Victoria Sterling, the senior regional manager, marched into the executive suite with quick, aggressive steps. She was dressed in a tailored crimson designer dress and high heels that clicked sharply against the marble floor. Her hair was styled immaculately, and she held a thick leather binder tucked firmly under her arm. Victoria had worked her way up through the corporate ladder with an iron fist, earning a reputation for being entirely ruthless toward anyone she considered beneath her status.
She stopped abruptly near the center of the room, her eyes locking onto the small child standing beside the chief executive officer. Her lips curled into a deep sneer of disgust as she noticed the mop bucket and the damp water spots near the desk. She did not bother to read the room or notice the soft, protective posture Richard had taken beside the young girl. Instead, her focus was entirely on the sight of a poorly dressed child standing on the executive floor.
Victoria: Get this dirty brat out of here!
Without waiting for Richard to respond, Victoria stepped forward with aggressive speed. Her hand shot out, grabbing the little girl firmly by her thin shoulder. With a harsh shove, she threw the child away from the mop bucket. Lily lost her footing on the wet marble, gasping in terror as she tumbled backward toward the hard floor. The bucket slid several feet, spilling soapy water across the pristine floor. Victoria wiped her hand on her designer dress as if she had touched something filthy.
Lily hit the floor with a painful thud, letting out a small, terrified cry as her elbow struck the hard marble. She scrambled backward on her hands and knees, hiding behind the leg of a leather armchair near the American flag. Her body trembled uncontrollably as she clutched her hurt arm to her chest. Victoria did not even look down at the weeping child; she simply adjusted her binder and turned toward Richard with a confident smirk, clearly expecting praise for removing a security hazard from his private office.
Richard slowly stood up from his kneeling position. The gentle warmth in his eyes completely vanished, replaced by an intense, cold fury that filled the high-rise room. The air grew thick and heavy as Richard took a long step toward his regional manager. Victoria took a half-step back, suddenly sensing that something was horribly wrong, but her arrogance kept her from understanding the gravity of what she had just done to a helpless child.
CEO Richard: How dare you touch her!
His voice boomed off the glass walls like a thunderclap. Before Victoria could offer an explanation or defend her actions, Richard swung his hand forward in a swift, powerful motion. The sound of his palm striking her cheek echoed sharply throughout the vast suite, cutting off her breath completely.