Page 6 of Clashing with the Ice Queen

Cassandra sat at her sleek desk in her office high above the bustling streets of New York City. The early morning sun streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows, illuminating her long blonde hair and casting a warm glow on her blue eyes. As the CEO of Wynter Media, she was used to navigating the fast-paced world of fashion with sophistication and skill. But today felt different. Today had an undercurrent of tension she couldn’t shake.

Just weeks ago, Cassandra had attended the annual fashion conference where she’d encountered Nadine James, the ambitious young CEO of Pulse Media. At first, she’d thought little of Nadine’s startup, dismissing it as another craze in an already saturated industry. But after meeting Nadine, Cassandra was beginning to reconsider her original assessment.

Then there had been that sexually charged moment on the terrace after too much wine. As much as Cassandra had wanted to take her and fuck her there and then on the terrace, it wasn’t her style to take advantage when someone had been drinking. And she had certainly drank enough herself, that she didn’t think her own performance would be at its finest.

Nadine James would wait till the time was right.

The phone rang, and she grabbed it, ready to address what she thought would be another mundane issue. Instead, it was Vivienne Blackwood, the esteemed and formidable CEO of Vivid Black Fashion Empire.

“Cassandra, I’ve got some troubling news.” Vivienne’s voice was clipped, and Cassandra felt a knot tighten in her stomach.

“What is it?” Cassandra asked, forcing herself to sound calm and collected despite her racing heartbeat.

“I’ve just heard on the grapevine that Purdey’s have switched over and signed a deal with a company called… Pulse Media. Apparently some Nadine James of Pulse is offering a fresh new approach,” Vivienne continued, her tone dripping with barely concealed disbelief.

“Purdey’s? Fuck. Is this for real? They have been with Wynter Media forever. They are one of our biggest clients. How on earth are you hearing this before me?”

“Everyone knows, Cassandra. My call is purely out of courtesy and respect for you.”

Cassandra’s irritation morphed into something sharper. How did it come to this? She’d underestimated Pulse Media and Nadine’s strategy, and that was starting to look like a dangerous miscalculation.

“Thank you for letting me know, Vivienne,” she said tersely, her thoughts already racing through what this could mean for Wynter.

After hanging up, she stared out the window, the city sprawling beneath her like an endless runway. Why was everything changing so fast? She brought her attention back to her computer and, out of curiosity and annoyance, she pulled up TikTok. As she scrolled through Pulse Media’s page, her eyebrows lifted in surprise. Their follower count was enormous—far greater than Wynter Media’s on Facebook, a platformthey’d dominated for over three times as long as Pulse Media had existed.

“Unbelievable,” she muttered under her breath. Each video felt like a punch, filled with dazzling edits and catchy trends that clearly captivated online audiences. No doubt Purdey’s would be on there soon.

A growing sense of envy gnawed at her. What was it about these viral clips that so effortlessly spun into internet fame? It was almost as if their marketing was driving their fashion, and not the other way around, like how Cassandra had built her business from the bottom button up.

“Mia! Get in here!” she called, her voice echoing in the polished office.

Her young intern, a bright-eyed college student, rushed in, laptop in hand and a concerned look plastered on her face.

“Yes, Ms. Wynter?” Mia replied, always eager to help.

“Can you explain this TikTok madness to me?” Cassandra gestured toward the screen. “I don’t understand this hashtag thing. What’s with #FYP? Does it mean ‘Fashion Youth Page’ or something?”

Mia burst into laughter, covering her mouth with her hand as she struggled to regain her composure. “No, Ms. Wynter. It means ‘For You Page.’ It’s where users get recommended videos.”

Cassandra furrowed her brows in confusion. “For You Page? What does that even mean?”

“It’s just a place where TikTok curates content for each person based on what they like,” Mia explained, still smiling. “It’s like magic, really. The more people engage with certain videos, the more similar videos show up on their page.”

“Magic,” she repeated, her tone laced with skepticism. But deep down, she felt an unsettling mixture of intrigue and frustration.

As Mia walked out of the room, Cassandra sat back in her chair, a sense of determination settling in. If she wanted to keep Wynter Media at the top, she had to adapt. The winds of change were not just blowing—they were a storm, and New York City was not known for its efficient evacuation techniques. She was ready to weather the storm.

Cassandra wasn’t about to let a startup like Pulse Media sweep her off her feet. She would find a way to outshine Nadine and remind the world why Wynter Media was a lasting name known for elegance and style.

With a resigned sigh, she pulled up TikTok again, promising herself that today, she would learn something new.

It was time for Cassandra to shake things up. She called for a surprise conference for the Wynter Media staff, her heart racing with the anticipation of sharing what she’d discovered. Her team filed into the room, some with curious expressions, others with glances of mild dread. The projector whirred to life, and Cassandra pulled up Pulse Media’s TikTok page. Bright colors and catchy trends flashed across the screen, showcasing a mix of fashion and fun.

“Who in this room has TikTok?” Cassandra asked, surveying her team. Reluctant hands slowly raised, followed by sheepish smiles.

“We’re all addicted to scrolling through those reels!” one brave soul piped up. Laughter rippled through the room.

“Yes, yes, what you all have is real too,” Cassandra said, trying to maintain her annoyance while the chuckles continued.

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