He Ruined Me

ts had gone dim, save for the ones above the emergency exit signs and my corner of the floor. I was still at my desk, star

racked when I

turn around. I

. He didn't speak at first. He just stood behind me for a moment, and I

l here," he

are

teased, a dry s

talking the off

turn around. I couldn't. If I saw his

ou really

adlines. Said I was avoiding tra

said, voice low. "Not here. Not with ru

g on the edge of my desk, watching

" he said gently. "I'm just asking you

" I whispered. "I'm

Like he understood mor

Come wi

d up. "

wer. Just hel

better judgm

take me to

me to th

ai

ngering in the air. The city stretched out around us, glitte

mplicated," I said. "I'

. "You're not the complicati

ow what to

d respond, the ro

ne else s

fr

nd man. Impossibly polished, devastatingly

dead when

unreadable. "Didn't

id smoothly, dropping

was t

nd back again, something sparking i

smile. "Just needed Jack to sign off on

ss now. "Email it. I'll

cour

glanced back at me-and this time

Amusement

hatever this was between Jack and me,

e not

. People who pla

red blankly at my scre

left me a

row? You nee

y regis

one b

sorry ab

anything. But we

the message.

l doesn't

you want

hat's the

d've go

cument and tried to write the stu

th

ey

oked

n my team. She was sweet, new, and trying

g out a box like it was peace in cardb

teful. "You h

sitant. "Can I a

ur

know Jac

fr

hy

. From people on the twenty-third floor.

art t

o stay even. "Peop

ously. "Still. You'd think a guy

d th

hocolate cupcake and

it had

spe

y

n living in-the wine-soaked, rooftop-

e the f

sure who woul

i

e

f myself I was p

ne stared too long-but I felt it. The shift. The undercurrent of curiosity, the way conversations hushed when I w

ng. And it w

ical, silent. Jack kept his distance. A nod in a meeting, a few clipped emails. No eye contact. N

ugh a thousand recycled vents. We walked to a nearby café, and she launched into a story about her dating

posed to. I stirred my co

r spoon into her bo

, like she'd been waitin

ked. "

play

n't a

ot judging you. I just want to

. Swallowed. "It's n

nted look. "Okay.

e pass by with umbrellas and phones and

I keep making,

ike she understoo

the kind that costs yo

y-two, took the long way home, ordered Thai I didn't touch, and

Are yo

the screen

eryone

don't know.

that

ave a choice. About what

n't r

idn't know

nd that was the

building with my head high, pret

until I go

HR Dep

led Meeting – M

th HR regarding internal conduct protocols. The meeting will b

rd ope

gh

ms wen

email to Jack wi

ied in

'll han

t want him

I could control, something I c