My Ice-Cold New Boss Is My Ex-Husband

"Baby, hurry and put your shoes on. We're going to be late." Aria Vale's voice carried a hint of urgency. "I don't want to. I'm not going to school today." Lumi wriggled like a slippery little eel, protesting in a soft, stubborn voice. "Come on, sweetheart. Mommy will buy you a strawberry cake this afternoon, okay? Your favorite strawberry flavor." Aria softened her tone, coaxing with everything she had. Tempted by the promise, Lumi finally stretched out her little foot, though still reluctant. Aria reacted quickly, scooping her up in one smooth motion. As she hurried downstairs, she pulled out her phone and dialed Chloe Mercer with practiced ease. "Chloe, help! I might be late. Cover for me for a bit, just a little. I'll be there soon." "Okay." By the time she finally arrived at the entrance of Brighton Private Academy, Aria set Lumi down from the car, only to notice the zipper of her backpack hadn't been closed properly. She reached over to zip it up, but her eyes caught a corner of a stiff card sticking out. She pulled it out casually, and a photo slipped into her hand. It was Adrian Shaw's face. Aria froze mid-motion, her breath catching. How how did this photo get here? "Sweetheart, where did you find this photo?" Her voice trembled slightly, though she didn't realize it herself. Lumi looked up and pointed at the man in the photo with her soft, childish voice. "This guy is really handsome! Everyone in my class has a dad. I want him to be my dad too." Aria's heart tightened sharply. They had been divorced for four years. Maybe he had already become someone else's husband, someone else's father, living a happy and complete life. She stuffed the photo back into the backpack, suppressing the dull ache in her chest, and sent Lumi into Brighton Private Academy. She had just gotten into the car when her phone rang. The call connected, and Chloe's voice burst through, "Aria, where are you? Don't be late. Something big is happening today." "What is it?" "The company's been acquired. Harold cashed out and went off to enjoy life. The new boss is coming in a bit." Aria paused for three seconds. "I'm heading back now." At nine o'clock sharp, outside Aurelius Holdings, the CEO's secretary and the department heads were already lined up, waiting in silence. The air was tense. A black Rolls-Royce Phantom glided silently to the front of the building and came to a steady stop. In that moment, everyone's heartbeat seemed to hang in the air. The assistant hurried forward and respectfully opened the car door. A long leg, clad in perfectly tailored suit trousers, stepped out first, the crease sharp and flawless. Then a tall figure emerged. The man wore a perfectly fitted black bespoke suit. He had broad shoulders and a narrow waist, his proportions so perfect they looked as if they had been drawn straight from a comic. He stood there in silence, yet the effortless authority and quiet nobility that radiated from him weighed on everyone present, as though it might force them to their knees. As he strode into the lobby, the bright lights illuminated his entire face. The air around them seemed to freeze. The new CEO was so strikingly handsome that no one dared to look at him directly. Victor Hale, the group's vice president, stepped forward first, his smile wide, his posture slightly more bent than usual. "Mr. Shaw, welcome." Adrian said nothing as his sharp gaze moved calmly across the crowd on both sides, cold and distant. When he noticed someone was missing, a faint frown creased his brow. "In ten minutes, a meeting. Anyone at director level or above must attend." He left the words casually and walked toward the private elevator. The supervisors scattered instantly, rushing upstairs like they were fleeing for their lives. Just as the elevator doors were about to close, a hurried female voice rang out. "Wait!" Aria rushed in like a gust of wind. If she were even a little heavier, she would have been caught by the doors. "Ah!" Unable to stop in time, she stumbled straight into Adrian. Beneath the fabric of his suit, his chest was firm and warm. Instinctively, Adrian reached out and steadied her by the waist. His cold voice sounded above her head. "Long time no see. So this is what you've learned… throwing yourself at other men?" 'That voice…' Aria looked up and met his unfathomable gaze, her eyes tracing the sharply defined lines of his handsome face and the high bridge of his nose, features that had long since etched themselves deep into her bones. Her pupils shook, and her breath nearly caught. What the hell was Adrian, her ex-husband, doing here? "How long are you planning to hold on?" His impatient voice sounded again, laced with faint mockery. Aria snapped back to her senses and let go instantly, as if shocked by electricity. She quickly straightened up, awkwardly brushing a hand through her hair before tugging at her tailored suit. Inside the elevator, the air felt frozen. She had dreamed of Adrian again the night before. Beneath the ginkgo tree, on a soft blanket, under a sky filled with stars, he had been with her. It was the day they divorced, their final, fevered goodbye. "Adrian, are you done yet?" Aria shouted. She was exhausted, her whole body on the verge of falling apart. The man lowered himself, his burning breath brushing against her ear. "If you can still raise your voice like that, you're clearly not that tired." Adrian's tone was indifferent, not a trace of tenderness in it. Even divorce had to be competitive. She was the one who had asked for it. He had fought for this final benefit after the divorce, treating it as a fair exchange so that neither of them would owe the other anything. She didn't know how much time had passed before something felt wrong. Her mind snapped awake, and she slapped hard against his solid shoulder. "It broke. Get off." Adrian stopped. His deep eyes looked down at her in the darkness, cold and empty of any emotion. "When this ends is up to me." Aria trembled with anger. "What if I get pregnant?" "I'll give you an extra hundred from the divorce settlement. Go buy a morning-after pill." Her eyes turned red as she cursed him with all her strength. "You bastard!" Adrian leaned even closer, the tip of his nose almost touching hers. "And you're the bastard's woman." The words sounded unbearably awkward. ****** He kept her there for a full day and night before he finally left, disappearing completely from her world. The ginkgo tree where they had first fallen in love in college had become the place where everything ended. Aria stared at the gray-white sky, motionless, sobbing until she could barely breathe. Ding. The elevator reached the top floor. Chloe and Elena Cross were already waiting outside. "Good morning, Mr. Shaw." They bowed at a perfect ninety-degree angle, perfectly in sync. Aria's heart gave a violent jolt. The new boss was Adrian, the same man who had walked away from their divorce with nothing and left her all the money? And in just four years, he had acquired Aurelius Holdings, a company worth billions? Had the world gone mad, or was she the one losing her mind? Aria had no time to think. She quickly moved to Chloe's side and stood straight. Adrian walked over with long strides, his gaze sweeping over them coldly. The three secretaries in the executive office were all strikingly attractive, especially the one surnamed Vale. He spoke calmly. "I'm Adrian Shaw. From today on, I will be taking over as CEO of Aurelius Holdings. I take my coffee without sugar. I don't like perfume. I don't tolerate tardiness. I expect everyone to remember that." "Yes, Mr. Shaw," the three secretaries replied in unison. Adrian's gaze landed on Aria, sharp and displeased. "You're Aria?" Aria fell silent for a moment. He didn't even know her name? Had he lost his mind? "Yes, Mr. Shaw." Adrian glanced at the expensive watch on his wrist. "You're one minute late. Your attendance bonus and performance pay for this month are deducted." Aria's eyes widened. Was he making an example out of her? Using her as the scapegoat to assert his authority? "Yes," she said at last, forcing herself to swallow the grievance. She still had her mother and Lumi to support. She couldn't afford to lose this job. Adrian gave a slight nod, then asked, "Your file says you've been married before?" 'That bastard is doing this on purpose.' Aria answered calmly, "Yes." "What was the reason for the divorce?" Adrian continued, then added, "I have no interest in prying into my employees' privacy, but anyone who stays by my side must have a clean record." 'So now he is settling personal scores through official channels?' "The s*x life between my ex and me was incompatible," Aria replied bluntly. Everyone present was stunned. A flicker passed through Adrian's eyes. 'Incompatible? Five times a day wasn't enough? Was there even a man in this world who could satisfy her?' He continued, "Do you have any children?" "No." "Good." Adrian nodded in satisfaction. Aria shot him a look. 'Good my ass.' The mess he'd left her with back then had nearly cost her life. "I have a meeting," Adrian said, turning to Chloe. "Secretary Chloe, come with me." "Yes, Mr. Shaw." Chloe happily grabbed her notebook. The meeting dragged on for three hours, and by the end of it, Chloe felt like her keyboard was about to catch fire. Adrian was ruthless and decisive, a true tyrant in the workplace. On his very first day, he dismissed three senior executives without hesitation, making it clear exactly what kind of leader he intended to be. Even Victor was not spared. By the time Chloe came back, she felt like she had lost two pounds. All her energy had been drained. "As expected, CEOs are workaholics. Terrifying," Chloe muttered. "Still, Mr. Shaw is the abstinent type. In that department… he's probably very capable." Aria froze for a second. 'True… but that has nothing to do with her.' "Hey, Aria, wasn't your last relationship lacking in that area? Go after Mr. Shaw. I bet he's intense," Chloe whispered. "Stop. He's way out of my league," Aria cut her off without hesitation. At the corner of the stairs, Adrian stood there, his gaze dark. 'Out of her league? Hmph. She already had me.' She hadn't been this reserved before. Back then, she had confessed to him in front of the entire school. "You, Adrian, can only belong to me, Aria." Later, he really did become her man, her husband. After just two years, she insisted on a divorce, claiming she no longer loved him and that he was too poor. It wasn't until the divorce papers were slammed in front of him that Adrian realized how ruthless she truly was. "Could it be your blind date tonight is super handsome?" Chloe nudged her. "Mm, he's alright," Aria replied casually. 'A blind date? So she really felt nothing for me. While I was gone, she must have seen plenty of other men.' "Ms. Vale, bring me a cup of coffee." Adrian's cold voice came from the stairway, startling both women. The top floor was a duplex. The CEO's office was upstairs, the secretary pool downstairs. Why had Adrian come down? "Right away." Aria hurried to the pantry. After knocking, she entered and carefully set the coffee on the desk. "Mr. Shaw, your coffee." Adrian took a sip. "Your coffee-making skills have improved. Your brain, however, has not." Smack. A stack of reports hit the desk. "This report has errors. Check it again. Bring it back when you're done." Aria's heart skipped a beat. She had reviewed that report carefully. How could there be a mistake? "Mr. Shaw, which part is incorrect?" Adrian's expression turned colder. "Your mistake. Do I need to correct it for you?" "Could I… submit it tomorrow?" Aria asked. The report wasn't urgent. He let out a cold laugh. "Aria, if you can't finish your work, don't even think about leaving this company." 'So eager to go on that date? Dream on.' "You're targeting me on purpose, Adrian," Aria shot back. "Targeting?" he said lightly. "How old I am… don't you know?" Aria fell into silence. 'This bastard is definitely doing it on purpose.' "Tomorrow, go to Laurent Crown Auction House and pick up a necklace for me," Adrian continued. "Don't lose it. You couldn't repay it even if you sold yourself for life." Aria froze. "Mr. Shaw, something that valuable… you should pick it up yourself." The safest option was to touch nothing. "If I have to do everything myself, what do I need a secretary for? To annoy me?"