My Boss Is My Husband .. He Rejects me

Chapter 5: Family Interference

The sun had barely risen when Ariana’s phone buzzed with her mother’s text: Don’t forget, lunch at home today. Your father has something to discuss.

She sighed. Home. A place meant to feel safe, yet lately, it had become another battlefield. The office chaos was one thing, but her family’s constant interference added layers of stress she wasn’t sure she could handle.

Still, she dressed carefully, choosing something professional but not too formal, and headed out. Her mind was already racing through the day’s meetings and reports. Focus, Ariana. Ignore them. Ignore him.

The drive home was quiet, the city streets bustling but indifferent. When she arrived, her father’s expression greeted her before she even stepped inside. Stern, judgmental, like a storm cloud ready to break.

“Ariana,” he said, arms crossed. “Sit. We need to talk.”

Her mother hovered in the background, biting her lip, hands clasped nervously. Ariana sat, bracing herself.

“You’ve been too independent lately,” her father began. “Too distracted. This marriage… this contract… you need to respect it. And him.”

Ariana’s chest tightened. “Respect? I respect the rules, but I don’t—”

“Don’t argue,” her father interrupted, sharp. “He rejects it for a reason. You must understand your place.”

Her mother tried to interject. “We just want you to be safe, Ariana.”

Safe. The word made her laugh bitterly on the inside. Safe from what? From your own life? From him?

The lunch passed in tense silence. Every bite of food seemed heavier than the last. Ariana tried to focus on polite conversation, but her mind wandered back to the office—the way Ethan’s eyes lingered, his touch that day at the conference room.

Her phone buzzed under the table. A message from him: Don’t think the office is the only place I notice you.

Her heart skipped. She tried to look calm, but her fingers trembled slightly as she set the phone down. She could feel her father’s sharp eyes on her, and for a moment, she wished she could vanish.

Back at the office, the atmosphere was no less tense. She tried to bury herself in work, but whispers followed her everywhere. Rumors about the CEO and his wife were spreading like wildfire. Some admired her courage; others questioned her audacity.

Ethan passed by her desk, briefcase in hand, and Ariana caught the faintest smirk on his lips. That tiny curl of amusement made her pulse race. She told herself it was nothing. He rejects it. Don’t read into it.

Yet by the afternoon, even she could not ignore the tension building between them. A client presentation went awry, and she found herself cornered in the conference room with him.

“Explain this mistake,” he said, voice sharp, but there was something beneath it—a trace of concern, almost protective.

“I… I miscalculated,” she admitted, keeping her tone professional.

He leaned closer, their proximity sending an involuntary shiver down her spine. “Check your work next time. Precision matters,” he said. Then, almost casually, he straightened and walked away, leaving her breathless.

The rest of the day dragged. Every step home felt heavy, her mind replaying the subtle moments of tension, the fleeting hints of concern, and the touch that lingered in her memory.

That night, she found herself staring at the ceiling, recalling her father’s words, her mother’s worry, and his text. Don’t think the office is the only place I notice you.

A shiver ran down her spine. She clenched the blanket around her. Tomorrow promised more meetings, more whispers, more moments where she would be forced to face him…

And deep down, a small, unwanted spark of anticipation glimmered.