THE EX WHO BECAME MY BOSS

The rain came down steadily, unwelcome and ill-timed. I’d always disliked it, but today, it felt almost personal.

I hurriedly walked into the nearest building to a shelter for myself from the unforeseen downpour. It was a Little bistro, thankfully it wasn't as packed.

Lately, my life has been a steady deterioration. I was jobless, had a couple of dollars to live on, and to top it all off, I was recently single. At the age of twenty-five, my life was screamingly boring.

Today I went job hunting. I searched high and low but found absolutely nothing. It was either that I was over-qualified or the income was far too low. Sure, I was desperate, but I still had my pride.

My hair was wet, and my clothes were not any better. All I wanted to do was get back to my apartment, take a hot shower, and watch a movie while snuggling into a warm blanket.

But I couldn't do that, you see. The rain came down in sheets, and I was completely unprepared, no umbrella and not enough money to hail a cab.

Before I knew it, my feet dragged me along to the short line formed in front of the cashier. Soon enough, I was giving my order for a latte. Since it was the only thing I could afford at the moment. It would also keep me warm.

But when had my life gone all wrong? I came to New York straight after high school because it had been my dream since I was a little girl. I even got accepted into NYU and graduated with honors in Business.

Why couldn't I get a decent job? With a decent income?

Maybe, because you have no work experience whatsoever, sweetheart.

True, but that was not entirely my fault.

Don't blame him for it. You're the one who decided to date that maniac at the age of 20!

"Here's your latte ma," mumbled the guy behind the counter.

Having been brought out of my wistful thought, I quickly paid for the coffee and grabbed it. When I turned to leave, I ran straight into someone, spilling my coffee on them by mistake.

I gasped in horror. "Oh my God, I'm so sorry," I said, rubbing my hands on the obvious stain on the stranger's shirt. And shit, it looked more expensive than my apartment's rent.

"No, no, don't worry about it. Accidents happen."

I froze immediately. I knew that deep, husky voice. In fact, I'd known it for so many years, and I really never thought I'd be hearing it again.

Please don't let it be him. Please don't let it be him!

I looked up, and my eyes met a very familiar hazel eye. Oh no, it was him!

"Lena? Is that you?" He voiced, his face donned with surprise.

I gulped. The room suddenly felt too hot. "H-hi,  Adrian." I stuttered nervously.

Well, that was smooth.

The beautiful eyes gave me a once-over. "I can't believe it's you. I thought you left the city. How long has it been, five years?"

"Seven years to be exact,” I corrected quietly. There was no mistaking the length of time; it felt etched into memory. Only then did the situation fully register: my coffee, soaking into his shirt, the sharp smell lingering between us. I froze, mortified, even though this wasn’t a stranger standing in front of me.

“God, I’m so sorry,” I said, already reaching out before stopping myself. “I didn’t see you. I wasn’t expecting to run into you like this.” The irony of it all settled heavily in my chest.

"Don't worry about it." He said, shrugging. "It was an accident, plus you have always been a clumsy little thing." He chuckled lowly, earning a scowl from me. Of course, he just had to insult me.

"I was just kidding," He held up his hands in defense.

I narrowed my eyes at him. "Since when do you joke? Last time I checked, you were always so brutally honest."

His smile instantly fell. "Wow, I see you haven't forgotten about the past. Lena, for goodness' sake, it's been seven years!"

I scoffed. "Seven years isn't enough to forget everything, Adrian."

"Do you need me to go down on my knees and beg for forgiveness?" He looked down at me, a smirk quirking at the edge of his perfect lips. I shot him another scowl. "Okay, okay. I get that we have a rough past, but can't we move past it? Lena, I apologized, and I gave you Space. Will you ever forgive me?"

Will I ever forgive him for destroying my life? For prohibiting me from finding a proper job? For convincing me to live without working, only for him to treat me like a stray living with him, maybe not...

I sighed, looking away from him. Seeing him again just brought back too many painful memories that I had neatly tucked away in the furthest corner of my brain. I couldn't easily forget them, no matter how much I tried to.

I looked back up at him again. "I did forgive you, but I won't forget."

He seemed to be hurt by my words. "Look, why don't I buy you some coffee, and maybe we can sit and have a talk?" He said, a sense of pleading in his tone.

I bit my lip nervously. I really didn't want to do that. "...Umm, I-"

“It’s the least you can do after ruining my shirt and my shoes,” he said.

A faint, almost teasing smirk tugged at his lips. “I’ll take that as a yes.”

Before I could respond, he turned away and headed straight for the counter, completely unfazed by the growing line behind him. Surprisingly, no one seemed to mind.

“Two black coffees and a slice of cake,” he said calmly to the cashier.

 “Bring them to the table. I’ll be seated shortly.”

He casually strolled back over to me and led me to an unoccupied table. He sat down, and I followed suit, keeping my eyes trained on anything but his eyes. I could feel him staring at me, and it made my face feel warm. Adrian had changed so much; he looked more handsome and well-groomed. And here I was, in the midst of a steady deterioration.

The rain hammered against the window, blurring the street outside. I glanced down at the steaming cups he had just placed on the table.

“You always pick the strongest coffee,” I said, trying to break the silence.

He smirked, shrugging. “Someone has to keep you awake.”

I rolled my eyes, though a smile tugged at my lips. “And here I thought you just liked bossing people around.”

He leaned back, clearly amused. “Maybe a little of both.”

The quiet between us stretched for a moment, filled only by the sound of rain tapping on glass and the faint chatter of the cafe.

Adrian glanced at the steaming coffee in front of him, tapping the table impatiently. “Finally. Took long enough, you know I don’t like waiting.”

The cashier nodded frantically, cheeks red, before hurrying away without a word.

I took a slow sip of my own drink, savoring the warmth. “Some things never change, huh?”

A small, amused smile appeared on his face. “And some people never learn,” he replied lightly, leaning back in his chair.

 He chuckled softly, the sound carrying a familiar ease. “Guess it comes naturally.” He paused, then tilted his head slightly, curious. “So… how have you been?”

His question caught me off guard. How had I been? Well, I have been better, to say the least.

"Good," I mumbled, taking a bite out of the chocolate cake. "And you? I'm guessing you are doing amazingly, sporting fancy clothing and watches," I added, somewhat bitterly.

He smiled. "If you must know, I have managed to build an empire from the ground up. I'm just enjoying the fruits of my hard work."

Great, so now he was bragging about how amazing his life was.

"Good for you," I smiled tightly. "So, I guess all that time you spent working finally paid off," I added, with a bitter laugh.

He groaned. "Lena, why can't we just have a normal conversation like civilized people? I get that our past is a sensitive topic, but I'm not the one bringing it up. It's you. I don't believe in coincidences, and I believe there's a reason we met once again. Maybe we could try being friends?" he pleaded, extending his hand towards mine that was on the table, but I quickly averted his grasp.

Then I snapped. "Well, friend, if you must know, I'm not doing great at all. I don't have a job. I live in a crappy apartment, and my boyfriend recently dumped me. I went job hunting today because I am practically penniless, but guess what, I found nothing. 

I have no job experience or qualifications, and do you know why, because of someone who didn't want me to work, so I don't have a stable income. How does that sound, friend?" I spat acidly, my chest heaving in frustration.

He sat there, looking speechless. There was also something flashing in his eyes. What was it? Pity? That was the last thing I needed from him.

"I-" he began, but I silenced him by raising my hand.

"You're sorry, I know. But apologizing isn't going to fix anything. My life has been a mess since time immemorial, and seeing you today just worsened it. I know I forgave you, but seeing you again is just too painful." I managed to say, blinking the tears that threatened to fall.

With that, I stood up and ran for the door, only for Bryce to grab me by the elbow right outside the cafe.

"I messed up big time, I know. What can I say but I'm sorry. I feel terrible for the way things went between us. I want to fix my mistakes-"

I tried to shrug him off, and he let go. "Don't bother. My life is just too broken to fix." I turned to leave, only for him to have my arm in his hand.

"At least let me take you home. It's raining, and you don't have an umbrella."

He wasn't wrong about that. I would be drenched by the time I reach my apartment complex. That's the only reason why I let him lead me to a sleek, black Ferrari parked right outside the cafe.

I stood still for a few moments, just gawking at the black beauty.

"Are you going to get in or not? You'll get wet if you  stand there all day looking at my car." He looked at me, humor dancing in his eyes.

"What are you, a billionaire?"

"Well," he paused, "it doesn’t matter, just get into the car."

Listening to his advice, I slid into the car to avoid getting any wetter. The interior was so exquisite. I couldn't possibly imagine how much the car costs. I am sure it's worth much more than everything I own.

Once we'd buckled up, Bryce brought the engine to life and swiftly moved into the road.

"Where to?" he asked, his eyes fixed on the road.

For a second, I contemplated whether to tell him my actual address or just drop me close to my building. Honestly, I didn't want him to see my very humble abode. It was located in one of the shadiest parts of New York.

Hesitantly, I gave him my address, earning a look of incredulity from him. So, he had heard of the place.

"You actually live there?" He said, not hiding the concern in his voice.

I looked out the window in embarrassment. "Yeah. Not all of us can afford to live in expensive New York high-rise apartments ."

I noticed him tense at my words. Adrian had always been blunt and had no clue what a filter was. I should have known that trait of his would still be there.

The rest of the ride was silent, and soon, he parked his car on the side of my apartment complex. I unbuckled my belt and placed my hand on the car door handle.

I turned to look at Adrian, who was already looking at me. "Thanks for the ride," I murmured.

"No problem." He smiled. "Will I see you again?"

"Maybe," I whispered, before sliding out of his car and jogging into the apartment complex. I didn't even look back to see if he had gone or not.

When I was safely within the confines of my apartment, I leaned against the door and let a sigh I didn't even know I was holding. I ran a hand through my hair, feeling that my frustration with life was at its peak.

Seeing Adrian brought back a realization I thought I had buried long ago; I still had feelings for him. And ridiculous as it sounded, just seeing him awakened something inside me that had been lying dormant for years. Despite everything he had done, I couldn’t deny the strange pull I still felt. He made my heart race, gave me butterflies, and yes… I felt a heat spread through me that I hadn’t felt in a long time.

But with him came frustration, irritation, and a sense of foolishness. How dare he waltz back into my life like the past never happened? There were countless reasons we had ended our marriage.

I tugged at my hair in exasperation. “Stop it!” I shouted at the empty room. “It’s been more than seven years! Move on, Lena Carter! He is just your ex. Your ex!”

Before I could even think about calming down, my phone began to ring. I jumped slightly, startled, and glanced at the screen, an unfamiliar number. My stomach sank a little.

“Hello?” I answered, my voice tight with caution.

“Hi, is this Lena Carter?” A polite, unfamiliar female voice asked.

I hesitated, my hand clutching the phone a little too tightly. “Y-yes… may I ask who’s calling?”

“I’m calling to let you know that you’ve been selected as the new personal assistant to the CEO of COLE GLOBAL HOLDINGS.”

I froze for a moment, the words sinking in. My mind raced, excitement, disbelief, and a tiny pinch of anxiety all colliding at once. A laugh of relief and pure joy escaped me before I could stop it. This… this was the opportunity I’d been waiting for, and finally, it felt real.

Shaking off the lingering tension from Adrian, I moved toward the bathroom for a long, hot shower, my mind still buzzing. Afterward, I changed into my pajamas and made my way to the kitchen to prepare some mac and cheese.

By the time I finally sank onto the couch, my coffee and meal in hand, I couldn’t stop grinning. Today had started with chaos and old memories, but now… now I had a reason to feel hopeful. I was officially starting a new chapter, and the excitement of the job filled me with a happiness I hadn’t felt in years.