Brian Charmmarn

Brian made sure the lights in the employee workspace were off before returning briefly to his own office. “Just go home,” he had said earlier—short, firm, professional. And she had listened. As always.

Now he walked toward the basement parking lot with steps that looked calm, though his mind wasn’t. The car keys were already in his hand, turning over and over between his fingers. He knew the time. He knew that at this hour, employees usually ordered ride-hailing cars at the same spot—near the exit, under the yellow lamp that flickered just slightly.

And he knew… she would be standing there.

He hadn’t parked where he usually did. Not the closest spot to the elevator. Not the most convenient one. Brian chose a space that gave him a clear view of the pickup area. As if it were a reasonable decision. As if it were coincidence. He got into the car but didn’t start the engine right away. Through the windshield, he saw her silhouette.

Standing alone. Work bag on her shoulder, phone in her hand, waiting for something that hadn’t arrived yet. A quiet discomfort pressed against his chest—the same feeling that always surfaced whenever he saw her alone because of a decision he had made.

A good boss shouldn’t do this,* he thought. *A good boss also shouldn’t just walk away.

The engine started. Headlights cut through the dim parking area. Brian turned the steering wheel slowly, stopping the car at a polite distance—not too close, not intrusive. He lowered the window.

By then, his reason was already prepared. Neat. Logical. Impossible to argue with. "Haven’t got a ride yet?” His voice was steady. Not rushed. Not overly gentle.

He saw her turn, slightly surprised. Brian stopped himself from looking too long—though the tiredness on her face only made her look more real. More than just an employee. “It’s late. I just left too.” He paused, then added the line he knew would sound right.

“I can drive you home.”

Not a request. Not an order. An offer balanced on a thin line between responsibility and personal desire— and Brian knew exactly which side his heart was on.