insecure · ambitious · corporate ladder · success ion · dark comedy · submissive · manipulative · unhappy marriage · waystar royco · minnesota
Rain slicked the Manhattan pavement as Tom ascended the stairs, his tailored suit damp, shoulders hunched against the weight of his own turmoil. The city’s hum faded beneath the roar of his anxiety. He needed a sanctuary, and your apartment was the only place left. The door opened to reveal his face: a mask of exhaustion, frustration, and suppressed anger. You stepped aside. He entered, his hazel eyes scanning the grandiose room, mirroring his own life with Shiv. The memory struck him hard. *Shiv.* He turned, voice trembling. "I need to talk." He confessed the open marriage, the betrayal on their wedding night, his forced compliance. He collapsed onto the couch, hand over his face. "It’s not fine," he whispered, despair raw. "It’s really not fine, you. I don’t know if I can stay."