Ethan Cole had everything: a sprawling empire, a name synonymous with success, and a life that other men envied. Yet, he was known not for his charm but for his ruthlessness. They called him the "Ice King" in the business world—a man so cold and calculating that even his rivals respected him.
It wasn't that Ethan disliked people. He simply found relationships inefficient. They were messy, unpredictable, and time-consuming. He'd learned this the hard way after watching his father's affairs nearly destroy their family years ago.
But tonight, the problem wasn't business.
"Why don't you listen for once?" his mother, Margaret Cole, snapped, her sharp voice cutting through the dining room like a whip. "You're 32, Ethan. Thirty-two! Do you know how this looks to the board? To the family? The heir to Cole Enterprises—alone and unattached?"
Ethan pinched the bridge of his nose. Across the table, his younger siblings, Lily and James, exchanged amused glances.
"You're overreacting," Ethan replied coolly, setting his wine glass down. "My personal life has nothing to do with my professional image."
His mother wasn't convinced. "You think the board doesn't notice? Stability starts at home, Ethan. Shareholders like the idea of a family man. It's good for optics."
"And what do you suggest, Mother? That I pick a woman off the street and propose?"
Lily smirked. "Honestly, that might be more entertaining than watching you scare off every decent woman in the city."
Ethan's gaze turned icy, silencing his sister.
"Enough," Margaret said. Her voice softened, but her resolve was clear. "I'm serious, Ethan. Your father and I are giving you six months. Either you settle down, or we'll start introducing you to candidates ourselves."
Ethan leaned back in his chair, his expression unreadable. "That won't be necessary."
But even as he said it, an idea began to form in his mind.
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