My Sassy Boss

GOOD HEART

TONY

For my mother's peace, and so, she won't disturb me, I agreed even if it is against my will. I will just sit down on Friday anyways and do nothing.

But my thoughts vanished when my phone rang again and when I looked at the caller, my face became serious. It's the Construction Manager so, I answered it.

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THIRD'S

"Hello, Ms. Wayman?" prefaced the woman on the other line as if something bad had happen.

"Yes, speaking. Why did you call tonight, Linda? Did something happen?" Toni asked immediately with a feeling of dread in her chest because she didn't like her tone as if something happened.

"Ms. Wayman, the entrance door fell," Linda brought up in a sad tone of her voice.

"What?!" Toni exclaimed in shock that made her stand up from her seat. "What happened? Who was the person assigned to build that? Tell me," she asked in demand, angrily.

"Two new men were assigned to build it. It was Zion Rilo and Drew Kano," Linda answered with disappointment but at the back of it, she smiled because the truth is that she was the one responsible for why the entrance door was damaged.

"You've got to be kidding me! I'm coming there now!" Toni's reacted in furious, and she ended the call, then quickly left her office to see what happened to the project she was building.

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Meanwhile, not far from the building, there was a black car and inside of it are Mr. Ray and his daughter whom Toni didn't accept in the job interview yesterday. Linda approached the window and it went down, they smiled at each other evilly.

"Good job, Linda. Now here's your pay for what you've done," Mr. Ray said happily, and he handed the brown envelope to her.

"Thank you so much for this, Mr. Ray. My job here is done," Linda happily responded, and she peeked at the contents of the brown envelope. Her smile widened when she saw that it was full of bills and from there, she walked away from the car and hid the envelope in the bag she secretly carried.

"Let's go," announced Mr. Ray to the driver, and the car started.

"That is what she gets for not hiring me, instead of those peasants," said Sasha angrily because she was not accepted and then, she smiled because she succeeded in taking revenge even if it was just small.

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In the morning, Zion went to work with a smile on his face because he was happy with what he is doing when Linda approached him.

"Mr. Rilo, come with me and Ms. Wayman wants to talk with you," she said flatly, and she turned away from him like she is judging him already because she knows that he didn't graduate.

Zion followed her even though he had no idea what would happen next. Eventually, Linda guided him to go to Toni's office.

"Come in," answered Toni at the back of the door, and she stopped from what she's doing to face the newly hired construction man that she assigned to do the entrance door.

Zion followed Linda again, and he stood in front of Toni, while Linda left the office leaving the two alone. The two stared at each other when they were left inside the office.

"G-Good morning, Ms. Wayman," Zion greeted with a smile and hesitation in the back of his mind. He was actually wondering why he was in her office.

"Good morning? Really, good morning? My morning is not good, Mr. Rilo, do you know that?" Toni mentioned with an arched eyebrow, and she stood up from her desk. She walked closer to him even he is taller than her she goes, around him while she was speaking. "Tell me, do you know how to build?" she strictly asked without taking her eyes off of him.

"I—uh...yes, Ma'am, I do know," Zion innocently answered.

"Then, can you explain to me why the entrance of the building collapsed? You're the one assigned there, aren't you?" Toni asked directly, and she stopped to his left side to give him a death glare.

"W-What?" Zion said in shock, and he turned to his left where she is standing and they looked at each other closely. "It collapsed? B-But how?"

"I should be the one asking you that. Tell me, what did you do and it fell like that? Are you conning me? I know you don't have any degree, and I don't care if you have because what I needed here in my company is a competent hardworking man. You told me you have skills and experience when it comes to this business. So, I trusted you. I believed in your capability just like you've said. I gave you a chance to prove yourself as a man that you can change. What happened there now?" Toni said frankly without a doubt since she has the upper hand.

His eyes widened in a mere of centimeter when he heard her compliments. He was flattered for a moment but then, her words hurts him. "I-I don't know. I don't know what happened. I mixed all the ingredients well with the right measurements and all. It's impossible that I miscalculated it. I never got mistaken when it comes to my expertise e-even I didn't graduate. I am sure that everything I do is perfect," he defended himself.

"Well, you have made a huge mistake this time, and I am not tolerating what you did," Toni replied seriously, and she walked to her desk to take a sit again. "Here's your last paycheck. Please, leave my building peacefully since I am being nice to you, or I will charge you for destroying my property, which cost by the way a hundred thousand dollars. That I know you don't have. I wanted to sue you for neglecting your job but, I know you don't have money for that so, it's better that you walk away from my company than me hurting you when I know you're already down. I don't fight when I know it's not fair for both sides. You should be thankful that I still gave you your paycheck even you worked here for a day. Now, leave," she added with so much control in her voice even though she wanted him to take responsible for what happened, but because she knew he is poor, she is going to spare him. She still have a soft heart to some people who did nothing to her but then, she immediately turn to stone cold when someone take advantage of her good heart.

"B-But—" he appealed but, he stopped speaking when they stared at each other, and that is when he came to his senses, and just breathed in. "Okay. I apologize for what happened. I'm leaving now. Thank you for giving me an experience although it is quite short," he just mentioned, and took the white envelope containing the money and quietly left her office.

And as he exits, he clenched his jaw because he couldn't even defend himself or find out what really happened, and as to why the entrance door he built collapsed.

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Afterward, Zion got home to his younger sister who he found watching television in the living room. He went straight to their small kitchen where he immediately put the plastic on the table.

"Sarah, let's eat. I bought fried chicken for you," he called with a smile while preparing the dining table and not letting his younger sister know that something bad had happened to him.

Sarah turned off the TV and walked towards her brother who she also helped by putting two plastic cups with water on them, and then she sat down at the table. Zion also sat down, and they both prayed.

"Thank you very much for the food in front of us today. We only get to eat it once in a blue moon so, we are very grateful. Amen," Zion prayed, and he opened his eyes again.

However, Sarah slowly opened her eyes and immediately looked at her older brother as if she knew something was wrong.

"Zion, is everything okay? Or, did you lost your job again?" she asked in an unhappy voice.

"Yeah. That's why we have to save money because I got my last paycheck," Zion answered sadly, and he started spooning rice on his plate.

"What happened?" Sarah asked again, curious as to what happened to her older brother. "I thought everything was perfect. You said that you got a nice offer. What happened?" she inquired more.

"Well, unfortunately, the entrance door that I built myself collapsed. My boss fired me because she blamed me for why it fell even though I calculated everything. I really don't know what happened. I really don't have any idea," he explained while he was putting food on his plate.

"I see. Don't worry, you will find another job, Zion. I am cheering for you," she encouraged him with a hopeful smile.

Because of what she said, he came to life and smiled back at her. Though, he cannot forget what his boss said a while ago about trusting him and believing on him that really pierced his heart because other than his younger sister, no one has ever told him that before, after their parents died.

He will never forget his past whereas, >>[He was only 18 that time when his Mom was rushed to the hospital due to abdominal pain because she was pregnant. He then called his father and informed him about the news. Soon, his father came and the nurses and the doctors talked to him about the case of his mother. Later on, his mother gave birth prematurely due to complications but after delivering, she died that left them devastated. And because of the hospital bill, they were forced to get a loan to loansharks dealers just to get the baby out and clear their bill because they have nowhere to get the money at, since they already borrowed to their neighbors and relatives. After that, without any choice, he helped his father to earn money. He applied to any store that could give him money to sustain their needs even though, he's just a high school graduate. His father told that he should resume College since he can still work day and night but he said, he would rather work than study because they were in deep debt. However, due to his younger sister's condition while growing up, they need to bring her to the doctor for monthly and yearly vaccination and check up that cost a lot of money. They struggle even more when one of them was sick due to overfatigue, until his father's body collapsed. His father had a heart attack that instantly killed him at work, which left him and his younger sister alone in deep debt. Now, all he does is avoid them because he couldn't pay them on time. And because the money he earns from work was just enough for them to eat and survive the day.]

That night, he silently cried until his heart content just thinking of all the hard work he endured just to survive. He've been dreaming his life to get some good opportunities but unfortunately, luck is not on his side.

To be continued...