6. A Fresh Start

The iron warehouse door was thrown open, slamming against the stone wall with a deafening thud. Marcus jolted, his movements freezing instantly. 

Dominic stood there. Without a word, he lunged in. With one swift motion, he seized Marcus by the collar, tearing him away from me, and unleashed a barrage of lethal blows to the man's face. Dominic's strikes sounded solid and deadly, leaving the area manager slumped helplessly on the cold concrete floor.

I stood trembling in the corner of the warehouse, watching the scene with gasping breaths. Relief washed over me because I was safe, yet at the same time, my chest tightened with a new kind of dread. Dominic had just thrashed an area manager—our own superior.

 "I’ll have you fired!" Marcus croaked through his bruises, finally using the last of his strength to stumble away and flee from Dominic.

 Dominic let out a dismissive snort, as if he couldn't care less about the threat Marcus had just hurled. He approached me and held out his hand.

 "Are you alright, Daisy?" he asked, his expression softening significantly as he saw me shaking uncontrollably.

 I couldn't answer. I could only weep, my tears flowing as the only outlet for my chaotic emotions. I only wanted to work; I only wanted to earn a living and have a better life. But why? Why were they so cruel?

 Dominic exhaled, looking at me with pity. But seeing him only made my guilt grow heavier; he had used all his courage to defy a superior, and he could very well be fired for saving me.

 "He's going to fire you!" I stammered. "I'm so sorry! I'm sorry for dragging you into this!"

 "Calm down. No one is going to fire me, or you," Dominic said, his eyes filled with determination. "He committed a crime. I’m sending him to the police station. There is still justice in this world, and I won't let him get away."

 I tried to stand. Gently, Dominic helped me up and draped his jacket over my still-shaking shoulders.

 "Come on, let’s go to the police station. We’re filing a report now," Dominic said firmly.

 "The police? A report?" I looked at him hesitantly. I was used to living alone without anyone's protection. As an orphan, my voice was rarely heard, and the constant injustices I had endured had eroded my self-confidence. "Will they even believe someone like me?"

 "Trust me," Dominic said, locking his gaze with mine. "I will make sure Marcus pays for everything he’s done."

 That very day, Dominic took me to file the report. There, I was introduced to a lawyer named Julian. Dominic explained that Julian was an old school friend who was willing to help me for free. During my week-long leave, I moved in and out of courtrooms. Dominic was right; justice finally sided with me.

 Marcus was officially detained. He was also ordered to pay a heavy fine, which was given to me in full as compensation. I felt incredibly fortunate, but one thing weighed on my mind: throughout that entire week of legal proceedings, Dominic had vanished. Only Julian remained by my side until the case was closed.

 “Julian, this is for you," I said, handing him an envelope filled with cash.

 "Whoa! No need for that, Daisy! Keep it for yourself," he replied, immediately refusing. "I handled this case pro bono, so please, don't feel obligated."

 "It’s not much, but it’s a token of my gratitude," I tried to insist, offering the envelope again. But he simply stepped back and walked away.

 "Just give it to the orphans at your shelter! I’ll be off now!" Julian shouted back, waving his hand.

 "My God... he is so kind."

 I felt incredibly grateful that this ordeal was finally over. Now, all that was left was to go back to the office and face reality. I only hoped that no further complications awaited me upon my return.

 ***

 That morning, I returned to the office and sat at my desk. A colleague told me something shocking: there had been a major shake-up in my department. Marcus had been fired, and for reasons unknown, Vanesha had been demoted to a regular staff member—equal to me. We were now on the same level. At the very least, she no longer had any grounds to boss me around. Or so I thought, until she appeared with a sour expression.

 "Why were you on leave for so long? Where have you been?" she asked snidely, still using that commanding tone as if she were the boss.

 I stared at her blankly. It seemed she had absolutely no idea what I had been through lately. As far as I knew, it was Dominic who had handled all my leave permissions. I hadn't come to the office at all; in fact, the Human Resources department had contacted me first without me even having to ask. Did Vanesha really not know that I had just dragged Marcus to prison?

 "Why are you just dazing off? Hurry up and do this!" Vanesha snapped, throwing a pile of documents onto my desk—tasks that were clearly her own responsibility.

 I took a deep breath, looking at the documents before shifting my gaze directly into her eyes.

 "I don't want to. I have my own work to do. Finish your own job!" I replied loudly, defying her for the first time.

 Vanesha’s eyes bulged, nearly popping out of their sockets in disbelief at my sudden courage.

 "You! Do you really want to get fired?!" she threatened in a shrill voice.

 I let out a hollow laugh, staring her down without a hint of fear. "And just who are you? A manager? The CEO? You’re just regular staff, Vanesha! Just like me. So, stop dumping your work on me. Or perhaps... are you acting like this because you’re actually the one afraid of getting fired?" I retorted sharply.

 Vanesha’s face instantly turned a deep shade of crimson, a mix of embarrassment and fury as her pride was trampled upon in public.

 "You! Just you wait, Daisy!" she hissed, turning away and stomping off.

 I exhaled slowly, trying to shake off the lingering irritation in my chest. My focus returned to the pile of documents on my desk. It seemed a great deal of work had piled up during my week-long absence, and I needed to finish it immediately. It was clear I would be working overtime today.

 I buried myself in the paperwork, working so intensely that I didn't notice how much time had passed. When the lunch break arrived, my colleagues began heading out for a meal. Yet, for some reason, I didn't feel hungry. My mind was too preoccupied to even think about lunch.

 "Is your work so overwhelming that you don't have time to eat?" a deep, calm voice interrupted.

 I turned around quickly. I knew that voice all too well. 

 "Dominic! How on earth did you end up in my department?" I asked in disbelief. As far as I could remember, he was always occupied with work on the upper floor.

 "I’ve been transferred here, Daisy," Dominic explained as he stepped closer.

 "Are you serious? That’s wonderful news!" I blurted out. I almost cheered with joy, feeling a sense of relief now that there was someone in this room I could actually trust.

 "Well, even if I’m just a jack-of-all-trades now," he joked, gesturing toward the thick stack of documents in his hands.

 "Wow! Do you really have that much work?" I winced, looking at the heavy load he was carrying.

 "For a subordinate, yes. My work is truly piling up today," he complained, though his expression remained relaxed.

 "Well then, Mr. Dominic, keep up the spirit! Please, carry on with your work," I said, trying to encourage him.

 "Not during the break, Miss Daisy. Let’s have lunch—that is, if you don't mind," he invited with a warm smile that made my heart beat faster.