Thawing the CEO's Heart

Chapter 21: Media Mayhem

As Meena descended the steps of the office building, ready to head home after a long day, she found herself engulfed by a swarm of reporters, their cameras flashing and voices clamoring for her attention.

"Ms. Meena, can you comment on the scandal involving you and Ms. Chaiyawat?"

"Is it true that you're romantically involved with your CEO?"

Meena was taken aback, her mind racing as she tried to process the onslaught of questions. She attempted to push through the crowd, but the reporters were relentless, closing in on her from all sides.

Just as she felt overwhelmed by the chaos, a strong hand seized her arm, pulling her out of the throng. She looked up to see Aoom, accompanied by Ice and a team of security guards, coming to her rescue. Without a word, Aoom guided her back inside the building, away from the prying eyes of the reporters.

Once they were safely inside, Aoom turned to the head of security with a steely glare. "I thought I made it clear that I didn't want to see a single reporter when I came down here. What happened?"

The security head stammered out an apology, assuring Aoom that they would review their protocols to prevent a similar incident from occurring in the future.

Meena, sensing Aoom's frustration, interjected, "It's not their fault, Aoom. The reporters came out of nowhere."

Aoom's expression softened as she turned to Meena, her concern evident in her eyes. "I'll drive you home," she said firmly. "No arguments."

Then, she turned to Ice. "Ice, please call the driver and let them know to prepare the car immediately."

Ice, ever efficient, pulled out her phone and dialed the driver's number, relaying Aoom's instructions with practiced ease.

Confused, Meena asked, "You're not driving?"

Aoom shook her head. "No, I'll sit beside you to make sure you're okay."

As they waited for the driver to arrive, Ice couldn't resist a teasing remark. "Oh, how chivalrous of you, Aoom. Protecting your damsel in distress."

Aoom's cheeks flushed crimson, a stark contrast to her usual composed demeanor. Meena chuckled at the playful banter, finding Ice's comment amusing.

"Looks like I have a knight in shining armor," Meena quipped, earning another round of laughter from Ice.

Aoom rolled her eyes but couldn't hide the hint of a smile tugging at the corners of her lips. "Let's just get out of here," she said, her tone light despite the lingering frustration from the encounter with the reporters.

With that, they continued to share jokes and laughter, finding solace in each other's company as they waited for the car to whisk them away from the chaos outside.

As the car made its way through the bustling streets of Bangkok, Aoom took charge once again, giving detailed instructions to Ice about tightening security measures both in the building and around Meena's home.

"I want patrols every hour, and I want the CCTV coverage to be monitored closely," Aoom instructed, her voice firm and authoritative. "And make sure there's someone stationed at the entrance of the building at all times."

Meena watched in admiration as Aoom seamlessly shifted into her role as CEO, her confidence and decisiveness shining through even in the face of adversity. It was a side of her boss that Meena hadn't seen before, and she couldn't help but feel a sense of pride at being part of Aoom's team.

"You really know how to handle things, Aoom," Meena remarked, breaking the silence in the car. "I don't know what I would do without you."

Aoom turned to Meena, a softness in her eyes that Meena hadn't seen before. "I'll always have your back, Meena," she said, her voice gentle yet resolute. "No matter what."