Chapter 17 - Dela's Last Shift| Dela learned about the recording from Priya, who had heard a rumor from a member of the security team.
She did not ask Julian for details.
She did not want the investigation to become a conversation about whether he trusted her enough to share confidential information. The case belonged to the company and the authorities. Her job was to work, serve the guests, and make sure Priya's hand healed properly.
But she could feel the atmosphere changing.
Employees spoke in whispers. Managers avoided the service corridor. Lena met privately with the kitchen staff. A temporary supervisor took over the schedules.
For the first time since Dela had joined the Aster Room, people seemed willing to admit that something had been wrong.
Then the envelope arrived.
It was left inside Dela's locker, with no name on the outside.
She opened it in the staff room.
Inside was a printed photograph of her leaving the building after her shift. The picture had been taken from across the street. Beneath it, someone had written:
You should have kept your head down.
Dela's fingers went cold.
For several seconds, she could not hear the sounds around her.
Priya noticed her expression.
“Dela? What's wrong?”
Dela folded the paper.
“Nothing.”
Priya shook her head.
“That's what everyone says when something is wrong.”
Dela almost smiled at the echo of her own words.
She showed Priya the photograph.
The younger woman covered her mouth.
“Who would do this?”
“I don't know.”
“Are you going to tell Mr. Rock?”
“Yes.”
Dela took the envelope directly to Lena, who immediately contacted building security and legal.
“This is being treated as a threat,” Lena said. “You shouldn't leave alone tonight.”
“I'm not frightened of a photograph.”
“You don't have to be frightened for us to take it seriously.”
Dela nodded.
That evening, Julian found her sitting in the staff room, her coat folded beside her.
“I heard what happened.”
She looked up.
“I was going to tell you.”
“I'm sorry.”
“Why are you apologizing?”
“Because someone may be targeting you because of the investigation.”
Dela stood.
“Then find out who it is.”
“We will.”
“And don't use this as a reason to tell me I should stop working.”
“I wasn't going to.”
“Good. Because I won't.”
Julian watched her closely.
“You don't have to prove you're brave.”
“I'm not trying to prove anything. I have rent. I have a mother who needs medication. I have a job I worked hard to keep. I'm not going to let some anonymous person decide whether I get to show up for it.”
Her voice shook on the last sentence.
Julian stepped closer, but stopped before touching her.
“May I take you home tonight?”
Dela looked at him for a long moment.
“Yes.”
He waited.
“But not because I can't take care of myself,” she added.
“Because I care whether you get home safely.”
The answer seemed to soften something in her face.
“Then yes.”
Outside, security escorted them to Julian's car. Dela noticed two people standing across the street, one holding a phone.
She did not recognize either of them.
Julian noticed them too.
“Do you know them?”
“No.”
The security chief approached and spoke quietly to Julian.
“We'll review the footage and notify the police about the photograph.”
Dela got into the car.
As Julian drove away, she stared through the window at the Aster Room's golden lights.
She had once believed that being kind meant accepting the consequences quietly.
Now she understood something different.
May you like
Kindness did not require silence.
And courage did not mean standing alone.
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