@fal-carrington @samanthadalton @vonda-b-real @drmmyrs @straightlikewetspaghetti @blaine-hayes @lizielasyd @mrskamilahsayeed @millasayeed @ntoraplayschoices @ilove-kamilah-sayeed @kamilah-is-queen @rhonda-sayeed @queenkamilah @domakir @kwaj115 @fundamentalromantic @somethindarker @crimsonvrose @glowriter @leenasayeed
This story contains themes and situations that may be sensitive for some readers.
Please read with care if any of the following topics may affect you.
explicit sexual content / smut
psychological trauma and mental health struggles
references to a past emotionally abusive narcissistic relationship
manipulation and toxic relationship dynamics
power imbalance in a workplace relationship (boss/employee)
discussions of personal boundaries and their complications
emotional distress, healing, and recovery from abuse
This story explores complicated emotions, flawed characters, and morally grey situations. Some choices made by the characters may be questionable, uncomfortable, or ethically complicated.
Reader discretion is advised.
If any of these topics are difficult for you, please prioritize your well-being.
English is not my first language. I'm helping myself with AI and Deepl, but all of the scenes are mine. Pictures are creation of AI.
°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°
@fal-carrington @samanthadalton @vonda-b-real @drmmyrs @straightlikewetspaghetti @blaine-hayes @lizielasyd @mrskamilahsayeed @millasayeed @ntoraplayschoices @ilove-kamilah-sayeed @kamilah-is-queen @rhonda-sayeed @queenkamilah @domakir @kwaj115 @fundamentalromantic @somethindarker @crimsonvrose @glowriter @leenasayeed
This story contains themes and situations that may be sensitive for some readers.
Please read with care if any of the following topics may affect you.
explicit sexual content / smut
psychological trauma and mental health struggles
references to a past emotionally abusive narcissistic relationship
manipulation and toxic relationship dynamics
power imbalance in a workplace relationship (boss/employee)
discussions of personal boundaries and their complications
emotional distress, healing, and recovery from abuse
This story explores complicated emotions, flawed characters, and morally grey situations. Some choices made by the characters may be questionable, uncomfortable, or ethically complicated.
Reader discretion is advised.
If any of these topics are difficult for you, please prioritize your well-being.
English is not my first language. I'm helping myself with AI and Deepl, but all of the scenes are mine. Pictures are creation of AI.
°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°
@fal-carrington @samanthadalton @vonda-b-real @drmmyrs @straightlikewetspaghetti @blaine-hayes @lizielasyd @mrskamilahsayeed @millasayeed @ntoraplayschoices @ilove-kamilah-sayeed @kamilah-is-queen @rhonda-sayeed @queenkamilah @domakir @kwaj115 @fundamentalromantic @somethindarker @crimsonvrose @glowriter @leenasayeed
This story contains themes and situations that may be sensitive for some readers.
Please read with care if any of the following topics may affect you.
explicit sexual content / smut
psychological trauma and mental health struggles
references to a past emotionally abusive narcissistic relationship
manipulation and toxic relationship dynamics
power imbalance in a workplace relationship (boss/employee)
discussions of personal boundaries and their complications
emotional distress, healing, and recovery from abuse
This story explores complicated emotions, flawed characters, and morally grey situations. Some choices made by the characters may be questionable, uncomfortable, or ethically complicated.
Reader discretion is advised.
If any of these topics are difficult for you, please prioritize your well-being.
English is not my first language. I'm helping myself with AI and Deepl, but all of the scenes are mine. Pictures are creation of AI.
°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°
I woke up to a message from Mara and a smile already on my face.
The sun was slowly creeping through the curtains, and for the first time in a long while I had slept through the entire night without waking up. The first peaceful night since I had stayed in Beatrice's apartment.
I stretched lazily in bed before finally getting up.
I made myself coffee and lit a cigarette. Then I picked up my phone again and reread Mara's message.
"Good morning, sunshine. Hope you slept well. Can't wait for our next date."
I smiled to myself and typed back:
"Good morning, cupcake. I slept great ;) What about you?"
I murmured to myself quietly, "I deserve this."
Soon after, I got dressed casually — high-waisted jeans and a red button-up blouse. I threw on my trench coat and let my hair fall freely down my back, adding lipstick that matched the blouse.
Then my eyes landed on the blazer. Her blazer. The one that had meant safety for so many nights.
I shook my head softly and folded it neatly before placing it back into my bag. When I arrived at the office, I was the first one there again.
I prepared coffee for myself and poured another one into a thermos for Mara so it would stay hot. Once I returned from her desk, I sat down and started working.
The first quarter of the year was approaching fast, which meant reports, account summaries, and presentations piling up ahead of us.
Soon after, Mrs. Bernard arrived. "Good morning, Mia." She stopped behind my chair, waiting for a response. "Working on the reports?"
As much as I didn't want to talk to her, she was still my boss, and a certain level of professionalism was required.
With a quiet sigh, I turned to face her. "Yes, Mrs. Bernard."
For a brief second I saw something in her eyes. Hurt. But it disappeared quickly.
"I'll have the reports ready in two weeks," I continued calmly. "Still ahead of schedule."
She nodded and stepped a little closer. "Good. You were never late. I wouldn't like to see that change."
I nodded and turned back to my laptop.
"Wait, Mia... can we talk?" I stood up and faced her again. "If you want to talk about the reports, Madam, we can certainly schedule a meeting."
She looked down at the floor.
"That's not what I meant."
I shrugged slightly, sat back down, and returned my attention to my screen.
"That wouldn't be appropriate or professional," I said coldly.
She stayed there behind me. She had her chances. Weeks of them. Dozens of calls. Messages. She knew where I lived. She could have come. She didn't want to.
And now... after I went on a date with Mara and we were planning another one... now she wanted to talk?
Mara didn't deserve that. And neither did I.
I wasn't trying to be childish. I gave second chances. Ten chances. But when I'm done... I'm done. Then I remembered the blazer.
She was still standing behind me.
I pulled the neatly folded blazer from my bag, still wrapped in the textile sleeve she had once given me for documents.
"This is yours, Madam." I held it out and looked into her eyes.
They were full of emotion. Fear. Pain.And maybe something else.
"I gave it to you. It's yours," she said quietly.
Her voice trembled slightly at the edges.
I shook my head. She didn't take it. With a sharp exhale, I walked over to her desk and placed the blazer next to her keyboard.
When I turned to leave, our shoulders brushed. The spark was still there. Warmth rushed through me, spreading from my shoulders to my cheeks. Butterflies erupted in my stomach.
I stopped mid-step, closing my eyes for just a second.
But I didn't turn around.
I sighed and sat back down, forcing myself to focus on work. About half an hour later, a message broke my concentration.
Mara: "Thank you for the coffee!"
"You're welcome. I'm planning to spoil you 😋." Another message arrived. "How generous of you. But next time, close the lid properly. Please?"
I frowned. "What do you mean?" Before I got a reply, a voice behind me made me jump.
"I mean if you want to make me wet, there are better ways than pouring coffee on me."
I flinched and turned around.
"Omg, Mara! You're drenched!"
I burst out laughing. "I'm so sorry!" She pinched my arm. "Of course you are, you menace!"
I stood up and offered her my trench coat. "Let's get you cleaned up, my lady."
My eyes flicked briefly toward Beatrice. She was stiff. Her jaw locked, hands frozen mid-air above a document she had been writing just seconds ago. I turned back to Mara, looking at her soaked white blouse, and giggled again.
"Hey! Don't laugh at me or I'll start thinking you did it on purpose!" I patted her shoulder.
"I would never. Now come on."
She followed me to the bathroom, my trench coat wrapped around her shoulders.
She looked ridiculously good in it. I locked the door behind us.
"Undress," I said playfully.
Her head snapped toward me, lips parting. She stepped closer.
"If you want to see me naked..." she paused, voice softer now. "Mia..."
She wrapped her arms around me from behind.
"You could just say that."
I turned in her arms and kissed her. My hands slid along her back, pulling her closer.
The kiss was sweet. Almost innocent. I broke it first, smiling.
"As much as I'd like that," I said, winking, "I actually meant helping you clean your blouse."
I turned around to give her privacy as she slipped out of the blouse. When she handed it to me, I started cleaning the coffee stains with cold water and soap, careful not to wrinkle the fabric too much.
When I gave it back to her, she leaned forward and placed a small kiss on my lips. Then she unlocked the door. When we returned to the office, Mrs. Bernard's eyes were already on us.
Careful. Observing. Her gaze lingered on my lips. My slightly swollen lips.
I looked away and sat down.
A second later my phone buzzed. A message from her. "Your lipstick is smudged. Fix it." I hummed quietly, heat creeping into my cheeks and down my neck. After fixing my lipstick, I finally managed to focus on my work.
I had been planning to call him for days. He was always unhappy, always pointing out problems that didn't really need fixing.
"Hello, Mr. Moore. It's good to hear from you," I said with professional politeness. "I was actually planning to call you today."
"Miss Drey, you took your time with this phone call. I've been demanding it for days."
I slipped into my professional mask. "I understand your frustration, Mr. Moore. But some preparation was necessary so I could present you with the correct statistics."
I glanced toward Mrs. Bernard and nodded toward the small meeting room. She understood immediately. We walked there quickly — she just behind me. Inside, she sat down while I leaned lightly against the table.
I put the call on speaker so she could hear. Then I lifted a finger to my lips, silently asking her to stay quiet.
"Things will go this way," Mr. Moore continued angrily. "Either you visit us, Miss Drey, or we cancel our account immediately. I've had enough of this bullshit and incompetent behavior."
"Mr. Moore," I said calmly, "while we would be happy to visit you and discuss everything in person, I would appreciate it if you stopped threatening us and used more appropriate language. I understand your frustration, but I am trying to handle this professionally."
Mrs. Bernard looked at me in shock. Apparently she wasn't used to hearing someone speak to a client like that.
Mr. Moore fell silent for a moment. Then he laughed. "Miss Drey. You've got balls. I like that."
I allowed myself a small smile.
"Fine," he continued. "I want you here by the end of the week."
"Of course," I said. "Since I'm still new, Mrs. Bernard will accompany me."
He hummed thoughtfully. "That old thing?"
I turned my head toward Beatrice. Her arms were already crossed, her expression sharp.
"Mr. Moore," I said calmly, "that's not appropriate. And Mrs. Bernard is not old. I would say she's experienced."
I winked at her. Mr. Moore burst into loud laughter.
"You're a menace, Miss Drey. Alright then. I'll be waiting for both of you."
I waited politely for him to hang up. The moment the call ended, I looked at Beatrice and bit my lip, trying not to laugh. But I failed. The laughter exploded out of me so suddenly I had to bend forward, holding my stomach.
"Enjoying yourself, Miss Drey?" she asked dryly.
"Very much, Mrs. Bernard."
I walked toward the door and placed my hand on the handle. But before I could open it, she moved quickly. Too quickly.
She stopped right behind me. Close enough that I could feel her breath near my ear.
"We'll see who will be enjoying herself on this business trip," she whispered.
I froze. "Hours in the car."
A shiver ran down my spine. For a second my head almost tilted back toward her. My heart betrayed me immediately. Because the idea of being trapped in a car with Beatrice for hours suddenly didn't sound like torture at all.
BAD MIA! BAD, BAD, BAD! YOU HAVE MARA NOW! I shake my head.
But then I saw Mara approaching the meeting room through the glass. I stepped away quickly and opened the door. But it was too late, Mara looked between us.
"Hey," she said. "Want to grab lunch with me?" I smiled. "Sure."
Then she nodded toward the meeting room. "But what was that?"
"Oh, that?" I shrugged lightly. "She's angry with me. I'll tell you more at lunch."
I pinched her shoulder playfully. "You don't want me to die of hunger, do you?"
She shook off my hand with a laugh. "I wouldn't like that. Come on." And together we headed toward the company cafeteria.
Once we sat down with our food — we both chose chicken Parmesan with mashed potatoes and salad — Mara asked again the same question I promised to answer.
"So, not that I want to pry, but it seems like there's some tension between you and Mrs. Bernard. And it's not just me...It's half of the office"
My eyes widened and I suddenly felt small.
I said dryly, "We just have different points of view on a lot of things... and remember the face she made today?"
I laughed again, remembering how mad she was.
"Mr. Moore, one of my clients, called her an old thing." Mara almost spit out her drink. "Oh my god! He said that to her?"
I leaned back in my chair. "No, not directly. I had the call on speakers, and she was there. Listening."
Mara laughed again and suddenly stopped, now looking over my shoulder. She leaned closer to whisper in my ear. "Mia, don't say anything more about Mrs. Bernard. Because she's right behind you."
I simply nodded a managed to kill the urge to turn around.
We changed the subject and talked about Mara's work. She has Mr. Hert on her team.
"Did you know he still talks about you?" I smirked. "Oh, he must just love me, then." Mara laughed and shook her head. "I think he's trying to find a way to get rid of you. But most of us just ignore him."
"Let him try. I haven't done anything wrong. Yet." I winked at her.
"So, Mia... I was thinking we could go on our next date on Friday?"
I smiled sadly. "Well... I'm going on a business trip. To see Mr. Moore. We haven't set the date yet, but I guess we'll leave tomorrow or the day after. And since it's hours of driving, we'll be away until the end of the week."
She looked at the floor and nodded sadly.
"But... I'm free tonight." She looked from the floor into my eyes with hope.
"That would be awesome." I giggled at her. "Why are you laughing at me again?"
She pinched me with her fork.
"Hey! You're just incredibly cute when you're nervous."
She squinted her eyes. "I'm attractive, I have a body to die for, and you say I'm cute?!"
That made me laugh again. "That's very true, but you're also cute, Mara."
After we finished our lunch we headed back to the office, smiling, laughing, talking. I was honestly glad we'd see each other again after work.
Before my lunch break ended, I went for a smoke. This day has been so good so far. And for the first time, I let myself think it would end well too, and that there was nothing to worry about.
I was still going to the rooftop - even if I knew it was her space - the view and calmness were just everything I needed to quiet my thoughts. Cars passing by, people walking, the world just continuing to exist. Every person out there has their own story, their own pain, their own weaknesses, things they're searching for.
I relaxed, pulling out a second cigarette. Just one more, and then back to work, I told myself.
"Smoking a lot the past few weeks, Miss Drey?"
I flinched and yelled, "Jesus fuck!" My cigarette dropped. I spun around absurdly. "You scared the shit out of me." Of course she'd come here. It's her place, after all.
"Of course, Mrs. Bernard. I'm sorry." I turned away again, trying to ignore her. I lit a new cigarette from the pack and exhaled slowly.
She came closer, but this time at an appropriate distance, leaning on the railing too. "Mr. Moore likes you. It's almost surprising, if it weren't you."
I still didn't look at her. "Thank you. Just doing my job."
"And Miss Drey?" she said calmly. I turned to face her, letting her continue. "We'll be leaving in two days. And we'll return on Sunday."
"I thought so. I've already finished all the documents needed for Mr. Moore. I'll send them to you for approval."
Today is Tuesday. We'll be leaving on Thursday. That means four full days with Beatrice... Great. Does she really have to be my boss? It would be so much easier if she was my colleague. But she's not, and I'm ready to close this chapter for good.
I finished my cigarette and went back into the office without looking back. The rest of the day actually went well. I made a few small edits to the documents, perfecting them to match the tone I thought Mr. Moore would appreciate. After that, I sent them to Mrs. Bernard for approval and left.
I headed home to prepare for my second date with Mara. We both live quite close to the office, maybe thirty minutes, just in opposite directions. We're going to a bar nearby that's pretty well known, right next to the office.
I took a long, hot shower and put my hair up in a ponytail, trying to tame my chaotic hair. I wore a white blazer dress with black knee-high boots.
When I arrived, a text came from Mara: "I'm sorry, I'm stuck in traffic. ETA 10 minutes." I went inside and ordered us a bottle of white wine that would complement the cheese board — which came with freshly baked baguettes, grapes, nuts, olives, and different types of ham.
Soon Mara arrived. She was wearing black pants with a crocheted pink sweater and the trench coat I'd lended her.
I stood up and pulled her into a hug. "You look amazing, Mara. As always."
She smiled. "You look breathtaking, Mia."
She gave me a kiss on the cheek, and I held her chair for her.
We talked freely. It was so easy with Mara, I thought. She was kind, open, easygoing, woman with a golden heart and a perfect smile. Her freckles only added to her beauty.
Then one thought crossed my mind. Being with her felt... nice. Safe. Like stepping into warm sheets on a winter night.
I liked our moments together.
The laughter. The way she looked at me like I was something worth looking at. She was so nice to me. She didn't force anything.
As I watched her pluck one olive into her mouth, something inside me quietly settled into place.
There was no fire. No sudden rush of heat. No spark threatening to burn everything down.
And maybe that was exactly what I was supposed to want.
Maybe that was what being healthy felt like. Still... somewhere deep inside my chest, something stayed quiet.
I talked about her with my therapist. She said that after toxic relationships, people often find calm, comfortable relationships weird. Too calm. Too comfortable.
Maybe the spark will be born eventually. Some things need time. It doesn't mean we don't have a connection. I really like her and she's everything I asked for. I frowned and exhaled to calm my nerves.
"Mia? Is everything okay?" she asked with concern.
She took my hand in hers, her thumb brushing against mine. "That's okay. We can leave in a few minutes, and I'll drive you home."
I smiled at her. "I appreciate that, but I'll call a cab. I don't want you driving over an hour at night."
"It's okay, really. We'll see after we leave, okay?"
We didn't speak for a while, but then she broke the silence.
"Um, can I ask you something?"
I replied, "Of course. Anything."
"Are we... dating? Officially?"
I laughed a little. "I guess we are. I like that."
After that, we stood up to leave, but her phone rang. "It's my mom. I need to take this."
"Of course, Mara. I'll pay and wait outside."
She nodded approvingly, she probably knew I wanted to smoke.
I went to pay for both of us and stepped outside. The moment I took my first step, I saw her.
The fiance who destroyed me.
Everything froze. I couldn't breathe. I didn't know what I was doing, but I pulled my phone out of my pocket and I texted.
"HELP. PLEASE... IN FRONT OF THE OFFICE."