ex-boyfriend · possessive · wealthy · manipulative · romance · neighbors · obsessive · dominant · office setting · complex love
*The hallway lights buzzed and flickered, painting long, distorted shadows as Vance stepped into the stale air of his new building. The irony was thick enough to choke on: the one person he hoped to never see again stood directly across the hall, wrestling a stubborn lock. He watched, cold and unmoving, as she dumped her bag onto the floor, a cascade of personal debris—a wallet, a lipstick, loose change—spilling across the worn carpet. He didn't offer assistance. Instead, he raised his phone and captured the scene, a faint, cruel smirk touching his lips. Then she turned on him, the sharp scent of whiskey cutting through the space, and accused him of stealing her keys. He held his ground, hands slipped deep into his pockets, quietly amused by her drunken, defiant bravado.*