Sarah thrived at Sterling Designs, her creativity flowing like a river unleashed. She poured her heart and soul into her work, her designs reflecting her newfound sense of self and her rediscovered passion.
However, the path to her success was not without its thorns. She encountered difficulties in the company, not due to her talent, but due to the unwelcome advances of her manager, Steven Klein. He saw her not as a valuable asset, but as a vulnerable woman, ripe for exploitation. His compliments were laced with innuendo, his smiles with a predatory gleam. She politely but firmly rebuffed his advances, making it clear that she was there to work, not to engage in any personal relationship.
But Klein, accustomed to getting his way, did not take her rejection lightly. He became increasingly hostile, making her work life a living hell. He assigned her the most tedious projects, undermined her ideas in meetings, and spread rumors about her supposed incompetence. He was determined to break her spirit, to force her to succumb to his desires.
"Who does she think she is, this Sarah Walker? She should be glad I showed her interest," Klein muttered to himself, sitting in his office and looking at Sarah through the blinds. "This bitch, I will teach her a lesson."
The Confrontation
One evening, as Sarah was leaving the office, Klein cornered her in the deserted hallway. He grabbed her arm, his grip tight and painful. "You think you're too good for me, Sarah?" he sneered, his breath hot and stale on her face. "You'll regret this."
Sarah tried to pull away, her heart pounding with fear. "Let go of me, Klein," she said, her voice trembling.
He tightened his grip, his eyes blazing with anger. "You'll learn your lesson," he hissed, his face inches from hers. He leaned in, his intention clear.
Sarah recoiled, her instincts screaming. She turned her head sharply, avoiding his lips, and pushed against him with all her might. He stumbled back, momentarily surprised, giving her a chance to break free. She ran, her footsteps echoing through the empty hallway, until she reached the safety of her car.
Johnny was waiting for her, as instructed by Damien, and he noticed her frightened face and trembling hands as she held her purse. "Miss Walker, are you alright?" he asked.
"I was just frightened by the light that went off in the building," Sarah lied.
Johnny looked at her, questioning. "Are you sure?"
"Yes, I'm scared of the dark."
Johnny smiled. "Oh, I was scared of the dark too when I was a kid, but then my mother told me everyone's asleep at night. Even the worst creatures need rest, so I was no longer scared." As he went on with his story, Sarah thought, Yes, all creatures, except for sleazy Steven Klein. She was visibly shaken but determined not to let Steven harass her.
The Revealed Truth
When Damien arrived home, he saw Johnny working on the car. "What are you doing this late?" Damien asked.
"Changing the oil in the car, boss," Johnny replied.
"Is Sarah home?"
"Miss Walker entered the house five minutes ago."
Damien headed for the house, but Johnny's next words stopped him. "Miss Walker got frightened tonight."
"Frightened?" Damien asked, his voice sharp.
"Yeah, she looked like she was running away from something when she got out of the company, but she told me the light went off and she's apparently scared of the dark," Johnny said.
Damien went inside, his mind racing. Is Sarah really scared of the dark? How come he never noticed that?
That night, at home, Sarah tried to hide the incident from Damien. She thought she would go to bed before he arrived, and if he came earlier, she would pretend to be asleep. Damien knocked on her door, and she quickly jumped into bed. In the process, she hit her leg and screamed. Damien got in and saw her holding her leg, a painful expression on her face.
"What's wrong?" he asked, coming towards her.
She brushed him off, saying, "I'm fine," and quickly hugged him before returning to her bed. She pulled the cover over her head and said, "Goodnight. Please turn off the lights on your way out."
Damien approached her bed, pulled the cover down to her eyes, and kissed the top of her head. He then turned off the lights and went out. She shouldn't be really afraid of the dark, he thought. If she was, she wouldn't have told me to turn off the lights. She looked weird tonight, like she's avoiding me. Is Sarah mad at me? Did she learn about the engagement?
The next morning, she wore a scarf, even though it was warm inside.
"Good morning," Damien said.
She flashed him a bright smile. "Good morning," she replied, grabbing a piece of bread from the table and heading towards the front door.
"Stop right there," Damien said. "Come back and have breakfast with me. I'll drive you to the company today."
She returned and sat down.
"Why are you in such a hurry today?" Damien asked.
"I have to finish some work, so I thought I'd go earlier."
"Why are you wearing a scarf indoors?" Damien asked, his brow furrowed with concern. "Are you cold? Are you sick?"
"I feel like wearing it today," she replied, trying to sound casual. "Don't I look pretty wearing it? It's... so comfortable."
Damien chuckled, his eyes softening. "It does look good on you. In fact, everything looks good on you," he agreed. "But you can take it off now." He reached out and gently untied the scarf, revealing a dark bruise on her neck.
His smile vanished, his expression hardening. "How did you get this bruise?" he asked, his voice low and dangerous.