Page 30 of Clashing with the Ice Queen

Cassandra’s face turned a bright shade of red, and Nadine felt a wave of satisfaction. It was one thing to be closed off, but it was another for Cassandra to hide her true feelings.

Mia nodded and stepped back, sensing that she should quietly leave the room. As she closed the door behind her, Nadine’s heart pounded. She glanced back at Cassandra, who was now sitting in silence, her expression a mixture of frustration and worry.

“Do you even like me, Cassandra?” Nadine asked, her voice softer now, though the hurt was still there. “Or am I just someone you work with and fuck when you feel like it? Someone who doesn’t matter outside of these walls?”

Cassandra finally looked at her, and for a moment Nadine thought she saw a flicker of emotion in her icy eyes. But it faded quickly, replaced by that familiar coolness. “Nadine, it’s not that simple,” she said, her voice steady. “I appreciate you asa collaborator, and, I don’t disagree that our sexual connection is powerful, but I…I don’t think I can be what you want me to be.”

The words hit Nadine like a slap. She felt exposed, like she’d laid her heart out for Cassandra, only to have it trampled. “So that’s it?” she asked, feeling tears prick at the corners of her eyes. “I thought there was something special between us.”

Cassandra’s gaze softened for a moment. “I didn’t mean to lead you on. Its not you, its me. I just…I have my reasons for being closed off. It’s complicated.”

Nadine couldn’t hold back her frustration any longer. “Complicated? Or just plain selfish? You can’t expect me to hang around while you keep your distance in public and rip my clothes off in private. If I’m not worth being seen with, then maybe I shouldn’t even be here.”

Cassandra’s blonde hair glinted with new hints of silver. She was used to being in charge, and Nadine could see the tension in her face as she tried to regain control of the situation. Nadine took a deep breath, her green eyes locking onto Cassandra’s cold gaze.

“Why are you here, Nadine?” Cassandra shot back, her tone sharp. “You shouldn’t just barge in like this.”

“I’m here because I’m hurt,” Nadine replied. “At first I thought you were hot and cold, but now I think you’re just cold as fucking ice. You try so hard to feel like your business success is your personal success, which you’ll never have if you stay closed off like this.”

Cassandra crossed her arms defensively. “You think this is about feelings?” she snapped. “Listen to yourself. Business and personal lives are justsoseparate for you, huh? You stalk me and weasel your way into places you would never be invited without me. You use people to boost your business. This is networking for you.”

Nadine felt the sting of those words. “Well, call it what you like, it’snotworking for me.”

Cassandra just glared at her. Nadine laughed once, but she felt the tears behind her eyes. “You don’t get it, do you? I’m not trying to use you. I care about you, Cassandra. I want more.”

Cassandra frowned. “Caring is not enough. You have your goals, and I have mine.”

“I’m fine with my goals! Outside of how I have nobody to enjoy achieving them with.”

“You’re too young to understand the stakes.” Cassandra rolled her eyes.

“This isn’t just about business for me, Cassandra. The sex wasn’t just sex…there’s no way,” she said, her voice trembling slightly. “But if you’re going to keep treating me like I’m your enemy?—”

“Maybe you should’ve thought about that before coming on too strong!” Cassandra interrupted. “I can’t lose control over my life because you think we can have a relationship and run our own businesses together. I’m not a marketing tool for you to play with.”

Every word struck Nadine hard. Hurt and frustration made it hard to breathe. “I’ve never tried to control you,” she said. “But this coldness…it’s too much. You act like you don’t care about me at all.”

Cassandra’s eyes narrowed. “You want to know what I care about?” She stood up, her posture stiff. “I care about the success of our project. I care about my company. I’m not going to let someone like you mess with my he?—”

Nadine cut her off, her voice rising. “You’re not fooling anyone. It’s pathetic how you try to maintain this cold exterior.”

Cassandra’s green eyes were cool and calculating, but Nadine saw the determination behind them. “Pathetic,” she echoed.

“Yes, pathetic!” Nadine paced the office, unable to contain her energy. “It’s a wonder your business is thriving at all when you refuse to let anyone in. You think your coldness is an asset, but it’s stunted everything you have…both personally and professionally.”

Nadine stopped pacing, facing Cassandra directly and demanding her attention. She couldn’t help but notice how the other woman’s walls were stronger than ever. The warmth they’d shared and the feeling of their bodies sliding against each other flooded her mind. It felt like an alternate universe.

“You know the truth. You’re not as strategic as you think you are. You can’t be vulnerable, and that’s keeping you locked in a prison of your own making.”

Cassandra finally met her gaze. “You think I want to be vulnerable?”

“I think you do,” Nadine insisted. “I think you are falling in love with me and you can’t accept it.” It was a theory she’d clung to because it hurt too much to think there could be any other explanation for Cassandra’s behavior.

The silence in the room thickened, tension subtly shifting as her words hung midair. Nadine struggled to read the emotions that passed across Cassandra’s face. “You need to understand something, Nadine,” Cassandra began, her tone softer but still guarded. “This isn’t just about us. There is so much at risk.”

“Risk?” Nadine laughed. “So you’d rather throw away everything we could have just because you’re scared? Look at how we act! We’re intimate with each other spontaneously and often in public. Why? Because you can’t think ahead. You turn your back on everything that matters the moment it gets too real for you. You avoid consequences, probably because you were raised to be perfect.”

Cassandra’s breath caught as Nadine continued. “You love this, don’t you? The drama. It makes you feel important. You likethat you have the privilege to just run away just because it gets hard.”

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