All Chapters of My Icy's Husband's Secret Flame: Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

"Mr. West." I addressed Shane formally, deliberately trying to steer the conversation back on track and away from his teasing. "Let's focus on the acquisition, shall we?"Shane leaned back in his chair, crossing one leg over the other, a playful smirk spreading across his face—the kind that made it impossible to guess what he was thinking. "Do you even know what's going on here?" he said, his tone light but cutting. "I've got multiple firms lining up to win this deal. Meeting you today is just me giving your team a shot. "I haven't decided who I'm going with yet. But if you're so set on talking business, fine. Just don't expect me to go easy on you."Realizing I might've put my foot in my mouth, I glanced nervously at Shane, who gave a slight nod as if permitting me to salvage the situation. I scrambled for an apology. "Mr. West, I'm sorry. It's just… it's my first day, and I didn't—"Before I could finish, Mr. Newman stepped in, trying to smooth over the tension. He pulled ou

I wasn't about to play dumb. "I'll handle this case and prove I'm capable of earning my promotion early," I said firmly.Mr. Newman's expression was unreadable. "You'll only need to keep Mr. West updated. The actual work will be assigned to experienced colleagues, but we'll put your name on it.""Wini," Mr. Newman continued, his tone measured, "you have to understand that this isn't a small deal. There's no room for mistakes. You're still new—use this time to learn."I wasn't thrilled, but I knew he was right. Success wouldn't happen overnight. "Mr. Newman, can I at least draft my own proposal? I know I have a lot to learn, but I need to start somewhere if I'm going to improve."After a brief pause, Mr. Newman nodded. "Fine. Once you've signed your contract, I'll have someone copy the files for you."His approval reignited my enthusiasm, and the once-stuffy office now felt almost vibrant. I threw myself into researching the case, slowly building a rough outline for my proposal.

I turned around to see Chase walking in, dressed to the nines in a tailored suit. Caleb and Maura instinctively put some distance between themselves, likely to avoid any awkward associations."Winifred, Caleb," Chase greeted, his voice filled with a smug undertone. "Apologies for being late. The company's been slammed lately—too many orders to handle."No wonder he had the nerve to stir up trouble with Caleb. The recent surge in business had inflated his confidence.I had a pretty good guess as to why his business was booming. It likely had to do with Mr. Vaughn recently throwing some support behind the Leverton family. Word must've gotten out, and opportunists probably cozied up to Chase, hoping to use him as a bridge to Mr. Vaughn.Caleb, ever polite on the surface, gestured toward the dining room. "Congratulations on the success, Chase. Let's sit down. Dinner's ready, and we can talk as we eat."Chase sidled up beside me as Caleb and Maura walked ahead, lowering his voice. "H

Sounds filtered in faintly through the haze as if from far away. It felt like Caleb had picked me up and carried me out of the bathroom. Chase and Maura seemed to gather around as well."What happened?" Chase asked, his tone laced with concern."She passed out suddenly," Caleb replied flatly. "I'll take her upstairs to rest and call a doctor."Then, Maura's soft, saccharine voice joined the mix. "Caleb, let me look after Winifred. It's more appropriate, you know, girl-to-girl.""We're married," Caleb shot back, his tone sharp. "There's nothing inappropriate about it."After that, the world drifted into silence, and I lost consciousness completely.When I opened my eyes again, Caleb was sitting beside the bed, casually flipping through the divorce papers I'd had a lawyer draft. Without a word, he tore them in half right in front of me, the paper shredding with a satisfying rip. "I knew it," he sneered. "You're desperate to leave me because you've got your eyes on someone else.

Maura furrowed her brows, her delicate features radiating an air of vulnerability. "With you away and Caleb always at the office, the house has felt so lifeless these past few days."Of course, love thrived in comparison. Before Maura entered the picture, I had clung to the naive belief that Caleb might eventually grow to care for me in his quiet, stubborn way. But watching him with her had shown me what it looked like when he truly cared for someone."I'm fine staying elsewhere," I said flatly, brushing off her attempt at concern."But you and Caleb are married," she pressed, her voice laced with a gentle persistence. "Married couples should live together, sleep in the same bed—"I couldn't help but smirk at her hypocrisy. "By that logic, why don't you live with your husband?"Her face froze, her surprise briefly flickering before she quickly masked it. Without another word, she finished her soufflé, leaving the awkwardness to settle like a heavy fog. Not wanting to stick aro