All Chapters of One Night with the Cold CEO: Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

The company cafeteria was bustling.Chloe Bishop found a quiet corner and sat down with her lunch tray. But before she could even take a few bites, the low hum of gossip nearby drifted into her ears."So, how long do you guys give the new executive secretary this time?""Haha! I'm betting less than a week. We all know what President Grayson is like. Anyone who’s had to work with him knows the guy’s a total cold-blooded creature.""Hey, come on, don't be so harsh. He might have a terrible temper, but at least he's insanely handsome and rich.""A terrible temper? That’s putting it nicely—the man is a literal monster!""..."Chloe glanced back subtly at the speakers. Is Xavier Grayson really as impossible to get along with as everyone says?Deep down, she couldn't help but feel that beneath that icy exterior... he wasn't actually that bad.After finishing her meal, Chloe went straight back to Xavier Grayson’s office to clean up his lunch containers.Just as she snapped the lid shut and t

The next morning, despite all her dramatic complaints about hating work the night before, Chloe Bishop still dragged herself out of bed at the crack of dawn and reported to the office right on time.Today, Xavier Grayson had an out-of-office meeting to negotiate a major contract.He had arranged a lunch meeting at an upscale restaurant with Mr. Sterling, the CEO of the Sterling Group.By the time they arrived at the venue, it was right at peak lunchtime.When the negotiations began, Mr. Sterling and Xavier Grayson would naturally eat while they talked shop. As assistants, however, their job was simply to stand off to the side and wait.Chloe held the prepared files and the preliminary draft of the contract, which had been drawn up in advance by the company’s legal team.Stepping out of the car, Xavier Grayson shifted his gaze onto Chloe."Ubba.""Yes, President Grayson.""Just you with me. That's enough."Chloe froze slightly, caught off guard. She hadn't expected Xavier Grayson to on

Seeing that Chloe wasn't living in absolute squalor as she had hoped, Kate leaned in further, her tone dripping with fake cheer."Oh, right! Sister, you probably don't know yet, but Liam and I are together now. Our engagement party is the day after tomorrow! Can you come? I'd really love to have your blessing."They're getting engaged?A sharp, stabbing pain pierced Chloe's chest.The man who was supposed to stand by her side was now engaged to her younger sister. A suffocating wave of loss rushed over her, threatening to sweep her off her feet."I... I don't think I can make it," Chloe faltered, trying desperately to pull herself together. "Work is really hectic right now. I honestly can't get away."Seeing her flustered attempt to turn down the invite, Kate lost no time pouring oil on the fire. "Sister, you're not just saying that out of spite, are you? Are you deliberately refusing to come? It's been five years—do you still hate me for taking Liam away from you?"An uncomfortable b

His hands, resting by his sides, curled into tight fists as he forced himself to hold back from reaching out to her."There's no point in crying over meaningless people," Xavier Grayson's cold, level voice cut through the air once more. "Anyone who makes you cry isn't worth a single tear."Despite his icy tone, the sudden words left her completely taken aback."..."She blinked at him in a daze. His words, blunt as they were, hit right at the center of her chest.He's right.Liam Martin wasn't worth her tears anymore. He had slipped out of her life and her heart five years ago. There was zero reason to cling to the past—the only thing remaining was a lingering, nostalgic ache for the innocent girl she used to be."I understand. Thank you, President Grayson," Chloe said, wiping away her remaining tears with a firm, decisive nod.Though Xavier Grayson usually came off as unapproachable and harsh, the way he dropped occasional life lessons sounded uncannily like her eldest son, Adrian. E

It was true that Xavier Grayson had flooded her with prime resources and personal backing over the years—all of which she had greedily accepted, reaping immense media spotlight in the process. However, the truth was that she had never once met Xavier Grayson in person. She was completely in the dark, unable to figure out why he had suddenly decided to help her in the first place.It all started right after that night five years ago, when he suddenly began lavishing attention on her career.Back then, she had been nothing more than an obscure, D-list nobody trapped at the very bottom of the food chain with zero prospects, so unknown that hardly anyone in the industry had even heard her name.Determined to break through, she had agreed to let a casting director trade "casting couch" favors for roles in a hotel room. Yet after that night, the slimeball not only went back on his word regarding the promised resources, but he also turned around and completely disowned her.Surprisingly, rig