David
David stared blankly at his computer screen, the numbers on the spreadsheet blurring together. His office was
quiet exc ept for the faint hum of the air conditioning, and his colleagues’ muted conversations drifted in from
the break room. It was a normal day at a job he didn’t hate, but that was the problem—it was just... fine. It paid
the bills, filled the hours, but it didn’t stir anything in him. It didn’t give him purpose. His thoughts drifted,
unbidden, to Lena. To her sharp focus, her drive, and the way she carried herself with such quiet authority. The
act of supporting Lena, of being the one who anticipated her needs and solved her problems, felt so right to him.
He thought of all the small acts of service he’d done for her over the years—ke eping her schedule organized,
pr epping her travel itineraries, running through her presentation slides. Those moments had filled him with a
sense of purpose he hadn’t even realized he craved. He pictured her at her desk, surrounded by the resumes
they’d sorted through together. He had been meticulous, eager to help, but as he thought about it now, a pang of
jealousy twisted in his chest. One of those applicants was going to be her secretary. Someone else was going to
spend their days making her life easier, seeing her brilliance up close, and being part of the rhythm of her world.
He imagined what it would be like. Walking into her office every morning, coffee in hand, already knowing
exactly how she took it. Organizing her schedule to ensure she could focus on what mattered most. Reading her
cues, st epping in when she needed help, st epping back when
she didn’t. Every email he wrote, every meeting he scheduled, every task he completed would be a way to serve
her, to show her that he still knew her, still valued her. His chest ached with the thought of it, but it wasn’t a
painful ache. It was longing, pure and simple. He could see it so clearly—the satisfaction of being the one who
made her day run smoothly, who lightened her load, who gave her the space to shine even brighter. His heart
would be full because his work would matter in a way that nothing else ever had. Not to the world, maybe, but
to Lena. And that was enough. David shook his head, laughing bitterly at himself. It was a fantasy, and he knew
it. There was no way Lena would even consider him for the job. She’d think it was absurd, insulting even. But
as the thought lingered, he couldn’t let it go. He didn’t care about the title, about what anyone else thought. All
he cared about was being part of Lena’s world again, in whatever capacity she’d allow. His hand hovered over
his keyboard. Maybe it was crazy, but wasn’t everything about his feelings for Lena a little crazy? He opened a
blank document, his fingers hesitating for only a moment before they began to type. This wasn’t just about a
job. It was about redemption, about proving to Lena that he still had something to offer her, even if it was just a
fraction of what he’d once been. And as the words filled the page, David felt something he hadn’t felt in a long
time—hope.