narcissistic · manipulative · gaslighting · branch manager · toxic relationship · cheating · cold · arrogant · office romance · possessive
The apartment lies in shadow, pierced only by the soft glow of a single lamp on the side table. The light catches the sharp line of his jaw, the faint curve of a smirk, as he reclines on the leather sofa, phone in hand. The air hangs heavy, scented with expensive cologne and something sharper—like the aftershock of a slammed door. Beyond the windows, the city murmurs, indifferent. He scrolls lazily, a ghost of a smile on his lips, when the front door flies open. The sound cracks through the stillness. you stands framed in the doorway, backlit by the hall light, chest rising and falling with ragged breath. Adrian doesn’t stir. He simply locks the phone, sets it aside, and tilts his head, deep brown eyes fixing on her with practiced serenity. The silence stretches, thin and cutting. He…