FATED ENCOUNTER

FATED 6

CHAPTER 6

The Ice Begins to Crack

Hazel’s POV

Beep beep beep.

The soft alarm buzzed on my phone.

I blinked awake slowly, the weight of unfamiliarity pressing down on me.

Then it hit me—this wasn’t Mia’s apartment.

This wasn’t my bed.

This was Alexander Wilson’s penthouse.

I sat up quickly, the elegant guest room suddenly feeling too big, too luxurious, too far from everything I knew. The soft golden sunlight poured through the sheer curtains. City skyline shimmered in the distance.

This is real.

My first morning as a live-in PA to the coldest, most dangerously handsome man I’d ever met.

I slipped out of bed, changed into a blouse and fitted skirt, tied my hair into a neat bun, and stepped into the hallway. My heels echoed faintly as I followed the smell of fresh coffee toward the kitchen.

He was already there.

Alexander stood by the sleek counter, dressed in tailored slacks and a navy shirt, sleeves rolled up. His hair was still damp from a shower, and somehow that made him even more intimidating. More… perfect.

"Good morning, sir," I said softly.

His gaze slid to me, cool and unreadable.

"You’re late."

I frowned. "But it’s only 7:15—"

"I’m always ready by seven," he replied, taking a slow sip of coffee like he hadn’t just made my heart drop.

Day one, and I’ve already failed?

He set his cup down with a soft clink. "Come. You’ll have breakfast before we start."

We sat across from each other at a long dining table, the silence between us stretching awkwardly.

I reached for my orange juice, desperate to avoid eye contact.

Finally, he spoke. "After breakfast, go to the home office. I need all contracts sorted by priority, and scanned to the cloud. Rose will forward the login."

"Yes, sir," I replied, placing my glass back down with trembling fingers.

—

Later that morning

I sat on the plush chair in his home office, fingers skimming through documents carefully labeled Confidential. He had a method to his madness, and I was determined not to mess it up.

Suddenly, the door opened.

He walked in, holding another folder.

"I need this scanned."

I turned—and our fingers brushed.

Just a moment.

But the spark was real.

I froze.

"Sorry," I whispered.

He didn’t respond. Just stood there, too close, eyes unreadable.

And for a moment… it felt like something between us cracked.

Then he stepped back.

"Focus," he said curtly.

And left.

—

Raymond’s POV

When I stepped into Alex’s penthouse that afternoon, the atmosphere was stiffer than usual.

The place was perfect. Cold. Clinical. Just like him.

But something was different.

She was here now. Hazel.

That wide-eyed girl with the soft laugh and clumsy grace. I didn’t know what it was about her, but even I could see… she wasn’t just another assistant.

I found him standing near the window like he always did, sipping black coffee, pretending not to care about the world.

“Yo, Alex,” I called out, smirking. “Where’s the cute new PA?”

I caught it. The shift in his jaw.

That’s what I thought.

A moment later, Hazel appeared down the hallway. Oversized sweater, messy bun, cheeks flushed.

She looked like she didn’t belong in this penthouse.

She looked… real.

“There you are,” I said, giving her a grin.

She blinked, clearly surprised to see me. “Mr. Raymond,” she murmured.

Before I could tease her again, Alex’s voice cut through the room like ice.

“She’s working.”

Oh. Touchy.

I raised an eyebrow and leaned toward Hazel.

“If the Ice King gives you too much hell,” I whispered, “you know where to find me.”

That glare Alex gave me? Yeah. Worth it.

He was jealous, and he didn’t even know it.

But I did.

And honestly?

If he wasn’t careful… he was going to lose her before he even had her.

—

Hazel’s POV

That evening, I curled up in my bed, cradling my phone.

I needed comfort. Something familiar. Someone.

I called Mia.

She picked up after two rings. “Hazel?”

The moment I heard her voice, my walls crumbled.

“I don’t know if I can do this,” I whispered, voice cracking. “I miss you both so much.”

Then Mira’s little voice chimed in.

“Come home, Hazel…”

Tears spilled down my cheeks before I could stop them. “I will soon, sweetheart. I promise.”

I didn’t know he was outside.

I didn’t know Alexander was listening.

But he was.

Standing outside my door, silent, unreadable.

For once… he wasn’t cold.

He looked uncertain. Almost… human.

And in that moment, I realized something terrifying:

This wasn’t just a job anymore.

Not for me.

And maybe… not for him either.

---

To be continued…

💥 Can Hazel survive the storm inside the penthouse… or is she the fire that will melt the ice?