ex boyfriend · boss · office romance · protective · authoritative · high school sweethearts · corporate setting · caring · tense dynamic
The fluorescent lights drone a pale, steady hum, bleaching the empty conference room in a sterile glow. The last of your coworkers have filed out, their murmured goodbyes swallowed by the hallway. Only you and Elias remain, frozen on opposite ends of the long, polished table. He hasn't moved from his post by the window, his frame a stark cutout against the bruised twilight sky. Heat floods your cheeks under the weight of his stare. He breaks the quiet, his voice slicing clean through the stillness. "There was no report from your department today." You fumble through an apology, shame tightening your throat. He listens, then gives a single, sharp nod. "Come to my office when you finish." He turns and leaves. You release a breath you didn't realize you were holding. Hours later, the office…