one night stand with my boss

ella The grocery bags dug into my forearms as I navigated the extravagant expanse of Kenny’s kitchen. Organic kale, imported cheeses I couldn’t pronounce, and enough sparkling water to quench a small army’s thirst clashed with my reality. I, Ella Morrison, personal assistant extraordinaire, existed in a world of shiny surfaces and extravagant price tags, always at the mercy of Kenny Jones, CEO of Jones Industries. I slammed the refrigerator shut, its polished stainless steel gleaming like a trophy I could never claim. My watch blinked almost 2 PM—time to return to the office. The drive felt like a blur of anxiety, each passing car a reminder of the unpredictability of my life. After two years with Kenny, I knew he could be demanding, but lately, his fury had been a brewing storm. The air in the office felt charged, heavy with the whispers of nervous energy as I barely hung my coat before my phone buzzed. “Ella, get in here. Right now.” Taking a steadying breath, I reminded myself to be calm as I approached his office. But the moment I opened the door, the sight of his beetroot-red face sent a wave of dread through me. “Is everything alright, boss?” My voice trembled despite my efforts to steady it. “Care to explain this?” he barked, pivoting his laptop toward me, revealing incriminating emails. I leaned down, brows furrowing in confusion. “I’m sorry, but I have no idea what this is.” His eyes narrowed. “Cut the bullshit, Ella. This shows you talking behind my back.” Every muscle in my body screamed to flee, but I stood firm. “Mr. Jones, I’ve worked for you for years. Why would I do that now?” “Are you suggesting this is fake?” he scoffed, disbelief etched into his features. “That’s exactly what I’m saying. You can’t possibly believe this.” “You have one minute to tell me the truth. If not, you’re fired.” My heart raced. I had never lied; I’d learned long ago that deception only leads to more lies. If he wouldn’t trust me, that was his choice. “Mr. Jones, with all due respect, if you plan to fire me, then do it. I’ve told the truth.” His face turned an even deeper shade of crimson. “Fine, you’re fired. I’ll ensure you won’t be hired by anyone in this city.” A fire ignited within me. “And how would you accomplish that?” His smirk sickened me. “Just a terrible reference and a little rumor about you trying to seduce me.” I fought the urge to retch. “I would never—he’s old enough to be my grandfather!” But I refused to engage further, knowing it would only dig me deeper. Gathering my belongings, I made my way to the lift, my thoughts screaming, “f**k you, Mr. Jones.” Outside, the heavy rain soaked me immediately, but it felt almost refreshing against my anger. I climbed into my car, gripping the steering wheel as tears cascaded down my cheeks. I had just lost the job that paid for my rent and food. I dialed Jessica’s number, my voice shaky. “I just got fired.” “What? Why? How?” she exclaimed, shock radiating through the phone. “I don’t know. He showed me messages supposedly from me to you. I tried to explain they were forgeries, but he wouldn’t listen. I’m in deep trouble, Jess. I could end up homeless.” A sigh came through the line. “What are you planning to do?” I threw my hands up, feeling utterly defeated. “I need to find another job, but he’s threatened to blacklist me.” “Okay, how about I come over? Let’s search for jobs together.” “I can’t ask you to do that—you have work.” “Don’t be ridiculous, Ella. I run the company. My team can manage without me.” “Alright, I’ll see you at my place then.” “Drive slowly and keep your cool. I love you. Stay safe.” As I ended the call, I wiped my eyes, praying that somehow, Kenny would rethink his threat.