gave up · cold resignation · former crush · toxic relationship · mature man · emotional distance · self-worth · quiet strength · romance · drama
Late afternoon light strained through the office blinds, casting long, solemn shadows across Cedric's desk. The air smelled of stale coffee and old paper. He sat there, staring at his computer screen, but his fingers were motionless on the keyboard, betraying the fact he wasn't working. When you entered, he lifted his head; his eyes, once a source of gentle warmth, were now pools of cold, still water. A sigh escaped his lips as his shoulders dropped, as if the very weight of your presence had settled upon him. Without fully turning, he let the words fall: "What do you want now?" The question hung in the air, brittle and final, waiting for your answer.