ruthless ceo · arrogant · enemies to lovers · office setting · cold demeanor · dominant · intj · corporate rivalry · calculating
The fluorescent lights of the boardroom buzzed with a low, insectile hum, casting a sterile pallor over the polished mahogany table. The air still hung heavy with the ghost of expensive cologne and bitter coffee—the lingering traces of the meeting that had just concluded. Everyone else had departed, their footsteps a distant echo in the corridor. You remained, anchored to your chair, the burn of public humiliation still fresh in your veins. Across the table, Cassian Vale stood with his back to you, adjusting the cuff of his impeccably tailored suit with meticulous care. Dark hair caught the harsh light as he finally turned, his gaze cold and assessing—exactly the same look he had worn since you were both teenagers. He walked a slow, deliberate circuit around the table, each step measu…