The CEO and His Secretary's Secret

Emily was sitting in her office chair in a corner office in one of New York's business districts. From the large glass window on the side of her room, she could see the magnificent view of New York City, with its towering skyscrapers.

Her eyes occasionally glanced at her cell phone, waiting for a reply from her boyfriend, who had disappeared without a word in the past two weeks. Emily, with her hair always tied neatly in a pigtail, and the glasses that always faithfully adorned both eyeballs, made her look lame. Despite her unattractive appearance, she already had a boyfriend and was planning to get married.

"He doesn't even have any news today. Did he also forget my birthday?" Emily muttered with a long sigh. Even her father didn't forget to wish her a 'happy birthday' before he went to the office. How could her boyfriend forget her birthday?

Emily tried to ignore her feelings by continuing to type on her computer when suddenly her cell phone rang and she saw the words 'my boyfriend' on the screen.

"Ethan? Where have you been for the past two weeks?" Emily asked with annoyance.

"I'm sorry, Emily. I went on vacation with my friend abroad, so I took some time off," Ethan said in a slightly guilty tone.

"On vacation? You should have given me some news. I was so worried about you," Emily said with disappointment.

"I forgot to check in with you because I've been so busy with my work lately before going on vacation with them. Oh yeah, I wanted to tell you that tonight I have a reunion with my schoolmates planned, so we can't meet," Ethan said, which made Emily even more upset.

"Forgot to tell me?" Emily paused her question with her eyes glazing over before continuing. "Did you also forget what day it was?" asked Emily in a tone that rose.

"Of course, it's Wednesday. What's wrong, Emily?" replied Ethan with confusion.

Emily's face turned red, holding back the emotions in her heart. The disappointment and resentment she felt was growing. She felt ignored and disrespected by Ethan, especially on her birthday, which should be a special moment.

"Today is my birthday. How could you forget it?" asked Emily in a sad tone.

Ethan felt surprised. He immediately confirmed the date in front of him and patted his forehead slowly for having forgotten his girlfriend's special day.

"I'm sorry, Emily. I forgot your birthday. Really, I didn't mean to hurt you," Ethan said in a voice full of regret.

"Why have you changed? You have less and less time for me. Even if we plan to get married," said Emily with a sense of disappointment.

Ethan felt annoyed by Emily's attitude. He felt he had given an explanation and hoped Emily would understand.

"What changed from me? Never mind, I don't want to fight with you," Ethan said in a slightly frustrated tone.

"Of course you changed. You didn't even tell me when you went on vacation. I feel you've never considered me, even though I've been trying to understand you all this time. I feel that our relationship is no longer full of love and warmth like it used to be. I feel you're getting further away from me," Emily said with a voice full of emptiness.

"Em, I don't have time to fight with you right now. I'm very busy. I'll call you back later," Ethan said hurriedly, before disconnecting the phone.

Emily felt dissapointed and hurt by Ethan's seemingly indifferent attitude. Her tears fell down her cheeks. She took a deep breath and try to focus on her tasks. But her mind was very difficult to focus on right now.

However, in the silence of that reverie, the sound of firm footsteps approached. Emily stood up, welcoming the man who was none other than her CEO, a figure who always implied icy coldness. His strapping stature was simply stunning, earning him the respect of all employees and business associates.

Despite his young age, he could shake people's perception of the meaning of age. His leadership has led the company to flourish, demonstrating that age doesn't define capability.

He is Daniel Winston, a 32-year-old young CEO. Work is everything to him. Many call him the 'ice prince' because of his cold nature, yet his presence exudes the charm of a prince.

At three, he still lives alone with no desire to find a partner or get married.

"Good morning, sir," Emily greeted in a soft voice, holding her breath when she saw her superior had arrived, accompanied by his loyal personal assistant beside him. Daniel entered his room immediately, ignoring even Emily's pleasantries. Meanwhile, Daniel's personal assistant smiled at Emily briefly before following Daniel inside.

Cold... that's how Emily felt at the moment. Like a bone-chilling winter wind, the surrounding atmosphere was freezing. Emily immediately rushed to the kitchen, carefully brewing a cup of sugarless coffee. Drop by drop, the fragrant aroma of coffee filled the room, trying to warm up the tense atmosphere.

Emily approached Daniel's room carefully, carrying a cup of coffee that was still emitting warm steam. With slow steps, she knocked on the door and entered the room respectfully.

"Sorry to disturb you, sir," Emily said in a soft voice. She placed the cup of coffee carefully on the table. She focused on the cup she was holding, making sure that no drops fell or the cup slipped from her hand.

After putting it down, Emily excused herself from the room. However, Daniel's cold voice stopped her from going any further. "Emily," he called out.

"Yes, what is it, sir?" asked Emily cautiously.

"Have you finished the document yet?" Daniel asked firmly.

"Yes, sir. I'll get it, just a moment, sir," Emily stammered. She always felt nervous around her boss, as Daniel was always strict and didn't tolerate the slightest mistake.

Emily left the room politely, closing the door gently. After finding the requested documents on her desk, she knocked again and heard Daniel talking to his personal assistant about work. Once their conversation was over, Daniel's personal assistant retreated out of the room.

"Where?" asked Daniel when he saw Emily, who was in front of him now.

"T-this is sir," Emily replied nervously as she placed the document in front of Daniel.

Daniel examined every word in the document carefully before closing it and slightly slamming the document on the table. The audible sigh from her superior made Emily even more nervous. What else had she done wrong this time? That was what she was thinking now.

"Repeat!" was the only word that came out of Daniel's mouth, filling the room with undeniable power and firmness. The voice seemed to echo in Emily's ears, piercing her heart with deep disappointment.

"Excuse me sir, is there something wrong with the document I made?" asked Emily, trying to find out what mistakes she had made.

"There are so many typos in it! Are you serious about your work?"

Emily again tried to confirm the document she had made and finally realized her mistake.

"I'm sorry, sir. I didn't realize there were such mistakes. I will correct it immediately." Emily said while slightly bowing her head.

"Typing mistakes like this can damage the company's reputation and send the wrong information to our clients. As a secretary, you must understand this."

"Sorry, sir."

"Go, redo all the paperwork and get it done today!" Daniel ordered.

After returning to her desk, she realized she had to focus on his current work and complete the task properly. She took a deep breath, wiped away the tears that were about to fall, and restarted her work with determination.

After finishing her work, Emily returned knocking on the door and showing that she had completed her task. Daniel looked at Emily, who was holding the document, and concluded that she had finished her work.

"Alright, give me the document," Daniel said in a calmer voice this time.

Emily handed over the documents to Daniel, hoping that the results of her corrections would meet his expectations. She was relieved to have completed the task well, although there was still a sense of tension in her heart.

Daniel examined the document carefully, this time showing no obvious expression. After a while, he took a deep breath. Emily's hands grew cold as she waited for Daniel's reply.

"Is there something wrong again, sir?" Emily ventured to ask.

"Alright, that's right," Daniel said briefly in a softer tone.

Emily was relieved to hear those words. Although she still felt a little nervous, she felt proud that she had overcome the challenge.

"What is my schedule today?" asked Daniel.

"This morning at 10:30, you have a conference call with a large overseas client. Next, at 12:00 you have lunch with a potential partner at XYZ restaurant. After that, at 2 p.m., you have a meeting with the sales team to discuss strategies to increase the promotion of products and services in conference room A.," Emily said while continuing to explain all the details of Daniel's schedule.

"Okay, make sure all the presentation materials are ready and available. Also, make sure that the meeting room is also well-prepared for any scheduled events.,"

"Yes, sir. I will make sure that all presentation materials are ready and prepared for the meeting rooms properly as needed."

"I also need all the information before a conference call with a big client from overseas," Daniel said with assertiveness.

"Yes, sir. I will immediately prepare all the information for the conference call." Emily replied while bowing her head respectfully before stepping away to complete the task ordered by her superior.

However, Daniel suddenly called her back, making Emily's heart skip a beat. "Wait, Emily."

"I want you to accompany me on my way to meet my business partner tomorrow in Thailand," Daniel ordered firmly.

"What, sir?" asked Emily, unable to believe what she had just heard. Normally, Daniel always went on business trips with his personal assistant.

"Were my words unclear to you?" asked Daniel with a sigh, looking rather reluctant to repeat himself.

"I'm sorry, sir. I didn't mean that. I meant... It's..." Emily stammered as she tried to explain.

"Accompany me tomorrow on a trip to meet a business partner in Thailand. Is that clear?" said Daniel slowly, trying not to repeat himself.

"Y-yes, sir," Emily replied, but a look of doubt was clear on her face.

"Why are you afraid to go on a business trip with me? Do I look like someone who would do something to you?" Daniel asked.

"Of course not, sir. I'm just confused because Mr. Richard usually accompanies you," Emily said a little nervously.

"Richard can't accompany me on this trip because he has to take tomorrow off," Daniel explained.

"Yes, sir. I will accompany you," Emily said while still standing in front of Daniel for fear that her boss would say something more. But after waiting for a long time, Daniel said nothing at all.

"Why are you still here?" asked Daniel, looking at Emily, who was still standing in front of him.

"Eh? I'm sorry, sir," said Emily, about to leave Daniel's room, but because of her lack of caution, she tripped and fell. The sound of Emily falling made Daniel immediately turn to her.

"What happened to you?" asked Daniel, with an annoyed face.

"It's nothing, sir. I'm sorry," Emily said as she stood up and rushed out of Daniel's room.

Daniel shook his head at his secretary's behavior and exhaled harshly. After that, he refocused on the documents on his desk.

"Ouch, my knee hurts," Emily hissed as she winced in pain and stroked her aching knee.

"Should I really go with him on this business trip? He's so cold and scary," Emily muttered.

"Not to mention that he's so arrogant. Why do I have to end up being his secretary?" Emily muttered softly, cursing her bad luck.

Emily took out her cell phone, then typed a message to send to Ethan.

After you're done with your reunion, come see me. No excuses.

The hours passed quickly, and it was finally time for Emily to return home after completing all the daily tasks according to the set schedule. She closed her computer and moved towards the elevator. Along the corridor, Emily saw that Daniel Winston had not yet returned to his room, probably because of his busy schedule. Emily looked at her phone again and there was a message notification.

I'll see you later but it's a bit late, after my reunion is over.

After getting into her car, Emily immediately started the engine and drove down the street. Just as Emily was leaving, Daniel arrived at the company with his personal assistant. He rushed to the elevator and pressed the floor number where his office was located.

"Sir, there was a message earlier that the chairperson invited you to dinner at his residence tonight," Daniel's personal assistant said as he relayed the message.

"Alright, I'll be there later," Daniel said.

"Yes, sir," replied his personal assistant.

Daniel walked towards his office after the elevator stopped right at the floor he wanted to go to.

***

After Emily arrived home, she saw her father had returned from work.

"How was your day, Em?" her father asked.

"Bad, Dad," Emily replied.

"Who has treated my daughter badly today? I'll fight him for you," said Fred.

"Will you fight my boss for me too?" asked Emily with a smile.

"Of course I'd be happy to do that for you," said Fred, making Emily laugh.

"Dad, don't you want to get married again?" asked Emily, hoping her father could find a replacement for her mother.

"Do you want to kick me out of this house?" asked Fred to his daughter in a joking tone.

"That's right. I want to kick Dad out of the house," Emily said with a laugh.

"I'm not getting married until I walk you down the aisle to your future husband at the wedding. I need to see my daughter happy first," Fred said sincerely.

Hearing Fred's words made Emily speechless. The kindness of her father, who loved her so much, touched her. For a moment, she reflected on her relationship with Ethan and felt that all the love Ethan gave her already felt very different.

"Em, what's wrong with you? Why do you look sad like that? Shouldn't you be happy that today is your birthday?" asked Fred with concern.

"I don't know, Dad," Emily replied in a weak voice.

"Don't you have anything going on with Ethan today?" asked Fred curiously.

"It might be a bit late," replied Emily.

Finally, as Ethan had promised, he came to see Emily a little later in the evening after the reunion with his friends had ended.

"Hello, Ethan. How are you?" asked Fred.

"Fine, Uncle. I want to pick up Emily," said Ethan, asking Fred for permission.

After asking permission, they immediately left the house.

"I'll go first, Dad." said Emily.

"Be careful on the road, okay?"

"Then, if you'll excuse us, Uncle," said Ethan, Fred only responded with a smile.

When she got into Ethan's car, Emily seemed more silent. She was still very upset with Ethan.

After a while, they finally arrived at a restaurant. Emily and Ethan sat in the restaurant. They felt a tense atmosphere between them.

"Are you still mad at me?" asked Ethan, carefully starting the conversation.

"Of course," Emily replied in a stern tone. Pain and disappointment were clear in her eyes.

Ethan sighed, trying to explain himself. "Em..." he said quietly, making Emily turn to him.

"I'm disappointed in you because it's like you don't think of me as your lover. For two weeks now, I've been waiting to hear from you. I was so worried because you just disappeared. Even on my birthday today, you forgot about it," Emily said with an annoyed expression.

Ethan was silent, trying to find the right words to explain his feelings. "Do we have to fight over a little thing like this?" he asked.

"Little things? You disappear without news for two weeks and that's a small thing for you? While I've been anxious about you," Emily looked at Ethan with an incredulous expression.

"Please be honest with me. Did you ever love me? Why do I feel like I'm the only one who hopes for your presence while you don't?" Emily said in a choked voice. Tears ran down her cheeks. She felt angry and upset with Ethan's indifference towards her all this time.

Ethan was silent, not knowing what to answer. He looked at their table, where a server had just served their drinks. The atmosphere became silent.

"Why are you silent? Did you ever love me?" asked Emily repeating her question.

"I know it was me who loved you for the first time. I was the one who had the courage to confess my feelings to you. But all this time, I thought you reciprocated my feelings because you looked like you were loving me. But was I wrong about that interpretation? Did you never love me?" asked Emily.

"Never mind, you're thinking too much," said Ethan, looking ignorant, and started sipping the drink in front of him.

Emily sighed deeply before finally expressing her feelings firmly. "I'm too tired of this relationship. Can you give me clarity about our relationship? I don't want to marry someone whose heart never beats for me," she said in a trembling voice.

"What more clarity do you want, Em? You know I'm not a person who is good at stringing together beautiful words. Just being together for a few years should be enough to explain my seriousness to you," Ethan said in a firm tone.

Emily felt a deepening disappointment in her heart. She wanted to hear words of love from Ethan, not just a flat explanation. "I want an answer to my question, Et! Do you love me?" asked Emily, insisting on hearing a sincere answer from Ethan.

"Well, if that's what you want, I love you. Are you satisfied?" Ethan said.

Ethan's insincere words of love made Emily even more angry and devastated. "You're such a jerk! Even just saying the word love is very difficult for you. It seems like we can't maintain our relationship anymore," Emily said in a voice full of sadness and despair. She felt that their relationship was hopeless.

"What do you mean?" asked Ethan, confused, trying to understand Emily's decision.

"Let's just break up," Emily said with tear-filled eyes, staring intently at Ethan.

"Break up? Are you sure about your decision?" asked Ethan again, trying to question Emily's seriousness about making this decision.

"Yes, I can't be with someone who doesn't appreciate and love me," Emily said in a voice full of decision. She stood up, about to leave Ethan and the restaurant.

"Em, where are you going?" Ethan shouted, but Emily no longer ignored the call. She walked quickly in order to leave the place.

"Emily! You'll soon regret your decision," Ethan said.

***

After finishing all his work, Daniel got ready to go home. For Daniel, there was no day without being tired. However, he enjoyed it very much. For him, being busy was normal. He got into the car with a driver who politely opened the door for him.

Daniel looked at the expensive watch on his wrist. He didn't want to be late for his grandfather's house.

"A little faster, please," he asked the driver.

"Yes, sir," the driver replied kindly.

The journey to his grandfather's residence took almost an hour. One of the security guards kindly opened the door to the towering fence of the house, allowing Daniel's car to enter the residence.

The car drove slowly into the spacious courtyard of the house. After the car stopped in front of the main door, Daniel got out elegantly. A servant who recognized his presence greeted him.

"Welcome, Mr. Daniel. Your grandfather is waiting inside," the servant said politely.

Daniel thanked the servant and walked towards the entrance of the house.

Daniel entered his grandfather's magnificent palace-like home. The building was stunning, with classical architecture combined with striking modern touches. As Daniel stepped inside, the shiny marble floor reflected the light beautifully, creating a dazzling, sparkling effect. He followed his footsteps into the magnificent room, adorned with an elegant spiral staircase. The warm glow of the beautiful crystal chandelier radiated throughout the room, creating a luxurious and alluring atmosphere.

He continued his journey to the main dining room, which was elegantly designed. The large dining table made of luxurious wood and the cushioned chairs covered with silk cloth gave the impression of infinite luxury.

Daniel felt the fragrant aroma of delicious food tantalizing his sense of smell as he approached the dining table. His grandfather's personal chefs had expertly prepared all the dishes. At the dining table sat his two uncles and their wives and one aunt and her husband. Daniel confidently took one place and sat down.

"The CEO of our company is late today. Are you very busy?" Daniel's aunt Sophia Winston asked sarcastically.

"I'm sorry, Auntie. But yes, I have a lot of work to do in the office," Daniel said casually.

"Keep working. When will you get married? Don't tell me you don't have a girlfriend yet?" Sophia teased sarcastically.

But Daniel just smiled. "I still have no intention of getting married. I'm still enjoying my youth," Daniel replied with a smile, showing confidence in his life choices.

Suddenly, the atmosphere turned cold as Daniel's grandfather entered the room, and everyone stood respectfully until Daniel's grandfather sat down. Despite his age, his presence exuded an aura of power that earned him the respect of everyone, including his children and grandchildren.

Daniel's grandfather, Jake Winston, was a dedicated man who had a strong vision in building W Company. As the founder and owner of the company, Jake's role in making it one of the largest global distribution companies cannot be underestimated.

Jake immediately started the conversation by giving a reprimand to his two sons who he considered incompetent at work.

"What's going on with you two? I'm very disappointed with your incompetent performance! I always get reports the branches are always facing problems. You solve all these problems!" Jake's voice rose.

"We're sorry, Dad. We're fixing the situation," replied one of Daniel's uncles named Robert Winston, trying to defend himself.

"Fixing the situation? That's not enough! You, as managers, must take full responsibility for the successful operation of these branches. I will not tolerate poor performance!" said Jake firmly, showing his dissatisfaction with his son's defense.

"Look at Daniel, he's young, but he's very competent, unlike you two," Jake said, irritated with his son.

Daniel looked at his two uncles, Robert Winston and Michael Winston. Their expressions were clearly unhappy when Jake praised Daniel's abilities more than them.

"Never mind, Dad. We should eat first. It's not good to discuss business over the dining table," Sophia interrupted, trying to ease the tension.

"You'd better shut up and stay out of our conversation," Jake said firmly, making Sophia pause.

"Daniel, I want you to get married soon," Jake said in a firm voice, his gaze hopeful.

"Sorry, Grandpa. But, I have no thought about marriage. I'm still enjoying my youth," Daniel replied in a soft voice, but still firm in his stance.

Jake's face expressed deep disappointment, but he didn't give up so easily. "From now on, try to think about it. I will give you a chance within this month. If you still haven't found a wife, let me find a wife for you," he said in an undeniable tone.

Finally, Daniel's grandfather enjoyed the food on the table, and everyone around him ate, too. The atmosphere became quiet, only the clinking sound of spoons and forks could be heard. The snide stares from Daniel's uncle and aunt aimed at Daniel didn't seem to affect him at all because he was used to getting those stares since childhood.

After returning from his grandfather's residence, Daniel felt the fatigue that engulfed his body. The immense pressure from his grandfather made him feel burdened. In his heart, he still hadn't thought about getting married because he was still very much enjoying his busy life.

"Please stop at the convenience store," Daniel asked his driver. He felt the need to buy a refreshing drink that would quench the thirst that had suddenly struck him.

"Yes, sir," the driver replied politely.

***

Emily cried as she walked down the street, her heart broken and filled with pain. She felt so lonely and hurt, with no strength to continue the journey.

"He doesn't even have feelings. He didn't chase after me at all and let me walk away like this," Emily muttered while enduring the pain in her heart.

Emily continued walking with her eyes misty with tears, unaware that there was someone in front of her. Under unexpected circumstances, Emily bumped into the person. The drink in the person's hand slipped from her grasp, and quickly spilled on the asphalt of the road, creating a conspicuous wet streak.

Meanwhile, Emily's body staggered backwards, almost falling, but a strong hand held her waist from falling. The two stared at each other in proximity as shock and confusion flashed across their faces.

Before Emily's mind had time to digest what was happening to her right now, a voice suddenly sounded behind them, breaking the silence created.

"So because of this guy, you broke up with me?" sighed the voice in an emotionally charged tone.