🏢🏢🏢

"Aisshhh!...Nothing ever works out perfectly for me," Emily pouted her lips and angrily tossed away the unopened soju bottle.

She took a deep breath, propping herself up on her elbows, and gazed at herself in the mirror, clicking her tongue disapprovingly. "Tsk tsk tsk," she muttered.

But then, a small smile appeared on her face. "You're such a failure, Emily," she whispered to her reflection.

"Ahhh, getting dumped today was actually a good thing," she declared, nodding vigorously.

Emily stood up from the chair and grabbed a sweater from her closet. She slipped on her slippers, put on her earmuffs, and took the last bit of cash from her purse before heading out of her studio apartment.

She had decided to visit a bar and have a cocktail shake.

🏬🏬🏬

In a certain corporation, the conference room was as cold as ever, not because of the air conditioners, but due to the CEO of Empire World Corporation being in an unusually foul mood. He had never been known for his good temper, but that day seemed to be exceptionally worse.

The officials had been kept in the room for four straight hours. Even though some of them were older than him, none dared to complain.

Despite the air conditioners functioning perfectly, everyone in the conference room was sweating profusely, feeling the heat rather than the cold. The CEO's presence created an icy atmosphere that sent shivers down their spines.

Joel lazily rested his left elbow on the arm of his office chair, raising his left hand slightly in the air, signaling his personal assistant, Noah, to stop reading.

"Thank you, Lord Jesus," Noah inwardly cried with relief. He had been reading the week's agenda non-stop for hours.

"That's enough for today," Joel stated, his voice cool but sending chills through the officials.

There was an inherent coldness in his voice, just like his entire demeanor.

Slowly, Joel stood up, buttoned his well-ironed tuxedo, and took long strides out of the conference room. The officials quickly stood up and bowed, not daring to make eye contact with him. His chilling aura prevented them from even attempting to do so.

Their eyes remained fixed on their scripts until Joel left the room. As soon as they were certain the CEO and his assistant had departed, they hurriedly packed their documents and scattered in different directions. Some of them had been trembling from hunger during the never-ending meeting.

While Joel made his way out of the corporation, the few people who crossed his path bowed their heads in fear, unable to control their fidgeting due to the cold aura emanating from him.

Joel stepped into his private elevator, and just as the doors were about to close, his assistant rushed in, panting.

"My boss's legs are always too fast. Oh, life is so unfair to me," Noah inwardly lamented. He had barely made it into the elevator in time.

Once the elevator reached the ground floor, Joel strode towards his car, with Noah run-walking behind him.

Suddenly, something caught Joel's attention, causing him to stop abruptly. Noah, unaware of his boss's sudden halt, crashed into him.

Joel turned around and cast his cold gaze upon his assistant.

"I... I'm sorry, sir," Noah stuttered, breaking into a cold sweat. He immediately bowed his head, avoiding direct eye contact.

Ignoring his assistant's foolishness, Joel twitched his lips in annoyance.

"Hand over my car key," he ordered, staring expressionlessly at Noah.

"S-s-sir?" Noah stammered again, unable to meet his boss's gaze as the CEO of Empire World Corporation.

Joel's face darkened. He despised having to repeat himself, and Noah knew it too well.

Noah gulped nervously. Even without looking at his boss, he could feel the sudden coldness coursing down his spine.

DON'T MAKE ME REPEAT MYSELF...

Noah retrieved the car key from his pocket, fidgeting, and handed it over to Joel.

With a swift motion, Joel snatched the key from Noah's hand and entered his sleek silver Benz.

"Good night, boss," Noah bowed.

The screeching sound of the CEO's car leaving Empire World Corporation was Noah's only reply.

Noah raised his head and opened his mouth, but then he shook his head, dismissing his thoughts.

🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹

"Y-yo-you need to see the way he yelled at me," Emily hiccupped.

Earlier, when she arrived at the bar, she had been accosted by a gang who wanted to harass her. Luckily, a guy came to her rescue. Being drunk, she took the opportunity to vent about her recent breakup since she had no one else to confide in.

Her savior shook his head sympathetically. "Oh, what a loss..."

"Ani...na?" Emily looked at the guy with drunken confusion.

"I don't mean you. I mean the guy who dumped you," her savior clarified, offering her a smile.

"Yeah, he even called me ugly... tsk tsk tsk," Emily clicked her tongue, expressing her displeasure.

"Hmph. He's blind," her savior grinned.

"Exactly! Even a blind man could see how beautiful I am!" Emily declared, propping herself up on her left elbow.

Her savior raised an eyebrow, as if hearing something, and then stood up.

"I have to go now, miss," he smiled down at the intoxicated beauty.

"Ahhh... arasso," Emily nodded her head, understanding.

"May I know your name, miss?" her savior asked as he prepared to leave.

"Emily," she smiled in response.

"Thank you, Miss Emily. Goodbye," her savior smiled and walked out of the bar.

After her savior departed, Emily continued drinking for a while longer before deciding it was time to leave.

"Ahhh... I better start going too," she staggered to her feet, blindly making her way out of the bar.

Emily had barely taken ten steps into the middle of the road when she felt a sharp pain in her arm and collapsed onto the ground.

"What the fuck," Joel softly cursed under his breath. He stepped out of his car and checked the bonnet and wings to see if there was any damage. Once satisfied that his car remained unscathed, he breathed a sigh of relief.

Looking down at the girl lying on the road, he squatted beside her. Seeing that she was unconscious, he scooped her up in a bridal carry, opened the backdoor of his car, and gently placed her in the backseat. He then got into the car and drove away.

After driving for a while, Joel spotted a hospital by the roadside. He pressed the brake and parked the car. Stepping out of the driver's side, he opened the backseat and carried the girl into the hospital.

Joel strode purposefully into the hospital and handed the girl over to the first nurse he encountered. The nurses at the front desk couldn't help but drool as they stared at Joel, the city's sweetheart and the CEO of Empire World Corporation. They gasped and whispered among themselves, never having imagined he would be in their hospital.

Ignoring the lingering gazes of the nurses, Joel reached into his pocket and pulled out a lighter and a pack of cigarettes. However, upon noticing the "No Smoking" sign on the wall, he discarded the pack and lighter into the nearest trash can. He sat on a bench in the corridor, paying no attention to the nurses around him.

After a while, a male doctor approached the front desk and engaged in a conversation with the nurses. One of the nurses pointed towards Joel, and the doctor nodded before heading in Joel's direction.

As the doctor approached, he caught a full view of Joel's face and trembled in fear.

"Mr. Joel?! The CEO of Empire World?" he stammered nervously, quickly bowing.

"The girl, how is she?" Joel asked, his voice cold.

"She... she is okay. Just a broken leg and dislocated arm. She passed out from shock," the doctor replied, swallowing nervously.

Joel nodded in acknowledgement. "Good. Noah will take care of the expenses." He stood up.

"Yes, sir," the doctor bowed.

Who in the hospital didn't know Noah, the handsome personal assistant to the extraordinarily handsome CEO?

"Good night, sir," the doctor bowed again.

"Take me to her," Joel's mouth twitched.

"Ye?" the doctor stared at him, bewildered.

(✍🏾A/N: "ye" means "yes.")

Joel's expression darkened.

"Ah, yes," the doctor quickly corrected himself, bowing once more.

"This way, sir," he said, leading the way to the girl's ward.

The doctor stopped in front of a door, about to open it when Joel halted him with his cold voice.

"Leave," he ordered dismissively.

"Ahh, ye." The doctor bowed again and quickly made his exit.

Joel's eyes scanned the door for a while before he creaked it open. He closed it behind him and took long strides towards the girl lying on the hospital bed with her left hand and leg bandaged. He stared at her for a while before taking his seat, watching her as she breathed softly... the girl looked so fragile and naive.

Back at a certain villa, Little Pumpkin kept walking back and forth, continuously checking through the window as if waiting for someone to drive in. After checking the driveway through the window for the umpteenth time, he climbed down from the chair and walked towards his father.

"Dad..." he called out.

"Huh?" Michael looked up at him from the settee he was sitting on.

"Is Uncle JJ not coming back home tonight?" Little Pumpkin asked keenly as he sat down next to his father.

"I don't know." his father groaned.

"How can you not know when you are his brother?" Little Pumpkin pouted.

"Arghhh, I don't have any supernatural power." his father rolled his eyes.

"Besides, it's my day off today and I didn't go to the company. There's no way I would have known he wasn't coming back home tonight." Michael explained frustratedly.

"You should sleep, you're going to school tomorrow." he quickly added.

"Ani." Little Pumpkin shook his head negatively.

(A/N: Ani is one of the shortened forms of "no")

"I want to wait till Uncle JJ comes back." he pouted stubbornly.

"Uwa!" Michael facepalmed himself as he stared at his son.

(A/N: Uwa means "wow")

There he is, stubbornly waiting for his brother, but he wouldn't wait if it were to be him— his father... Maybe Joel gave birth to the boy.

Michael sneered.

"Dad, why don't you call him?" Pumpkin stared eagerly at his father.

"Ok..." Michael groaned as he picked up his phone and dialed Joel's number.

Joel was still studying the girl on the hospital bed when he felt his phone vibrate in his pocket. He brought it out and checked the caller's ID before swiping up the answer icon.

"Are you still coming home tonight?" Michael asked as soon as he had placed the phone on his ear.

He didn't bother with pleasantries. He knew his younger brother too well. Joel didn't like pleasantries.

"No," Joel replied.

"Why?" Michael asked.

Joel stared at the girl on the bed for a second before looking away. "Busy."

"Ok then, g'night." Michael yawned.

The phone went 'beep'. Joel hung up.

Michael turned to face his five-year-old son, who, to the best of his knowledge, was too intelligent for his age.

"So?..." Little Pumpkin stared keenly at his father.

"He isn't coming." Michael broke the bombshell.

"Awwwwwwww..." Little Pumpkin pouted in disappointment and sank into the couch.

"Let me take you to your room. You'll see him when you get back from school tomorrow." Michael stood up, and gently, he carried the fragile boy on his shoulder.

He felt sorry for the boy. Ever since the incident happened, Little Pumpkin had grown so fond of Joel since he usually spent so much time with him. He had grown so close to Joel that he shared with Joel a bond he didn't even share with him— his father. Little Pumpkin loved Joel just as much as Joel loved him.

"I hate school." Pumpkin muttered silently as he rested his head on his father's shoulder.

Michael sighed as he headed towards Little Pumpkin's room. As soon as one of the maids opened the door to Little Pumpkin's room for him, he walked in, to the bed, and lay the little boy, who was already fast asleep, on it. He kissed his forehead, switched off the light, and walked out of Little Pumpkin's room.

Michael walked into his room and fell flat on his bed, his eyes to the ceiling. He entwined his hands slightly above his head as a tear escaped from his left eye and streamed down onto the pillow.

🏥🏥🏥

After watching the girl for a little while, Joel picked his phone from his lap and dialed his assistant's number.

#Beep

Noah yawned into the mouthpiece of his phone. "Hello."

It was pretty obvious that he was already fast asleep before he answered his phone.

"Tomorrow morning, come to the hospital. I'll text you the address now." Joel stated bluntly and hung up, giving no room for Noah to talk.

Noah, who was already very sleepy, widened his eyes immediately he heard his boss' voice. The sleep vanished from his eyes, and he hastily digested everything his boss had said. He knew his boss never repeated himself a second time.

After a short while, his phone dinged—a message from his boss.

Very quickly, Noah opened the message and saw that it was the address of the hospital his boss had mentioned. He stayed awake for a short while, and after confirming his boss wasn't going to call back, he went back to peaceful slumber.

🏥🏥🏥

After he sent the message to his assistant, Joel returned his phone to his pocket and spent the whole night watching the girl on the hospital bed without blinking an eye.

🌄🌄🌄

As soon as it was dawn, Noah drove straight to the address his boss had sent him the previous night. Without introducing himself, the nurses already knew who he was and who he came for as soon as they saw him step into the hospital.

Who didn't know the CEO's cute personal assistant NOAH WILSON?

Immediately, one of the nurses led him to the ward Joel was in.

Noah didn't know why his boss was in the hospital.

"Did he have an accident..."

"Did one of his enemies attack him..."

He wondered worriedly as the nurse led him to the ward. Since his boss was a successful businessman and the richest businessman in the country, and as much as he had a lot of people who loved him, he also had a lot of them who hated him.

Noah thought one of his boss' enemies had laid an ambush for him the previous night.

The nurse brought him to the ward and opened it for him to enter before closing it after him and leaving for the reception.

Noah walked further into the ward and saw a very beautiful lady lying on the bed. Even the blind would know she was beautiful. He stared at the lady before starting at his boss.

He walked quickly and stood beside his boss. He bowed to him and turned back to look at the lady, whose left arm and leg were bandaged. He furrowed his brows, trying to figure out what had happened. Since he was a very intelligent person, he easily deduced what had happened— his boss had hit the lady with his car.

Noah looked down at his boss and saw that he was staring at the lady on the bed.

🌅🌅🌅

Around 10 am that morning, Emily opened her eyes slowly. She looked up at the white ceiling.

'huh?...when did I repaint my room?' She twitched her lips to a side.

She racked her brain but didn't remember repainting her room. Then it occurred to her that the room she was in wasn't hers. Hastily, she turned her head to the left, and lo and behold, an extraordinarily handsome man was sitting next to the bed she was lying on. She raised her head a bit, and a handsome man was standing right next to the handsome man. Although the man wasn't as handsome as the other one, he wasn't bad either.

Emily trailed her eyes back to the very gorgeous man and stared at him for a while longer.

'There's something about this man, his expression hasn't changed since I opened my eyes...' Emily blinked her eyes rapidly. 'No smile, just a straight static look.' The thought of it sent chills down her spine.

She made to sit up and rest her back against the wall when she felt a sharp pain around her hand.

"Siiiii..." She hissed in pain.

"Sorry," Noah pouted as he watched the pretty lady hiss in pain.

Emily looked up at him and smiled. She then stared back at the handsome man and noticed his face still had the same cold expression as before.

"Errr, how did I end up here?" She asked, staring intently at the handsome man.

"You got hit," Noah quickly replied.

Emily diverted her eyes from the handsome man and stared at the other man standing nearby.

She squeezed her eyes shut as she tried to recollect what had happened. A few moments later, she opened her eyes. She didn't remember a thing.

"By who?" She asked.

Her eyes darted back to the 'man' as if she was expecting him to reply.

"By..." Noah choked on his words as he sensed his boss's body go stiff beside him. His body was always stiff, but now it got even stiffer.

"By?" Emily raised her brows and looked up at him, not sensing that the atmosphere in the room had gotten even colder.

"Errr...," Noah stuttered and pointed his index finger at his boss.

Emily followed his hand and stared at Joel.

"You hit me?" She asked.

No reply.

"Yah... I'm talking to you," she frowned.

(A/N: Yah means hey)

Still, no reply.

"Erm, is he deaf and dumb?" She looked up at Noah.

"Hurgh, hurgh, hurgh," Noah coughed nervously, his whole body suddenly paralyzed in fear.

'...if only this lady knew who she is talking to...' he gulped.

"Yah!" Emily stared back at Joel.

"Are you really blind?" She waved her right hand over his face.

"Uwa! Even if you are, are you deaf too?" she stared at him in all seriousness.

"Errrr, Miss..." Noah called as he stole a glance at her finger, noticing no ring.

"Mwo?" Emily asked, not looking away from the mute man.

(A/N: Mwo means what)

"Errr... do you not know us?" Noah asked keenly.

Judging from the way the lady was talking, it was either she didn't know them or she was pretending—everyone in the country knew them.

"I mean...do you not know him?" Noah pointed at his boss.

At least, if she didn't know him, she'd know his boss. Everybody knew his boss. Everyone.

"Anyo." Emily shook her head negatively.

(A/N: anyo is another shortened form of no)

"Y-yo-you truly don't?" Jude stuttered.

"Ani." Emily shrugged her shoulders.

'Oh my, which planet is she from?' Noah blinked his eyes rapidly.

"But...." Emily pursed her lips.

"But?..." Noah stared at her with rapt attention.

'Maybe she finally recollects.' he thought.

"I think I've seen him somewhere before..." Emily narrowed her eyes and placed her right hand on her chin as if thinking deeply.

"Hmmmmm....." She hummed thoughtfully.

"Think deep..." Noah cheered her on.

"Ahhh!...Now I remember!" Emily grinned and snapped her fingers.

"So?.." Noah grinned at her expectantly.

"Hmn...I think I've seen him at Quick Wash before." Emily clicked her tongue.

"Quick Wash?...what is Quick Wash?" Noah stared at her bewilderedly.

Joel arched up his brows.

"It's a laundry." Emily grinned.

"You work there, right?" She turned to face Joel.

"Hurgh hurgh hurgh." Noah coughed in astonishment as his heart got shattered into pieces.

He stole a glance at his boss as he felt the room go cold from his boss's static body.

"Why is there so much cold?.." Emily asked rhetorically, looking around.

"The fan is not on..." she twitched up her lips and wrapped her right arm around her body.

Noah bit his lower lip, staring awkwardly at his boss as his aura grew even colder.

"Does boss look like someone who works in a laundry?" Noah quickly asked.

"...." Emily pouted and stared at the god...

'He looks so handsome. His tuxedo, well-ironed,... broad shoulders. Hmmmmm, he doesn't work in a laundry.' Emily shook her head.

"Hmmn, so if he doesn't work there, who is he then?" She looked up at Noah.

"Boss is the C..." Noah's voice trailed off as he noticed his boss's body go stiffer.

'Does he not want me to tell her?...' He rubbed his sweaty palms.

"Errr..., I'll go ask the doctor when you can be discharged." Noah quickly walked towards the door, excusing himself from the very tense atmosphere.

He wasn't ready to get beheaded by his boss.

Emily returned her gaze to the handsome mute god and continued to stare at him.

'Is he deaf and dumb?' She thought as he also watched her with keen intent.

"You are free to go home," Noah announced, grinning as he walked back into the ward.

"Really?" Emily raised her shaggy brows at him.

"Yeah. The doctor says you can come back after a few weeks to get rid of the bandage and the crutch." Noah replied, smiling sweetly at the pretty lady.

"So, umm... how do I get home?" Emily stared blankly at him.

"Your family members," Joel spoke up for the first time, his face expressionless.

"Uwa!" Emily wowed, turning her head to him.

"Di-di-did he j-j-jus-just talk?!" She looked up at Noah.

"Uhn." Noah nodded his head.

"Uwa!" Emily smiled.

"But my family...they don't live around here." She pouted, her smile suddenly vanishing.

"He'll take you home as compensation then," Joel spoke up calmly but coldly.

"But... that's not enough compensation..." Emily scratched her head, feeling uncertain.

Joel snapped his fingers at Noah, indicating that he should take care of it. Understanding his boss's intent, Noah swiftly left the ward and returned shortly with a checkbook and a pen in hand. He filled in some details, tore out a check, and handed it to Emily along with the pen.

"You can fill in any amount you want," Noah said with a smile.

"What?!... any amount?" Emily blinked rapidly, staring at the blank check.

"Yes," Noah confirmed, clasping his hands together. "Boss here is a very generous man."

"Ah... so, if I fill in thirty billion won, he won't be affected?" Emily asked, pointing at Joel.

"No, that's not possible," Noah grinned.

"Huh?" Emily's mouth fell open.

"Well, how about... one trillion won?" Emily asked, her eyes fixed on the check.

"Can I write that?" she inquired, licking her lips as she eyed the check.

"Um... yes," Noah replied hesitantly.

"Ah..." Emily nodded slowly.

"What about one thousand trillion won?" Emily dipped the pen in her mouth and chewed on the lid.

"Pardon?" Noah grimaced, astonished at Emily's audacity.

Joel stared blankly at Emily while she stared intently at Noah.

"Yes," he replied in a low, nasal voice.

"No?" Noah quickly turned to his boss, disbelief evident in his eyes.

"He can give you that amount if you want," Joel said, his gaze unwaveringly fixed on Emily, paying no attention to his assistant's astonishment.

"What?!!!" Noah turned to his boss in disbelief, his eyes almost popping out of their sockets.

"He must be very, very, very rich!" Emily thought, assessing Joel with her eyes.

Deciding to test him further, she blurted out, "So... what if I want all the money in your bank account?" She stared intently at the handsome man before her.

"Huh?... ah, you can't," Noah stuttered, wondering if Emily was a gold digger.

"It's bank accounts, and you can have all the money," Joel replied, his gaze still fixed on Emily.

"Huh?... but with an 's'?" Emily almost choked.

"He must be incredibly wealthy!" she bit her lip.

Emily stared at Joel for a moment, sighed, and said, "I was joking."

"You didn't disappoint me," one side of Joel's mouth curled up in a smirk.

He knew she was joking all along, merely playing along with her.

"Aigoo," Noah breathed a sigh of relief.

"I don't want any money," Emily tossed the check aside.

"Huh?" Noah stared at her in astonishment.

"Not interested," Emily shook her head.

"Why?" Noah pouted, wondering why anyone would refuse money.

"Why do you rich people think money is everything... Tsk, tsk, tsk," Emily clicked her tongue.

"What do you want then?" Noah asked, genuinely curious.

"I live alone, and like this..." She paused, gesturing to her bandaged arm and leg. "...I can't manage on my own, it won't be convenient," she sniffed.

"So... you're saying that..." Noah began.

"Go live with your family," Joel interjected, cutting Noah off.

"I can't," Emily vigorously shook her head.

"Then?" Joel arched his eyebrows, his gaze coldly fixed on Emily.

"Let me live with you until I'm fully healed," Emily licked her lips feverishly as she stared at the statue-like man with the piercing gaze.

"As compensation..." she added slowly.

"Who?" Joel fur

rowed his brows.

"Um, me," Emily stammered, pointing to herself.

"You can't," Joel dismissed her.

He looked up at Noah and said, "Take her home and give her money if she changes her mind."

Joel took a glance at his dazzling wristwatch, stood up, and made his way to the door with confident strides.

Emily stared earnestly at his back and pleaded, "Please."

Without looking back or pausing for a second, Joel reached for the doorknob, turned it, and walked out of the ward.

Noah bit his lip as he watched the pitiful woman on the hospital bed. He helped her get down from the bed and handed her the crutch by the bedside.

"Thank you," Emily let out a faint smile.

She twitched her lips as they walked out of the ward. "Um, but I don't know your name..."

Noah smiled. "Ah, I'm Noah."

Emily returned his smile with a broad one. "Emily. I'm Emily."

🚗🚗🚗

Noah broke the silence as he drove away from the hospital. "Please don't be mad at Boss."

Emily shook her head. "No, I'm not mad at him."

"He's always like that. It's his personality," Noah sighed.

"I see..." Emily nodded thoughtfully.

Noah spent the rest of the drive taking directions from Emily while she provided guidance.

Emily pointed at a junction just ahead. "You can drop me off here. I'll find my way home."

"Why? Let me drop you off at home," Noah protested.

"No, it's fine here," Emily smiled hesitantly as Noah parked the car by the roadside.

Noah opened the door for her and watched as she struggled to get out of the car.

"Be careful," he smiled, concerned.

"Yes," Emily smiled and closed the door with her right hand.

"You don't want the money?" he asked.

"No," she replied, still smiling.

Noah pondered for a moment before nodding. "Okay."

"Thank you," she bowed repeatedly as Noah drove off, waving at her.

She waited until the car was out of sight and sighed, "Whew..."

She turned around and headed to one of the places she worked, Hot'n'Chilly.