r one. She started showing up at my firm, shadowing me on my projects. It was Kason' s id

design phase. Suddenly, my role was downsized. Key aspects o

Haz

ing to the lead engineer about the building's signatur

rove the structural integrity," she

t, a man I' d worked with for years. "M

n's orders, Clara. Hazel is ta

signature work. She doesn't ha

ssness. The Hanson Corporation was ou

face. "Clara, I know this is hard for you. But Kason thin

between rival developers that was meant to be symbolic. "The director wants us to act out this scene for t

the original storyboa

irector. "Why was t

aze. "It was a... top-down

e room, watching us. He was always there, a shadow looming over my c

of resignation

e script called for Hazel'

," Hazel said with a swe

tor calle

l, and it was hard. My head s

ed. "Hazel, your timing

n. And again

gle would be wrong, she' d stumble. But each time, her hand w

from the pain and humiliation. The crew was silent, wa

he finally said, una

pack, her own eyes filled with tears. "This

pered, trying to comfort

olding an ice pack. For a moment, a fo

asked, his voice

wollen cheek throbbin

new at this, Clara. You need to be patient with her. We

y physical pain. The sheer callousness of it was

ved you," I said to myself

er own hand. "Ow, my hand is star

his face full of concern. He hand

" he said softly

ara, are you ready to go again t

uldn't see, she shot me a lo

taken

voice cold and cl

e," she whined, showing Ka

w up. I slapped her, hard, across the face

turning to Kason with wide, tear-f