Behind the wall

Episode 6

Today the grand hall glittered with chandeliers and crystal glasses. It was the company’s annual gala, a night meant for laughter, elegance, and unity.

But for Daniel, it was a night of quiet torment. He stood by the far end of the room, his black suit crisp but plain among the tailored tuxedos and designer gowns.

Across the hall, he watched Victoria, radiant in an emerald dress that shimmered under the lights. Her laughter, her poise, she looked every bit the powerful woman she was. But beside her stood Marcus, hand casually resting on her back as though he owned her world.

Marcus’s smirk found Daniel instantly. He never missed a chance.

“Look who showed up,” Marcus said loudly enough for a few nearby guests to hear. “Did the valet let you in by mistake, Daniel?”

A few nervous chuckles rippled. Daniel clenched his jaw, trying to keep his composure. He was used to Marcus’s arrogance, but tonight, with Victoria there, it stung deeper.

Victoria turned sharply toward Marcus, her tone firm.

“Marcus, that’s enough. He’s part of this company, and he’s earned his place here.”

Her defence silenced the table. The sting of her words left Marcus flushed with embarrassment, his ego bruised in front of everyone.

But the night didn’t end there. Marcus’s eyes followed Daniel the rest of the evening, every movement, every glance between Daniel and Victoria. It wasn’t just jealousy, it was possession. And when the dinner ended, Daniel walked out into the cool night air, to breathe.

The next morning, Daniel couldn’t face another day pretending everything was normal. Every time he saw Marcus’s arm around Victoria, it burned him. Every time Victoria smiled at Marcus, even politely, it hurt. He couldn’t live behind the glass anymore, watching the woman he loved from the other side, unable to reach her.

So he made a choice.

When Victoria arrived at the office later that morning, Daniel came after her, standing by her door, an envelope in hand.

“Daniel?” she asked, surprised. “What’s up.”

He smiled faintly. “I needed to talk to you.”

He handed her the letter, his resignation.

Her brows furrowed. “What is this?”

“I got a better offer,” he lied softly. “A private client overseas. It’s a big opportunity. I can’t turn it down.”

Victoria’s voice faltered. “Overseas? Daniel, I… I don’t understand. Why didn’t you tell me before?”

He couldn’t look her in the eyes. “It all happened so fast.”

Silence fell between them. The office that had always buzzed with energy now felt empty. She placed the letter on her desk, trying to steady her voice.

“If this is really what you want, I won’t stop you.”

He nodded, forcing a smile. “It’s for the best.”

But both of them knew it was a lie, the kind that breaks hearts quietly.

As he turned to leave, Victoria whispered, “Thank you… for everything, Daniel. For being loyal. For caring.”

He paused at the door. “Always,” he said softly, before walking out.

And just like that, the glass shattered, leaving them on opposite sides once again.

The office felt emptier than usual that morning, the hum of printers, the echo of heels on marble floors, the murmur of meetings in glass rooms. But for Victoria, the air itself felt heavier.

She sat behind her desk, eyes unfocused, staring at the same document for the past twenty minutes. Her signature was missing, not because she forgot, but because she couldn’t bring herself to care.

Daniel’s empty chair outside her glass office haunted her. His desk was cleared, no coffee mug, no jacket, no quiet “Good morning, ma’am.” Just silence.

It shouldn’t have mattered. He was just her driver… her assistant… her shadow in the background. Yet, without him, the world felt strangely colourless.

“Victoria?”

Her assistant, Elaine, peeked in. A warm, soft-spoken woman who had worked by Victoria’s side for years, the only person bold enough to speak to her heart instead of her title.

Victoria straightened, trying to sound composed. “Yes, Elaine?”

Elaine stepped closer, hesitating before speaking. “I… heard about Daniel resigning.”

Victoria’s pen stopped mid-stroke. “It was his decision,” she said quickly, too quickly.

Elaine studied her quietly. “You’ve been… distant today. You barely touched your lunch, and you haven’t yelled at anyone all morning. That’s not you.”

Victoria tried to smile. “Maybe I’m evolving.”

Elaine smiled sadly. “Or maybe you’re hurting.”

The words cut through the armour Victoria had built around herself.

“Elaine, this isn’t about…”

“It is about him,” Elaine interrupted softly. “You can lie to the whole company, but not to me. I’ve seen the way you look at Daniel. The way you soften when he’s around, how your eyes follow him even when you pretend they don’t.”

Victoria turned her chair toward the window, her voice trembling slightly. “Elaine, please. He’s… he’s just a driver. My father would never…”

Elaine stepped closer, her tone firmer. “Your father doesn’t live your life, Victoria. You do.”

Silence filled the room.

“You deserve someone who makes you feel safe,” Elaine continued. “Not someone who impresses your father. Daniel might not have money, or status, but he has something Marcus never will, a heart that’s real.”

Victoria’s eyes glistened, but she blinked quickly, refusing to let the tears fall. “He left, Elaine. He made his choice. That’s all there is to it.”

Elaine sighed. “Or maybe he left because you never gave him a reason to stay.”

Victoria’s breath hitched. She wanted to deny it, to argue, but deep down, she knew Elaine was right.

When Elaine quietly left the office, Victoria finally allowed herself to look at the empty space outside her glass wall. For the first time, she realized what she had done, she had built walls so high that even love couldn’t reach her anymore.

Her hand trembled as she touched the windowpane, the same glass that once separated her from Daniel when he worked outside her door.

Behind the glass, he had always been there. Now, he was gone.

And the silence that followed was louder than any goodbye.