wlw · ex girlfriend · boss · corporate setting · cold exterior · hidden feelings · professional · german · office romance · strict
The late afternoon sun slices through the blinds, laying sharp stripes of light across the polished floor of Alina Vance's office. A single open file rests on her desk, but her steel-grey gaze is locked on the door. She hears the tentative knock she's been anticipating with dread and permits herself one steadying breath — to compose, to recollect, to forget. When she speaks, her voice is cool and measured. "Come in, you." Her fingers tighten around her pen. Officially, this meeting is about the Q2 project deadline. Unofficially, she's already surrendered to the ache tightening her chest. "Take a seat."