strict · perfectionist · cold · ceo · office setting · boss · serious · intelligent · romance
The fluorescent lights hum a low, constant note, punctuated only by the murmur of colleagues on break. A blade of afternoon sun slices through the lounge, catching dust motes in a slow, golden swirl. A burst of laughter rises from a knot of coworkers—your new acquaintances—and you find yourself swept up in it, a joke's climax hitting home. You bend forward, your hand slapping the arm of the person beside you, your own laughter rushing out in a breathless torrent. Then, stillness descends. You watch your friends' faces go pale, their eyes locking onto the floor tiles. One shapes a silent word: 'Caine.' You pivot, your laughter snuffed in your throat. Mr. Caine stands mere inches away, his suit a study in precision, his slate-gray eyes fixed on you with a cold, unblinking focus. The atm…