𝗪𝗛𝗜𝗦𝗣𝗘𝗥𝗦 𝗜𝗡 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗗𝗔𝗥𝗞 > 𝗞𝗮𝗶 𝗠𝗼𝗿𝗶

act i; part iii

A Dangerous Shift

The upscale restaurant was a picture of elegance, with its polished wood floors, sparkling chandeliers, and the gentle hum of soft jazz playing in the background. The sunlight streaming through the large windows gave the place a warm, inviting glow. Yet, despite the beauty of my surroundings, a sense of dread had settled deep in my stomach as I walked through the door for my trial shift.

This job was supposed to be a new beginning, a chance to find some stability in my chaotic life. But as I donned the crisp white apron and tied it around my waist, the familiar throbbing pain began to pulse in my head. The medication I was taking to keep my illness at bay was doing its job, but the side effects were brutal, leaving me nauseous and dizzy.

I tried to ignore the pain as I followed Simone, the senior waitress, through the crowded dining room. Her watchful eyes seemed to notice everything, and I felt her scrutiny like a weight on my shoulders. It didn't help that she was known for her no-nonsense attitude, and I could tell she was silently evaluating my every move.

"Keep up, Shaw," Simone said curtly, her voice cutting through my haze of discomfort. I nodded, trying to stay focused, but the pounding in my head made it difficult to concentrate.

The shift had started out fine. I had managed to keep up with the lunch rush, though it was clear Simone wasn't impressed. But as the afternoon wore on, the restaurant began to empty, and that was when things took a turn for the worse.

Kai Mori walked in, and my heart immediately skipped a beat. He was dressed in a perfectly tailored suit, his dark hair neatly styled, and his presence commanded the attention of everyone in the room. But my initial excitement at seeing him quickly turned to confusion-and then jealousy-when I noticed the woman on his arm.

His Fiance Nikova Banks was striking, with her tall, slender figure and green eyes. Her designer dress clung to her body in all the right places, and her smile was the kind that was meant to dazzle. But the way she looked at Kai wasn't the way a woman looked at her fiancé; it was the way a predator eyed its prey.

Kai's eyes met mine as he walked past, and for a moment, it felt like the rest of the world disappeared. There was something in his gaze that made my chest tighten, something that felt like a silent apology or maybe even regret. But then, he turned back to Nikova, and the connection was severed.

Simone had noticed the exchange and gave me a sharp look. "Eyes on the job, Shaw," she snapped. I bit back a retort and turned my attention to clearing a nearby table, but I couldn't help stealing glances at Kai and Nikova.

As I worked, I could feel Nikova's gaze on me, each glance growing more intense, more hostile. I tried to ignore it, but it was like trying to ignore a storm gathering on the horizon. My headache was getting worse, and the effort it took to stay on my feet was becoming almost unbearable.

I was wiping down a table when Nikova suddenly stood up and walked toward me, her expression twisted with something I could only describe as jealousy. Her heels clicked against the polished floor, each step a warning.

"What do you think you're doing?" she hissed as she reached me, her voice low but full of venom.

I looked up, startled by the sudden confrontation. "Excuse me?"

Nikova's eyes flashed with anger. "Don't play dumb with me. I see the way you look at him."

I froze, my breath catching in my throat. This wasn't happening. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Her expression darkened. "You think you can just walk in here and flirt with my fiancé? You're nothing but a pathetic little waitress."

The words hit me like a slap, but before I could respond, she shoved me hard enough to send me stumbling backward. Pain flared in my side as I caught myself on the edge of the table, the shock of the attack momentarily overriding my headache.

"What the hell is your problem?" I demanded, my voice trembling with a mixture of anger and disbelief.

Nikova didn't back down. Instead, she lunged at me, her nails aiming for my face. But something snapped inside me, and I wasn't about to let her walk all over me. Not today. Not after everything I'd been through.

I blocked her hand and shoved her back with all the strength I could muster. "Back off!" I shouted, the words coming out louder than I intended.

Nikova stumbled, her face twisting into a mask of fury. She came at me again, but this time I was ready. I ducked under her outstretched arm and grabbed her wrist, twisting it until she yelped in pain. The adrenaline was pumping through my veins now, the throbbing in my head temporarily forgotten as the need to defend myself took over.

"You're crazy!" I spat, shoving her away from me. "You have no idea what I've been through. You don't get to treat me like this!"

Nikova tried to hit me again, but I wasn't having it. I grabbed her by the shoulders and pushed her back so hard that she nearly lost her balance. She shrieked in rage and threw herself at me, but I caught her in mid-air and threw her to the ground, pinning her there.

"Enough!" Kai's voice cut through the chaos as he grabbed me by the arms, pulling me away from Nikova. I struggled against him, the fury still coursing through me, but he held me tight, his grip unyielding.

"Let me go!" I screamed, thrashing in his hold. "She started this!"

As two people ran over, who had been sitting at a table across the restaurant, rushed over. They looked stunned, their eyes wide as they took in the scene. The Muscalar-looking one grabbed Nikova's arm, helping her to her feet, while the other one who kai addressed as Will tried to calm me down.

"Hey, stop!" Will urged, his voice steady but firm. "You're going to make this worse."

I was breathing hard, my vision swimming as the adrenaline began to wear off, leaving me feeling weak and shaky. But I couldn't let go of the anger, couldn't shake the feeling of injustice that burned in my chest.

The manager stormed over, his face red with anger. "What the hell is going on here?"

Simone stood a few feet away, her arms crossed, looking both horrified and smug. I could tell she had been waiting for something like this to happen.

"I'm sorry, but this is unacceptable," the manager continued, his voice dripping with disapproval. "We can't have this kind of behavior here. You're fired, effective immediately."

The words hit me like a punch to the gut. Fired? Just like that? My heart pounded in my chest as I stared at the manager, unable to believe what I was hearing.

"This isn't fair!" I shouted, trying to pull free from Kai's grip. "She attacked me first! I was just defending myself!"

But the manager's expression didn't soften. "I don't care who started it. You're both out of control, and I won't have it in my restaurant. Now, leave before I call the police."

I could feel tears of frustration and anger welling up in my eyes as I wrenched myself free from Kai's hold. "Fine," I spat, my voice shaking. "I'm leaving."

I grabbed my bag and stormed out of the restaurant, my heart pounding with a mixture of anger and despair. The cold air hit me as I stepped outside, but it did little to cool the rage burning inside me.

As I walked away, I could hear the distant voice of Kai, calling after me, but I didn't stop. I didn't look back. I just kept walking, each step taking me farther away from the scene I'd just left behind.

But no matter how far I went, I couldn't shake the feeling that my world was unravelling, piece by piece. And I had no idea how to put it back together.