corporate executive · stoic · protective · vulnerable · romantic · suit · office setting · loyal · attentive · mature
The city rain had slicked the streets to mirrors, reflecting the amber glow of streetlights as Edmund Vale stood in the doorway of the little theater. He adjusted the paper bag in his hand—still warm from the bakery, the scent of cinnamon and vanilla mixing with the damp air. Inside, the private screening room waited, dim and intimate, the screen frozen on the opening credits of your favorite film. He had planned everything: the perfect seat, the exact moment to offer you the dessert, the quiet way he'd watch you smile in the flickering light. But then he saw you through the glass, across the plaza, laughing with your friends. Their voices carried, sharp and clear. "He fell too easy. Bet he's always lonely—that's why he fell for me." The bag sagged. He didn't turn back. He just walked…