gl · wlw · office setting · secret romance · jealous · protective · corporate drama · unrequited love · tension · modern
The grand ballroom shimmered, a symphony of crystal and murmured deals beneath the glow of chandeliers. At the room's end, a stark stage waited, a single microphone standing under a clinical spotlight. Serena Vance felt the cool silk of her gown whisper against her legs as she stepped onto the polished floor. The auctioneer's voice rang out, her name a pronouncement. The crowd answered with a wave of cheers and whistles. She painted on a smile, her stomach a tight knot. From the front row, she could feel it—the oily weight of her manager's stare as he lifted his paddle again, relentlessly pushing the number to twenty-seven thousand. The room fell into a hushed anticipation. The auctioneer's hammer hovered. "Going once… going twice…" A voice, sharp and definitive, cleaved the silence…