My Psychotic Boss

Thin Ice

The next morning unfolded like any other, on the surface, at least.

Velvore Foods, with its pristine glass panels and polished marble floors, greeted its employees like a silent guardian of routine. The central office buzzed faintly with the low murmur of computers powering on, the rustle of paperwork, and the familiar scent of cheap breakroom coffee mingling with air-conditioned air.

Seren walked in just after eight-thirty, dressed in a crisp, pale blue blouse with subtle pearl buttons and a black pencil skirt. Her hair was pulled back in a low, neat ponytail, her shoes clicking softly as she moved through the hallway. She looked collected, but beneath that calm expression, Seren felt the weight of something intangible, something that had been following her like a shadow these past few days. It wasn't anything specific, just a gut feeling. The kind you get when everyone is smiling, but their eyes say something else entirely.

Still, Seren smiled anyway. She always did. As she neared her workstation in the open office, she was greeted by the bright, bubbly voice that always preceded Delaney's presence. "Good morning, my little corporate cogs!" Delaney chirped from near the counter, where an array of plastic containers and paper boxes had been carefully arranged into what looked like a makeshift breakfast bar.

Seren blinked at the display, mini fruit tarts, muffins in every flavor, and donut holes dusted with powdered sugar. Delaney, of course, was dressed in another statement outfit: a pastel green cardigan with ruffled sleeves, white slacks, and matching green earrings shaped like tiny apples. Her short brown hair was half-pinned up with two sparkly clips, and she grinned like a hostess at a brunch party.

"Delaney, this is a lot," Seren said as she placed her purse under her desk and turned to her best friend.

"I know!" Delaney beamed, hands on her hips. "But I figured, you know, morale-boosting. We're practically in a digital dungeon in here. Might as well have some sugar armor to survive it!"

A couple of coworkers nearby chuckled, grateful for the free food. One of them, Miles from accounting, popped a donut hole into his mouth and gave her a thumbs up. "You're the best, Delaney."

Delaney shot him a wink. "I know."

Seren smiled gently and moved to grab a small blueberry muffin. She noticed that each desk around theirs had a neatly placed napkin and a pastry, something thoughtful, even if Delaney's style was a bit loud. But as Seren moved back to her chair, she noticed something peculiar. One desk remained untouched. Malrick's.

It wasn't that Malrick ever expected treats. In fact, he usually declined anything offered. But Delaney, Delaney always made a point to include him. Even when it was just a token gesture, even when she made fun of him behind his back. She had never excluded him.

Seren glanced back at her friend, who was now laughing softly with Rowan. Delaney had slid into her chair between Seren and Rowan, her body angled slightly toward Rowan's desk, her legs crossed tightly at the ankle and bouncing. She was animated, maybe a little too much.

Rowan sat with his usual calm expression, half-focused on his screen, half-indulging Delaney's morning chatter. "You should've seen my cat this morning," Delaney was saying. "She full-on attacked my shoe like it owed her money. Just lunged. I nearly spilled coffee all over myself."

Rowan smirked. "That explains the frizz. It's trauma."

Delaney gasped dramatically and slapped his arm playfully. "Rude! I'll have you know this is intentional volume."

Seren laughed politely, eyes flitting between the two of them. Something in Rowan's demeanor had shifted. It was subtle, but she could feel it in how relaxed he was around Delaney lately, too relaxed.

Still, she kept her thoughts to herself. There was no proof of anything. And she trusted them. She had to. Delaney leaned over to whisper something to a coworker across from them, and Seren noticed her posture, tense despite the laughter. Her eyes kept flicking in the direction of the corner office. But every time they did, she quickly looked away. Her smile faltered for the briefest moment before bouncing back into place like a wind-up doll.

Malrick's glass office remained quiet and still. The blinds were half-closed, a faint silhouette visible through the narrow slits. No one could see him clearly, but Seren felt like he was watching everything, as usual.

Delaney hadn't approached his office once this morning. And she hadn't left him a snack. Seren leaned a little toward her. "You didn't leave anything for Malrick?" she asked quietly, trying to sound casual.

Delaney flinched almost imperceptibly before brushing it off with a wave of her hand. "Pfft. He's not the pastry type. Plus, he's probably fasting or doing some weird CEO cleanse or something."

Seren didn't push. But the dodge was clear. As the morning wore on, the office settled into its rhythm. Emails flying. Phones ringing. The soft hum of productivity. Delaney continued her social dance, keeping the conversation light with coworkers, making them laugh, leaning just the right way to keep eyes on her. But her glances toward Malrick's office were becoming more frequent, and more anxious.

Seren saw it all. Delaney was avoiding something. Not just avoiding it, burying it under charm and sugar and laughter. Whatever had happened between her and Malrick, it had left a mark.

Seren couldn't help but wonder. Had there been an argument? A confrontation? She remembered how Malrick had acted during that strange lunch. His voice changing, low, dark, almost threatening beneath the politeness. That wasn't a man who lost his temper in loud explosions. That was someone who controlled every word like it was a loaded weapon. The room shifted a little when the door to Malrick's office finally opened. He stepped out quietly, dressed in his usual dark slate suit with a navy shirt beneath. His blonde hair was neatly parted, his expression unreadable. He walked past the front row of desks with the same smooth grace he always had, slow, deliberate, never in a rush. He didn't look at Delaney. Not once.

Delaney's back went rigid. She quickly busied herself in a conversation with Rowan, smiling too much, laughing too hard at something that wasn't that funny. Seren watched Malrick pass, her heart thudding a little harder than she liked. He moved to the breakroom, refilled his mug from the office coffee pot, and returned to his office like a phantom. The door clicked shut behind him, and the air seemed to relax again.

Delaney exhaled a breath she probably didn't realize she'd been holding. Seren returned her focus to her computer screen, eyes scanning rows of numbers and product codes. But her mind was elsewhere. Something had changed. And even if no one was saying it aloud, the silence around Malrick's desk said enough.