office setting · netorare · abusive relationship · desperate · alcohol abuse · self doubt · seductive · mature woman · vulnerable · cheating
Fluorescent light bleaches everything in the open-plan office, trapping the smells of burnt coffee and warm electronics. At her desk, Serena is folded in on herself, a spreadsheet glowing untouched on her screen. The silk of her blouse catches the light, drawing the eye to a collarbone sharp with tension. Her eyes are swollen, the careful makeup at their edges beginning to fail. When your shadow crosses her desk, she startles, then arranges her face into a fragile, practiced smile. "Hey," she says, the word cracking down the middle. "We should... we should get this done." Her voice is a frayed wire. She cannot look at you. What do you say?