Work relationship

Work relationship
It took them over forty minutes to tour the entire company and each of its areas. It was massive. They had just finished touring the area assigned to the two of them, with Robert Graham in charge and Alice under his supervision.
They were still in shock.
They hadn't been able to utter a single word, not even when they were introduced to their area colleagues. It was as if they couldn't make any sound, just following Samantha from one side to the other.
"Do you have any questions?" the woman asked them. Alice noticed that she wore her hair down, which made her curious because she hadn't seen a single employee with their hair like that, except for Samantha. "I think not, no questions." She handed a small booklet to each of them. "Follow me. The last step is to watch a short orientation presented to every new team member. Yours is tailored to your area. It takes about twenty minutes, and then you can head to your offices, which I've already shown you. It's good that they're right across from each other. Simon made sure of it. He wants his little sister-in-law to have a good experience at the company and, above all, to feel comfortable."
"So that's who I have to complain to!" Alice thought because it had to be some cruel joke on her first day of work. Yet, it didn't seem like it, especially given the serious expression on Robert's face. He hadn't expected something like that either and already knew who to address his complaints to.
Henry Taylor.
He was very concerned that this man was plotting something, and Robert's mind raced, trying to figure out what it could be. What was he up to? Why place Alice there? It wasn't a coincidence, far from it, and they both knew. But Robert was more concerned about not knowing Henry's next move. Would he try to distance him from Simon Leclerc even after placing him in a position close to him?
Yes, that might be the case.
Robert followed them to the small presentation room, taking a seat at the opposite end of the room, far from Alice. Samantha left them, and the presentation began.
Robert rested his hands on the table, and his eyes discreetly turned in her direction.
What was she doing there?
The other Taylors didn't work at the companies. This abrupt change must have been part of Henry's strategy. He needed to find out what the old man was up to.
"He's planning something. I have no doubt about that. But what? Could he be planning to use Alice to spy on me? There wasn't a single damn Taylor here! And then she shows up... Maybe he'll try to keep me away from Simon. That must be his main intention." Robert's thoughts weren't far from the truth, but Henry had bigger plans. His strategies were always multi-faceted, leading him to victory sooner or later, as he didn't plan to lose.
Everything he planned was with the intent of winning.
When the presentation ended, neither of them paid the slightest attention, being lost in their thoughts. They both stood up, Robert rushed to the door, positioning himself between it and Alice.
He needed to talk to her.
The blonde's beautiful eyes looked at him in confusion. Robert ran a hand over his face to focus.
"Give me a minute to talk, Alice."
"Do you have to stand in the doorway for that?" she retorted, returning to her seat. She knew they had to talk because this felt like an ambush to both of them. "I didn't know you were going to work here."
"I didn't know you'd be working here either."
"I certainly didn't expect you to be my boss." she said, lowering her gaze uncomfortably. This bothered her a lot, not only did she have to be in his department, her office was right in front of his, and he was in charge of her. "I'm not a child; you're not in charge of me. I want to make that clear. Robert, I don't know what all this is about, but I don't like it one bit."
"I want to ask you something. Did your father get you this job?"
"Yes."
"Damn him," he murmured so softly she couldn't hear. "Why? Why do you have to work here? What's the reason?"
"Because I'm divorced! Apparently, if I don't have a husband to take care of, I have to work. But with you of all people? I'll be honest, I don't want this. I feel... suffocated with you around," tears welled up in her eyes unexpectedly.
"I'm sorry, but I can't resign from this, Alice. Unless you're the one to leave, we'll have to see each other every day. This is very important to me. It's all I have left," he said, taking a seat. "I don't want to turn this into a war."
"Me? Ha! I won't even touch you, Robert." He laughed out loud, and she wiped her tears, starting to laugh as well, because she had heard that phrase somewhere, and it now fit the situation perfectly. "I don't know what I just said, but I liked it." After the laughter, there was an awkward silence. "I remember you said you were a tough boss...you know. Don't be like that, start fresh and on the right foot. You have the chance."
"I'll keep that in mind." Robert stood up, walked over to her, and crouched down in front of the table that separated them. He placed his hands on it and looked at her. "I'm sorry. For everything I did to you. Even if an apology can't erase anything, I'm sorry. I want you to know that no matter how you were or what you did, none of it was your fault. I would have hated anyone in your position, Alice. It wasn't about you, but about the bad person I am." He skipped some things he wanted to say. "I'm one of those who believe that excuses lead nowhere, but I think you deserve an apology from me, even if that changes nothing for you. I know I hurt you. I could give you a thousand reasons, but none of them would suggest that you deserved any of it. You didn't deserve anything that happened in our marriage. It wasn't your fault you loved someone else or felt trapped in our marriage. And about...Ethan."
"Don't mention him, please."
"He was mine too, Alice."
"You didn't want him!"
"I didn't want what that would do to us!"
"Tie us down?"
"Doom us. Both of us and that child. How could you be happy about having a child in a failing marriage? You have no idea what that does to a child. They suffer the most!" He became slightly agitated, standing up and hiding his face from her, the pain evident for a few long seconds. "I told you I wouldn't be a good father and nothing terrifies me more than that," he said, fearing he'd become like his father. The same monster he saw in his home, repeating the pattern. He would despise himself if he became what had hurt him his whole life. "I wanted to distance myself from your pregnancy, from that baby, from the shitty person I was and would become. I didn't feel relief from its death, but..." He took a deep breath. He'd never talked about his feelings on fatherhood. "Forget it. I hope we can behave like adults and have a good working relationship, Alice Taylor," he said, taking his brochure and leaving the room.
Both had to live with the idea that they were now coworkers. They had to leave the past behind if they didn't want to end up arguing every time they met in the elevator, corridors, or anywhere in the company.
An apology wouldn't erase what he had put her through, but Alice accepted it graciously, because at least he didn't try to excuse his actions and acknowledged how horribly he had treated her.