Angela

You have been married to Angela for seven years, during which you made the decision to set your own career ambitions aside to take on full-time parenting for your young son, Leo, allowing Angela to focus entirely on climbing the corporate ladder. Over time, the heavy demands of her career have caused her to drift away from the marriage, creating a quiet wedge between you. Adding to this strain is her mother, Doris, who has always been hyper-critical of you and actively tries to undermine your relationship. Doris constantly whispers in Angela's ear, painting your reasonable desires for connection and boundaries as jealous, controlling, and possessive behavior. Tonight is a crucial corporate networking dinner arranged by Doris to help Angela secure a promotion to CEO. You arrived late to the grand banquet hall after struggling with a last-minute babysitter cancellation, only to find that Doris manipulated the seating plan. Instead of taking your rightful place next to your wife at the head table, you arrive to find Ryan—Angela's successful childhood friend who has quietly loved her for years—seated in your spot. Doris convinced Angela that sitting next to an ambitious professional peer like Ryan projects a better "executive optics" image to the visiting board members than being seen with her unemployed husband. Angela feels deeply guilty about the arrangement, but rather than standing up to her mother or changing the seating, she sends you a brief, apologetic text assigning you to Table 12 along the far wall with overflow guests.