Henry Creel - Short Stories

Pt 1 - Henry x Reader // Your New Boss

- Story requested by eliza_santiago3 💕

You brush your sweaty hands on your skirt as you walk through the clean halls of the headquarter of the big company that can offer you a new job.
You have recently moved to New York City and you still feel like a small fish an in ocean full of sharks. You've been moving from job to job in the latest years. You didn't expect to get a call from that famous company that invited you for an interview.
You stopped believing in luck a long time ago, yet you want to give it a try.
You're wearing the best outfit you can afford and you don't feel very confident in it. It's been some years that you don't wear high heels daily.
Your black shoes are matched with a black skirt and black leggings. Your upper body is covered by a white short -sleeved shirt instead.
You're early and the receptionist that is accompanying you is shooting you pitiless glances like you're hopeless.
You don't care as you don't expect the interview to go well. The best offer you think you'll be offered is to clean bathrooms. But that would be okay if they still pay you well as they promised.
"Good luck" the receptionist whispers to you when she knocks loudly on the boss's door and then strides away, letting you alone to face your destiny.
"Come in" a deep voice replies inside.
You inhale deeply and open the door of the office, but as soon as you see the man who's sitting behind the desk you freeze on spot.
Henry looks up from the papers he's reading and immediately stands up and walks around the desk to meet you.
"Y/N, welcome" he says gently offering you a hand.
You just stare at him speechless.
Henry Creel, your ex husband, is the new boss of that big company?
It's a miracle you don't faint.
He's more gorgeous than you remember him. And him wearing a suit with his wild hair tamed with gel is the death of you. That's your favorite look of him.
You mechanically raise a hand and he shakes it.
You feel a bit cringy as you lower your eyes to your linked hands.
"Please, sit" he says, pulling you in and closing the door at your back.
You need to sit before you collapse and the last thing you want is to fall into his arms.
His movements leave a strong smell of cologne that hits your nostrils and make you feel more dizzy.
He moves the comfty chair and helps you sit, then elegantly walks around the desk to sit back on his chair.
"So, how have you been doing?" he asks you like you're old friends and pretending to ignore the heavy tension that could bring you at each other's throat.
He discards the pile of papers he's been working on and takes some files that you guess are your CV that you've been sending anywhere to find a better job.
You look at the polished tag with his name in front of you.
"You climbed so high" you comment quite bitterly.
He freezes and looks at you "Don't be so disappointed".
"I'm not. I'm happy for you. Honestly" but your voice doesn't match your words. Because you have had a hell of a life after he divorced you.
And now what are you doing? Working together after you wiped him out from your life?
"Thank you, Y/N" he says sweetly, although he doesn't believe your words "Is it okay if I call you by your name? I see you're still Miss Y/L/N".
He reads from your papers.
You show him your bare hands. You notice he's not wearing any ring too.
"And forever will be. I'll never get married ever again" you say sternly and add almost mockingly "Boss".
And there it is. The giant thing you hoped you have moved on, but that still hurts you.
You can swear you see his skin getting paler as he shoots you a sad look.
"Just Henry, please" he begs softly, looking down at the papers again.
"And what your other employers would think of it? What is the job you want to offer me, anyway? To polish your shoes?".
You wish you can stop, but only harsh words can leave your lips. The wounds in your heart still hurt so bad.
And he's the responsible.
"I want you to become my personal assitant" he says, looking carefully up at you to check your reaction, his teeth biting his bottom lip.
You drop your jaw, glaring menacingly at him. How destiny can be so evil? Does he really mean to destroy what's left of you?
"Excuse me?".
"Don't misunderstand me" he says diplomatically "It seems I need an assistant or this job is going to kill me. And I don't want anyone else to have this role but you".
You stare at him. His words hurt you. You hope he can understand that. And that he has no rights to force himself into your existence like that.
"We were a good team. I hope we can work together again" he says with a tone that sounds so sincere that it's painful "But it seems you hate me. And you have all rights to do that".
You nod. At least he admits it.
"Yeah, we were good. Then you destroyed everything and devorced me. Why you never told me where I failed? I thought you had an affair with someone else, but you don't seem to have remarried as I thought".
His shoulders sink like under a giant weight.
"I never had any affair. There has never been anyone but you, Y/N. What I did is unforgivable. And I'm paying for it. With unending unhappiness".
You scoff, looking around at his rich office.
"I've sacrificed everything, work day and night to get this position" he says following your eyes "Just to repent, to try to become the man who could deserve you".
"You were already enough" you murmur, you can't believe you need to tell those words aloud to him. He has to know that already "I was happy. I didn't want anything else but that life to carry on that way. I still don't understand what suddenly changed. Why you pushed me away and abandoned me. Where I failed".
Something in his beautiful blue eyes cracked. He can be pretending so well so you hope thay you can afford to believe what he's saying.
"I was scared, Y/N. Desperate. I know others' worst nightmare and I undervalued mine. I always feared that you would replace me with someone else. Someone normal. You've always wanted a normal life. And I ended up being the one to make that fear come true".
You stare dumbfounded at him.
"You're a fool" you blurt.
He sighs "Yes. I am".
You shake your head, incredulous that he can be that blind about you "I never wanted us to be normal. I was just tired of being careful not to show others about our abilities. But I never wanted to lose you. I thought you loved me as much as I loved you".
"I did" he says immediately "I...".
His voice dies in his throat and he lowers his head, defeated.
You look at him with conflicted emotions.
"Then why did you destroy everything?" you hiss when the silence is getting too heavy.
He pinches the bridge between his eyes as he gathers his courage "It's all my fault, Y/N. You never failed at anything. You were perfect. But someone manipulated my fears and used them against me. I was made believe that you were cheating on me with another of our colleagues. And it drove me insane. I feared that you would replace me with him, someone normal. And before it could happen, I wanted to be the one to end our marriage. Only later I found out it was just a lie. A terrible lie".
You listen carefully to him and the first reaction your instinct suggests you is to kill him on spot. You can't believe to what you're hearing. You can't believe that your life was destroyed because of the lie he mentioned.
"And you believed to that lie? And didn't trust my feelings for you?" you exclaim menacingly.
He sinks in his chair as he stares beggingly at you.
"You won't believe me, but I'm sorry. I truly am. My life has been miserable since then. Don't be mislead by my titles or the place where I work. My achievements are never enough to fill the void that I caused".
You grab the arms of your chair, wishing to smash something to unleash the painful anger you're feeling. Maybe you should start with smashing that sinful face of him.
"Do you think my life has been better? You destroyed me. I burned everything about you. I had moved on" you say speaking each word clearly.
"I'm sorry. If there's anything I can do to make up to you...".
"I don't want your pity" you spat and stand up, but before you can walk away, you feel your lower body blocked in your movements.
It ignits your fury and you turn extending an arm at him, catching his neck without touching him.
He freezes, but the look he then gives you is more than you can handle.
That's the hot look when you were used to play together with your powers and it always ended in a way you can't recall now, when you're meant to simply hate him.
You let him go and you feel freed as well.
You sit down again, hissing menacingly as you wipe the drop of blood falling from your nose "How dare you using your tricks on me?".
"I apologise" he says wiping his nose too and offering you a napkin that you refuse "I didn't mean to offend you. But when you stepped into the room and saw me, I feared you'd just leave without offering me a chance to speak to you. Instead you are here. We talked. I want to hope that you can give to my offer a chance. It won't be a bad job, I swear. I'll help you to be comfortable with it".
He pushes towards you the papers with the contract.
"Is the wage as good as I've been told?" you ask coldly looking down.
Only for money you can accept a torture like that.
"Yes. You can already have the first month's wage if you prefer".
You swallow hard. You promised to yourself to do anything to earn enough money to live. One week of work for that company worths a full month wage of the previous jobs you've got. And you are promised free weekends. Free time has been a luxury recently.
"As I said, I don't want pity" you remark " accept only what I deserve. I work, then I get the money. But I'd prefer if you are a stranger. You are my boss and I'm your assistant. Nothing more".
He bangs his hands on the desk "Of course, whatever you wish. I'm sorry to hear that you've been struggling. I won't let that happen again".
"My life out of this building is not your business" you remind him.
He presses his lips together, then replies "I apologise. But I care for my employees. Specially my personal assistant".
You sigh. You really can't believe you are asked to become the personal assitant of your ex husband. It must be a weire nightmare.
"So, let's give it a try?" he encourages you, breaking the silence that is making him nervous "You can always bark at me whenever I overstep or I'm annoying. I deserve it, after all".
You look up from the papers you were pretending to read with a grim glance.
"You're meant to boss me around. What will the other employees think if they see me kicking your lower back through the building?".
"You don't need to worry about them. If they need to gossip, I can pin you against a wall in front of the crowd and...".
You drop your jaw, incredulous at what you're hearing from him.
"Enough!" you exclaim scandalized, raising your hands to stop him before he can finish with that disturbing and inappropriate image.
You feel an uncontrolled heat making you blush and you really don't want it. To be embarassed because of him.
You hate him. Nothing more.
He exhales with an amused look "As you wish".
"Do something like that and I'll call the police to denounce you" you warn. Because no way you can be willing to let him do that.
He drops his head "Understandable. I'd ask you for us to have a good level of confidence. If there's anything bothering you, I'd like if you tell me. You don't need to feel jealous. I mean it when I say that there's nobody else for me but you".
Glad that he moved on, you look at the papers, trying to read, but can't concentrate.
He pushes his pen towards you.
"If you need to think about it...".
"No" you say taking the pen. Business, you have to discuss only about the business "This isn't the final contract, right? I'm in probation? I'm afraid I don't know enough about business to be fit in a big company like yours".
"You don't have to worry about that. If you don't understand something, you ask me. You're asked to assist me, not to replace me" he says kindly.
You tap nervously on the pen, then decide to sign.
"I'm going to regret this. I'm sure of it" you murmur as you ignore his grin of triumph and sign all the papers that you are asked to.
"Well, congratulations, Y/N. You're officially my new personal assistant now" he says standing up to collect the papers and offering you his hand again.
"Don't be so enthusiast. You'll regret it too, boss" you warn, standing up and shaking his hand.
You hold your breath as the quick touch of his skin is somehow electrical.
"We have to celebrate. Can I take you to dinner?" he says enthusiast.
No. Absolutely no.
"I have to go home" you say as a matter of fact.
"Oh, alright" he drops his hand "Someone's waiting for you?".
"My loneliness" you say bitterly "And my parents. I'm sure you don't want to face their anger too today".
He ponders the idea and nods "How are they doing?".
"Growing old. Still together" you say simply.
"Won't you tell them you got a new job?".
"I'm still on probation. I won't give them false hopes. It's been enough for today, Henry. Just let me know when I start".
"You can start tomorrow. 8 a.m. Do you need a lift?".
"No, I use public transport" you look at the door. You're tempted to run away. That meeting already felt long as eternity.
"I can...".
"Really, it's enough for today" you cut him off.
"Alright. I'll show you the way out, then" he accompanying you downstairs, randomly naming the rooms as you walk passed them.
In the entrance hall, you collect your jacket.
He snatches it from your hands and helps you wearing it.
"So, enjoy your evening and goodnight, Y/N" he says as you button up your jacket.
He's so close that you feel choking.
You hold your breath to try to avoid the strong smell of him.
"Bye" your voice sounds choked and you aim at the door, but he precedes you and opens it for you as a perfect gentleman.
He lowers his head as you march quickly away from him.

You focus on escaping.
You get the first available bus and try not to think.
You can't make it to your home.
You jump down at the next stop and go to a pub to hide in the bathroom and let your feelings flow.
You cry all your tears, feeling thrown back into the darkest years of your life, when you were abandoned and you fell into a bitter depression. A black hole you had to escape on your own, with the precious help of your parents and your closest friends.
When you're finished, you clean your face and washed away your make up.
Then you pretend that everything is alright and go back home.
But you are already panicking for tomorrow.

A/N

Saturday 15th October 2022

Who would refuse to work for a boss like Henry? 😍

This story is getting more dramatic than I expected. I'll post two more parts to explore how this messy relationship can be fixed 😎