After the Ice Melts

: The Investor

The next second, I was rudely shoved aside.

Aidan Sterling frowned, his face filled with disgust as he wiped at the spot on his chest where I'd bumped into him.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to." I apologized sincerely.

"You've bumped into me twice in two days. If it wasn't on purpose, then your cerebellum must be defective."

Maybe my stomach was in too much pain, or maybe I was just too exhausted.

My nerves were completely frayed—too fragile to withstand Aidan Sterling's cutting remarks.

"Heh." He scoffed, his eyes turning ice-cold as they landed on me.

"What's with the victim act? Are you going to cry just because I told you the truth?"

'That's right. I didn't even cry back when Aidan Sterling knelt in the snow, begging me not to break up with him.'

Looking at the impeccably dressed, proud, and cold Aidan Sterling before me, I could no longer see a single trace of the man he used to be.

I knew he remembered me. The disgust and hatred in his eyes as they bored into mine were too clear to ignore.

'He probably wants nothing more to do with me. I might as well do one last good deed before I die.'

"I'm sorry. I'll be sure to stay out of your way from now on."

With that, I skirted around him and walked away.

By the time I got back with a cup of hot water, Chloe Croft was already back from the restroom.

"Where did you go? I came back and you were gone. You scared me half to death!"

"I just went to get a cup of hot water."

'Bumping into Aidan Sterling was a fluke. No need to bring it up.'

I thought turning in the script would be the end of it.

But the next day, I got a frantic call from Chloe Croft.

"Myla, it's not good! The investors rejected the script. You need to get to the office, now!"

When I rushed to the office, Chloe Croft and the investor's representative were both in the conference room.

I was ushered inside. Chloe Croft's expression was grim as she stared at the person sitting with their back to us.

"May I ask what part of the script you're unsatisfied with?"

I knew this must be the main investor Chloe Croft had mentioned, so I addressed him directly.

After a long pause, a familiar voice spoke.

"The ending."

The chair swiveled around, revealing Aidan Sterling's cold face.

'So he was the big-shot investor.'

He looked up, his eyes meeting mine. There was no surprise in them.

I didn't rush to speak, but Chloe Croft couldn't stop herself from jumping in on my behalf.

"President Sterling, audiences today prefer happy endings. This is in line with market demand."

Aidan Sterling nodded. Chloe Croft thought he was taking her point, but before she could even breathe a sigh of relief, he spoke again, his voice low.

"But I don't like this ending. Change it."

'Overbearing CEOs really are a different breed. So confident, even when they're in the wrong.'

"If you want to change the ending, then you should find someone else. I can't write it."

'It's not like I haven't sold out for money before, but this is the one project I refuse to compromise on.'

Aidan Sterling looked at me, the corners of his lips curling into a cold, thin smile.

"Fine. If you can't write it, then you can pay the penalty for breach of contract."

Chloe Croft's face paled instantly. I glanced at her, and she discreetly scribbled a number on a piece of paper.

[$10 million]

'Forget selling me; even if we sold the entire company, we'd be hard-pressed to come up with $10 million.'

I sighed inwardly and let out a self-deprecating laugh.

'Forget it. I'm dying anyway. What does artistic integrity matter?'

"Fine. I'll change it."

The meeting ended. The capitalists left satisfied, and I was the unlucky workhorse left behind.

But it seemed fate decided I wasn't miserable enough.

Aidan Sterling's assistant, Felix Cole, caught up to me. "Miss Quinn," he said, blocking my path, "to make communicating about the script easier, we'll need you to come work out of our office for the time being."

I frowned, my gaze shifting to Aidan Sterling, who stood behind him, indifferently fending off small talk from others.

'Doesn't he despise me? Why does he want me right under his nose?'

I couldn't make sense of it. My empty stomach began to protest, so I hastily agreed and left.

Back in the break room, I had just taken out my medicine when the door swung open.

"What are you doing?"

Aidan Sterling's voice rang out, startling me so badly that I dropped the pills, scattering them across the floor.