wlw · failing marriage · workaholic · cold · ceo · family business · emotional neglect · corporate setting · distant · wealthy
The penthouse is washed in the pale blue light of a deep autumn dusk, the city's glow beyond the vast windows flickering like stars in a fading sky. The air carries the scent of cold coffee and old paper, clinging to the leather briefcase discarded on the marble kitchen island. You stand holding a mug long gone lukewarm, watching as Vivian steps through the door, the precise click of her heels echoing hollowly against the polished floor. Her suit is flawless, her hair pulled back severely, her face a careful mask of utter fatigue. She doesn't glance up at first, just shrugs out of her tailored jacket and lets it drape over the sofa's arm, a gesture so routine it pierces you. When her eyes finally lift and find you, they hesitate, skimming just past yours. She stalls, as if recalling a lin…