Karen
The Blackwood Conglomerate tower rose like a steel monarch over Manhattan, its glass surface reflecting the morning sun with blinding authority. Karen Whitmore stood across the street, clutching her handbag tighter than necessary as she stared up at the building.
This is it, she told herself.
Her heart thudded hard against her ribs—not from fear alone, but from the weight of what she was about to do. She wasn't just walking into a new job. She was walking into a carefully laid deception. A test. A gamble that could either give her the love she longed for… or shatter her completely.
You're not here as his wife, she reminded herself silently.
You're here to see the truth.
With a deep breath, Karen crossed the street and stepped into the towering lobby.
The inside was even more intimidating marble floors that gleamed like mirrors, ceilings so high they made her feel small, and a quiet so deep it swallowed sound. People moved with purpose, eyes forward, voices low, as if afraid to disturb the air itself.
At the front desk sat a woman in her early thirties, stunning in a commanding way. Her hair was pulled back sharply, her posture flawless, her eyes observant and sharp.
This, Karen would soon learn, was Queenie Monroe known by everyone in the building simply as Queen.
Queen looked up as Karen approached, her gaze assessing in one slow sweep.
"Good morning," Karen said softly. "I'm here for the executive assistant interview."
Queen's lips curved faintly. "Name?"
"Karen Whit—" Karen stopped herself smoothly. "Karen White."
The lie tasted bitter on her tongue.
Queen typed quickly, then paused. Her eyes lifted again, lingering on Karen's face longer than polite.
She's not nervous, Queen thought. That's unusual.
Most applicants trembled. Sweated. Overcompensated.
This one stood calm, eyes steady, hands still.
"You're early," Queen said.
"I don't like being late," Karen replied.
Queen studied her silently.
Interesting, she mused. The Ice King won't eat this one alive.
"Take the elevator to the top floor," Queen said finally. "Good luck, you'll need it."
Karen nodded and walked away, unaware that Queen's eyes followed her until the elevator doors closed.
Something about her feels… different, Queen thought. And different doesn't survive long in this building.
Inside the elevator, Karen let out the breath she'd been holding.
You can still walk away, her mind whispered.
She imagined her parents, her father's warm laugh, her mother's gentle smile.
Love isn't found by hiding, her mother's voice echoed in memory.
"I'm not hiding," Karen murmured to her reflection in the mirrored walls. "I'm protecting my heart."
The elevator dinged.
The doors opened to a floor so quiet it felt sacred.
***
Kayden Blackwood sat behind his massive desk, reviewing résumés with detached efficiency. None impressed him. None ever did.
Names blurred together. Perfect qualifications. Empty eyes.
He was about to dismiss the entire stack when one résumé caught his attention, not because of extravagance, but because of restraint.
Karen White.
Simple. Clean. No exaggerated achievements. Solid experience. Calm confidence in every line.
Kayden leaned back slightly.
This one didn't try to impress me, he thought. She expects to be judged fairly.
That alone irritated him.
"Send her in," he said.
Karen stepped into the office, and the world shifted.
Kayden looked up—and for the first time in years, his thoughts stopped.
She wasn't dressed extravagantly. No forced elegance. Just a simple navy suit, hair neatly pulled back, face bare of heavy makeup.
Yet something about her struck him with unexpected force.
His chest tightened.
Focus, he ordered himself.
Karen met his gaze, and her heart skipped violently.
So this is the Ice King, she thought.
He was more striking than rumors suggested—sharp jaw, piercing gray eyes, presence so heavy it pressed into her skin.
Don't fall, she warned herself. Not yet.
"Sit," Kayden said.
She did.
The interview began, questions, answers, silence in between. Karen responded with precision, never overstepping, never shrinking.
Kayden watched her carefully.
She's not intimidated, he realized. Or pretending to be brave.
That unsettled him.
"You're aware this position requires loyalty," he said.
"Yes," Karen replied.
"And discretion."
"I value privacy," she said softly.
Something in her tone,gentle but firm,made his fingers curl slightly against the desk.
Why do I feel like I already know her? Kayden wondered.
Outside, Queen watched the closed office door, arms crossed.
No screaming. No tears, she noted. That's new.
Minutes stretched into an hour.
When Karen finally stepped out, her breath was uneven, emotions swirling dangerously.
Get a grip, she told herself. You're here to observe, not feel.
Kayden stood alone in his office afterward, staring at the door long after she'd left.
This is a mistake, he thought. She's a distraction.
And yet
"Hire her," he said aloud to no one.
Downstairs, Queen received the message and arched a brow.
"Well, I'll be damned," she murmured. "The Ice King has a crack."
As Karen exited the building later that day, acceptance email already glowing on her phone, she whispered to herself
If you are a monster, Kayden Blackwood… I will see it.
And if you are a man who can love,
her heart already feared it was too late.