My Boss Is My Husband .. He Rejects me

Chapter 2: First Day, First Shock

The morning air was crisp, but Ariana barely noticed. Her hands clutched her bag tighter as she stepped into the towering building. Glass walls reflected the sun, shining like a spotlight on her insecurities.

She tried to steady her breath, telling herself this was just a job. Just a job. Nothing more.

But her heart betrayed her, thudding nervously against her ribs.

The elevator doors opened with a soft ding. She stepped out, taking in the open office floor. Employees moved efficiently, their chatter low, punctuated by the hum of computers. Everything seemed ordinary… until it wasn’t.

Footsteps. Slow. Measured. Heavy enough to silence the room without a word.

He appeared. Ethan Black. Her husband. Her boss. Her nightmare wrapped in tailored suits.

Ariana froze, the words “I reject it” echoing in her mind. He didn’t glance at anyone as he strode past her desk, his presence filling the room like an invisible wall. Her stomach twisted.

One of the receptionists leaned close. “Good luck,” she whispered. “He doesn’t make things easy for anyone… especially new employees.”

Ariana swallowed hard, nodding, though her throat felt tight.

Minutes later, she was assigned a workstation in the corner. Perfectly out of sight—or so she thought.

Her computer booted up, and her fingers hovered above the keyboard, unsure where to begin. Then a shadow fell across the desk.

“I hope you know what you’re doing,” he said, voice calm but sharp. Ariana’s head snapped up.

He was standing right there, arms crossed, gaze fixed like a predator sizing her up. No warmth. No patience. Just cold, calculating eyes.

“I… I think so,” she replied, trying to keep her voice steady.

His lips pressed into a thin line. “Think?” His tone made the word feel like a verdict. “In this company, thinking isn’t enough.”

Ariana nodded quickly. “I understand, sir.”

He moved on, leaving her trembling slightly. Not from fear—though part of it was—but from the undeniable pull of tension that seemed to follow him everywhere.

Lunch felt like an eternity. She ate quietly at her desk, listening to murmurs of coworkers whispering behind doors. Rumors about the CEO and his coldness were… apparently not exaggerated.

Her phone buzzed. A text from her mother: Are you okay? Don’t let him scare you.

She stared at it, a small, ironic smile tugging at her lips. As if fear alone could keep her away.

The afternoon dragged on, punctuated by meetings, reports, and the occasional glance from Ethan that made her pulse skip. She wanted to avoid him, but the universe—or cruel fate—had other plans.

By the time she left the office, her legs felt like lead. Outside, the city was bright, but the tension from inside clung to her like a shadow.

At home, the quiet was supposed to be a relief. Instead, it was suffocating. Her father’s disapproving stare met her as she entered. Her stepmother avoided eye contact entirely.

And then… a message pinged on her phone. A single line from Ethan: Do not disappoint me tomorrow.

A shiver ran down her spine.

Tomorrow.

She realized then that surviving this man would take more than courage. It would take every ounce of wit, patience, and perhaps… restraint she didn’t know she possessed.

And somewhere deep inside, a tiny spark of something she wasn’t ready to name flickered… against her will.