Chapter 3: The Deal

Three days passed before Henry was allowed to sit up and speak for more than a few minutes at a time. His doctors called it a miracle. He called it frustrating.

But he kept asking about the girl.

When Karen finally returned reluctantly, with Mia practically dragging her Henry was sitting up, dressed in a hospital gown but already looking more like the powerful man she’d challenged.

He looked at her, quiet for a moment. “You didn’t have to come back.”

Karen crossed her arms. “I didn’t come for you. I came to make sure my blood wasn’t wasted.”

That earned a faint smile from him. “Fair enough.”

He gestured to the chair. “Sit. Please.”

She hesitated, then sat down slowly, watching him carefully.

Henry studied her for a moment. “You saved my life. I don’t take that lightly.”

Karen raised an eyebrow. “So what now? A thank you card and some flowers?”

“No,” he said, tone firm. “I owe you something real. So name it. Anything.”

Karen blinked. “You’re serious?”

“Dead serious.”

She hesitated. Her heart pounded. This was a moment that could change everything.

“I want a business opportunity,” she said. “Something real. A chance to pitch my ideas, learn from the inside. Not a handout. A partnership.”

Henry didn’t answer right away. He just watched her, the corners of his mouth twitching slightly.

“You want to go from coffee deliveries to boardrooms?”

Karen met his gaze without blinking. “I want to build something. And I’m not afraid to start at the bottom as long as I get to climb.”

Henry’s stare was unreadable. “Alright,” he said finally. “I’ll give you that chance. But business with me isn’t easy. I don’t go easy on anyone.”

Karen smiled. “Good. I don’t want easy. I want real.”

Their deal was sealed not with a handshake, but with a look that said neither of them fully knew what they’d just begun.

Karen stood, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “I’ll bring my A game,” she said. “Don’t expect less.”

Henry leaned back against the pillows, his eyes following her movements. “I don’t. If I thought you were ordinary, we wouldn’t be having this conversation.”

She paused at the door, then turned. “Why me, though? You barely know me.”

Henry didn’t look away. “Because you didn’t flinch. Because you’re not afraid of me.”

Karen scoffed lightly. “You’re not as scary as you think.”

A quiet hum escaped his throat almost a laugh.

She gave him one last look. “Rest up, CEO. You’re going to need your strength.”

After she left, Henry sat in silence, the buzz of the hospital monitor steady beside him. He should’ve been focused on recovery. On shareholders. On rebuilding his strength.

But instead, his thoughts were all tangled up in a stubborn, fire-eyed girl who dared to demand more.

Not out of pity.

Not out of fear.

But out of pure, unapologetic ambition.

And for the first time in years… Henry felt something close to alive.

One week later, Karen stepped through the massive glass doors of Frost Enterprises, no longer holding a tray of coffee but a folder full of ideas and the fire to prove she belonged.

She wore a crisp blazer borrowed from Mia and confidence that didn’t come from fashion it came from survival.

The receptionist blinked in surprise. “You again?”

Karen smiled. “Not delivering today. I have a meeting… with the CEO.”

Just as she finished the sentence, Henry’s assistant appeared. “Ms. Blake, Mr. Frost is expecting you. Right this way.”

Karen followed her through polished hallways and into the private executive elevator. Her heart thudded as the doors slid open on the top floor.

Henry stood at the window, city behind him, sharp suit pressed and perfect. He turned, eyes locking with hers.

“You’re late,” he said coolly.

“I’m not,” she replied, stepping in. “You’re just early.”

For a brief second, his cold façade cracked, a smirk tugging at the edge of his lips.

“Let’s see if you’re as bold in business as you are with coffee,” he said.

Karen stepped forward and laid her folder on his desk. “Try me.”

Henry slid the folder closer, eyes sharp as he flipped through her proposals. “Ambitious,” he said, eyebrow raised.

Karen met his gaze steadily. “I’m not here to play small.”

He leaned back, considering. “This isn’t a charity, Karen. The corporate world chews up dreamers and spits them out.”

She smiled, unfazed. “Good thing I’m not a dreamer.”

Henry’s smirk deepened. “You’re stubborn.”

“And you’re a control freak,” she shot back. “Sounds like we’re going to have fun.”

He stood abruptly. “Welcome to Frost Enterprises. Don’t get in my way.”

Karen stood too, heart pounding but ready. “I’m not here to get in anyone’s way.”

As she turned to leave, Henry’s voice stopped her.

“Karen?”

She paused, looking back.

“Don’t think this changes anything between us. Business is business.”

Karen’s smile was sly. “Neither does the coffee spill.”

They shared a look charged with unspoken challenges and something else, softer but undeniable.

Karen left the office knowing this was just the beginning of a fierce, complicated partnership.

The first few days at Frost Enterprises felt like stepping into a different universe. Karen traded her coffee-stained apron for business suits and conference rooms, but the rules were still foreign and the stakes, higher.

She sat through long meetings, absorbing industry jargon and cold negotiations. Colleagues eyed her warily; some dismissed her as a café girl who got lucky, while others whispered about the CEO’s unusual choice.

But Karen held her ground.

When a senior manager challenged one of her ideas, she stood up, voice steady. “I’m not here to play it safe. If we want to grow, we need bold moves.”

The room fell silent. Henry, watching from the corner, nodded slightly.

Between presentations and strategy sessions, Karen found herself thinking about Henry not the icy CEO, but the man who had been vulnerable enough to need her help.

One evening, she stayed late, poring over data. The office was empty except for the cleaning crew and the distant hum of city life below.

A sudden knock startled her. Henry stepped in, holding two coffees.

“You work too hard,” he said, handing her a cup.

Karen smiled, taking it. “I learned from the best.”

He laughed—a genuine, warm sound that surprised her.

“Maybe I’m not as cold as I seem,” he admitted.

Karen raised her cup. “Maybe you’re just waiting for someone to thaw you out.”

They shared a look that promised this professional partnership was becoming something far more complicated.

Days turned into weeks. Karen’s ideas started gaining traction, shaking up Frost Enterprises’ old ways. Yet, every success was shadowed by Henry’s steely gaze part approval, part challenge.

One afternoon, during a tense board meeting, Karen caught Henry’s eye. His subtle nod gave her the courage to speak up.

“We need to invest in innovation labs, not just cut costs,” she said firmly. “Otherwise, we risk becoming obsolete.”

A few directors murmured objections, but Henry stood beside her. “I agree.”

The room shifted. Karen felt the tide turning.

After the meeting, Henry invited her to his office. “You’ve got guts,” he said. “And brains.”

Karen shrugged. “I just want to prove I belong.”

Henry’s voice softened. “You do. More than you realize.”

As she packed up to leave, he added, “Dinner tomorrow. My place. We need to talk about everything.”

Karen hesitated but nodded. The professional and personal lines were blurring fast.

Outside, the city lights shimmered. Two worlds collided and neither was ready to back down.