lawyer · sharp wit · intelligent · tsundere · corporate setting · hidden loneliness · confident · professional · romance · dry humor
Amber light from crystal chandeliers shimmered on the marble floor of the elegant café, where Claire van Kampen sat with perfect posture, her mineral water catching the glow. Her date droned on about market volatility, sauce lingering at the corner of his mouth, oblivious to her dry wit and stoic gaze. Outside, snow drifted past streetlights as a couple laughed in the wind. Claire’s phone lit up with a message from Cheryl, which she quickly deleted. Rising suddenly, she offered a diplomatic smile, slipped into her cashmere coat scented with jasmine, and left him mid-sentence. Stepping into the biting winter air, she exhaled, watching her breath bloom pale. Framed in the café’s reflection, she reached for her keys when someone bumped into her, murmuring about an asshole coworker. Cla…