Seducing the Ice-Cold CEO

Chapter 3

Leah

The morning light filtering through my curtains did little to chase away the numbness clinging to me. I moved through my routine on autopilot—shower, dress, coffee—going through the motions as if that could somehow reset the past twenty-four hours. But nothing could erase the image of Ethan kissing that woman, holding her like she meant something to him.

By the time I grabbed my work bag and made my way to the door, I had convinced myself I was ready to face the day, and the weight pressing down on my chest would ease once I stepped outside.

But then I opened my door, and there he was. Ethan stood on my doorstep, one hand raised as if he’d been about to knock. His other hand was stuffed in his pocket, his posture relaxed, too relaxed. As if this was just another ordinary morning. As if he hadn’t shattered everything between us last night.

My already bad mood soured even more.

"What the hell are you doing here?" My voice was sharp, edged with an anger I didn’t bother hiding. "Aren’t you supposed to be on a flight? The one you had to go to bed early for?"

Ethan sighed, tilting his head slightly. "Leah, you don’t have to act like you didn’t see me last night."

I blinked. For a moment, I thought I had misheard him. "Excuse me?"

He spoke so casually, like he wasn’t talking about the fact that I had caught him cheating red-handed. Where was the guilt? The panic? The desperate apologies?

"You don’t sound very sorry," I said coldly, folding my arms. "Most people caught cheating would at least have the decency to fake some remorse."

Ethan let out another sigh, as if this entire conversation was exhausting him. "Look, I’m just going to be straight with you," he said, meeting my gaze with an expression I couldn’t quite read. "We should break up."

A harsh laugh burst from my lips before I could stop it. Oh, this was rich. I had already decided to end things with him the moment I saw him last night. But hearing him say it? Like he was the one doing me the favor?

"You’re unbelievable," I muttered, shaking my head. "This is the first time I’ve seen a cheater be so bold. If you wanted to break up, why didn’t you just do it in the first place? Why lie to me? Why sneak around?"

Ethan hesitated for the first time, his lips pressing into a thin line before he exhaled heavily. "I really like you, Leah. I wish things could be different. But..." He trailed off, glancing away as if what he was about to say was difficult.

"But what?" I demanded, already knowing I wouldn’t like his answer.

"But Ashley is wealthy beyond my wildest dreams."

For a moment, all I could do was stare at him.

My brain struggled to process the words that had just come out of his mouth. Not ‘I fell in love with her’. Not ‘I made a mistake, and I’m sorry’. But ‘Ashley is wealthy beyond my wildest dreams.’

A cold, sinking feeling settled in my stomach. Ethan took my silence as permission to keep talking. "After we met last night, I saw her getting into a Rolls Royce, the latest model," he said, his eyes lighting up with something that made my skin crawl. "She’s freaking Dante Kerlsen’s niece, Leah. Do you know what that means? Do you have any idea what kind of doors that opens for me?"

I lifted a brow, barely masking my disgust. "So let me get this straight," I said, my voice eerily calm. "You’re breaking up with me because your mistress is rich?"

Ethan winced at the word mistress but didn’t deny it. "Leah, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I can’t just let it slip through my fingers."

I took a step back, physically recoiling from him. Every word out of his mouth made me want to scrub my skin raw, as if that could make me get rid of the fact that I had ever loved this man.

He noticed my reaction and, unbelievably, reached out to touch my arm. "But that doesn’t mean we can’t still see each other," he said, his voice lowering slightly, as if he was offering me something sacred. "Ashley might have money, but you’re the one I really love."

I jerked away from his touch as if I had been burned. My hands curled into fists at my sides, my nails biting into my palms.

"Let me get this straight," I said again, my tone sharper now. "You want to use Ashley for her money, but keep me around as your little side piece? Is that it?"

Ethan didn’t answer. He didn’t have to.

I let out a breath, slow and controlled, pushing down the overwhelming urge to slap him across the face. "You make me sick," I said quietly. "I never want to see you again."

His eyes widened slightly, as if he hadn’t expected me to be so firm. As if he thought I would be flattered by his offer.

"Leah—"

"Go be with Ashley, Ethan," I cut him off, stepping back into my apartment. "And don’t ever show your face here again."

With that, I slammed the door in his face. I stood there for a moment, chest rising and falling heavily, listening to the muffled sound of Ethan’s footsteps retreating down the hall. And then, finally, I let out a long breath. I hated what he was doing, but my heart still hurt at how little I meant to him, how little out relationship meant to him.

Ethan was nothing more than a lesson now. A mistake I would never make again. The moment I was sure he was truly gone, I stepped out of my apartment. The morning sun should have been warm and comforting, but all it did was remind me that life was moving forward, even when I felt like I was stuck in a pit of frustration.

I had wasted years on that man. Years, only to be thrown aside for someone with a bigger bank account. As if my heart, my time, my love, all of it, meant nothing.

I shook my head, pushing the thoughts away. I had work to do. Dwelling on Ethan’s betrayal wasn’t going to change anything. I squared my shoulders, hailed a cab, and headed to the office.

The moment I stepped inside, I regretted coming in. Esther was waiting for me. She wasn’t even subtle about it. The moment I entered, she turned to me with an expression so perfectly crafted—feigned curiosity with just the right amount of concern—it set my teeth on edge.

“So, Leah,” she began, tilting her head. “How did your interview go yesterday?”

I barely reacted, forcing myself to remain indifferent as I set my bag down at my desk. I had expected this. Esther had been dying to see me fail ever since we both started at the company and she became my work rival.

When I didn’t answer right away, she pressed on, her eyes gleaming. “What was Dante Kerlsen like? I heard he’s really intense. Was he nice?”

There was no reason to answer. The whole office knew I hadn’t gotten the interview. If Esther was asking, it was only to rub salt in the wound. I refused to give her the satisfaction. Instead, I busied myself with my laptop, pretending to check my emails.

“Oh, come on,” Esther said, feigning a pout. “You were so excited yesterday. Practically giddy.” That was when she turned to Sam, another one of our colleagues. “Remember how she was?” Esther said, imitating the way I had excitedly talked about the interview the day before. “Oh my God, guys, this could be my big break! Imagine if I get an exclusive with Dante Kerlsen!”

Sam laughed, shaking his head. “That was a little embarrassing, Leah,” he added with a smirk. “I mean, all that hype just for it to fall through? Ouch.”

I clenched my jaw, my fingers tightening on my keyboard.

Before I could react, May turned to them sharply. “That’s enough,” she snapped, her gaze cold. “We’re here to work.”

That shut them up. But I wasn’t even mentally present in the moment. My mind was elsewhere, focusing on Ethan, on Ashley, on the way he had justified leaving me like I was some disposable option instead of the woman he had once claimed to love. All because she had money.

All because she had a Rolls Royce. For a brief, ridiculous moment, I entertained the idea of seducing Dante Kerlsen just to get back at Ethan. The thought was so absurd that I actually laughed under my breath.

Imagine that. Me, throwing myself at one of the wealthiest, most untouchable men in the city just to prove a point. Even if I tried, Dante wouldn’t even look at me twice.

Still, the fact that the idea had even crossed my mind was proof of how much Ethan had gotten under my skin. I needed to forget him. I needed to focus on something else. Burying myself in work was the only option. I pushed everything else aside and forced myself to concentrate. For the next hour, I did my best to drown out the world around me, ignoring the occasional glances from Esther and Sam.

Eventually, it was time for me to leave for my business trip. I grabbed my things and headed to the exhibition I had been scheduled to cover today, hoping it would be a pleasant distraction.

The event was already buzzing with activity by the time I arrived. People milled about, discussing business, admiring the various displays, and sipping on glasses of champagne as if this were some sort of social gathering rather than an exhibition. I didn’t mind. The energy in the air was lively, and for the first time all day, I felt like I could breathe again.

I wandered through the venue, casually taking in the displays, trying to focus on the reason I was here. And then, I saw them, Ethan and Ashley. Walking hand in hand. My stomach twisted into knots. It wasn’t just the sight of them together. It was the way they looked so comfortable and unbothered.

As if neither of them had done anything wrong. Ashley’s gaze flicked to me, and for the briefest second, I saw a smug, knowing smile cross her face. She knew who I was, and she didn’t care.

It was the same look Ethan had given me earlier that morning. No shame. No remorse.

I wanted to scream. But then, out of the corner of my eye, I spotted something else, a Rolls Royce.

Sleek. Expensive. The latest model. The same car Ethan had gushed about, the one that had made him decide Ashley was worth more than me.

Inside, I saw a familiar face – the man who had offered to give me a ride after the event yesterday. Before I could stop myself, I stormed up to the car, my heart pounding with reckless fury. I knocked on the window, slightly startling the man inside. He turned to look at me, his intense eyes meeting mine.

“Can I catch a ride?” I asked, my voice almost challenging.

For a moment, he didn’t respond. Then, he leaned back slightly, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. “You have a boyfriend.”