Ember felt as though they had met before.
The way they dance aches with familiarity. Even the sweet scent of his manly perfume swept her with an unexplainable nostalgia. Weird but she also felt with a striking awareness that it wasn't the first time he held her in his arms.“I'm Thunder Steel's fiancee, I mean ex-fiancee.” She replied. For a second, her voice quivered.Icen tensed in response.She felt the moment it happened and something urged her to look at him, and what she saw made her freeze.His eyes didn't just look cold, but Ember swore she saw a hailstorm in them at the mention of her ex-lover's name.Why? Ember inwardly asked herself, wondering if the two had some kind of history.“I see. I remember you now.” He replied after a brief pause.His eyes shifted to her face, recognition shone in them as they looked at her. “The lady dubbed by tabloids as Cinderella. The one lucky woman Thunder Steel had fallen in love with.” He murmured. “That explains why you looked familiar.”Tilting his chin, he asked, “Amber, right?”“Ember,” she corrected.He got her name wrong but still it surprised her that he knew her. But then, ever since her name was linked to Thunder Steel, people just knew who she was.Intently he continued to survey her face until she couldn't take it anymore, and her eyes evaded him.“Ember.” His lips savored her name like a sweet vintage wine.Men had said her name before but she never responded to them the way she did to him. There was something in the way he pronounced Ember that made her warm inside.“I hate to tell you this,” He began, jolting her awake. “But you aren't on my guest list.”The spell broke and Ember swore she heard it shatter to the floor like silvery dust.A cold water had been doused on her face. The words sent her crashing back to reality and she paled under her skin.She stumbled on her feet. If he didn't quickly come to her aid her butt could have slipped on the floor.“I could have you arrested.” He added to her dread.She felt as though she would pass out from fear.“Y-y-you are joking, right?”“I don't joke around.” He replied grimly.Fierce fear crawled through her spine like a vine.If she were arrested for gatecrashing it would ruin her reputation. Chloe, her cousin, will make her a laughingstock.“I'll do everything you want but please don't call the cops.”He paused, “everything?”She nodded her head. Clenching her fists into tight balls she waited for his response.“Kiss me.”Ember gasped for air. She had expected him to ask her to beg on her knees. A kiss was something she'd never even put in her lists of his demands.She shook her head in disbelief.Had he gone mad?She had been warned about how dangerous Icen Clayton might be, but no one had ever been so forthright as to tell her that he was also incredibly clever and insane.“Seriously?” She peered at him through her long lashes.“Yes. Kiss me and I will let you off the hook.” He told her, sounding like he was doing her a great favor.“You’re trying to coerce me to kiss you!”He gave a casual shoulder shrug. “Be free to use that term, but I won't insist.”“Hah! With everything you've just told me, do you really think I'll come to you willingly? She flushed deeply. She fought the urge to act out in a childlike manner by stamping her feet on the floor.Should I call the cops to pick you up now?"Her scorching anger melted away any lingering respect she may have had for him.“You can kiss any woman in this room if you ask them,” Ember said with a glare. “Why force me?”“I’m not forcing you. So would you do it or not?”“Fine, I'll do it!” She snapped.His facial expressions didn't change at all. She wondered what he was trying to prove with a kiss.There's no way she would kiss a man who's in a relationship like what Chloe did and so she asked, “Do you have a lover?”“No.”“Are you married? Do you have kids?”“Is this an interview?” His thick eyebrows scrunched in annoyance.“Just please answer me.”Ember tried to keep her tone gentle but still it went off as harsh. “I will never kiss a dirty old married man with five kids.”Icen lifted an eyebrow.“I'm not that old, and definitely not that careless or horny.“So are you married or not?”His face darkened. Ember’s sharp eyes caught as his jaw clenched.“Divorced.” He replied.Her jaw fropped to the pristine white floor. She was so shaken by his unexpected admittance that she was unable to say a word. After staying silent for a long while she pulled herself together to as ask him the question that had been bothering her inside. “Do you have kids with her?” Under normal circumstances, she will never have asked such personal question. But the words were already out. Perhaps it was the drinks that gave her the strength to try. “Thank goodness we don’t.” He replied, Something that resembled relief flashed din his eyes. “But why?” She was prying too much in his private life but she can't seem to stop now. Her stubborn mouth couldn’t stop talking. “Because she attempted to murder me on our honeymoon night.” He hissed. Ember froze.Ember immediately sensed his fury and was swept by instant regret. She fell into silence. Her gaze lowered to his shoulders. What kind of woman would do that to her husband? She thought while her chest throbbed painfully.Could i
Her flashback was cut short by a tear falling from her flushed cheeks.She had been keeping her emotions but it finally broke loose after suppressing them for weeks.Tonight was the first time she allowed herself to cry. As she did so, she promised herself it would also be the last.As she wiped her tears with her palms, she remembered that night how Chloe woke up in daze only to realize she was there in the room.However, instead of offering an explanation and begging for her forgiveness, Chloe had proudly lifted her chin.“It's better you know the truth so Thunder would not be obliged to marry you. Your fiancé is my lover and we've been having an affair for two years.” Her cousin had declared. Ember felt as though the wind had slapped her in the face that time.Thunder awoke to the sound of their voices, and he wasn't even startled to see Ember. He gave her a single icy stare before breaking the news that they were no longer engaged.“Check yourself out in the reflection, Ember.” He
Three weeks later.Phoenix Empire Building.Ice Clayton Blackstone sat on his swivel chair, resembling Hades, the God of the Underworld, with a grim expression on his devilishly handsome face.Under the influence of that mood, no one dared walk into his office for fear they would unleash the demon inside him. Only his secretary was present in his office, trembling in fear with her head bowed on the floor. Beads of sweat formed on her temples as she stood in her place like a statue. She dreaded the worst after Icen caught her taking pictures inside the office. If using a phone and taking confidential pictures wasn't bad enough, a stack of paperwork stood on her office table, and the deadline was today, but she was slacking like the paperwork was none of her concern.“I-I p-promise n-n-not t-to do it again, S-sir.” Her desperate eyes pleaded as they shifted on him.Sadly, patience isn't one of Icen's strong suit. He gestured to the door with an icy stare cold enough to freeze the dep
Ember sat on the tiny balcony of her rented apartment as beads of perspiration dripped down her temples from the sweltering afternoon sun. Three weeks later, she still wasn't acclimated to the weather. She sighed and wiped the sweat from her temples with her hands.She squinted her eyes as she scanned the newspaper for employment listings, frowning. While doing so, Ember fought the desire to read the gossip column, knowing full well that doing so would leave her with a sour taste in her mouth.It seemed like she and Thunder's breakup made headlines every day. For her own sanity, she quit reading newspapers and avoided going online.Once Ember saw the words "Phoenix Empire" and "Urgent Recruiting," she froze. She thought about applying for a job at the company mentioned above, but she quickly got rid of the idea.Despite Ember's best intentions, she knew that her qualifications wouldn't pass muster. She didn't graduate from a prestigious university, and she came from a fairly average f
After a long catch-up session, Ember and her best friend Xia had to separate ways because Xia had to attend a business meeting. A client had called and wanted to set up a meeting to plan an event. Her best friend is a busy woman, as she is in high demand as a wedding and event planner. She felt fortunate to have a moment to chat despite her best friend’s hectic schedule.“Please be careful.” Ember waved at her friend with a smile."You too," Xia smiled back, waving back. Afterward, she climbed into her pink car. The car raced into the distance and Ember retraced her steps back to her rented apartment which was only a stone-throw away. As she walked across the pavement, a tall slender woman emerged from a grocery store.“What a beauty,” Ember thought to herself, unable to tear her gaze off her angelic features. She had the gentlest face she had ever seen. Her skin was as flawless as a pearl and her cherry lips would make a rose ashamed to bloom in her presence. Her intense, sapphire
His piercing blue eyes looked as though they could penetrate her soul and read her deepest and darkest secret. But despite his intimidating appearance Ember could not deny that he was good-looking.She was too stunned to move and simply watched as he threaded in her direction.Ember bit her lower lip as she realized she had been mentally murdering him only seconds ago, but now she was admiring him for his good looks. Speaking of looks, the man appeared to be quite familiar.Crap, the man reminds her of Icen Clayton Blackstone. At the thought of his name, Ember thanked her lucky stars she hadn't crossed paths with him again.Her heart began hammering in her ribcage for no apparent reason. She waited for him with her chin up, preparing for a confrontation she knew was coming.He almost took forever to reach her. When he did, The man towered over her. Even with her four-inch heels, she couldn't quite reach his shoulders.He opened his wallet, grabbed a bunch of hundred-dollar bills, and
Ember was so annoyed, her valued manners blew to smithereens. “Asshole,” she mouthed grimly.Engine roaring to life, the sleek Lamborghini sped away, leaving her fuming in rage. She remembered her job interview and immediately freaked outGrabbing the remaining pair of shoe on her left foot, she ran back to her apartment barefoot.She prayed she wouldn't miss her job interview as she changed. After a last glance at the full-length mirror, she hurriedly left her apartment.The Phoenix Empire stood magnificently under an exquisite blue sky. The colossal tower that she should have been admiring sent dread crawling down her spine.After paying the cab driver, she skittered to the upscale door in her black puff-sleeved dress. It was what she grabbed first in her closet and wore right away without a second thought. The automatic door opened, and she made a beeline straight to the front desk and asked for directions.The woman on the desk raised her head and politely gave her instructions.
Ember had several questions racing through her head, but what stood out the most was, “Did he recognize her when they met on the road?” If so, why did he pretend not to recognize her?Icen Clayton Blackstone likely laughed at her naivety the entire time. To even consider it made her feel like she would explode with shame.“Close your mouth, Miss Heart. I'm afraid a fly would fly inside.”The comment snapped her out of her daydream. She abruptly closed her mouth and looked up to him with her lips drawn into a thin, tight line.“Nice meeting you again, Mr. Blackstone.” She spoke to cover her embarrassment. Even though she did her best to keep her voice calm, it came across as shaky.“Pleasure's mine,” Icen replied, amusement twinkling in his blue lagoon eyes.Ember considered leaving but resisted the impulse. She needs a job, and this may be her last opportunity to obtain one.“Please have a seat.” He motioned to the cushioned chair across from his office table.She obediently followed w