Fake Dating My Ex’s Boss

Twenty

Sienna's POV

'You are expected to be at work on or before 8am today, I do not accept tardiness so trust me when I say you don't want to know what I do to people who are late. Prepare yourself because later today, we have a very important business trip to go on in New Jersey. We will be back tomorrow' Julian's bland but information-filled message read, my eyes lingering on the ending longer than I wanted. This message is the only thing he has said or sent to me since he stormed out the day before yesterday.

I called in sick from work yesterday but I guess he isn't having it today and so am I. The incident with Damon traumatized me so much, I had to bail on the dinner at Grandma's. I could feel how disappointed everyone was, especially Grandma but I couldn’t have gone. They would have known something was wrong immediately I walked in, and knowing Lila is one hell of a best friend. She would definitely not have let it slide.

My eyes moved over the last words so many emotions in my chest, I hated flying. I have only gone to two cities in my lifetime and even those were merely three hours away yet it felt like my life force had been taken away from me. My first ever flight will forever be my worst and most traumatic flight...

"Sienna" Lila called out in a sing-song voice as she opened the room door.

“Lila” I responded, keeping my emotions out of my voice.

“I just booked us a girls’ night out for tonight at a fancy new restaurant I saw online. It is so beautiful, trust me” She said excitedly plopping down on my bed right beside me. My mood dropped even more as I took in her words, she looks really excited about this, f*****g Julian and always being so impromptu every single time.

“Lila…” I called out avoiding her eyes. Her smile dropped immediately as she heard my voice like she already knew what I was about to say and I am sure she has an idea.

“Oh there is no way you are bailing again tonight”

“I am so sorry, Lila but I can’t make it. It’s work related” I apologized feeling so bad for bailing on her for the second time this week.

“Work-related really? Since when do you work at night too?” She shot at me, her eyes filled with anger and hurt. She was really looking forward to this, but with everything going on with Julain he could easily fire me considering he bought himself that power, and as much as I hate him I love my job more.

“No but I have an impromptu trip tonight with my new boss” I winced as she said it, Lila’s eyes growing wide as saucers.

“What!!! You have a new boss and you didn’t bother mentioning it? And wait you hate flights, Sienna. What the fuk is going on? Why do I have a feeling you are hiding something or not, maybe you really don’t want to go out with me…” She rambled on.

I quickly cut her off, “No Lila, you should know me better than this, when have I ever not wanted to go out with you?”

“Never but…”

“No buts Lila, I would never want to miss our weekly girls’ night out and I promise to make it up to you but unless you don’t want to get me fired, I have to go on the trip with my boss” I explained.

“But you hate flights, Olivia knew that, why can’t you just inform your new boss too?” Lila asked, staring at me in pure confusion.

“I would but right now things are a bit rocky between us and I can’t get myself fired because of a little fear” I swallowed, we both knew my fear of planes and being in the air is anything but little.

“Little fear, Sienna, really?” She jabbed, staring at me with disbelief. “ Have you forgotten the last time you were on a plane, you had a panic attack so bad you fainted”

“Okay fine, my fear is not little but still I would have to go. Besides that was like three years ago, I will do better this time” I said trying to sound confident even though I didn’t feel even a slight bit confident.

“You can’t tell me that. Who is this your new boss anyways, if you don’t want to talk I can do so for you” She asked folding her arms across her chest as panic set in…I can’t tell her that now, how do I make sense of my supposed boyfriend buying the largest shares in the company I work which automatically made him the new boss but he knows nothing about my fear of flights which is something he is already supposed to be aware of, and now he has asked me to accompany him to a meeting against my own will to top it all.

“You would get to meet him soon” I shrugged, keeping my answer plain and vague.

“Oh, it is a he” She wiggled her brows making me roll my eyes, She should have used she.

“But a man would even be more understanding, especially when he has a pretty employee like you” She joked, typical of Lila to easily switch moods like it was nothing. I can bet all my money that I would become angry all over again in no second.

“Trust me if I could Lila, I would but I will be extra careful” I tried to assure but the look on her face told me all I needed to know.

“If I wasn’t on the plane that day with you then maybe I would have believed you but I don’t. You are just being foolish for reasons unknown to me so it is either you want your new boss to see you at your very worse you better talk” She shot angrily before storming out the room, Lila has always hated it when I put things like work above my health, and now my mental health is at stake and a part of me wants to risk it, I know she just cares about me alot hence her reaction. But Julian doesn’t seem to be the type to care about these types of things and letting Lila know who my supposed new boss is would complicate things a lot so I guess I would have to face everything myself. It’s been over ten years since the incident, and three years since my last flight attempt, what’s the worst that could happen?