His Favorite Distraction
Chapter 1: The Boss Nobody Likes
It was another brisk Monday morning in Manhattan. Madison Torres clutched her coffee as she stepped into the sleek glass tower of Weston & Grey Consulting, heels clicking on marble.
Everyone around her scurried nervously, whispering about him.
Nicholas Grey, CEO, terror of Wall Street, and her boss.
Nicholas Grey (ML)
(Tapping his pen impatiently) Madison. You’re late. Again.
Madison Torres (FL)
(Setting her coffee down on his desk) It’s 8:58.
Madison Torres (FL)
I’m two minutes early. You’re just… impossible.
Nicholas Grey (ML)
(Tilting his head with a sharp glare) Excuse me?
Madison Torres (FL)
(Shrugging) Oh, don’t give me that look.
Madison Torres (FL)
I brought you black coffee. Two sugars. You’re welcome.
Nicholas Grey (ML)
(Staring at her, sighs) Hmph. At least you know how to make it right.
Madison Torres (FL)
(Sits, flipping open her tablet) Good morning to you too, Mr. Grey.
Nicholas Grey (ML)
(Deadpan) It was… until you walked in.
Madison Torres (FL)
(Grins) Liar. You’d miss me if I quit.
Nicholas Grey (ML)
(Quiet, glances up) Don’t even joke about that.
Her friends always asked why she stayed in this job. Why did she put up with a man who could freeze hell with his glare.
Maybe because, deep down, she could see a little crack in his cold armor every time he looked at her.
And maybe, just maybe… she liked being his favorite distraction.
Chapter 2: A Crack in the Ice
Madison wasn’t sure what annoyed her more Nicholas’s constant scowling or how good he looked doing it. That morning, she was organizing his calendar when she noticed something strange. He’d actually been quiet for five whole minutes.
She peeked up and caught him… staring.
Madison Torres (FL)
(Arching a brow) What? Do I have something on my face?
Nicholas Grey (ML)
(Quickly looking back at his laptop) No.
Madison Torres (FL)
(Smirking) Are you sure? You’re staring at me like I’m a spreadsheet you don’t understand.
Nicholas Grey (ML)
(Flat) Don’t flatter yourself.
Madison Torres (FL)
(Laughing softly) Too late. Already did.
Nicholas Grey (ML)
(Look at her, then sighs) You’re impossible.
Madison Torres (FL)
(Shrugs) And yet… irreplaceable.
Nicholas Grey (ML)
(Muttering) Unfortunately.
Later, she stepped into the break room to find Lila blowing up her phone.
Lila (FL best friend)
👀 Sooo… how’s Mr. CEO of Doom today? Still glaring holes into your soul?
Madison Torres (FL)
Nah. Today he’s just… weirdly quiet. Like… softer.
Lila (FL best friend)
Softer? Girl.
Lila (FL best friend)
Don’t tell me you’re starting to like that man.
Madison Torres (FL)
🙄 Please.
Madison Torres (FL)
I’d sooner date a cactus.
Lila (FL best friend)
Mhm.
Lila (FL best friend)
Keep telling yourself that.
When she returned to his office, she caught Nicholas watching her again this time, with something that almost looked like… warmth.
And just like that, Madison felt her own heart skip a beat.
What the hell was happening?
Chapter 3: The Dinner Bet
By Thursday, the office was buzzing about the big presentation Nicholas, and Madison were preparing for. As usual, he was impossible to please and she was impossible to intimidate.
Which made the tension between them even harder to ignore.
Nicholas Grey (ML)
(Pointing at her notes) This? This is what you’re bringing to the table?
Madison Torres (FL)
(Leaning on his desk) Yes, because unlike you, I actually know how to talk to people without freezing their blood.
Nicholas Grey (ML)
(Deadpan) And yet you’re still single.
Madison Torres (FL)
(Gasping) Excuse you?
Nicholas Grey (ML)
(Smirking faintly) You heard me.
Madison Torres (FL)
(Folding her arms) Fine. If I can charm the client tomorrow better than you can, you owe me dinner.
Nicholas Grey (ML)
(Looks up slowly) Dinner?
Madison Torres (FL)
A real restaurant. Not one of your soulless boardrooms.
Nicholas Grey (ML)
(Studying her with a faint smile) Fine.
Nicholas Grey (ML)
But if I impress them more… you stop talking for the rest of the day.
Madison Torres (FL)
(Snickering) Deal. Like you’d survive a whole dinner with me anyway.
Nicholas Grey (ML)
(Low) Oh, you’d be surprised.
That night, Madison recounted everything to Lila over wine in her tiny Bronx apartment.
Lila (FL best friend)
(Grinning wickedly) Girl… a bet? Dinner?
Lila (FL best friend)
That man is so into you, and you’re too stubborn to see it.
Madison rolled her eyes. But as she lay in bed later, her phone lit up.
From: Nicholas Grey
“Don’t wear anything ridiculous tomorrow. It’s important.”
Her heart skipped. Again.
Download NovelToon APP on App Store and Google Play
