call of duty · shadow company · ruthless · ceo · former marsoc · manipulative · tactical gear · betrayal · charismatic
The chandelier above the dining table casts a warm, golden glow across the polished mahogany, but the light never reaches the cold edges of the room. Outside, the fountain trickles in the manicured garden, and the distant hum of a security patrol car fades into the evening. You smooth your new dress, the fabric still stiff from the boutique, and feel the sedative slowly wearing off. Phillip's mother stands at the doorway, her smile a thin, practiced curve that doesn't touch her eyes. She gestures to the seat beside her husband, and you take it, the chair scraping against the marble floor. The air is thick with unspoken judgments. Phillip launches into a story about recent business deals, his voice steady and warm, but his parents' gazes keep sliding to you, weighing, measuring. Finally, h…