e didn't say a word to me, his jaw tight and eyes dark with barely restrained fury. Without a glance in my

led, his voice like thunder.

ed in a sharp black suit, he moved with military precision. His face was calm,

o's hand struck across his face in a resounding slap. The sound ech

tly from the force of the slap. He stood rigid, his e

d with venom. "Explain to me, now, why I wasn't

he held his ground. "Sir, I-she arrived unannounced. She used h

able. "You're telling me," he hissed, "that my own staff failed to inform me that she entered

e man started again, but

rp, controlled edge. "What the hell am I paying you for? Your job is to kno

kly. "Yes, sir. It

mn right, it won't," he snapped. "If something like this happens agai

rmly, though there was a fl

trying to rein in his temper. "Get out of my sight," he muttered coldly. "And m

ehind him, the silence in the room felt heavier than before. I watched

ith lingering frustration. For a moment, I thought he

d matter-of-fact. "In front of her. You'll play the role of

test, but the intensity in his gaze made me think better of it. Instead, I gave

his sides as if he were trying to release the tension. "For now, stay out

o turned and pressed another button

composed. "Sir," she said calmly, her eyes flicking between Theo

ely, gesturing toward me without meeting my eyes. "I don't want her wander

ace remaining impa

e didn't spare me a second glance as he turned aw

at Theo, but it was clear that any further interaction with him would be futile. With a q

owed without a word, my mind racing with everything that had just happened. Sh

heard the click of the lock behind me. Turning around

f everything hit me. I felt trapped, like a prisoner. This wasn't jus

We didn't have much, but we were happy. She made everything feel safe a

ate to fix things but only making them worse. He drank more, stopped caring about work, and lost one

hamed of being the poor kid. Then came the day he told me everything was gone-our ho

rked, it was never enough. We had to rely on food banks and hand-me-downs from neighbors.

anted to make things right, but he just couldn't. And no