Cold Obsession

Damn…” Zayn stared at the tiny stain on his white shirt and quickly rubbed at it with a damp towel. “Please disappear. Please.” The stain barely faded. He sighed and stepped back from the cracked mirror hanging beside his window. The apartment was small—too small. One room, peeling paint, weak fan spinning lazily above him. But it was home. For now. His phone buzzed loudly on the bed. Jay Calling… Zayn picked up immediately. “You better not tell me you’re still at home,” Jay said before he could even speak. Zayn rolled his eyes. “Good morning to you too.” “It’s almost nine!” “The interview is by ten.” “And Scotland Group is literally across the city.” Zayn grabbed his tie from the chair. “I know.” There was a pause. Then Jay lowered his voice dramatically. “You know who’s interviewing you, right?” Zayn snorted softly. “The famous Adrian Cole. Yes, I know.” “Famous?” Jay laughed. “Try terrifying.” Zayn shook his head while attempting to fix his tie. “People exaggerate.” “No, people survive him.” “That bad?” “Worse. My cousin worked there for three months and resigned.” “Three months isn’t terrible.” “He cried during lunch break once.” Zayn paused mid-movement. “You’re joking.” “I wish I was.” Zayn laughed quietly, but the nervousness in his stomach only tightened. He had heard the stories too. Adrian Cole never smiled. Adrian Cole fired people without hesitation. Adrian Cole expected perfection from everyone around him. Honestly, Zayn wasn’t even sure why Scotland Group had called him back after his application. “You’re overthinking already, aren’t you?” Jay asked. “No.” “You do this thing where your voice becomes strangely calm when you’re panicking.” “I am not panicking.” “You literally sound like a man walking to his execution.” That made Zayn laugh for real this time. “Look,” Jay continued, “just go there, answer their questions, look pretty, and come back alive.” “Look pretty?” “You have nice eyes. Use them.” “Oh my God.” “I’m serious.” Zayn smiled despite himself and grabbed his folder from the table. Then his expression slowly softened. “This job…” he said quietly, “I really need it, Jay.” The teasing tone disappeared immediately. “I know.” Zayn looked around the apartment. The unpaid bills. The empty kitchen counter. The silence. He swallowed hard. “I can’t mess this up.” “You won’t.” “But what if—” “Stop.” Jay cut him off gently. “Don’t walk into that building already defeated because of some cold CEO rumors.” Zayn exhaled slowly. Easy to say. Hard to believe. “Okay,” he muttered. “And if Adrian Cole turns out to be a psychopath,” Jay added, “just survive the interview and run.” Zayn laughed again, locking his apartment door behind him. “Thanks for the encouragement.” “Anytime.” As he stepped outside into the busy morning streets, one thought kept replaying in his head. What if the rumors were true? What Zayn didn’t know yet… Was that Adrian Cole was about to look at him in a way that would change everything.........