How my EX-HUSBAND became my BOSS

Chapter 9: The Conflicts of Michael Gray and David Harris

Michael Gray and David Harris seem to have been locked in a standoff from their first day at the company. Their views on careers, professional values, and even manners were radically different. Michael, an experienced and calculating employee, looked at David, a young and ambitious newcomer, with disbelief and a slight sneer. It seemed to him that David was overconfident and did not understand the complexity of the work process.

David, in turn, perceived Michael as a rigid conservative who was afraid of change and was not ready to accept new ideas. He tried to prove his superiority by putting forward bold projects and offering unconventional solutions. But each time his initiatives were met with cold resistance from Michael. He carefully analyzed David's suggestions, found weak points in them, and with obvious pleasure pointed out mistakes.

Conflicts between them flared up every now and then: in meetings, in the corridors of the office, even during the lunch break. Their arguments often turned into heated discussions that attracted the attention of other employees. Some sympathized with David, seeing him as a victim of the bureaucratic system, others supported Michael, considering him an experienced professional who should not give in to impulsive and ill-conceived ideas.

Once the conflict reached its climax. David prepared a large-scale project to reorganize the department, which, in his opinion, could significantly improve the efficiency of work. He presented it at the meeting, accompanying the presentation with vivid graphs and convincing calculations. But Michael immediately came out with a sharp criticism. He pointed out shortcomings in planning, possible financial risks and insufficient elaboration of details.

David couldn't contain his emotions. His face was flushed with anger, and his voice trembled with indignation. He started making counterarguments, challenging Michael's conclusions, but Michael was adamant. The argument flared up again, and soon the entire department was caught up in the discussion.

After the meeting, the tension between Michael and David only increased. They avoided each other in the hallways, exchanging barbs when they bumped into each other in the elevator or at the coffee machine. Each of them tried to prove their case not only by words, but also by deeds.

Meanwhile, Michael began to suspect that something strange was going on in the office. He noticed strange looks, snatches of conversations, unusual actions of colleagues. It seemed to him that behind the daily routine there were secrets that could affect the work of the entire department. He began to look closely at the behavior of Tom Stanley, Mary Wilson, Elizabeth Taylor and other employees, trying to understand what connects them and how this can affect their work.

Michael decided to conduct his own investigation. He began collecting information, analyzing work reports, studying correspondence, and even eavesdropping on conversations. His perseverance and experience helped him find small details that might escape the attention of others.

Michael soon found out that Tom and Mary were dating in secret. This news startled him, but at the same time explained a lot of what he had observed before. Now he understood why Tom had fired David so abruptly, why Elizabeth was mysterious, and why Mary sometimes looked distracted and thoughtful.

Butinsteadof using this information for blackmail or gossip, Michael decided to remain silent. He understood that employees ' personal affairs were their own business, and he didn't want to make things worse. Nevertheless, he continued to watch, wondering how this secret relationship might affect the work of the department and his own career.

Meanwhile, the conflicts with David did not stop. Each of them was looking for weaknesses in the other's work, trying to demonstrate their superiority. Their confrontation became increasingly fierce, and it seemed that they would never find a common language.

But deep down, Michael was beginning to realize that David wasn't so bad after all. His ideas were sometimes sound, and his energy and enthusiasm could be useful to the department. On the other hand, David gradually realized that Michael was not just a stubborn conservative, but an experienced professional whose advice could be very valuable.

Despite this, their conflicts continued. It was as if they were two sides of the same coin, unable to exist without each other, but also unable to find a common language. Their confrontation added spice to the working atmosphere, forcing other employees to choose sides and closely monitor developments.

And yet, somewhere in their hearts, each of them knew that the real power lay in cooperation, not conflict. But for now, they continued to fight for their ideas, for recognition and for a place in the sun, not noticing how their opposition was beginning to affect everyone around them.

So the days went by, and the conflict between Michael Gray and David Harris continued to smolder like coals in a bonfire, ready to burst into flames at the slightest breath of wind. No one knew what this confrontation would lead to, but everyone understood that sooner or later it would have to be resolved - either by peace or by a final break.

Mary felt as if she were in a maze, where every turn was fraught with new mysteries and dangers. She was torn between loving Tom and knowing he was married. Her heart yearned for happiness, but her mind reminded her of moral principles and possible consequences. Each day was an ordeal, forcing her to think again and again in agony.

In the morning, sitting at her desk, Mary stared out the window and tried to imagine her future. Sometimes it seemed to her that she could be happy with Tom, that their love would overcome all obstacles. But then she thought of Sarah, of her possible grief and suffering, and her heart ached. Mary understood that her feelings were not just personal experiences, they affected other people's lives.

At work, she tried to focus on her business, but her thoughts kept coming back to Tom. The look in his eyes, the smile, the occasional touch, all reminded her that there was more than just a working relationship between them. Mary found herself looking for him in the corridors of the office, listening for the sound of his footsteps, waiting for random encounters. But every time their eyes met, she felt not only joy, but also fear, anxiety for the future.

That night, lying in bed, Mary replayed her feelings over and over in her head. She thought of the past - her marriage to Tom, its strengths and weaknesses, its grievances and joys. It seemed to her that they had once been so close, but life had taken them on different paths. And now fate had brought them together again, but in completely different circumstances.

Mary often talked to Anna, shared her feelings and doubts. Anna listened carefully, asked leading questions, helped to look at the situation from different angles. But even her wise advice could not give Mary a definitive answer.

Once Anna suggested that she write down her thoughts and feelings in a diary. "Maybe this way you can better understand yourself," she said. Mary followed this advice and began to keep a diary, detailing her days, her experiences, her dreams and dreams.

The pages of the diary were filled with lines about Tom - about his smile, his look, his touch. Mary wrote about how much she missed him, how much she longed to be together, and at the same time how she was tormented by doubts and fears. She described her walks in London, her thoughts about life, about love, about happiness.

Every day Mary became more and more absorbed in her inner world, trying to find answers to the questions that tormented her. She analyzed her feelings for Tom, compared them with what she had experienced before, tried to understand how strong her love was and whether it was worth risking everything for her.

But the more she thought about it, the more she realized that she couldn't give herself a clear answer. Her love for Tom was too strong to give up, but the knowledge that he was married kept her from moving forward. Mary felt trapped, and there was no way out.

Meanwhile, rumors continued to circulate in the office, Richard's intrigues gained momentum, and Sarah was increasingly looking for evidence of her husband's infidelity. The world around Mary was full of danger and uncertainty, but she seemed to shut it out, lost in her own thoughts and emotions.

Sometimes Mary imagined a future with Tom - their home, their family, their children. These dreams were sweet, but at the same time bitter, because she knew that in order to realize them, she would have to destroy someone else's family. And every time she got to that point, she was overwhelmed with guilt and despair.

At other times, Mary thought about giving up her feelings, forgetting Tom, and starting a new life. But as soon as she remembered the look in his eyes, his voice, and his touch, all her resolve vanished. She knew she couldn't live without him, but she didn't want to be the cause of someone else's grief, either.

So the days passed, and Mary became more and more absorbed in her own emotions. She felt lonely and lost, despite the support of Anna and other friends. Her soul was torn between reason and heart, between duty and desire, between past and future.

Still, Mary knew that sooner or later she would have to make a decision. She understood that not only her life would depend on this choice, but also the lives of other people. But she couldn't take that step yet, couldn't break the emotional trap she was trapped in.

Each new day brought new doubts and new hopes. Mary lived in a haze where reality mingled with dreams, and the past with the future. And in this fog, she continued to look for a way out, continued to hope for a miracle that would help her resolve this internal conflict.

But time passed, and Mary felt that the moment of truth was approaching, when she would have to make a choice. She didn't know what it would be like, but she knew that this choice would determine the rest of her life.

In the meantime, she continued to live in this shaky world of doubt and hope, continuing to search for answers to her questions and trying to sort out her feelings. And every day this task became more difficult, because the heart and mind were engaged in an unequal battle, and no one could predict who would win.