Cold Ice
Arthur Miles, the CEO of Miles Group, sat in his office chair, staring blankly out the large glass window. His mind drifted to his childhood—a time when life was simple and beautiful. Back then, all he had to worry about was his homework and violin practice. He never imagined his life would turn out like this.
Now, his days were consumed by work, his mind constantly occupied with the company’s success and the family’s reputation. He could choose to take it easy, but he didn’t. He wouldn’t. Because when he was free, his past crept in—just like it was doing now. And no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t escape those memories.
A knock at the door pulled him back to the present. His personal assistant, Andrew, stepped in.
Andrew knew his boss well, but there were times—like now—when Arthur felt like an enigma. The man who sat before him, motionless and lost in thought, was the same ruthless leader feared by everyone in the company.
“Sir, we have a meeting in one hour,” Andrew said cautiously.
Arthur didn’t shift his gaze from the window. “Prepare the meeting room.”
His voice was cold as always. Not raised, not forceful—just cold. But that was enough. Enough to make people’s stomachs twist with fear.
Arthur Miles was not a man people understood. He was the kind of man people feared. Employees whispered behind his back, calling him Devil Arthur. Ruthless. Cruel. Heartless. But Andrew saw beyond that. His boss was like an ice mountain—solid, unyielding. But even ice could melt with enough heat. And that heat was love.
“Sir, do you need anything else?” Andrew asked.
Arthur finally turned to face him, his icy gaze locking onto Andrew’s. “Did I ask for anything else?”
“No, sir.”
Arthur held his stare for a moment longer before returning his attention to the files on his desk. Andrew took the cue and silently left the office.
Arthur flipped through the reports. This wasn’t urgent work, but he needed something—anything—to keep his mind occupied. The past only caught up to him when he was still.
---
The conference room was filled before the scheduled time. No one dared be late. Everyone knew Arthur despised tardiness, and no one wanted to risk his wrath.
Arthur entered, his cold eyes sweeping over the room. “I’m happy to see you all here on time,” he said. His words suggested satisfaction, but his face remained unreadable, emotionless.
A man cleared his throat hesitantly. “Sir, our latest product had a strong launch, bringing in good profits in the first week. But…”
Arthur’s sharp gaze locked onto him. “But what, Mr. Oscar?” His voice didn’t rise, but there was an unmistakable edge to it. “You know I hate when people stop speaking midway.”
“S-sorry, sir,” Oscar stammered.
“I’m giving you a final warning. Now continue.”
Oscar swallowed hard. “But the product’s performance has declined over the past few weeks.”
Arthur leaned back slightly, his expression unreadable. “I know that. I didn’t call this meeting to hear problems—I called it to hear solutions.”
A nervous silence settled over the room until Mr. Edward finally spoke. “Sir, I think we should identify the exact cause of the problem before making any decisions.”
The moment the words left his mouth, Edward knew he had made a mistake.
Arthur’s piercing gaze turned to him, sending a chill through the room. The look on his face made Edward’s blood run cold, as if Arthur were deciding whether to rip his heart out right then and there. Arthur placed his hand on the table, slow and deliberate—like a lion preparing to strike.
“You still haven’t figured out the cause of the problem, and yet you’re here to solve it?” His voice was dangerously low. “Are you kidding?”
Edward’s throat went dry. He opened his mouth but found no words.
Ms. Anne, seated beside him, quickly stepped in. “Sir, we do know the reason. We’ve already identified the source of the issue.”
Arthur’s cold gaze shifted to her. “Then why are you all sitting in silence?” His patience was razor-thin. “I have no interest in dragging this discussion on. Speak.”
Anne took a steady breath. “Sir, the owner of Future Group is misrepresenting our product. He published a slanderous report online, and it went viral.”
The temperature in the room seemed to drop.
Arthur stood abruptly, his chair scraping against the floor. Without another word, he walked out of the meeting room.
No one moved. No one dared to speak.
They all knew what that meant.
Somewhere out there, the owner of Future Group had just made the worst mistake of his life. His time was running out. Maybe he had a few hours left. Maybe a day. But one thing was certain.
By tomorrow, he would no longer be a problem.
