Kayden **
Kayden woke before dawn, his chest tight with a feeling he had no name for.
The city beyond his penthouse windows still slept, wrapped in shadows and silence, but his mind refused to rest. He stood barefoot on the cold marble floor, staring out at the dim skyline.
Control, he reminded himself.
Everything in my life survives on control.
Yet somewhere between the previous night's threat message and the way Karen's eyes had searched his face for reassurance, something inside him had shifted.
A crack.
Small. Almost invisible.
But once something cracked, it could never return to its original form.
He dressed quickly, his movements sharp, precise, armor against the chaos stirring within.
By the time Kayden arrived at the office, the executive floor was already buzzing with restrained energy.
Karen was at her desk, reviewing reports, her brow furrowed in concentration.
The sight of her stirred something unwelcome.
You're letting this get out of hand, he told himself.
"Good morning, Mr. Blackwood," she said, standing automatically.
"Morning," he replied, then paused.
Her eyes looked tired.
Did she sleep at all? The thought annoyed him.
"Cancel my first meeting," he said abruptly.
Karen blinked. "Sir?"
"I need time."
She nodded, hiding her surprise. "I'll inform them."
As she moved away, Kayden watched her, jaw tight.
You're breaking your own rules, he thought.
In the tea room, whispers brewed alongside coffee.
Melissa leaned against the counter, stirring her drink lazily. "You noticed it too, right?"
Queen raised an eyebrow. "Noticed what?"
"That he's distracted," Melissa said with a smirk. "And we all know why."
Another assistant chuckled. "New girl effect."
Queen sipped her tea calmly. "Careful. Distraction doesn't mean weakness."
Melissa laughed softly. "Everything has a weakness."
Karen entered quietly, and the room fell into awkward silence.
She poured herself tea, aware of eyes on her back.
Let them talk, she told herself. I won't give them a story.
As she turned to leave, Melissa spoke sweetly. "Big meeting today. Nervous?"
Karen met her gaze evenly. "Prepared."
The simplicity of the answer unsettled them.
Queen watched her go.
She's stronger than they think, Queen mused. Or braver.
The boardroom filled with executives from Zurich via screen, faces stern, voices sharp.
Kayden sat at the head of the table, composed once more, the Ice King restored, at least on the surface.
Karen sat beside him, documents organized, notes ready.
As negotiations intensified, pressure mounted.
"We need guarantees," one investor demanded.
Kayden's response was calm but firm. "You'll have them."
Karen leaned in slightly, whispering numbers only he could hear.
Her proximity sent a jolt through him.
Focus, he ordered himself.
He nodded subtly, using her data to strengthen his argument.
The deal shifted.
Momentum turned.
Within an hour, the agreement was sealed.
As the screens went dark, one executive exhaled. "Impressive."
Kayden stood. "Good work."
His eyes lingered on Karen for half a second longer than necessary.
She felt it.
Why does approval from him feel like victory? she wondered.
Later, in his office, Kayden paced.
She complements me, he admitted reluctantly. Too well.
The realization frightened him more than any rival ever had.
He stopped abruptly when Karen knocked.
"Yes?"
"We need to discuss the Berlin expansion," she said. "And the upcoming trip."
He hesitated. "Trip?"
"Yes. You'll need to travel. I'll accompany you."
The word accompany echoed louder than it should have.
"Prepare the details," he said.
She nodded, then paused. "Sir… about the message last night."
He stiffened. "What about it?"
"I don't want special treatment."
His eyes narrowed. "This isn't special treatment. It's security."
Their gazes locked.
Something unspoken pulsed between them.
Say something, Karen urged herself. Before the wall goes back up.
"I trust you," she said quietly.
The words hit him harder than any accusation.
Trust.
Something he had never asked for.
Never offered.
Kayden turned away abruptly. "You shouldn't."
Her chest tightened.
That's your crack, she realized. You don't know how to accept care.
As evening approached, Kayden finalized travel plans.
Berlin. Five days. High stakes.
Dangerous territory.
Taking her with me is a mistake, he thought.
Yet when he imagined leaving her behind, unease settled deep in his gut.
I need her close, he admitted unwillingly. For the work.
But another voice whispered
For yourself.
Across the office, Karen sat alone, staring at the city lights.
You're changing him, she realized. And it terrifies both of you.
The first crack had formed.
And neither of them knew whether it would heal… or shatter everything they had built.