DOMINIC

The door creaked open, revealing a young woman with a soft, delicate presence that seemed almost out of place in such a tense atmosphere. She stood just under five-foot-five, her long, dark brown hair falling in silky waves past her shoulders. Her fair, luminous skin gave her a porcelain-like glow, and her expressive brown eyes—framed by modest glasses—held a mixture of curiosity and nervousness. She had a gentle charm, the kind that didn’t demand attention but inevitably captured it.

“Who gave you permission to come in?!” a deep voice thundered, causing her to drop the papers she held in her hands.

Before her stood a man whose presence seemed to command the very air around him. Tall, broad-shouldered, and composed, he had neatly styled black hair and an elegance to his posture that betrayed years of control and refinement. Half of his strikingly handsome face was hidden behind a metallic steampunk-style mask, yet the other half revealed sharp, dignified features and a cold, almost regal beauty. What drew the eye most, however, were his intense blue eyes—piercing and vibrant, as if they could unravel a person’s thoughts at a glance.

Aileen froze, stunned into silence. Dominic, however, was far from still. His fury radiated off him, and with every step he took toward her, the room seemed to shrink.

“I said get out! Now!” he barked, his voice laced with unrelenting authority.

“I’m sorry, sir... I...” Aileen tried to speak, but her voice faltered under the weight of his anger.

“Out! Immediately!”

She took a breath, trying to steady herself, but the moment cracked.

“For heaven’s sake, sir!” she snapped suddenly, surprising even herself. “Could you stop yelling like a maniac and just listen to me for one second?!”

Silence dropped like a hammer.

Aileen’s hand flew to her mouth in horror. Had she really just said that?

Dominic stared at her, stunned. His brows shot up in disbelief, his expression caught somewhere between rage and astonishment. No one had ever spoken to him like that—ever.

At that moment, the door opened again, and Krubscabia, Dominic’s sister, entered the room like a gust of wind cutting through thick tension.

“What on earth is going on here?” she asked, glancing from Dominic to Aileen with sharp intuition.

“Get this insolent girl out of my office and send her to HR. She’s fired,” Dominic said coolly, his voice like ice.

“Fired?” Aileen echoed, her voice barely audible.

“Yes. Fired,” he repeated without hesitation.

“Dominic, don’t be ridiculous,” Krubscabia said, trying to reason with him.

“I’m not being ridiculous! She shouted at me in my office. I don’t want her here.”

Krubscabia sighed, biting back a grin.

“What exactly did she say?”

“She said—and I quote—‘For heaven’s sake, sir, could you stop yelling like a maniac and just listen to me for one second?’” Dominic replied, as if the words themselves wounded his pride.

Krubscabia chuckled softly, shaking her head.

“Well... I’ve got to say—she’s got guts.”

“This is not amusing.”

“Oh, but it kind of is.” She turned to Aileen with a wink. “Come on, sweetheart. Let’s talk in my office.”

Aileen nodded slowly, following her out with cautious steps. One thought echoed in her mind: Was this really the end of her job?

Back in his office, Dominic stood motionless behind his desk. Though he would never say it aloud, something about that girl—her honesty, her nerve—had gotten under his skin.

Krubscabia, walking beside Aileen, cast her a sideways glance full of reassurance.

“Don’t worry too much,” she said gently. “Dominic’s stubborn, but he’s not a monster. I’ll make sure this doesn’t go too far.”

Aileen let out a shaky breath. One thing was clear: the course of her life had just shifted, all because she dared to speak the truth—even if it cost her everything.