The restaurant was decorated with soft wood in earth tones that created a warm and natural feeling. Small green plants adorned the various corners, making the atmosphere fresh and lively. It was a fusion restaurant, bustling with people in the evening. The sound of conversation and soft background music created a relaxed setting, perfect for unwinding after a long day of work.

“Coming to eat with Nicha, I hope you’re not making your other girls jealous,” a sweet, pleasant voice chimed in as the waiter served coffee onto the table.

The slender woman in thick-rimmed glasses and a blue dress, her hair pulled back in a loose ponytail, turned to engage with Kawin, who winked at her with a mix of playfulness and sincerity, clearly in good spirits.

“You, Nicha, are an exception,” he said. He was referring to Nicha Tertlah, a close childhood friend who was now a department head at the same company and, critically, the daughter of Pradit, his father's trusted friend and an elder he deeply respected.

“I bet you’re feeling completely unfamiliar with the new position, kawin,” the thin-faced woman in glasses said, pressing her thin lips together slightly, recalling his demeanor amidst the company employees the day before.

“Of course. I’m completely unaccustomed to it. But it’s a relief to have the Head of HR like you, Nic, to offer advice.”

“I suppose I must accept such a compliment,” Nicha replied with a wide smile.

However, Kawin’s smile faded as he thought of the challenges ahead. The image of the two-faced executives who spoke kindly to him in the meeting was nothing but an illusion. Behind the scenes was a rot ready to stab him in the back at any opportunity.

“But it is suffocating, having to wear a smiling mask for those selfish people. Even though I know they are ready to ambush us at any moment, I still have to speak politely to them. It feels awful, somehow.” The CEO, who cherished honesty, said, leaning back against the chair exhausted.

Nicha sighed and lifted a finger to adjust her glasses slightly.

"You must be patient, Kawin. Being the highest executive is like wearing a mask; you have to bear a heavier burden than anyone else."

"Let me tell you, I never intended to take over Father's work. Why should I have to do something so exhausting and out of my depth, and still have to be nice to people who never wish us well?" He had never understood two-faced businessmen. He had always tried to avoid taking over his father's management role, but unforeseen circumstances had forced him to return and deal with dangerous vested interests and a group of people ready to unseat him at any moment.

"No one wanted that to happen to your dad. Right now, you is the only person who can take care of all of Pichet's responsibilities. You know that if it wasn't you, that 'someone' would take the position instead, and they've probably been waiting for this chance for a long time." Nicha stated cautiously, knowing that her father had pulled Kawin back to Thailand to protect the company from ill-intentioned people.

"The more this happens, the more I want to beat that person. And I will expose whoever caused this mess and make them fly out of the company!" Kawin began to get frustrated, thinking of the hidden motivations of those who were waiting to profit from his father's condition.

Nicha glanced around the restaurant before leaning closer.

“You’re thinking that your father didn’t actually suffer an accident on his own, aren’t you?” Nicha asked, lowering her voice slightly, glancing at CEO over the thick-rimmed glasses that had slipped down her nose.

Kawin nodded instantly. “I’m certain that Father is not the type of person to be careless. Someone must have wanted this to happen.”

“If that’s really the case, Kawin, you need to be careful too. It feels like something is very wrong,” the woman whispered, not wanting this matter to reach the ears of others, as ill-intentioned people might be lurking nearby.

Kawin nodded once, quickly glancing around before rapidly changing the subject. “Hey, Nic… I need your help with something.”

“Oh? What is it?” Nicha pushed her glasses up, meeting the gaze of the charming man. However, his eyes couldn’t make her heart flutter like they did for other women, as that look only held the meaning of close friendship.

“Do you have the company's employee database?” Kawin narrowed his eyes slightly to gather his thoughts; the image of the Ganny in his mind.

“Yes, I do,” Nicha replied.

“And can I view it online?” He held up his mobile phone to show her.

“Yes, you can. I can view it right here on my phone. The data link is exclusively for department heads. This newly written program is the best in the Human Resources department,” Nicha boasted about the modern, high-security HR database system. Only department heads had online access to the information.

“Perfect. Could you look up the phone number of one employee for me?” Kawin moved forward and winked at the woman in glasses, who raised an eyebrow in suspicion.

“Who is it?” the Head of HR asked.

Kawin leaned forward, clicking his tongue playfully. He had now figured out how to collect the debt of gratitude from that young accountant. It wasn't because he was infatuated or even interested; rather, he saw a path—he needed someone to investigate the company's complicated affairs, and this accountant offered the perfect opportunity. He intended to make her the center of his entire plan.