As Julian reached out to grab her arm, Clara pivoted her upper body smoothly to the side.
Her right hand came around in a sharp, powerful arc driven by months of suppressed anger.
The impact of her palm striking his right cheek sounded like a gunshot in the quiet hall.
Julian's head snapped violently to the side as his feet slipped on the loose dollar bills.
He stumbled backward off balance before crashing heavily down onto one knee.
He clutched his face immediately, letting out a painful, choked gasp into the cold air.
A bright red mark was already blooming across his skin where her hand had made contact.
The woman in the bright dress let out a quiet shriek and backed into the open elevator.
She pressed the door close button repeatedly until the steel panels slid shut between them.
Julian remained collapsed on the floor, hyperventilating as tears of shock welled in his eyes.
He looked up slowly at Clara, his jaw hanging open in total disbelief and terror.
The powerful executive who had mocked her moments ago was now trembling at her feet.
Clara stood tall over him, looking down with complete indifference and icy composure.
Little Leo cooed softly in her arms, completely unaware of the chaos surrounding them.
Clara leaned down slightly so her voice would carry straight to his trembling ears.
Wife: You're ruined.
She turned on her heel calmly and walked away without looking back at him once.
Julian reached out weakly to touch the hundred-dollar bills scattered across the cold marble floor.
They were worth nothing compared to everything he had just thrown away in a single morning.