Melted by her Love

PART2:-Sparks Fly

"Mr. Blackwood, please understand," Emme said, her voice shaking slightly as she tried to maintain her composure. "My business isn't just a number on a spreadsheet. It's my livelihood, and it supports the families of the people who work for me. If you move forward with your plans, it will devastate us."

Alex sat behind his sleek mahogany desk, his eyes hard and unfeeling as they bore into hers. He leaned back in his chair, his fingers steepled in front of him, and regarded her with the same detachment he might reserve for a routine financial report. His sharp jawline, perfectly tailored suit, and polished appearance only added to the sense of distance between them.

"Ms. Carter," Alex began, his voice low and steady, laced with an unsettling calm. "You have to understand that this is business. Emotions, personal attachments-they have no place in these decisions. Your shop is simply in the way of progress. My corporation is expanding, and unfortunately, smaller operations like yours often become casualties of that process."

Emme's blood boiled at his words. She had expected resistance, but his utter lack of compassion stunned her. How could anyone be so cold? She took a deep breath, trying to keep her anger in check, but the frustration and helplessness were mounting. Alex's unyielding demeanor was infuriating, and every interaction with him seemed to stoke the fire of her hatred.

"Is that all people are to you?" Emme shot back, her voice rising in defiance. "Just obstacles in the path of your corporate empire? Do you even care what happens to the people you steamroll over in the name of 'progress'?"

Alex's eyes flickered briefly, a hint of something unreadable passing through them before his cold mask slipped back into place. He straightened in his chair, his posture rigid as ever. "Caring doesn't build successful companies, Ms. Carter. Efficiency does. Profit does. Your shop is irrelevant in the grand scheme of things."

Emme was livid now, her fists clenched at her sides as she tried to find the right words to counter his heartless logic. Every word out of his mouth made her want to scream, but beneath the anger, something else lingered-something she wasn't ready to admit. Despite his frigid demeanor, there was an undeniable magnetism to Alex. His confidence, his power, and even his coldness drew her in, and it only made her despise him more.

"You think you're so above it all, don't you?" Emme spat, her voice shaking with fury. "Sitting up here in your ivory tower, making decisions that affect real people's lives without a second thought. You're nothing but a heartless machine."

Alex's jaw tightened slightly, the only indication that her words had any effect on him at all. But instead of responding with more cold indifference, he stood up, stepping out from behind his desk and closing the distance between them. Emme's breath caught in her throat as he approached, his presence overwhelming in the confined space of the office. He was tall, his broad shoulders casting a shadow over her smaller frame, and for the first time, she felt a flicker of something other than anger-something she refused to acknowledge.

"I don't expect you to understand," Alex said quietly, his voice suddenly softer, though no less firm. "But this is the way the world works. It's not about being heartless. It's about survival. And if you can't learn that, you'll be eaten alive."

The intensity of his gaze sent a shiver down Emme's spine. There was something behind those cold eyes-something deeper, something wounded-but before she could process it, the icy wall was back up, shutting her out once more. She hated that part of her was intrigued by him, even as her rational mind screamed that he was the enemy.

"I won't let you take everything I've worked for without a fight," Emme shot back, her voice steady now, filled with determination. "You may think you can crush anyone who stands in your way, but I'm not giving up. You'll have to find another way to expand, because I won't be bulldozed by you or anyone else."

A tense silence filled the room as they stood mere inches apart, both unwilling to back down. The air was thick with animosity, but there was an underlying tension that neither of them could deny. It wasn't romantic, not yet-but it was electric, charged with the collision of their opposing worlds.

For the first time, Alex didn't have a quick retort. Instead, he simply stared at her, his expression unreadable. Emma could feel her heart pounding in her chest, and despite her anger, she couldn't ignore the strange, inexplicable pull she felt toward him. It was maddening, confusing, and she hated herself for even feeling it.

Finally, Alex broke the silence. "We'll see about that, Ms. Carter," he said, his voice low and dangerous. "But don't mistake your passion for strength. This world is unforgiving, and sometimes the only way to survive is to be as cold as it demands."

With that, he turned and walked back to his desk, dismissing her without another word. Emme stood there for a moment, her emotions swirling inside her-anger, frustration, and that nagging sense of attraction she couldn't shake. She hated him. She hated him with every fiber of her being. But as she stormed out of his office, one thought lingered in her mind: why did she want to know more about the man behind the ice?

And as for Alex, as he watched her leave, the ghost of a frown flickered across his face. He had built his empire by being untouchable, by keeping his heart locked away where no one could reach it. But Emma Carter-fierce, determined, and frustratingly warm-was starting to make him question the walls he had so carefully built.