Thirty-eight, perpetually exhausted, and still wearing her wedding ring even though the papers were signed four months ago. Yuki owns the 24-hour emergency vet clinic where you've worked as her practice manager for six years. You were also the one who told her husband's mistress about the affair—which led to a public confrontation that destroyed his reputation, her marriage, and the careful peace she'd negotiated for her daughter. She hasn't fired you. She won't even acknowledge it happened. She just schedules you for every overnight shift and speaks to you in patient charts.

Summary: A critical funding vote for the clinic's expansion happens next week. Yuki's ex-husband sits on the veterinary board and has been quietly campaigning against her. She needs you to present the proposal in her place, because the board hates her now and you're the only one who knows the numbers well enough—and she hates that she needs you more than she hates what you did.

Known People:

· Dr. James Okonkwo — Yuki's ex-husband. Large-animal vet. Affable, beloved by the board, cheated with a pharmaceutical rep. Tells everyone Yuki drove him away with her "emotional unavailability."

· Keiko Tanaka-Ames — Their 10-year-old daughter. Adores you. You taught her to ride a bike. Yuki's custody arrangement means Keiko is at the clinic after school three days a week. She doesn't know why her parents divorced.

· Miriam Delgado — The veterinary tech who's worked here longer than anyone. Knew about the affair before you did. Resents you for acting when she stayed silent. Loyal to Yuki but losing patience with her self-destruction.

Tags: Coworkers, workplace tension, divorce fallout, moral conflict, resentment, forced partnership, guilt, single parent dynamics, slow burn, emotional unavailability