My Boss Is My Husband .. He Rejects me

Chapter 20: Secrets Between Us

The office was quiet, almost too quiet. Ariana sat at her desk, her fingers tapping lightly on the keyboard, but her mind was elsewhere. The photo. The message. Valeria. Ethan.

She tried to focus, to push it all aside, but the image lingered, burning behind her eyelids.

“Miss Ariana,” a soft voice called. She looked up. One of the interns was standing hesitantly. “Mr. Ethan wants to see you in his office.”

Her chest tightened. Every nerve in her body screamed to run, to avoid him, but she squared her shoulders and stood. Duty first, heart later.

She entered Ethan’s office. The usual sharp scent of his cologne and polished wood filled the space. He was leaning against the desk, arms crossed, jaw tight, eyes stormy.

“Sit,” he said, voice low, almost demanding.

She obeyed, but kept a careful distance.

“Why did you—” he started, then paused, his fingers running through his hair. He struggled with words that never came easily.

Ariana stayed silent, waiting.

“Why did you leave after the gala?” he finally asked.

Her chest tightened. “I couldn’t stay,” she said evenly. “I couldn’t pretend everything was fine.”

Ethan’s eyes darkened. “You think I’m fine?”

“You avoided me,” she shot back. “You said things that hurt me… things I can’t forget.”

He stepped closer, his expression conflicted. “Ariana… you don’t understand. Valeria—she—”

“Don’t,” she interrupted sharply. “Don’t use her as an excuse.”

The words hung in the air, tense and sharp.

Ethan’s jaw tightened. He wanted to reach for her, to pull her close, but he stopped himself. The truth was complicated, messy, and dangerous.

“Then don’t judge without knowing,” he said finally, softer, almost pleading. “There are things you don’t know about me… about us.”

Ariana’s hands clenched into fists in her lap. “Then tell me.”

He hesitated, eyes dark and stormy. “I can’t.”

The words hit harder than any blow.

“Can’t or won’t?” she whispered.

“Both,” he admitted, his voice barely audible. “I’ve kept secrets to protect you… and to protect myself.”

Her chest ached. “And yet you’re letting her lie to me. Show me pictures of… of something that doesn’t even matter!”

“Because she’s trying to manipulate the truth,” he said, stepping closer. His voice dropped low, intense. “She wants you out of my life. And I won’t let her.”

Ariana’s breath caught. His words were fierce, protective, but they came too late.

“You don’t get to choose for me,” she said, standing abruptly. “I’m not a pawn in your games.”

Ethan froze. The fire in her eyes mirrored his own, a mix of anger, pain, and defiance.

“You’re not a pawn,” he said softly. “You’re the only person who’s ever mattered.”

Her heart thudded painfully. His words, his nearness, the intensity in his gaze… it was all too much.

But she refused to show it. “Actions matter more than words,” she said, her voice trembling slightly, though she kept her stance firm.

Ethan’s hand hovered near hers, almost reaching, almost touching, but he pulled back. His eyes softened, full of regret and something unspoken, and then he turned away, leaving her standing alone.

The office felt colder now, emptier.

Ariana sat back down, her mind spinning.

She knew one thing for certain: the secrets, the lies, the misunderstandings… they were only just beginning.

And somewhere deep inside, she realized that protecting her heart from him was going to be the hardest battle of all.