My Psychotic Boss

Failed Date Night

The office buzzed with the soft rhythm of keyboards and muffled conversations, but Seren could barely get a moment to breathe. Delaney was beside her, again.

She hovered at Seren's desk, perching on the edge like it was her own, chatting about everything and nothing. Seren smiled, nodded, answered when needed, but her eyes occasionally flicked to Rowan's desk across the room. Every time he glanced their way, Delaney would suddenly drape her arm around Seren's shoulder, or burst out laughing at something mildly amusing, like she was performing the closeness.

Rowan watched with mild confusion, but didn't say much. By lunch, Delaney had invited herself along on the coffee run Seren had planned for just the two of them. During a short break by the office windows, she looped her arm through Seren's again, leaning her head on her shoulder like a scene from a high school hallway.

Seren kept smiling, but inside, a quiet unease was growing. It wasn't that Delaney was doing anything openly wrong, just too much. Too loud. Too close. Especially when Rowan was nearby.

Later that evening, Seren's apartment

Seren stood in front of the mirror, smoothing the soft pleats of her navy-blue dress. It was subtle but elegant, something she'd worn before on a night that Rowan had said made her look "classic, like a film star." She smiled at the memory, then added a touch of lipstick and checked the time. He'd texted earlier: "Drinks tonight? Just us. 8PM?"

She'd stared at those two words, just us, and felt a warmth she hadn't felt in weeks. She missed him. Missed being his. Missed being herself around him. She grabbed her purse and headed out, hope glowing softly behind her eyes.

The bar – 8:07PM

It was a cozy spot tucked between two brick buildings, a place they'd gone to when they were still just dating, long before the job offers and shared commutes and lunch meetings with Malrick. Seren walked in and spotted him near the back, Rowan, sitting in a booth. And next to him, leaning over her drink with a straw tucked neatly between two fingers, was Delaney. Seren's steps slowed.

Rowan looked up, guilt already on his face. He stood quickly. "Hey. You look... wow. Beautiful."

Delaney grinned. "She does, doesn't she?" she said brightly. "Gorgeous. I told her that color would look amazing on her!"

Seren smiled weakly. "Hey. Didn't know this was... all of us."

Rowan rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah. I, uh... Delaney found out and I didn't want to leave her out. She said she didn't have plans, and I figured we'd just... all hang out. It's been a long week, you know?"

Seren nodded slowly. "Sure. Of course." She sat down across from them. Delaney had already claimed the seat beside Rowan, her legs crossed toward him, her drink angled in his direction. Her earrings sparkled beneath the soft lights, matching Seren's in a way that suddenly felt more mocking than sweet.

They ordered drinks. Conversation flowed, but Seren barely heard it. Delaney was animated, funny, loud, laughing at Rowan's every joke, teasing him with playful little comments, brushing his arm once or twice. Rowan didn't pull away. And through it all, Seren smiled. Because what else could she do? She laughed when she was supposed to. Nodded when the conversation looped around to things she didn't remember. But in her heart, she was somewhere else, standing outside the moment, watching it unfold with a quiet ache she didn't dare name.

It was supposed to be their night. A night to remember why they were them. But Delaney was here again. In the seat beside Rowan. In the space between them. In the spotlight of every shared laugh. And Seren? Seren was fading into the background. Just like always.