Alexander’s POV “Alexander, you’re here?” I turned at the sound of my father’s voice.
“Dad?” “What were you thinking about?
I knocked several times, but you didn’t seem to hear me.” Without a word, I slipped my phone back into my pocket before walking toward my desk, taking another sip of my coffee.
“Sorry about that,” I said briefly.
“Do you need something?” Knowing my father, he would never come to my office without a reason.
He took the seat opposite my desk before speaking.
“I heard you gave Alice permission to inspect some of the affected farms.” “Yes.” “She wanted to see the situation for herself.” “Then shouldn’t you accompany her?” My hand paused halfway to my lips.
For a brief moment, I remained silent before finally answering.
“I’ve already arranged for senior representatives to accompany her.” My father shook his head lightly.
“That’s different, Alexander.” “She’s new to the partnership.
If you want Johnson Culinary Group to fully understand the standards of our agricultural sector, then you should be the one guiding her.” He paused before adding, “Or have you forgotten that the future of this partnership depends on the trust between both companies?” I knew exactly what he was doing.
He was using business as the reason.
Which meant…
When I didn’t offer to accompany her yesterday.
No wonder she had brought up the farms during the drive home.
She hadn’t simply wanted to inspect them.
She had wanted me to accompany her personally.
And when I didn’t give her the chance to bring it up…
She’d gone straight to my parents.
I looked at my father calmly.
“Dad, I have responsibilities here that can’t be ignored.” “I can’t spend all my time following her around.” “She’s not a child.” I set my coffee cup down and finally met his eyes.
That turned out to be a mistake.
He didn’t argue.
He simply looked at me quietly, as though trying to see through every thought I was hiding.
After a long silence, he stood.
“Just make sure you do what’s right, Alexander.” I knew that look.
One that he always has when he thinks he’s doing something for your own good but you don’t understand.
I let out a quiet sigh.
“Alright.” “I’ll go.” “But I can’t promise I’ll stay long.” He nodded with satisfaction.
“I’ll return to my office then.” Without another word, he turned and left.
The office fell silent once again.
I leaned back against my chair.
My parents had always respected my decisions and rarely interfered with my work.
Now that they were finally asking something of me…
I couldn’t refuse.
I’d promised my father that he wouldn’t have to step in to solve the problems within the agricultural sector.
Everything—from the stricter inspection procedures to the new quality control measures—had been my responsibility.
The partnership with Johnson Culinary Group was also part of that plan.
Their reputation would help restore public confidence in our products.
What I hadn’t expected…
Was for Alice to use the opportunity to push an arranged marriage between us.
I’d always thought she was quiet.
Reserved.
Innocent, even.
Now I wasn’t so sure.
Perhaps that silence had simply hidden her true intentions all along.
No matter what happened…
I wouldn’t give her what she wanted from this marriage.
Not even if the whole family expected me to.
Alice’s POV Two representatives from Livingston Corporation arrived at Johnson Culinary Group during the late hours of the morning.
After exchanging brief introductions, I left the company with them alongside one of my secretaries, Mike, and we drove toward the agricultural district on the outskirts of B City.
As the journey continued, the towering skyscrapers gradually disappeared behind us.
The roads became quieter.
Steel and glass buildings gave way to endless stretches of green fields, rolling hills, and scattered villages.
The farther we traveled, the fresher the air became, carrying the faint scent of soil and growing crops through the slightly opened car windows.
Nearly three hours later…
“We’re here, Ms.
Johnson.” The driver slowed before passing through a massive black iron gate.
The words Livingston Agricultural Sector were engraved on a polished stone monument beside the entrance.
The moment we entered, I couldn’t help looking out the window in amazement.
The place was far larger than I had imagined.
Acres upon acres of farmland stretched toward the horizon, divided into neatly organized sections.
Some fields were covered in rows of vibrant vegetables, while others cultivated grains and fruits.
Modern irrigation systems ran between the crops, sprinkling water evenly across the land.
Large greenhouses stood in the distance, their transparent roofs reflecting the afternoon sunlight.
Not far away were processing warehouses, refrigerated storage facilities, research laboratories, and quality inspection centers.
Heavy trucks moved steadily along the paved roads, transporting freshly harvested produce, while workers in uniform carried out their duties with remarkable efficiency.
Everything operated with such precision that it felt less like a farm…
…and more like a self-sustaining agricultural city.
“No wonder Livingston Corporation dominates the agricultural market,” I murmured almost unconsciously.
One of the representatives smiled proudly.
“Our chairman invested heavily in modernization years ago, and Mr.
Livingston has continued expanding the sector ever since.” I nodded silently, my gaze wandering across the endless landscape.
It was impossible not to admire the scale of everything.
As we drove farther in, I noticed that not every section was open for access.
Some fields had clearly marked restricted zones surrounding them.
Workers entering those areas passed through sanitization stations before stepping into the crops, while others carefully inspected plants one row at a time, recording observations on digital tablets.
“What are they doing?” I asked curiously.
One of the representatives followed my gaze.
“Those are the sections that were affected during the pest outbreak.” I looked again.
From where we were, the crops looked just as healthy as the rest.
“The infestation has already been eliminated,” he explained.
“Mr.
Livingston ordered multiple inspection protocols after the incident.
Every section is monitored daily, and samples are tested before anything leaves the farms.” “So the restrictions are preventive measures?” “Exactly.” I couldn’t help looking at the fields again.
The damage was gone.
But the vigilance remained.
At that moment, I realized just how seriously Alexander had taken the incident.
What I still couldn’t understand was the reason why the market would suddenly lose interest in products, even though the affected one’s never really reached them…