generosity did not excuse neglecting fair compensation. She knew none of these measures would erase the morning. They were simply the first steps she could take that did not require Daniel to forgive her.
Daniel returned from his break and found Owen waiting near the maintenance room. Owen had already read the corrected security report, and he seemed relieved enough to apologize on behalf of the entire department. Daniel told him there was no need for an apology Owen had not personally earned, but he wanted the approval system fixed before another worker got trapped between competing instructions. Together they reviewed the ticket, marked the temporary repair complete, and scheduled the final replacement for the following morning. Daniel then repaired the marketing team's troublesome door, just as he had promised.
On his way out, Nia stopped him near the service elevator. "I heard what happened," she said. "I wanted to say something in the lobby, but I froze." Daniel looked at her, recognizing the same worry that had passed through so many faces when Victoria raised her voice.
"You don't have to explain," he answered. Nia shook her head. "Maybe I do. You help everybody. I should have helped you."
Daniel took a moment before replying. "If you ever see it happen to somebody else, just ask them whether they're okay afterward. Sometimes that's the first thing a person needs." Nia nodded, blinking quickly.
She told him she had spoken during the afternoon meeting about her mother's treatment schedule and that Victoria had asked for a written description of the problem without requesting private medical information. Daniel smiled. "Good. You know more about what needs changing than I do. Make sure they listen."
Harold met him near the front desk as the evening staff arrived. He held out a folded twenty-dollar bill, embarrassed that he had almost missed Daniel after his long day. "I