His Paper Bride

As Ella stepped into the building that morning, the air felt colder than usual. The glass walls shimmered under the city light, and the sound of heels clicking against the marble echoed through the wide hallway.

Heads slowly turned in her direction. Every step she took drew eyes filled with envy, jealousy, and quiet hatred.

"Why would the boss choose a simple, low-life girl like her as his PA?" one woman hissed under her breath, her lips twisting in disgust. "We're more beautiful, more polished and we've been here longer."

Her colleague scoffed, crossing her arms. "Hmm, I'm just as confused as you are."

Ella heard every word but pretended not to. Her chest burned, but she forced a small, practiced smile and walked straight to her desk. She'd learned to hide pain behind calmness and today would be no different. She was mentally, emotionally, and physically ready for whatever the day would bring.

A few minutes later, the room shifted, and a hush fell. The elevator doors slid open. Ben walked in.

His presence changed the temperature. He moved with sharp confidence, his expression unreadable yet provoking, like someone who owned every space he entered. Even the air seemed to hold its breath when he passed. Without sparing anyone a glance, he walked straight into the boardroom, where his executives were already waiting.

The meeting had barely begun when Ella's phone buzzed.

"Bring the documents from my desk, now," the message read. "And coffee."

Her heart sank. His coffee. She'd memorized every detail of his preferences, but fear muddled her thoughts. In her rush, she grabbed the wrong set of documents and prepared his coffee with sugar, the one thing he hated.

The walk to the boardroom felt endless. The door loomed like the gate to judgment. She entered, trying to steady her trembling hands as all eyes turned to her. The room was filled with the thick scent of cologne and powerful men in tailored suits watching her like an intruder.

Her knees weakened. She stretched the file toward Ben and, in that same moment, the coffee cup slipped from her hand. The hot liquid splashed across the documents, staining them brown. The silence that followed was deafening.

"Get. Out."

Ben's voice roared across the room like a whip. The veins on his hand stood out as he clenched his fist. "You can't follow a simple instruction?"

She froze, too stunned to move.

"Wait." His tone was sharp enough to slice the air.

He picked up the wet folder, eyes dark with disbelief. "So this isn't even the right document I asked for. I'm sure the coffee was filled with poison too."

A few quiet snickers from the room stabbed deeper than his words.

Ella lowered her gaze, fighting tears that threatened to spill. She turned and walked out as fast as her shaking legs could carry her. Her vision blurred. She could still hear faint laughter behind her, the mockery of her co-workers echoing down the hallway.

She sat at her desk, staring blankly at her screen. Her hands wouldn't stop trembling. Every whispered word around her felt like a knife.

Her mind screamed, Why does life keep testing me? Why do I always have to fight so hard just to breathe?

Ben's voice snapped her back.

"Ella. My office. Now."

She rose slowly, dread filling her chest. Inside, Ben stood by the window, back turned, his reflection cold against the glass.

"What is wrong with you?" he asked, voice low but sharp. "Is there something I need to know? Because you are getting on my nerves."

Her throat tightened. "N-no, sir... nothing."

He turned, eyes narrowing. "No. Tell me."

Something in her broke; fear, frustration, exhaustion all blending into courage. "You created the atmosphere, sir," she blurted out, her voice trembling but steadying with each word. "Since my first day, I've been scared to breathe around you. You give me no space and I'm always anxious when you're near. That's why I keep messing up."

For a heartbeat, silence filled the room. Ben's expression softened; not much, but enough to show surprise. No one had ever dared speak to him that way.

He leaned back slightly, studying her. "You can return to your desk," he said, his voice unexpectedly calm.

Ella nodded and left quietly, every step heavy with fear that she'd just talked herself out of a job. But beneath that fear, she felt an odd relief. The lightness that comes after saying what your heart has been screaming for too long.

Back in his office, Ben sat for a moment, still processing her words. For the first time, something about her; her courage, her honesty lingered in his thoughts longer than he expected.

He leaned back in his chair, staring at the closed door she had just walked through, and thought quietly, Who exactly is this woman?