Page 31 of Clashing with the Ice Queen

“I’m protecting us, Nadine,” Cassandra replied, although the tremor in her voice showed the cracks in her armor.

“No,” Nadine pushed. “You’re hiding. Yourprotectionis nothing more than a way to avoid your feelings.”

“Feelings,” Cassandra repeated with a sigh, her composure faltering for the briefest moment.

Nadine took a step back. “If you really think that’s all this is…a business failure…if you can’t see any chance for us, then I can’t do this anymore.”

“Do what? Fuck around?”

Her voice trembled, but she stood tall. “I’m leaving the collaboration.”

Cassandra’s expression shifted from anger to shock, but Nadine didn’t stay to watch. She turned and walked out of the office. The chance of a relationship with Cassandra felt more impossible than ever.

She couldn’t believe it was all over. She tried to decide what was a greater loss—love or furthering her career. The collaboration that was supposed to be a launching pad for her career in the fashion industry had crumbled before her. She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand, hoping no one would notice the tearstains on her cheeks. But in the crowded elevator, she stood facing a group of strangers, and despite her best efforts, a few tears slipped down her face.

As the elevator dinged and opened up to the lobby, she rushed out like a deer caught in the headlights. The lobby was filled with bright lights and busy people, all moving with purpose. Nadine felt small and invisible. She walked out of the glass doors and onto the bustling New York City street, her mind full of regret.

With every step she took, Nadine’s chest felt tighter. She glanced at couples strolling hand in hand, laughing and sharing moments that seemed so easy and carefree. Suddenly, the world around her seemed too bright, too loud, and too happy. She thought about how she’d just messed up the biggest opportunity of her life. She’d spoiled the chance to work with one of the most influential people in fashion…all because her feelings had gotten in the way. Wasn’t she supposed to be tough in a field like this? Instead, she felt weak and reckless.

The city was chaotic. New Yorkers rushed past her, their faces buried in their phones or engaged in noisy conversations with friends. Nadine felt a mix of anger and envy as she watched them go about their lives, so lighthearted and full of energy. Each happy couple made her heart ache a little more. She squeezed her eyes shut for a moment, trying to push away the hurt.

Finally, she pulled out her phone, her fingers trembling a bit as she hit the number for her marketing team. This felt like the perfect moment to show her strength, even if it was just a small effort to regain some control over her career.

“Hey, it’s Nadine,” she said as soon as her marketing coordinator picked up. Her voice sounded shaky, and she heard a hint of confusion on the other end.

“Hi, Nadine! Are we still moving forward with the Wynter Media collaboration?” the coordinator asked enthusiastically.

Nadine hesitated, her throat tightening. “Um, about that—” she started to explain, but her words tripped over themselves, her thoughts scattering uselessly. She recalled the trends that they’d been talking about. They’d seemed so right just last season, but now they felt outdated to her, especially after her meeting with Cassandra. “Forget it. Just…just call them out on their outdated trends like we talked about before,” she said, stumbling over her own sentences.

“Wait, what do you mean?” the marketing coordinator asked, clearly puzzled. “I thought we were collaborating with them?”

Nadine felt a rush of panic. She didn’t want to explain herself again. Her stomach twisted with anxiety as she realized she’d jumped the gun. “No, it’s fine,” she rushed to say. “Just ignore what I said. Forget it.”

“What do you want me to do, then?” the marketing coordinator pressed gently.

Nadine sighed, rubbing her temples as if that would somehow ease her swirling thoughts. Everything was a mess, and here she was, making it worse. “I don’t know,” she mumbled, feeling drained. “Just…never mind, okay? I’ll call you later.”

With that, she hung up, feeling more isolated than ever. She shoved her phone deep into her pocket and picked up her pace, the sound of her heels tapping against the pavement echoing her frustration. She didn’t know where she was going, but it didn’t matter. She just needed to keep moving.

As the skyscrapers loomed over her, Nadine took a deep breath, trying to calm the storm inside her. The sky was a brilliant blue, but all she could see were the shadows of her failures. She didn’t understand how she could ever find her way in this cutthroat industry again. The world felt so big and daunting. All she wanted was one glimmer of hope, but it was buried beneath all the noise and the chaos of New York City’s hustle and bustle.

Through her tears, she promised herself she would pick up the pieces. She would find a way to stand back up, but for now, walking swiftly down the street, she felt lost in a city that moved too quickly for her broken heart.

11

CASSANDRA

Cassandra stepped into her spacious New York City apartment, her heels clicking against the hardwood floor. She tossed her designer handbag onto the couch and sighed deeply, feeling the weight of the workday routines that had been monotonous and depressing lately. But even in the familiar comfort of her home, an unsettling feeling persisted day and night.

It had been a week since Nadine had quit their collaboration. Cassandra replayed the argument in her mind on repeat. She remembered the broken look in Nadine’s eyes. She had never wanted to hurt Nadine, but the thought of being vulnerable scared her.

As she moved to the kitchen, she felt empty. They had shared so much during their collaboration, but now, everything was different. Instead of celebrating their creative victories together, Cassandra was alone. It wasn’t just the loss of a business partner that was affecting her, which was very hard to admit. It was the loss of someone who had become an emotional part of her life.

Cassandra leaned against the counter, staring at the bottle of wine she’d opened last week and never finished. She picked upher phone and stared at it, wanting to reach out but unsure what to say.

After a moment’s hesitation, she dialed Vivienne Blackwood’s number. Vivienne was not just a friend, but a colleague who had been with Cassandra through thick and thin. No matter how busy work got, Vivienne always found time to be there for her. She was sure she had heard Vivienne was in the city currently.

“Hello?” Vivienne’s cheerful voice came through the line, and Cassandra felt a little less lonely.

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