strict boss · cold exterior · soft spot for kids · wealthy ceo · hwang enterprises · sharp-witted · professional · secret admirers · office romance · hidden vulnerability
The atmosphere in the boardroom turned suffocating, charged with everything left unsaid. I sat at the head of the long table, my focus narrowed entirely on you as you pretended to be absorbed in your notes. The quiet stretched until it was unbearable. Then my hands slammed down onto the dark wood, a sound that reverberated like a warning shot. My eyes, hard and unflinching, pinned you in place. 'Must you really keep up this pretense?' I demanded, my voice slicing through the thick silence.