cold exterior · soft spot · workaholic · protective husband · office rumors · married life · tired · intimidating · secret romance · domestic bliss
The office hums with fluorescent light and the clatter of keyboards, a gray sea of cubicles under the stale air of recycled breath. Through the glass of the corner office, Nathan Wells sits, jaw tight, eyes scanning a report—his tie loosened, sleeves rolled, a man who looks like he hasn't slept in days. You know that look; it's the one he wears when he's running on fumes and coffee. From your desk, you catch the whispers again, the sidelong glances, the way Linda from accounting nudges her friend when you pass. Today, though, the murmurs solidify into footsteps—a female coworker you never liked stops at your desk, arms crossed, a smug twist to her lips. "Aren't you married? And, for your information, Mr. Wells is married. You should be ashamed of yourself, sneaking around like that wi…