24. Over（HEARD）
JAE
24
Iwas standing on the cusp of greatness, the empire I’d built from the ground up like a testament to my brilliance. Verena Williams had been by my side for every step of it, or so I thought. I’d assumed that bringing her into my world, giving her a key role in my company, would naturally draw her closer to me. But for the past year, every attempt I made to include her in my life outside of work—dinners, galas, even a simple coffee—she brushed off with some excuse or another. It was infuriating. How could I romance her if she wouldn’t even give me a chance?
I stalked through the halls of Luminous, my presence commanding, my suit a perfectly tailored extension of my power. I was unstoppable, and it was time Verena saw me for what I was—a man worthy of her. The thought solidified as I made my way toward my office, but then I heard voices from the break room.
I paused, recognizing Verena’s voice, sharp and unfiltered. “He’s insufferable,” she was saying. My steps halted, curiosity piqued. “Always demanding more, never satisfied. It’s like working for a machine. Jae is driving me insane!”
The words stung more than I’d anticipated. Her coworker’s voice, a woman whose name I didn’t care to remember, chimed in. “But you’re his best friend! And he’s so hot. Are you seriously telling me nothing’s ever happened between you two?”
Verena’s laugh was cold, dismissive. “Best friend? You’ve got to be kidding me. Nothing’s ever happened and nothing ever will. The person he is today is so not my type. I’m not interested in men who think they own the world and everyone in it.”
Her words hit. I stood frozen, the reality of her rejection crashing over me. I was alone in a way I hadn’t fully understood until that moment. The empire, the power, the success—none of it mattered if she didn’t see me beyond the CEO title. I felt sick, a hollow ache settling in my chest.
Her coworker, sensing an opening, leaned in. “But, Verena, you’ve spent so much time together. There has to be something there. You’ve never even been tempted?”
“Sure, he’s attractive in that arrogant, power-hungry way, but that’s not my type. I need someone who sees me, not just another piece in their game.”
“But he’s done so much for you, hasn’t he? Promoted you, trusted you with major projects. That has to count for something.”
“Professional respect, maybe,” Verena replied, her tone clipped. “There’s no warmth, no real connection. Everything is transactional with him.”
I clenched my fists, struggling to keep my composure. Each word was a dagger, slicing through the carefully constructed image I had of our relationship. The way she spoke about me, it was as if I was nothing more than a tyrant, a figurehead without a heart.
“Still,” the coworker persisted, “you have to admit, he’s got that…allure. The power, the control. Doesn’t that do anything for you?”
Verena’s laugh was sharper this time, almost cruel. “Allure? Please. If I ever fell for him, I’d be an idiot. He’d probably propose to me over a conference call with legal on the other line.”
The coworker giggled, but the sound grated on me. “So you’ve never once thought about it? About what it might be like to be with him?”
“Honestly? No. I don’t want someone who sees relationships as another business deal. I want someone who’s present, who cares about more than just their next conquest.”
Her words reverberated through me, echoing the fears I’d tried so hard to suppress. I’d thought my actions, my efforts to include her, would show her how much she meant to me. But she didn’t see it. She didn’t see me. To her, I was just a powerful, overbearing boss.
I couldn’t listen anymore. As I stormed away, I made a decision. If Verena wanted a boss, she’d get one. I was done pining over someone who obviously would never see me the way I saw her. My feelings were a liability, a weakness I could no longer afford.
I straightened, the mask of the arrogant, untouchable CEO sliding back into place. From this point forward, Verena was just another employee. I’d still keep her close—I couldn’t imagine my life without her presence—but I was done loving her. She’d never reciprocate, and I wasn’t about to beg for scraps of her attention.
I marched back to my office, each step reaffirming my resolve. The softness I’d felt for her hardened into steel. I would bury these feelings deep, where they couldn’t hurt me anymore. Verena would see the full extent of my ambition, my power. She’d get her boss, and nothing more.
I sat behind my desk, the city sprawled beneath me like a conquered realm. My empire was intact, my position unchallenged. But the man behind the success, the one who’d been ready to give his heart to a woman who didn’t want it, he was gone. I was Jae Lee, CEO of Luminous, and I didn’t have time for love.
If Verena thought I was insufferable before, she hadn’t seen anything yet.