The Boss I'd Rather Forget

Company's card

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*Chapter 7*

*Wren’s POV*

It had been nine days since the Design Department was assigned the NovaTech project.

Nine days of sleepless nights.

Nine days of endless revisions.

Nine days of surviving on coffee, instant noodles, and pure stubbornness.

If someone asked me what day of the week it was, I genuinely wouldn’t have known. My body had lost track. My brain only ran on deadlines now.

All I knew was that today… we were finally done.

I leaned back in my chair until it creaked and stretched my arms above my head. My shoulders popped in protest. My back ached. My eyes burned.

I saved the final document, watched the loading bar hit 100%, stared at the screen for two full seconds, then announced to the entire office:

“And… Miss Wren is officially done!”

Liam shoved his chair back so hard it almost tipped over. He pressed both hands to his chest like he was about to cry.

“Someone pinch me. We actually survived. I thought we were going to die chained to these desks. I was ready to write my will in a PowerPoint slide.”

Green took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes. Dark circles sat under them. “I don’t want to look at another design file for at least three days. If I see one more logo draft, I’ll scream.”

“You’ll look at one tomorrow,” Zach said flatly, without lifting his eyes from the screen. He was already organizing files.

The whole office groaned in unison. Even Mr. Frank laughed.

Caleb walked into the middle of the room holding the completed project folder. For the first time in over a week, the permanent crease between his eyebrows had softened. He actually looked human.

“I just want to say… you’ve all done excellent work.” His voice was calm, but there was real pride underneath it. “We finished one of the biggest projects this company has handled this year, and we finished it a day early. That doesn’t happen. I’m proud of every single one of you.”

A round of applause broke out. Tired, but real.

Liam raised both hands. “Speech! Speech!”

Caleb chuckled. “I actually have another announcement.”

The room went dead silent.

Liam’s face fell. “Please don’t tell me it’s another project. I will cry. Real tears. On this keyboard.”

Green sighed. “I haven’t recovered from this one yet. My soul is still in the Figma file.”

Caleb let the tension hang for a second longer than necessary, then smiled.

“We’ve been given the company card.”

There was a full two-second delay before the office exploded.

“What?!”

“No way!”

“You’re lying!”

“It’s actually party time?!”

Liam grabbed Zach by the shoulders and shook him. “We’re eating real food tonight! Expensive food! Not instant noodles! Not vending machine coffee! Real steak!”

Mr. Frank laughed. “Calm down. It’s only one company card. Pace yourselves.”

Caleb shook his head, still smiling. “The CEO approved a celebration dinner for the team. He said everyone deserves a proper reward for the effort. His exact words.”

A small, unexpected warmth settled in my chest.

So the mysterious CEO had actually noticed.

Even though I’d never met him, I silently thanked him. Maybe he wasn’t as cold as the rumors said.

“I’ll be right back,” I said, picking up my phone. My hands were shaking a little from caffeine and exhaustion. “Quick call.”

Liam pointed at me. “Don’t take too long. We’re already starving. If you disappear, we’re ordering without you. And we’re getting your steak too.”

I waved him off and stepped out into the hallway.

The corridor was quiet. Fluorescent lights hummed above me. I stopped near the tall glass window overlooking the city. Braman looked different at night. Softer.

I dialed Lyra.

She picked up on the second ring.

“Wren! Don’t tell me you’re still stuck at that office. I was about to send a rescue team.”

I laughed. The sound felt foreign after nine days. “Not stuck. We finished the project.”

“Finally! Congratulations! So when are you coming home? I already bought ice cream. Two flavors. Because I’m proud.”

“I’ll be late. The team is having a celebration dinner tonight. Company card.”

There was a short pause, then Lyra’s voice turned mischievous.

“Ooooh. Company dinner. Does that mean the mysterious handsome CEO might show up? Is he going to give a speech? Is he tall? Is he single?”

I rolled my eyes, leaning against the window. “I still don’t even know what he looks like. And honestly? I don’t care. I just want steak and something that isn’t instant noodles. And sleep.”

Lyra burst out laughing. “You’re so boring. Fine. Go enjoy your fancy dinner. But if you meet him and he’s hot, you have to text me immediately. That’s the rule. With photos.”

“There’s no such rule.”

“There is now. I’m making it. CEO hotness protocol.”

I smiled despite myself. “I’ll try to save you dessert if there’s any left.”

“You’d better. Love you. Don’t work too hard… wait, you already did. Just don’t fall asleep in the restaurant. Or on the steak.”

“Bye, Lyra.”

I ended the call still smiling and walked back toward the office, completely unaware that someone had been watching me the entire time from the floor above.

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*Damien’s POV*

From the floor above, Damien stood beside the glass wall of his office, arms loosely crossed. The lights in his office were off. Only the city glow lit his face.

He had watched her laugh into the phone.

Watched her tuck a loose strand of hair behind her ear like she used to.

Watched the way her shoulders finally relaxed after nine days of visible tension. She looked exhausted. But she looked alive.

Three years.

She still smiled with her whole face.

She still talked with her hands.

She still tilted her head slightly when something amused her.

Nothing had changed. And everything had.

River entered quietly. “Sir?”

Damien didn’t turn.

River followed his gaze down to the hallway below and understood immediately. Her voice softened. “So that’s her.”

Damien remained silent until Wren disappeared around the corner, phone still in her hand.

Only then did he speak.

“How did the team perform?”

“They exceeded expectations, sir. Finished a day early. Under budget.”

Damien gave a single nod. “As expected.”

River hesitated. “Would you like me to inform them that you’d like to congratulate them in person? They’d appreciate it.”

Damien’s eyes stayed fixed on the empty hallway where she’d been standing.

“No.”

His voice was quiet, but there was a sharp edge underneath. Final.

“Not yet.”

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*Team Dinner*

That evening the Design Department took over a long table at one of Braman’s most popular restaurants. Warm lights hung overhead in soft clusters. Soft jazz played in the background. The air smelled like grilled meat, garlic bread, and fresh bread.

Liam looked around like a child in a candy store. “I’ve been wanting to eat here for months. Do you know how many times I’ve walked past this place and cried a little inside? I saved the menu on my phone.”

Mr. Frank laughed. “Then tonight is your lucky night. Order whatever you want.”

The waiter handed out menus. Liam didn’t even open his.

“I’ll take the grilled steak, seafood pasta, chicken wings, garlic bread, and two desserts—”

Green cut in without looking up from his water. “Leave some food for the rest of the table, you animal.”

Liam clutched his chest. “Rude. I’m a growing boy. I need nutrients.”

“You’re twenty-eight.”

“Growing in spirit. And in appetite.”

Everyone laughed.

Soon the table was covered with plates. Steam rose from the food. Conversation flowed easily. Stories about the worst revision requests turned into childhood embarrassments, which somehow turned into Liam trying to convince everyone that he once almost became a professional dancer at age 12.

Even Caleb eventually relaxed enough to join in. He even drank.

At one point Mr. Frank raised his glass. “To teamwork. And to surviving NovaTech without killing each other or quitting.”

“To teamwork!” everyone echoed.

Glasses clinked.

Wren looked around the table while the others continued laughing. Just a few weeks ago these people had been complete strangers. Now they already felt like something close to family. Safe. Loud. Real.

None of them noticed the black luxury car parked across the street. Tinted windows. Engine off.

Inside, Damien watched through the restaurant window.

Wren was laughing at something Liam had said, head tilted slightly, eyes bright under the warm lights. She was eating garlic bread. For a moment the corner of Damien’s mouth almost curved upward.

Then the expression disappeared.

“They look happy,” River said quietly from the driver’s seat.

Damien’s gaze didn’t leave the window. “She deserves moments like this.”

River glanced at him. “Should we leave, sir?”

Damien watched her for another second longer than necessary. Memorizing it.

“Yes.”

His voice was calm, but there was something colder underneath.

“The time still isn’t right.”

The car pulled away silently into the night.

Inside the restaurant, Wren continued laughing with her team — completely unaware that the man who had once meant everything to her had been watching from the dark… and had chosen, once again, to stay away.

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