New Boss
Dora's pov
I was staring out the car window, watching the rain fall steadily. It was dreary and matched how I felt inside. Douglas was driving, and he stayed quiet, probably because he saw my blank expression. He knew something was wrong, and the way I looked, disheveled and lost, lmust have worried him. He sighed, glancing at me, but he didn’t ask anything. He knew me well enough to understand that I wouldn’t talk, not right now. That’s just how I am. When something bothers me, I keep it inside until I can’t hold it anymore. Then, it all comes out in a burst.
My mind kept replaying Austin’s words: “You’re the best thing that happened to me. Your soul is pure.”* But then, just two years later, he called me a whore and said divorcing me was the right thing to do. I laughed bitterly, but inside, I was breaking. Douglas could probably see it in my eyes, even though my face showed nothing. My eyes were full of sorrow, and I was barely holding it together.
I didn’t even realize how I ended up walking barefoot in the rain, holding my heels in one hand. My mind was so far away that I didn’t notice the cold or the wet. Douglas found me like that, on a deserted lane. He stopped his car right in front of me, and when I looked up at him, my lip twitched, but I couldn’t say anything. He took me to a small motel, helping me inside. I didn’t even notice the pair of black eyes watching us from a distance.
Austin’s voice echoed in my head: “Good job, Dora. You found another man just after leaving my place. Do I even know you?” I didn’t have the energy to respond, not even in my thoughts. Douglas left me in the room to buy me some decent clothes and toiletries. When he came back, I was still sitting in the same spot, lost in my thoughts. He gently tugged my elbow and said, “Dora, you need to freshen up. Then we’ll go out to eat.” I looked at him, empty, but he smiled softly and guided me to the bathroom. He waited outside while I changed.
We stopped at a small café, but I couldn’t eat or talk. Douglas watched me carefully, and when he realized I wasn’t responding, he called Sienna for help. Sienna lived alone in her rented apartment, and Douglas thought it would be better for me to stay with her. When we got there, I went straight to bed and fell asleep almost instantly.
Douglas told Sienna what had happened, “I found her walking alone in a deserted lane. I don’t know how she got there or why she was wearing such clothes. She never wore anything like that before.”* Sienna scowled and said, *“That ass happened.” Douglas looked confused. “Austin? He’s here?” Sienna explained,
“I took her out yesterday to cheer her up, and for a moment, she seemed better. But then we ran into that scoundrel, and after that, I lost her. All I know is Austin barged into the ladies’ room and dragged her out. I didn’t sleep all night, worried about where he took her. Her phone and bag were with me the whole time.”
Douglas frowned. “But she was alone when I found her. I didn’t see Austin anywhere.” Sienna shook her head. “What can you expect from a man who tricked his wife into an abortion and then left her?” Douglas sipped his tea and asked, “What now?” Sienna sighed. “I’ve already talked to her parents. Let her rest today. Maybe she’ll talk when she’s ready. You know how she is, unless she wants to, no one can make her talk.” She looked at me, sleeping, and I could feel the weight of their worry, even in my dreams.
“Then I’ll see you both at the office tomorrow. Let me know if you need anything,” Douglas said before he left.
When Sienna went to wake me up, she screamed. I was lying on the floor, blood oozing from my slit wrist. She immediately called Douglas, and they rushed me to the hospital.
Douglas’s friend, a doctor, said, “Since I owe you one, I’m not reporting this to the police. You know the rules.” He added, “She’s not in danger. If you want, you can see her.”
What shocked Sienna and Douglas the most was that I would never do something like this. Even in my worst moments, I never gave up. When they entered the hospital room, I was awake, staring at my bandaged wrist.
“Am I a bad person?” I asked, still looking at my wrist.
They exchanged glances as I finally looked up at them. “Why can’t I ever get what I want? For once, I thought I’d end my misery, but I can’t even die peacefully,” I said with a sad smile.
Sienna sat beside me on the bed, while Douglas leaned against the wall, arms crossed. Neither interrupted me. They knew this was the only way to find out what had happened last night, what had pushed me to this point.
“My studies, my marriage, my lifestyle, everything I did was what my parents told me to do. I never went to parties, never skipped class. I never raised my voice or disrespected anyone. I listened to everyone, respected everyone. Where did I go wrong? Maybe I did something bad, and now I’m paying for it,” I said, tears filling my eyes.
“For once, just once, I thought I’d get what I wanted. I thought I deserved it. Am I such a bad person that God is punishing me?” I started sobbing uncontrollably.
“No, baby, you’re the best person I know. You deserve so much more,” Sienna said, trying to comfort me.
“No, I’m a bad woman. You know what they call women like me?” I asked.
“Whore,” Sienna gasped, horrified.
“Enough, Dora!” Douglas shouted, furious at hearing me call myself that. He marched over to the bed, sat down, and pulled me up. “Did Austin say that to you?” he asked, as he raised his voice. He already suspected Austin was behind all this.
“Don’t touch me. I’m not a good woman. I sleep with men. Yes, I slept with him last night. I slept with my soon-to-be ex-husband. That makes me a whore,” I cried.
Sienna gasped, covering her mouth. Douglas had never lost his temper like this before.
“I hope that’s enough to wake you up,” Douglas said, his voice firm.
I held my cheek, sobbing, but Douglas didn’t soften. “If you’re done with your self-pity, maybe we can talk,” he said, his tone cold.
When I looked at him through my tears, he said, “Just because one worthless man doesn’t see your worth doesn’t mean you believe his lies. A man who can’t respect his wife has no right to judge anyone. Stop seeing your worth through someone else’s eyes. Everyone in our life is either a gift or a lesson. The lessons that don’t kill us make us stronger. God isn’t punishing you. He’s giving you another chance. Most people don’t get that, but you did. Did you even think about your parents? What would’ve happened to them if you died?”
“I’m tired,” I said, closing my eyes. “I’m tired of struggling for everything in my life.”
“For once, live for yourself. Maybe this second chance is for you to live your life for you, not for anyone else. If you don’t respect yourself, how can you expect others to respect you?” Douglas said, his voice steady but kind.
There was an awkward silence in the ward. Douglas broke it by saying, "Now, if you're done, we can go home. Or if you want, you can stay here and pull another stunt." I just shook my head in response.
When Douglas went to get his car, Sienna looked at me and said, "You know, Douglas used to own a company. But when his sister was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer, he left everything to take care of her. He did everything he could to make her live a little longer. But because he wasn’t involved in his business anymore and his sister’s treatment was so expensive, he had to sell everything. Now he works as an analyst, even though he could have been a CEO."
I was surprised to hear this. I didn’t know any of this about Douglas. How does Sienna know, and I don’t? I thought to myself.
Sienna continued, "Even after doing everything, he lost his sister. When he saw you today, it reminded him of her. He spent all his money trying to buy a second chance for his sister, but he couldn’t. Not everyone gets a second chance, Dora. What happened in the past was hard, but don’t let it ruin your present or future. You’re worth so much more than you think."
A tear rolled down my cheek. In the car, I kept glancing at Douglas. He looked calm, and when he noticed me looking at him, he smiled. I never would have guessed that someone so quiet could carry so much pain inside.
That night, I stayed with Sienna again because my wrist was bandaged, and I felt too ashamed to face my parents after what I had done.
The next day, Sienna and I went to the office together. When we got there, the atmosphere was chaotic. Douglas told us, "The client visit that was supposed to happen next month has been moved up."
"When?" we both asked at the same time.
"Today," Douglas said. "And the new assistant vice president is joining us too. You guys better get moving and clean up your desks. Apparently, he has OCD and hates messy workplaces."
We quickly went to our desks. Around lunchtime, we were called into an urgent meeting. Nathan said, "The new AVP has already arrived and wants to meet everyone."
"I need a new haircut," I whispered to Sienna while we waited for our new boss.
"Let’s go after…" Sienna suddenly stopped talking and stared behind me.
I followed her gaze and heard Nathan say, "Let’s welcome our new boss." Then I saw him.
"Austin," I whispered his name without even realizing it.
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