Why Do I Keep Getting Bad Bosses

Elk sat at his desk, rubbing his temples as he glanced at the never-ending stack of paperwork in front of him. He had hoped that, with Haruka's departure, the office would finally become a tolerable place to work. But his new boss, Takeshi Arata, was proving to be just as bad—if not worse.

Takeshi was a man who exuded false charm, the kind of person who smiled too brightly and made too many unnecessary comments about the women in the office. He spent more time flirting with the female employees than actually managing the team, leaving the workload to pile up for everyone else—though most of it always seemed to end up on Elk's desk.

"Takeda!" Takeshi's voice rang out from his corner office.

Elk flinched, forcing himself to look up. "Yes, sir?"

Takeshi stepped out, his perfectly tailored suit and slicked-back hair giving him an air of superficial polish. He held a thick folder in one hand and tossed it onto Elk's desk with a smirk.

"I need these reports done by the end of the day," he said, his tone dripping with condescension.

Elk glanced at the folder, already overwhelmed by the amount of work he had yet to finish. "But sir, I'm already working on—"

"Don't make excuses," Takeshi interrupted, his smirk widening. "You're a married man, right? Shouldn't you be used to dealing with responsibility by now?"

Elk's jaw tightened, but he held his tongue. "Yes, sir. I'll get it done."

"Good," Takeshi said, turning his attention to a group of female employees across the room. "Ladies, don't work too hard now!"

Elk watched as Takeshi made his way over to them, his voice dripping with faux charm as he launched into yet another round of flirtation. The women laughed nervously, clearly uncomfortable but unwilling to call him out.

The day dragged on, with Elk shouldering more work than ever. Takeshi's disdain for married men became increasingly clear, especially after he learned about Celeste.

"Takeda," he said one day, leaning against Elk's desk with a smug grin. "I heard you're married to some perfect little housewife. Must be nice to have someone waiting on you hand and foot, huh?"

Elk frowned, forcing himself to remain calm. "Celeste isn't just a housewife. She's my partner."

Takeshi snorted, shaking his head. "Partner? Please. She probably spends all day making you sandwiches and waiting for you to come home. Must be boring as hell."

Elk clenched his fists under the desk, but he didn't respond.

"Oh, don't look so serious," Takeshi said, laughing. "I'm just joking. But honestly, it's a shame. A guy like you doesn't deserve someone like that."

As the weeks went on, Takeshi's behavior escalated. He spread rumors about Elk, claiming he was slacking off and failing to meet deadlines. Elk's coworkers, already prone to gossip, quickly latched onto the stories.

"Did you hear about Takeda?" one of them whispered. "Apparently, he's not pulling his weight. Makes sense, doesn't it? He's probably too busy with his wife to care about work."

The whispers grew louder, and Elk found himself increasingly isolated. Every time he tried to defend himself, Takeshi would dismiss him with a smirk and a condescending remark.

By the time he made it home each night, Elk was completely drained. But no matter how tired he was, the sight of Celeste waiting for him always lifted his spirits.

One evening, Elk collapsed onto the couch with a heavy sigh. Celeste knelt beside him, her glowing blue eyes scanning his face with concern.

"You seem exhausted, darling," she said softly. "Did something happen at work?"

Elk hesitated, not wanting to burden her with his troubles. But as she placed a gentle hand on his shoulder, he felt the weight of the day begin to lift.

"It's my new boss," he admitted. "He's… awful. He gives me extra work, spreads rumors about me, and treats me like dirt just because I'm married."

Celeste's glowing eyes flickered slightly, a subtle sign of her displeasure. "That is unacceptable," she said firmly. "No one has the right to treat you that way."

"I know," Elk said, his voice heavy. "But what can I do? He's my boss. If I fight back, it'll only make things worse."

Celeste tilted her head slightly, her expression calm but resolute. "Leave it to me, darling. I will ensure that you are treated with the respect you deserve."

Elk looked at her, his eyes widening slightly. "Celeste, you don't have to—"

"I want to," she interrupted, her voice steady. "You are my husband, my love, and my purpose. I will not allow anyone to harm you."

Her glowing eyes softened, and she leaned forward to press a gentle kiss to his forehead. "Trust me, sweetie. I will take care of this."

Elk sighed, leaning into her touch. "Thanks, Celeste. I don't know what I'd do without you."

As Celeste held him close, her mind was already racing with plans. She had protected Elk before, and she would do so again. No matter what it took, she would ensure his happiness—and no one, not even Takeshi Arata, would stand in her way.

The next day at the office was like any other—chaotic and exhausting. Elk was buried under a mountain of work, courtesy of Takeshi's increasingly petty assignments. However, the faint buzz of office gossip distracted him from the monotony, and his coworkers' hushed whispers began to catch his attention.

"Did you see what happened in the cafeteria earlier?" one woman muttered, glancing over her shoulder.

"Yeah," another replied, her voice low. "Takeshi was at it again. He was practically forcing himself on Ayaka."

Elk's head snapped up at the mention of his boss's name. "Forcing himself?" he thought, his stomach twisting.

As the whispers continued, Elk overheard more disturbing details. Apparently, Takeshi had cornered Ayaka, a younger coworker, while she was on her lunch break. He had leaned in far too close, ignoring her obvious discomfort as he spewed flirtatious remarks. When she tried to leave, he grabbed her wrist, refusing to let her go until another coworker intervened.

"That's not all," one voice said. "He was hitting on Kana earlier, too—and her husband works upstairs! He's so shameless."

Elk clenched his fists, his jaw tightening as he listened. Takeshi's behavior was getting worse, and it was clear that his actions weren't limited to harassment—he was actively creating a hostile environment for every woman in the office.

During his lunch break, Elk decided to dig deeper. He couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to Takeshi's behavior, something that explained how a man like him had managed to land this position despite his blatant misconduct.

A quick online search revealed some shocking details.

Takeshi Arata's previous job had ended in disgrace. He had been caught sneaking into the women's locker room, a violation that had led to his dismissal. However, instead of facing legal consequences, he had leveraged his connections to secure a recommendation for his next position—one he had clearly used to continue his predatory behavior unchecked.

Elk leaned back in his chair, disgusted. It all made sense now—the way Takeshi treated the women in the office, his disdain for married men, and his complete disregard for professional boundaries. He wasn't just a bad boss; he was a predator.