Cold Billionaire CEO

The elevator doors slid shut with a soft ding, and I stepped out, my heart pounding in my chest. This was it. I had made it into MECH, one of the most prestigious companies in Korea, and now I was about to meet the infamous Jason, the CEO who had become a legend in the business world.

But what was I really here for? I wasn't just another assistant. I had dreams, ambitions, and skills to show. Yet, the uncertainty of what was coming next made me feel small.

I held the cup of coffee tightly in my hands as I approached the door to his office, trying to calm my nerves. The receptionist had been polite enough to direct me here, but there was something in her eyes—maybe judgment, maybe curiosity. Either way, I couldn't shake the feeling that she thought I wasn't supposed to be here.

I knocked lightly before pushing open the door. Jason sat behind his massive, polished desk, surrounded by paperwork, his attention fixed on the screen in front of him. His jawline was sharp enough to cut glass, his dark hair perfectly styled, and his glasses only made him look even more imposing.

"Your coffee, sir," I said, my voice faltering a little as I walked closer. I placed the steaming cup carefully in front of him.

Jason didn't even look up. His hand reached for the cup, taking a sip without sparing me a glance.

The silence in the room was almost suffocating. I stood there, unsure of what to do next, waiting for any sign that I wasn't invisible to him. But nothing came.

After a long, tense moment, Jason finally spoke—his voice low, cold, and commanding. "You're still standing, Jessica."

I blinked, surprised that he even remembered my name. I quickly pulled out the chair across from his desk and sat down, trying to appear as composed as possible.

"Right," I muttered under my breath.

Jason didn't acknowledge me. Instead, he focused on the paperwork in front of him, as if I wasn't there at all. His indifference was unnerving.

I cleared my throat, my hands resting nervously on my lap. "I—"

"Is there something you need?" Jason cut me off, his tone sharp and disinterested.

I froze. Was this what I'd expected? The rumors about him being cold, distant, and detached didn't do him justice. He was the embodiment of the word cold.

"No," I answered quietly. "Just here to assist."

Jason gave a brief nod, still not looking up from his screen.

The silence stretched between us, suffocating and heavy. It felt like I was suffocating, trapped in a room with a man who had no interest in anything or anyone outside of his work. It wasn't like the other jobs I'd had, where I could joke around or make small talk. Here, everything felt calculated, precise, and cold.

"Well, since you're here," Jason finally said, his voice still the same level of icy calm. "You can leave now."

Leave?

I blinked, the words stinging a little more than I expected. Leave now.

I stood up quickly, trying to hide the disappointment in my expression. "Okay," I whispered, turning toward the door.

Jason didn't acknowledge me as I walked out. He didn't even look up from his desk.

As I left the office and stepped back into the elevator, my heart sank. What had I expected?

I step inside the elevator, the doors closed with a soft ding, and I leaned back against the cold wall, trying to collect my thoughts. I had made it into MECH. But for what? To run errands, deliver coffee, and be forgotten by the coldest man in Korea?

I glanced at my phone. No messages. No calls. Just a reminder that, no matter how hard I tried, I was still just a small piece in the vast machine of this company.

As I stepped out of the elevator, the cold air of the lobby brushed against my skin, but it wasn't nearly as cold as Jason's attitude. I still couldn't believe how dismissive he had been.

Anna was waiting for me near the entrance, tapping her foot impatiently. The moment she saw me, her eyes lit up with curiosity.

"Finally! Took you long enough," she huffed. "So? How was it?"

I let out a deep breath, still feeling the weight of the interaction. "He told me to leave."

Anna blinked. "That's it?"

"That's it."

She tilted her head, then smirked. "Damn. He's really that cold, huh?"

I scoffed. "Colder than ice. He barely even looked at me, just took his coffee and acted like I didn't exist."

Anna whistled. "Well, at least he didn't fire you on the spot."

"Thanks for the encouragement," I said dryly.

She nudged my arm. "Come on, let's get out of here. You need a break before you start dealing with that iceberg every day."

I couldn't argue with that. We left the building together, the crisp city air feeling refreshing compared to the suffocating tension in Jason's office.

As soon as I got home, I collapsed onto the couch, letting out a groan. My family bustled around the house, my mom calling out from the kitchen.

"Jessica! You're back early!"

"Yeah, just had my first official meeting with my boss," I muttered, rubbing my temples.

"How did it go?" my dad asked, lowering his newspaper.

I thought about it for a second. "Well, he's rich, ridiculously good-looking, and absolutely unbearable."

My younger sister, Mia, peeked over from the dining table. "So, like a drama CEO?" she teased.

I rolled my eyes. "Exactly like that."

My mom walked in, wiping her hands on her apron. "If he's that cold, you just have to warm him up."

I shot her a look. "Mom, this isn't a romance novel."

She just smiled knowingly. "That's what they all say."

I shook my head, but deep down, I couldn't shake the feeling that working for Jason wasn't going to be as simple as I thought.

Just as I was about to head to my room, my brother, Liam, walked in from the balcony, stretching his arms.

"You look like you fought a war," he commented, plopping down on the couch beside me.

I groaned, throwing my head back. "More like survived a battlefield with the coldest, most emotionless boss in Korea."

Liam snorted. "You're talking about Jason, right?"

I lifted my head, narrowing my eyes at him. "How do you know?"

He smirked. "Sis, everyone knows him. The guy's basically a legend in the business world. Ruthless, brilliant, and apparently allergic to basic human interaction."

"Yeah, well, I had the pleasure of experiencing that firsthand today," I muttered. "He didn't even acknowledge me after I gave him his coffee. He literally told me to leave like I was some random delivery person."

Liam laughed. "Ouch. So, are you quitting already?"

I shot him a glare. "No! I worked way too hard to get here. I'm not going to let some emotionally constipated CEO push me out."

"That's the spirit," Liam said, ruffling my hair like I was a little kid.

I swatted his hand away. "Ugh, stop that!"

My mom chuckled from the kitchen. "See? You already have the fire to handle him. Just be patient."

Mia, who had been quietly listening, suddenly perked up. "Or maybe you'll be the one to melt his icy heart."

I groaned loudly. "Not this again!"

Liam wiggled his eyebrows. "Oh, I can already imagine it. You, trapped in the office with the dangerously handsome CEO, tension so thick you could cut it with a knife—"

I grabbed a pillow and smacked him. "Shut up!"

He dodged, laughing. "Hey, I'm just saying! The best love stories start with hate, right?"

"This isn't a love story, Liam," I huffed, standing up. "This is real life. And in real life, bosses like Jason stay exactly as they are—cold, distant, and impossible to deal with."

I marched toward my room, ignoring the teasing behind me. But even as I flopped onto my bed, I couldn't shake off the feeling that Jason wasn't just a typical cold CEO.

Something about him felt… different.

And whether I liked it or not, I had a feeling I was about to find out why.