Ella sat there, frozen, her mind reeling as she processed what Julian had just said.
K-Tech.
The very company that had made her life hell when she was working with her ex husband, Gu Xiaoyan.
There was no doubt about it—K-Tech had Jinyang's technical world wrapped around its finger. No matter how hard she had worked, no matter how many investors she had approached, the answer was always the same: Sorry, we're signing with K-Tech.
She had hated that company.
Not just because they dominated the market, but because their CEO was practically a ghost. No public appearances, no interviews, no red carpets. Nothing. It had pissed her off to no end.
What is he, some hidden Indian bride?
Now, standing in front of her, Julian had just casually dropped a bomb on her.
The cold, arrogant Liang Yichen was the CEO of K-Tech?
Yeah, right. Figures.
Ella exhaled sharply. "Wow."
Julian tilted his head. "What?"
She gave him a dry look. "You wouldn't believe this, but I hated your boss even before I met him."
Julian blinked, then burst into laughter. "You know what? That's fair enough. He's used to being hated." He smirked. "He might just be the most hated CEO out there. But you know what he always says?" Julian leaned in mockingly, lowering his voice. "'As long as I'm at the top of the business charts, I don't care.'"
Ella rolled her eyes. "Oh, so he's the BTS of the business world? Mysterious, untouchable, and globally dominating?"
Julian grinned. "Exactly. He's the K-pop idol of the tech industry, except instead of a fan club, he has an army of pissed-off competitors."
Ella exhaled deeply, rubbing her temples. She had no choice. This wasn't about pride anymore—it was about survival. About her baby.
She looked at Julian seriously. "Fine. I'll take the offer."
Julian straightened. "Really?"
She nodded. "But only until my baby is born. After that, I'm moving out."
Julian looked like he wanted to argue, but before he could say anything, Ella smirked and added, "Also, you guys should make me a department head or something. Trust me, I'm good at business. I'll help out so it doesn't feel like I'm staying for free."
Julian's eyes widened before a slow smile spread across his face. "You really are something else, Ella."
Ella shrugged. "If I'm going to live in that iceberg's house, I might as well make myself useful."
-----
Julian kept his word, leading Ella back to her hospital room after their discussion. She continued receiving her treatment, and the days passed in a blur of checkups and rest.
Finally, the doctor gave her the long-awaited news:
"You're healthy, your baby is healthy, and you can be discharged."
Ella almost jumped out of bed with excitement. She was beyond ready to leave this place. Hospitals made her feel caged, and she was dying to breathe fresh air.
Of course, she fully expected Julian to be the one picking her up. After all, he had been the one constantly checking in on her, bringing her snacks, and making her laugh.
But when the door swung open, it wasn't Julian standing there.
It was him.
Liang Yichen.
The so-called Iceberg.
Dressed in an impeccably tailored suit, standing tall and exuding his usual aura of cold arrogance, he looked as emotionless as ever. His sharp gaze flickered over her, as if assessing whether she was even worth the trip.
Ella groaned audibly and rolled her eyes.
Just great.
Couldn't Julian have just come instead? Dealing with him was easy. Dealing with Yichen felt like talking to a brick wall made of ice.
Yichen raised a brow at her reaction. His voice was as flat and unreadable as ever when he spoke.
"Do you hate me?"
Ella blinked. "Huh?"
His expression didn't change. "Do you hate me?" he repeated. "Every time I'm around, you seem… pained. Annoyed."
Ella folded her arms and gave him a dry look. "Oh, you noticed?"
Yichen simply stared at her, waiting.
She sighed dramatically. "Look, Your Majesty of Cold and Arrogant, it's not hatred, per se."
His brow twitched slightly at the nickname.
"It's just that you have this energy," she continued, gesturing vaguely at him. "You walk in, and suddenly the temperature drops ten degrees. And I happen to like warm, pleasant spaces. So naturally, I react."
Yichen was silent for a moment before saying, "That's irrational."
Ella scoffed. "Oh, well, sorry for not functioning like a damn robot."
He simply turned toward the door. "Let's go. I don't have time for nonsense."
Ella groaned again, grabbing her bag. "Wow, so much warmth. You're practically radiating sunshine."
Yichen ignored her sarcasm, already walking ahead.
Ella sighed, muttering under her breath, "This is going to be bad...maybe. It's just until my baby is born."
---
As soon as they left the hospital, the silence in the car was loud.
Yichen, of course, was focused on driving, while Ella sat stiffly in the passenger seat, arms folded, her eyes darting to him every few seconds.
At first, she tried to distract herself by staring out the window. But after twenty minutes of driving with no sign of stopping, her patience wore thin.
She frowned. "Uh… exactly how far is this drive going to be?"
Yichen didn't answer.
Ella glanced at him, then at the still-moving scenery outside.
"Okay, no, seriously," she said, shifting in her seat. "Are you sure you're not secretly taking me somewhere to kill me? Because, trust me, I don't want to die. I still have a baby to raise, and I definitely don't want my last moments to be spent in a car with you."
Yichen's grip on the steering wheel tightened slightly. Then, finally, he turned and gave her a slow, chilling glare.
Ella blinked. "...Okay. Message received."
She shut her mouth.
The rest of the ride was filled with an awkward, heavy silence.
Finally, after what felt like ages, Yichen pulled up in front of a house.
Ella's first thought?
This place gives me the creeps.
There was something about it—the towering iron gate, the unnerving silence, the way the wind rustled the trees like whispered secrets. Maybe it was just the pregnancy hormones making her overly sensitive.
Or maybe—just maybe—it was Yichen's cologne.
She side-eyed him.
Because honestly, whatever brand of cologne he used? It smelled expensive—but also like something that belonged to a man who could ruin your life with a single signature.
And somehow, that fit him perfectly.
As the car slowed to a stop in front of the house, Ella's eyes widened.
She had lived in the city of Jinyang for years, but she had never been to this part of the city. It was isolated, quiet—almost eerily so—but undeniably beautiful. Towering trees lined the long driveway, their leaves whispering in the wind. The air felt fresher, and the massive estate in front of her looked straight out of a billionaire drama.
For a moment, she forgot to be annoyed.
Then, of course, her mind ruined it.
What if he really brought me here to kill me?
A ridiculous thought, sure. But was it really that ridiculous? This was Liang Yichen. Cold. Emotionless. Untouchable. The type of man who could make people disappear with a single phone call.
And now, she was in his territory.
Well. Too late to turn back now.
Sighing, Ella opened the car door and stepped out. The crisp air hit her face, grounding her a little. She made her way to the back of the car, fully prepared to haul her luggage inside herself.
But before she could even reach for it, a middle-aged woman was already there, holding her bags with a warm smile.
Ella hesitated. The woman was clearly a staff member—probably a housekeeper. But still, Ella wasn't the type to just stand by and let someone older than her do all the heavy lifting.
Politely, she reached for her luggage. "It's okay, I got it. I can handle my bags."
Before the woman could respond, a cold voice cut through the air.
"Just let her do her job."
Ella stiffened.
She turned to see Yichen standing on the other side of the car, his piercing gaze locked onto her. His tone was flat, almost bored.
"Stop trying to be the good-hearted one here."
Ella's jaw clenched.
This man. This man.
Of course, he would say something like that.
Existing alongside him might be a bad choice.