BEFORE THE FALL
1047 Words
“Shhh, keep your voice low, Clara, before you get in trouble “
Clara Bennett slowly lifted her eyes with a frown on her face.
Across from her desk, Mia stood and looked around to make sure nobody was listening.
“You know how these people are.” “Please don't do anything stupid if you really want this job”, Mia whispered carefully.
Clara frowned with a face full of anger, like she was running out of patience.
Seven whole months of pretending not to notice the s****l harassment, touches, inappropriate comments, fake smiles, and terrified silence from the women working at Sterling International.
At first, Clara had convinced herself to ignore everything because,
She needed to keep her job; it's not even a year since she got the job.
Sterling International was one of the biggest companies in New York, and working there as a translator was supposed to change her life. She worked hard to be there.
That had always been the dream.
If she worked hard enough, maybe she could finally earn a transfer overseas. Maybe she could finally stop feeling abandoned after her mother disappeared, but every single day inside Sterling made her feel smaller.
And today had finally become too much.
Through the transparent conference room, Clara watched as one of the senior executives cornered a young intern near the table, while touching her and others laughed as if it were nothing.
The girl looked visibly uncomfortable while smiling.
Mia noticed immediately. “Clara… don’t… wait,” but Clara was already standing.
Her fitted black skirt hugged her figure perfectly while the red silk blouse tucked neatly into it gave her a soft elegance that always drew attention whenever she entered a room. Her heels clicked against the Marble floor as several employees slowly turned toward her.
Beautiful and confident, she had always been like that. Clara Bennett couldn't hold it in again!
Inside the office, Director Adrian looked up from his desk the moment he saw her walking toward the conference room...His expression darkened.
Over the past seven months, Adrian had quietly noticed everything about Clara Bennett.
From the way she carried herself, she always stood out effortlessly.
And the worst part? He was aware.
Every complaint, uncomfortable glance and whispered rumor. He knew.
But Sterling International protected powerful men, not the truth
Adrian stood, watching Clara approach the conference room. Part of him wanted to stop her, but another part already knew it was too late. Clara pushed the conference room door open. The laughter died slowly. Five executives turned toward her.
The intern stepped away quickly, eyes lowered in embarrassment.
“With all due respect,” she said firmly, “this behavior needs to stop.”
“Excuse me?”You heard me,” her voice echoed.
Silence! They all stared.
The room became dead quiet.
Outside, employees had already stopped pretending to work.
Everyone was watching.
The older executive laughed coldly. “Miss Bennett, are you trying to accuse us of something?”
“I’m saying women in this company deserve respect.”Another executive scoffed. “And who exactly are you to lecture us?”
One of the men muttered, “This is why attractive women become a problem in workplaces.”
Clara’s eyes flashed with anger.
“No,” she replied sharply. “Men like you are the problem.”
A shocked silence followed.
From the office across the hall, Adrian closed his eyes briefly.
The executive’s expression hardened immediately.
‘What type of disrespect is this?
Clara laughed bitterly, though her heart was breaking inside.
“No. Disrespect???, Now let's talk about how you guys have been disrespecting and sexually harassing us!!!”
Her eyes shifted toward Adrian’s office for one brief second.
And when their eyes met,
He kept his head low; he wasn't going to say a thing.
That hurts more.
The chief executive adjusted his black suit coldly.
“Miss Bennett, gather your belongings.”The room fell silent “You’re fired.”
The words were painful, but Clara stood still.
Not where they could watch her break .“Thanks,” she whispered.
Then she turned and walked out. The office whispers followed her immediately.
“She ruined her career.”
Her vision blurred with tears as she entered the elevator, and her shoulders finally dropped.
By the time she stepped outside the building, rain was pouring.
Cold rain soaked through her clothes instantly; she barely noticed.
She stared up at her company's long building with tearful eyes.
The cab ride home was quiet.
And when she finally stepped inside her small apartment, the loneliness hit her immediately.
Clara dropped her bag before finally allowing herself to cry. She cried more when she saw an article had been released about her in the company's group.
But fate had other plans for her, plans she knew nothing about. Unbeknownst to her, her name had already been submitted among the recommended translators for the DeLuca capital.
And somewhere across New York City
Inside his office, Damien DeLuca sat at the head of a long black table while several files rested before him.
His assistant stood nearby.
“These are the best translator candidates we could find for the Spain negotiations,” she explained carefully—five qualified candidates. Damien barely looked at the first four.
His attention remained fixed on one particular file resting near the center of the table.
“Clara Bennett”.
Something about her had already caught his interest.
Perhaps it was the article attached about the incident at Sterling International that occurred earlier this afternoon.
Or maybe it was her picture.
Dark silky hair framing a beautiful face with sparkling eyes that somehow looked both soft and fearless at the same time.
Damien stared at the photograph longer than necessary.
“She was fired today,” she added carefully. “Apparently she caused trouble at her company.”
Instead of losing interest, he became more curious.
His eyes scanned through her qualifications before returning once again to her photograph. Attractive and strangely familiar.
He closed the file and slid it to the top of the pile. He should have forgotten her the moment the meeting ended.
Instead, he reached for his phone. “ Find her”
- Writer
