Her Cold Prince : Deadly Devotion To You

Maylie Rings... The alarm rang as Maylie stepped out of the bathroom, steaming hot in a towel. She had woken up earlier than usual in order to get to work on time. That wasn’t entirely true. She had actually gotten up earlier, face pressed against the pillows, a silly grin on her lips at the thought of another day at work. Which literally meant a whole day of being by his side again. Even now, as she scrutinized the contents of her wardrobe for a suitable outfit, the mere thought of him was enough to tug the corners of her lips upward. It was ridiculous, yes. The crush she’d had on her boss since the moment she’d first laid eyes on him, which looking back now, felt like ages. Back then, she’d been fresh out of college, dressed officially in a top tucked into a pencil skirt, and heels that clicked against the marble tiles as she’d nervously navigated her way through her first day resuming at work. She’d been an assistant secretary then. A temporary replacement for his former secretary who’d been involved in an accident that had suddenly left the position vacant. The moments after that had been a blur of life simply being itself, and she soon found herself permanent as his secretary. Two years later, and now, she still looked forward to spending every day by his side. Well, not exactly by his side, but her days at work were literally spent within a five-meter radius of his office, just preceding hers. A knock at the door momentarily disrupted her thoughts, and as expected, her sister Havannah’s voice followed through. “May, you’d better get up already. You sure don’t wanna be late for—” Maylie opened the door and gave her a bright smile. One that might have been a bit too ironic for a Monday morning. “Aye aye. Good morning to you too, Hava.” Havannah gave her a once-over, checking out the gray-colored gown Maylie had eventually settled for with a slightly raised brow. Being the elder one, she’d taken it upon herself to assume the parental role for Maylie, since their parents had died years ago in an unfortunate accident. Some days, it felt weird and irked Maylie that Havannah would easily slip into the role of a doting mum or a strict dad, whichever the situation called for. They’d both literally grown up as daughters to high-ranking military officers. And some days, like today, Maylie would happily appreciate her sister’s existence and smile through whatever quirky comment or look she threw her way. “Hmn. Not bad. I made breakfast. Come downstairs and serve yourself once you’re ready. I’ll head to work first. Headquarters is being a little rowdy this morning.” While Maylie had chosen to pursue an educational degree after their parents’ demise and taken to white-collar jobs, Havannah had chosen to follow in their footsteps and was currently a detective agent of the MDA — Mafia and Drugs Agency, a special agency founded by the government to curb mafia gangsters and drug lords. “Sure do. Drive safe.” Havannah departed with a slight incline of her head, one that probably meant, trust you to get your ass to work safely too. Minutes later, Maylie paired the gown with matching heels and made her way downstairs, had a quick breakfast, and headed to work. --- PK Logistics Company The first thing you saw was the sign. A massive, bright neon sign that cut through the morning haze and spelt out the words PK LOGISTICS COMPANY in cold, white light. It sat on top of the building like a crown, impossible to miss even from three streets away. By night it was blinding. By morning it was a quiet promise of power. Below it stood the building itself. Fifteen floors of seamless glass and polished steel that reflected the sky and the city back at itself. Inside, the air smelled like money, expensive cologne, and the faint hum of air conditioning set to eighteen degrees. Everything about PK Logistics screamed elegance. From the grand chandeliers in the lobby to the silent elevators that moved faster than gossip. This wasn’t just a company. It was an empire. Heels clicked in rhythm with her movements, as Maylie easily navigated what was now her daily morning routine. A brief wave and a ready smile for the middle-aged man who guarded the doors, small talk with the receptionist who never ran out of gist to share, a polite ‘Good morning’ to everyone she passed by, and then a much-needed visit to the life-saving coffee machine, before finally taking the elevator to the fifth floor. Chief Executive’s Office She turned the door handle open, and walked to his desk to sort out the files in order of preference, then lifted the shutters, allowing daylight to filter in through the floor-length window. She had once heard him mutter something about the fitting of the chair, so she made a slight change to the position of his chair, and adjusted the height. She placed her hands on her hips, running a quick once-over to ensure everything was ready for his arrival, which, with a glance at her wristwatch, she predicted should be any moment from now. Sure enough, she soon heard him approaching through the transparent glass walls that made up his office. “Good morning, Mr. Grayson.” Maylie beamed at him, a sweet smile she’d practiced for hours in front of her bathroom mirror before deeming it perfect. “Morning, May.” He reciprocated with a one-sided hug. The word 'hug' felt like an overstatement - his arm only went halfway around her shoulders, brief and restrained. But still, it was a gesture. A small gesture of affection. Ridiculously small, yet capable of sending a trail of butterflies erupting in her stomach. She escorted him to his seat, pretending her cheeks weren’t betraying her with a traitorous shade of pink, and went through his schedule for the day before retreating to her desk at his dismissal. --- Vince smiled to himself at the awkward way she’d reacted to the hug. Flustered. Pink. He ran PK Logistics in his brother’s stead. It was easier this way. People liked warmth. They preferred a CEO who smiled. The ping of a message on his phone momentarily disrupted his thoughts. His expression sobered instantly at the sight of the contact, jaw tightening if only slightly. Prince. Guess who's on his way home. This guy. Get a car to pick me up from the airport, plane's landing anytime now. Don't keep me waiting! Vince exhaled, leaning back with a resigned sigh. The real Prince was back.