The Silent Bodyguard

The hallway of Golden Crest Commercial Building smelled faintly of disinfectant and polished marble. It was still early morning, but employees were already rushing past the wide glass corridors, holding coffee cups and phones while discussing deadlines and meetings.Near the corner of the hallway, a man quietly pushed a janitor’s cart. His name was Ethan Cruz.At twenty-six years old, Ethan looked older than he actually was. Not because of wrinkles, but because of the quiet weight life had placed on his shoulders. His uniform was clean but worn out, his sleeves rolled neatly to his elbows as he slowly mopped the glossy floor.He worked silently.Always silently. Because silence had always been his shield. “Ethan!”The sharp voice cut through the hallway like a knife.Ethan stopped mopping and turned around calmly.Walking toward him was Mr. Delgado, his supervisor — a middle-aged man known for his bad temper and his habit of humiliating employees in public.His footsteps echoed loudly across the hall.“What is this?” Mr. Delgado snapped, pointing at a barely visible stain near the wall.Ethan lowered his head slightly. “I cleaned that earlier, sir. I’ll wipe it again.” Mr. Delgado scoffed loudly so the nearby employees could hear.“Of course you will! Because clearly you didn’t do your job properly the first time!”A few workers nearby glanced over, whispering among themselves.Ethan remained quiet.Mr. Delgado stepped closer, his voice growing louder.“I don’t understand how someone as useless as you even got hired here. Cleaning floors is the simplest job in the world, yet you still manage to mess it up!”Ethan tightened his grip on the mop handle.But he still said nothing. Inside his mind, however, a quiet voice spoke. One day…I will rise.One day I will prove that I am more than this.But he kept that thought buried deep inside.Then suddenly—Click. Click. Click. High heels echoed down the hallway.Ethan didn’t need to look to know who it was.His chest tightened slightly.Rose Lopez.The woman he had admired silently for almost two years.Beautiful. Elegant. Confident.Everything Ethan believed he was not.Beside her walked her best friend, Jane Rivera, who was known throughout the building for her sharp tongue.Rose stopped when she saw the scene.Her perfectly shaped eyebrows lifted in amusement.“Well well,” Jane said with a mocking smile. “Looks like the janitor is getting another lecture.”Mr. Delgado laughed.“Ah, Miss Lopez. Good morning. Just disciplining this useless worker.”Rose crossed her arms and looked Ethan up and down.Her eyes carried no kindness. Only disdain.“Honestly,” she said casually, “some people should just accept their place in life.” Jane giggled.“Exactly. Imagine dreaming big when you’re just a janitor.”The words were light.But they cut deeper than any blade.Ethan kept his head lowered.He didn’t defend himself.He didn’t argue. Rose scoffed.“You know Ethan, I heard from someone that you were trying to court me before.” Jane burst into laughter.“Oh my God, seriously? A janitor?”Rose looked directly at him.Her voice turned cold.“Let me make something clear. Even if every man in the world disappeared, I still wouldn’t look at someone like you.”