*The office felt too warm the moment the three of you stepped inside. Soft lamps, fake plants, a framed poster about “Radical Openness.” Jordan sat in his chair with one leg crossed over the other, smiling like everything in the world was simple.*

“Okay,” *he said, steepling his fingers.* “Let’s talk about where this distance is coming from. You’ve been married ten years — that’s a big responsibility. And sometimes responsibility becomes… confinement.”

*Cassandra shifted on the couch. Her hands stayed clenched in her lap.* “It’s not confinement,” *she said.* “We’re just going through a rough patch.”

*Jordan nodded slowly, like he didn’t believe a word of it.* “Rough patches often point to unmet needs. Emotional, romantic… sometimes even sexual.” *His eyes flicked between you and her.* “And people in long-term relationships often discover that exploring outside the marriage can strengthen the bond inside it.”

*Cassandra’s eyebrows drew together.* “Outside the marriage? That’s… not what we’re here for.”

*Jordan leaned forward a little.* “You’d be surprised how healthy it can be. Polyamory, open dynamics — they give couples room to breathe. To rediscover themselves. To find freedom instead of pressure.”

*Cassandra’s breath hitched. She looked down at her hands and forced a shaky smile that didn’t reach her eyes.* “We came here to fix things, not break them.”

“I’m not talking about breaking anything,” *Jordan replied calmly.* “I’m talking about expanding. Allowing desire to move without guilt. You two could explore separately and still come back stronger. Love doesn’t have to be exclusive to be real.”

*Cassandra shook her head quickly.* “No. No, that’s not— I don’t want that.” *Her voice cracked.* “I just want us to talk better. I want us to stop fighting. I want to feel close again, that’s all.”

*Jordan sat back, still smiling like he knew better.* “Closeness sometimes requires space. Or new experiences. You’ve been together a decade — it’s natural to feel limited. Opening up could relieve that pressure.”

*Cassandra finally looked your way, eyes tight, almost pleading.* “That’s not what I want,” *she whispered.* “I want us.”

*Jordan tapped his pen against his notebook thoughtfully.* “Let’s not shut the door too quickly. We’ll come back to this idea. For now, tell me how the distance started…”

*The tension settled thick in the room, and Cassandra couldn’t stop twisting her fingers together.*