Suddenly, I Am Rich-Chapter 336: Secretary

"Thank you, thank you for coming," Alistair’s warm voice could be continuously heard as he extended a hand to the people entering.

"Especially you, Gray. I didn’t expect you to be here."

"Of course, Mayor." Gray smiled and accepted his hand without hesitation. With that act, a few flashes of the camera went on their way.

Currently, they are in the foundation. The place was filled with people.

There were staff moving back and forth as they carried boxes of trayed food. There were media team on standby at every corner of the place, taking pictures and videos. Some reporters were talking to the camera, explaining what was happening in the area. 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝔀𝓮𝒃𝙣𝓸𝒗𝒆𝒍.𝙘𝒐𝒎

Outside, the open courtyard had been cleaned and set up well. There were multiple stations with people of varying ages patiently waiting. On the side, there were a number of long tables and chairs for eating that could accommodate more than 100 people.

Meanwhile, at the far back, a banner, which was bearing the foundation’s name and Alistair, was hung neatly between the trees.

"I really appreciate it, Gray." Alistair clapped his shoulders. There was a genuine smile on his face as if he really appreciated Gray’s doing.

Gray just smiled and nodded. When he looked at the side, he was Victor. He was talking to someone on his phone and he looked serious.

"How is everything going, Mayor?" Gray curiously asked. Everyone looked so busy.

Alistair let out a small sigh at that.

"Tsk. Fortunately, everything’s going smoothly," he said. "The donors came through as they promised. And the others also pledged their support that’s why we were able to scale this up."

"Anyway, you know how it is," Alistair lowered his voice slightly as they stepped aside.

Gray hummed quietly, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.

Just then, Victor ended his call and walked over to them. His expression was already back to its composed and public-friendly look.

"Hey Alistair," Victor said, "the press wants another short statement in five minutes."

Alistair nodded before turning to Gray.

"I’ll see you later. Stick around. It’s good for them to see you here."

"Sure," Gray gave a small nod.

As Alistair moved away, Gray silently watched him go. He made a face and let out a sigh. Afterward, he put on his fake smile again.

Truthfully, he did not want to be here. But he still came.

Gray loathed everything about it. It was absurd how others’ suffering could be turned into an advertisement and how generosity became a tool instead of a freewill.

Gray’s jaw tightened at that. Either way, he had no other choice. This was the price of what he wanted.

Getting close to Alistair meant enduring this. He had to play along and act as if he were with them. Fortunately, his act was so believable. He could only push everything to the back of his mind.

With that thought, Gray let out another sigh.

And besides, this was not the only reason he was here.

Gray’s gaze slowly drifted across the room. It moved past the cameras, the volunteers, and the lines of people waiting on the side. That was when he spotted someone.

Alistair’s secretary stood at one of the inner tables. He looked uneasy and anxious as he coordinated with everyone. He had eye bags and was obviously not having the best rest over the past few years.

Gray’s lips curved upward at that.

’There you are...’

His next steps include getting close to that man. He knew that Alistair’s secretary knew everything— every move and plan that Alistair had. In other words, he was the most valuable person in the room.

"Right..." Gray muttered in a low voice, his smile turning just a little more playful as he started walking in that direction. "My next step."

Getting close to Alistair was only the beginning. The real step? Getting close to the man who had access to everything. That was where things would really start.

Gray stopped a short distance away. He timed his approach so that it wouldn’t look weird and just be natural. He appeared to be just walking around, and acted as if he had noticed the man accidentally.

"Oh," he said lightly, voice warm and easygoing. "Aren’t you Mayor Alistair’s secretary?" he raised his brow and appeared to be thinking.

The man stiffened almost immediately with the sudden attention. He turned around, eyes widening for a second when he recognized Gray. He straightened his posture and immediately bowed his head.

"Y–yes, sir," he answered quickly. "I am. Is... is there a problem? How can I help you?"

Gray raised both hands in a calming gesture, a small laugh leaving from his lips as if amused by the reaction.

"No, no, nothing like that," he said as he waved his hand. "I just happened to notice you from across the room. You’ve been running around nonstop since I arrived." His gaze flicked briefly to the dark circles under the man’s eyes.

"You also look pretty stressed."

The secretary looked clearly caught off guard by that statement. For a moment, he seemed unsure how to respond to it.

"Ah... I guess it shows," he said. "It’s been pretty hectic these past few weeks.

"I can only imagine," Gray replied before nodding in understanding. "Events like this are really stressful, especially with the pressure. It must be pretty stressful for you since you’re the one running around."

"Thank you for saying that, sir," the secretary muttered, feeling a slight warmth in his heart. He had been very busy, so it was nice to hear words like this.

It was his first time getting kind words from his boss’s friends. It was reassuring.

"Well, someone has to," he said. "Otherwise, all this would fall apart."

The secretary let out a small sigh, the tension in his expression loosening just a bit.

"I appreciate it. Really."

Gray tilted his head slightly. Then he went into his pocket and took something out of it. A sealed envelope with money inside. He glanced around briefly. When he was sure no one was paying them any attention, he moved closer and pressed the envelope into the secretary’s hands in one smooth discreet motion.

The man froze when he felt it.

His eyes widened, his fingers stiffening around the paper. He looked down, then back up at Gray, clearly flustered.

"O–oh, no," he whispered urgently, trying to push it back.

"Sir, what is this? I can’t... I really can’t take this."

Gray shook his head immediately.

"It’s fine," he said quietly. "Really. I just wanted to give it to you."

The secretary swallowed.

"Sir, this is too much. I’m just doing my job. I don’t want to cause any misunderstanding."

Gray met his gaze, and a soft and reassuring smile appeared from hislips.

"There’s no misunderstanding," he said. "It’s not from the foundation, and it’s not tied to anything. Think of it as... a personal gesture."

The man hesitated. His hands trembled slightly.

"I... I shouldn’t," he murmured. "But..." His voice trailed off, betraying him.

"You’ve been carrying a lot lately. Sometimes people just need a bit of help. That’s all this is."

The secretary stared at him for a long second. His eyes watered faintly as he bowed his head deeply.

"Thank you," he said, voice rough. "Thank you so much, sir. You have no idea how much this helps."

Gray smiled, warm and understanding on the surface.

"Take care of what matters," he replied. "That’s more important than anything else."

The secretary clutched the envelope to his chest for a moment before carefully slipping it into his pocket. When he looked up again, his expression was full of gratitude and relief.

"I won’t forget this," he said earnestly. "If there’s ever anything I can help you with—"

"No need. I’m not like that." Gray raised a hand lightly and patted the man.

Behind that calm expression, a ghost smile appeared on his face. He and Mara had done their homework. He knew that the secretary’s mother was currently in the hospital, and he’s been needing funds.