have changed." "You've grown." "You're now the Vice Director." "You can't let emotions affect your work."

Chris nodded slowly. "I know, Dad." "It's just..." Before he could finish, Valeria interrupted. "No 'just.'" She smiled warmly. "You'll still see Mike." "And Alicia isn't disappearing." "They're family now." Chris couldn't help smiling. "I know." "I'll work hard." Just then... A luxurious Rolls-Royce slowly stopped outside the house. The entire family looked toward the window. A soft knock echoed through the house. "It's me..." "Sarah." Valeria hurried toward the door and opened it.

Standing outside was Sarah, dressed elegantly in business attire. She smiled politely. "Good morning, Mother-in-law." Valeria blinked in surprise. "Sarah?" "So early?" "Is everything alright?" Sarah smiled before pointing toward Chris. "I came to pick up my future husband." She looked at Chris with playful eyes. "Hurry." "We're going to be late." Chris stared at her in complete surprise. Even David couldn't help smiling. It seemed... Today marked a brand-new beginning for everyone.