My marriage is steady and comfortable, but the way my boss makes me feel—alive, seen, desired—has awakened a part of me I thought was long gone.

I never set out to feel this way. My husband is a good man—reliable, devoted, the kind of partner any woman would be lucky to have. Our life together is predictable, safe, built on years of trust and understanding. But somewhere along the way, the passion faded. The glances that once burned with intensity are now just habit. The words that once made my heart race have been replaced by discussions of bills, schedules, and the grocery list.

And then there’s him.

My boss is confident, magnetic—he walks into a room, and it bends around him. When he speaks, I feel like the only person who matters. His eyes linger a second too long, his voice carries an edge of something unspoken, something dangerous. The way he challenges me, the way he notices the small details, the way he makes me feel wanted—it’s intoxicating. It’s wrong, and yet, I can’t deny the way my heart pounds when he’s near.

I don’t know if this is just a fleeting temptation or a sign that something inside me is missing. I only know that, for the first time in a long time, I feel awake. And that terrifies me.