ACROSS WORLDS

Part 3

"Wait, what?" Dominique's eyes widened. She looked about her, and at Stacey, "He can't fire me right? He can't."

"Calm down, Dominique. Let's think about what to do."

"No, don't tell me to calm down! What I'm going to do is get in there, and get my job back. He can't fire me." She started walking towards David's office. Stacey kept pleading for her to be reasonable, but Dominique wasn't having it.

She barged in to David's office, with Stacey following behind, "You can't fire me David."

"I can, and I have!" David replied her, while sorting out some papers from his desk.

"You son of a bitch!" Dominique hit his table, gritting her teeth, and stayed eye level with him. Stacey was in the corner of the office cowering like a mouse. "I slaved away for you! I bled for you! This job was my life! While I was toiling in the twenty-fourth floor of that stupid office, you were at home with your family, making life, making memories. I did your job, I gave this company life, this company is my life, and you fucking want to take that from me??"

"Li- listen D-" David stuttered, but Dominique interrupted.

"No, you listen, asshole! The same way I built this company is the same way I can bring it down. I will hire a lawyer, preferably, Nathan, you know he never looses; and by the time he is done with you, something spat from the mouth would look better than you. You don't want to test me David!"

Fear was evident in David's eyes. Oh, he believed her alright. He believed she would do everything she threatened. The media would eat him up, the lawsuit would cripple him, his company would crumble. A company she helped build, she was the company's face. Everything he owned, he owed it to her. He knew she gave up having a life to make the company grow.

But David was not an empathic man. He had resolved that having a crazy Dominique would do the company more harm than good. Making the decision of firing her would push them backward a bit, but they would bounce back. He could easily groom someone else to take her place, and everything would be well with the world again.

Only if she didn't spring up the damn lawsuit. Yes, he'd never win against her. Unfortunately for him, her boyfriend was one of the best closers in town. No one crossed him, and won. Absolutely, no one.

David was faced with the dilemma of having to deal with all the drama he would encounter if he fired her. His brain was on autopilot, thinking of the best possible approach to use.

Dominique watched her boss' calculating eyes. She knew he was a selfish ignorant prick, who only cared about succeeding, and not a fig about his employees. A war was raging in her head and chest. In her head, was the migraine; in her chest, was the racing heart, not to be fired. Both were going to kill her if David didn't give her back her job.

At last, David opened his mouth and made the most comfortable decision he could, "Fine, you're not fired. But you're going on a compulsory sick leave for three months. I don't want to see you, I don't want to hear from you. Get help, and get back here at the end of your leave. Hopefully, this nonsense will be over before your return."

"Three months is too much David, it will kill me." Dominique tried to negotiate, but David wasn't having it. 

"Take it as my gift for slaving for me, as you so put it. Stacey has been your R&D assistant, she can fill in for you at your absence."

"Um- about that, I was hoping I could get some days off to get her settled."

"You don't have to do that Stacey. I won't-"

David interrupted, "Done. Take the rest of the week, and get back here on Monday. Now, this nonsense is over. I don't want to hear any more of it. Both of you should get out of my office."