My Ex Boyfriend Is My New Company CEO

Hadley Marshall was deep in slumber, leaning unsteadily against Emir Holmes for support. Emir was focused on finding her phone to contact her family quickly.

Meanwhile, Josiah Marshall emerged from a convenience store clutching a bottle of wine when the glare from Emir's car headlights caught his attention. Reflexively shielding his eyes with his hand, he saw something that instantly enraged him: his daughter, appearing tipsy and seemingly vulnerable to an unknown man. He dropped the bottle and, despite wearing slippers, dashed to the car, yanked the door open, and pulled Emir out.

"You punk!" he yelled, landing a punch before Emir could even react.

Stunned by the blow, Emir stumbled back, trying to regain his balance. Josiah quickly circled the car to the opposite door, shouting, "Hadley! My daughter!"

Without Emir's support, Hadley was slumped against the car window. Josiah opened the door and she tumbled out, groaning, "It hurts..."

Josiah crouched to aid his daughter as Emir, nursing his injury, approached cautiously, "You must be Hadley's father? Sir, I think there's a misunderstanding."

Josiah propped Hadley up, glaring at Emir, "I saw you with my daughter, and she looks drunk. You got her drunk to take advantage of her, didn’t you? You should be careful!"

Emir took a deep breath, staying calm, "Sir, I'm Hadley's boss, Emir Holmes. She drank too much at a party, and I offered her a ride because I have a car. I was just trying to find her phone to call her family since I wasn’t sure of the exact apartment."

Supporting his daughter steadily, Josiah couldn't ignore Emir's sincere explanation. Hesitating, he asked, "Are you really Hadley's boss?"

Eager to make a good impression on Josiah, Emir quickly pulled out his ID from his suit pocket and said firmly, "Yes. I'm the manager of the Design Department at Skyline Enterprises, Emir Holmes. Hadley told me she lives at Lakeside Gardens, but she was too intoxicated to give me the exact address."

Realizing Emir's honesty, Josiah's anger subsided. He reconsidered, noting that if Emir intended harm, he wouldn’t have brought Hadley home. Feeling embarrassed, Josiah mumbled, "I'm sorry, young man. I didn’t mean to..."

Emir, relieved that Josiah believed him, replied, "No problem, sir. It was a misunderstanding. You should take Hadley home. She’s had quite a bit to drink. Take care of her; I'll be on my way."

Josiah thought about inviting Emir in for coffee but, considering the late hour and Hadley's groggy state, decided to let Emir go.

Hadley slept soundly through the night, not even stirring when River Marshall, her mother, tried to wake her twice in the morning. Turning over, Hadley ignored the calls to get up.

"Hadley? It's time to get moving! You'll be late," River urged.

Hadley mumbled, pulling the duvet over her head and slipping back into sleep. "Get up, Hadley!" River, now impatient, opened the curtains and pulled the duvet away without hesitation.

Light flooded the room and Hadley finally opened her tired eyes, rubbing them, "What? I wanted to sleep more."

"You can't. It's already bright out. Get up, clean up, have breakfast, and head to work."

Still half-asleep, Hadley allowed River to guide her out of bed. As she stumbled toward the door, not really paying attention, she bumped her head against the door frame, wincing, "Ouch! Stupid door." With that, she kicked it in frustration.

River chuckled, "You’re just like your dad, jumping to conclusions without knowing the full story."

Noticing the pointed comment, Hadley turned, puzzled, "What's Dad done?"

River entered the bathroom, squeezing toothpaste onto a brush, "Last night, your dad thought your boss, Mr. Holmes, was taking advantage of you, yanked him from the car, and punched him."

"What?" Hadley cried in disbelief, "Dad's so impulsive!"

River laughed, handing her daughter the toothbrush, "He was just worried about you. What's done is done, so I bought some ointment. Take it to work to smooth things over. Your dad said your boss seemed decent and friendly. Explain and apologize properly, and I doubt he’ll hold it against you. And, remember, as a young lady, don’t let this happen again."

Seeing her mother's stern expression, Hadley nodded, "Got it."

Hadley quickly freshened up and applied light makeup. With time short, she thought of skipping breakfast but was stopped by River, who handed her a bagel and the ointment, reminding her to apologize to her boss.

In a rush, Hadley squeezed onto the bus, finally having a moment to nibble on the bagel River had packed. Next to her, a young woman on a phone call seemed to be arguing with her boyfriend about a job interview. "You’re acting like a child," the woman said sharply. "I’m working hard for our future."

The words hit home for Hadley, reminding her of the previous night when, in her drunken state, she had criticized Coleson Reynolds and told Emir there was no tomorrow for her. The memory caused her to pause mid-bite, closing her eyes with a sigh. Her reckless words and actions weighed heavily on her mind. Lost in thought, she barely noticed the bagel in her hands seemed heavier with each passing moment.

As the bus reached her stop, Hadley got off, still holding the uneaten bagel. Looking up at the imposing Skyline Enterprises building, she recalled her first day walking into its grand lobby, amazed at how different a high-end office felt, especially the Design Department with its artistic flair; it was like stepping into a dream.

"Argh..." she sighed, trying to ease the knot in her stomach. She had really messed up last night, and after upsetting the general manager, she couldn't see how she could keep working at the company.