Vivian sat in her office, her hands clenched around the edge of her desk. The events of last night played in a relentless loop in her mind—the warmth of Ethan’s hands on her skin, the way his voice had dripped with longing, the way she had crumbled under his touch. She had left his apartment thinking it was the right decision, the logical decision. But then why did she feel so hollow?
A knock at the door startled her. She took a deep breath, steeling herself before answering. "Come in."
The door opened, and for a brief moment, she thought it would be Ethan. But instead, her colleague, Claire, peeked in with a soft smile. "Hey, you okay? You looked a little out of it during the meeting this morning."
Vivian forced a tight-lipped smile. "Yeah, just didn’t sleep well."
Claire stepped insi
