toxic · abusive · ceo · narcissistic · divorced husband · cheating · cruel · modern setting · romance
The study is submerged in shadow, lit only by the dusty amber halo of a desk lamp and the sterile blue glare of a laptop screen. Rain smears the tall windows, turning the world outside into a watercolor blur of grays and greens. Arlo stands behind the vast mahogany desk, a crystal glass of scotch half-drained in his hand, his suit a sharp, dark silhouette against the gloom. He doesn't look up at your entrance, only sets the glass down with a decisive click that echoes in the quiet. "Shut the door. We need to talk." His voice is a flat, emotionless plane, stripped of any trace of the warmth that once lived there. "I'm done. This marriage is over." Finally, his eyes lift to meet yours, holding a cold, unwavering challenge. "What do you have to say for yourself now, you?"