[: 3rd POV :]
The fat man sighed deeply.
He realized that his unintentional scolding had affected Sasha more than he intended.
He didn’t mean to scold her harshly, but he had to.
After all, work is work and with the era changing, there’s no telling when his shop would close. freewebnσvel.cѳm
There was concern etched on his face and he approached her gently with a soft tone.
“Sasha, I didn’t mean to upset you that much”
”I just… I need you to be on time, you know? It’s important for the business,” he said with a more sympathetic tone.
Sasha, still trembling, managed to nod in understanding, wiping away a few tears.
”I-I know” She timidly replied.
She was relieved that he wasn’t as angry as she initially thought.
“Look, I know you’re going through a lot” He knows the kind of situation that she was in which is why, he didn’t want to be harsh with her.
”If there’s something bothering you, feel free to talk to me, okay?”
Even though he had nothing much to offer, he still made the effort in trying to help her out.
”We can figure something out,”
He offered, showing a side of compassion that Sasha hadn’t expected.
”Thank you…Mr David”
Sasha hesitated but eventually nodded, appreciating the unexpected support.
Eventually, the fat man known as David, patted her shoulder gently, offering a reassuring smile.
“Alright, get back to work. Just try to be on time next time, okay? And don’t worry too much about it,”
He said, signalling the end of their brief conversation.
”I understand Mr David”
As Sasha composed herself and returned to her duties, David couldn’t shake off the guilt he felt for unintentionally causing her distress.
In her eyes, Sasha was like his daughter, hence, he couldn’t help but feel guilty for what he has done.
He decided to make it up to her, maybe by giving her a day off or easing her workload.
Meanwhile, Daniel, observing the situation from a distance, felt relief and gratitude toward the fat man.
He appreciated the manager’s understanding and compassion towards Sasha, especially considering her timid nature.
With the immediate crisis averted, Daniel continued to follow Sasha from the shadows.
He was determined to keep an eye on her and ensure that the pivotal moment she mentioned earlier wouldn’t take a darker turn.
Little did Sasha know that her life would change in ways she could never have anticipated.
2 hours later, Sasha received a delivery order from a customer.
“Sasha, this one’s important, okay? It’s for a regular customer. Make sure it gets there on time.”
”And don’t be late” David reminded as Sasha geared up for her next delivery.
”I won’t” Sasha replied with a smile. the fat man handed her a neatly packed order.
”I won’t let you down this time.” She added.
Hearing her words, David gave her an encouraging smile, “I know you won’t. Just be careful, alright?”
With that, Sasha hopped on her bicycle, balancing the delivery box on the front, and pedalled away, completely unaware of Daniel following her discreetly.
Daniel shadowed Sasha through the bustling streets, keeping a safe distance.
As she navigated through the city, he couldn’t help but recall the alternate future where Sasha met a tragic encounter.
It was at this moment that her life would change and Daniel was absolute in changing her fate, he remained vigilant.
As Sasha pedalled through the crowded streets, her focus on the delivery, she couldn’t shake off the earlier conversation with her boss, Mr David.
Wanting to make things right, she promised herself she wouldn’t be late this time.
However, fate had other plans.
As she manoeuvred through a particularly busy intersection, her bicycle hit a bump, causing her to lose control.
”Oh no”
Panicking, she swerved, desperately trying to regain balance, but it was too late.
Unbeknownst to her, a man in a well-tailored suit was walking on the sidewalk, engrossed in his phone.
The collision was inevitable.
Sasha crashed into him, and the neatly packed pizza box went flying, staining the man’s clothes with tomato sauce and cheese.
“Oh no, I’m so sorry!”
Sasha exclaimed, scrambling to pick up the fallen pizza box.
The man, now looking annoyed, assessed the damage to his attire.
“What the fuck are you doing!?”
He snapped, clearly displeased with the unexpected pizza shower.
“I apologize, sir. It was an accident. I’ll do my best to make it up to you,”
Sasha stammered, her face turning a shade of red that matched the tomato sauce.
“You think a lousy apology is enough? Look at me! I have an important meeting, and now I look like a fool!” he raged, pointing to his ruined attire.
Sasha, with genuine remorse in her eyes, stammered, “I’m really sorry, sir. I didn’t mean for this to happen. I offered to cover the cleaning expenses, and I—”
But the man cut her off with a dismissive wave of his hand. “Cleaning expenses? Do you even have the money in the first place?”
He insulted, making Sasha embarrassed and she bit her lips.
”My suit is ruined! Ruined, thanks to you!”
His tone grew increasingly hostile, and Sasha could sense the situation escalating.
The bustling street seemed to fade into the background as the man continued berating her.
“Do…you…even know who I am…?” the man taunted, a smirk playing on his lips as he pointed to a badge on his chest.
Sasha’s eyes widened as she followed the man’s pointed finger to the badge on his chest.
The moment she saw the badge, it struck her like a sudden gust of wind, and she felt her blood run cold.
The emblem on the badge was unmistakable, a symbol that sent shivers down the spines of those who recognized it.
Even those bystanders who were paying attention to this commotion panicked and they walked away.
They didn’t want to be involved, otherwise, their lives would be in danger with people who had the badge as their identity.
The weight of those words sank in, and Sasha’s expression turned from anxiety to sheer dread.
The badge he wore signified more than just authority; it marked him as a Ranker.
A Ranker is an individual of extraordinary influence and power in this new world governed by skills and abilities.
In the hierarchy of this transformed society, Rankers were a step below the government itself.
They held immense wealth, and influence, and were capable of commanding entire Guilds and Deviations.
Sasha had heard tales of their exploits and the way they shaped the world around them.
As the reality of the situation settled in, Sasha felt a knot form in her stomach.
Encountering a Ranker wasn’t just an inconvenience; it was a potential threat to her very existence.
Depending on his whims, he could make her life immeasurably difficult or even worse.
A cold silence hung in the air as Sasha tried to find words to respond, her mind racing to figure out how to navigate this unforeseen danger.
The man continued to smirk, revelling in the power dynamic that had shifted in his favour.
Sasha, her voice barely a whisper, managed to utter, “I… I didn’t know. I truly didn’t mean any harm.”
She pleaded, hoping that he would be understanding and compassionate, just like Mr David.
“Well, you should have thought of that before causing me so much trouble. Maybe then, I’d forgive your mistake.”
The man scoffed, clearly not buying her explanation.
“Please, sir, I can make it up to you. I’ll do anything!”
Sasha implored, her eyes filled with desperation.
She couldn’t afford to anger a Ranker as that would mean the end of her life.
She could lose her job and she may even be blacklisted from all jobs, and that’ll make it difficult for her to cure her father.
The man considered her offer for a moment, his eyes roaming her body and Sasha felt a sense of dread settle in her stomach.
“Anything, you say? Well, that’s awfully generous of you.”
The man said, his tone now carrying a hint of suggestion, and Sasha’s mind began racing with possibilities.
“I… yes, anything, sir. Whatever you want,”
Sasha affirmed, not quite understanding the underlying meaning behind his words.
However, she could sense that this would be an unpleasant one.
“Hmm, you’re a pretty thing. Tell you what, there’s a hotel nearby, and if you could accompany me, then maybe I could let this off. How about that?”
The man’s tone was laced with desire, and Sasha suddenly understood the nature of his ‘offer’.
She froze, unable to process the man’s proposition, the reality of the situation crashing down upon her.
“I… I don’t know what to say, sir,”
Sasha stammered, her hands trembling as she clutched the empty pizza box.
“There’s nothing to say, sweetheart. You can either agree to accompany me or suffer the consequences.”
The man replied, a cruel smile on his lips, knowing that she had no choice.
