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Chapter 2

Penulis: Peace Talk
As soon as I returned to the office, a colleague informed me that Fiona, who had called me earlier, was already at my desk.

I reiterated the explanation I had given her over the phone and even called Revenant Corp for her.

However, the person on the other end of the line immediately hung up when they heard me claim that a phone was damaged due to a bad SIM card.

I couldn't help but envy their assertiveness. Frankly, it made me want to change companies.

Still, the company I work at prioritized service above all else. Thus, we were expected to greet a customer with a smile no matter how unreasonable they might get.

Fiona threw the SIM card at my face. Sadly, I had to stuff my anger into a little box and squeeze a smile.

In the end, I gave up and sought help from the director, Connor Aloe, due to her incessant harassment.

"Is she crazy? Wait here. I'll toss her out," he growled.

Connor stormed into the reception room. Yet, his face did a complete 180 when his eyes landed on Fiona. "Hello, ma'am. I'm the director. How can I assist you on this fine day?"

It was obvious he was also upholding the rule that the customer was always right.

Fiona didn't hesitate to point at me. "I want to file a complaint against her."

My heart sank. A promotion was going to be up for grabs next week.

I was a shoo-in for the manager's position based on my stellar work performance.

Now, a total of 100 points would be deducted from me because of a single complaint. That would affect my chances of getting that promotion.

I couldn't help but voice my protest. "Ms. Johnson, how is your request related to my job? I'm only a customer service representative. You can't file a complaint against me for this."

She rolled her eyes at me. "I do what I want. Do I have to tell you the reason? I could rescind that complaint, but only if you pay for a new phone out of your own pocket."

I was on the verge of tears due to sheer rage.

I, myself, was using a second-hand phone worth 300 dollars. Yet, she wanted me to get her a phone that cost more than one grand?

Plus, I was the innocent party!

I had to restrain myself from choosing violence when I saw her smug expression.

Alas, I could only swallow my anger as I recalled my near-weightless wallet.

Meanwhile, Fiona continued to rant. She even went as far as to curse my parents.

When I heard that, I couldn't help but blurt, "Ms. Johnson, please watch yourself."

Before Fiona could respond, Connor, who had been silent until then, became agitated. "Maya, how could you speak to a customer like that? You're at work!"

Fiona could not be deterred from filing a complaint against me. So, the director shot me a discreet look.

I could roughly understand what he was getting at.

After all, not every complaint would lead to immediate penalty toward the staff. There would be an opportunity for the staff to appeal against it.

The higher-ups would generally ignore those unreasonable complaints.

It seemed he wanted to placate the unruly Fiona and then help me withdraw the complaint later.

This was a relief for me. So, I no longer feared Fiona's complaint.

I was exhausted both mentally and physically after that farce.

Nevertheless, I chose to work unpaid overtime for the sake of my work performance this month.

I was the top employee in this department, consistently achieving the best results each month.

My colleagues had grown accustomed to my work habits, so none of them had ever commented on it.

Yet, Anna decided to approach me with a pout. "Maya, why are you always working overtime? Are you slacking off during the day and pretending to work hard after hours?"

My iron grip on my temper loosened as I recalled the events earlier today.

"Keep your mouth shut if you've got nothing good to say. Are you so blind that you can't tell that I'm the top employee every month?"

Anna froze before she started crying right in front of everyone. Then, she choked out, "I just graduated. I'm not really good with workplace intricacies. Please don't hate me, Maya."
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  • It’s a Rough Ride from Here   Chapter 3

    Work was already bothersome enough.Alas, I was unlucky enough to bump into my nemesis, Fiona, on my way home.She was dancing away in front of a restaurant.I initially thought about ignoring her and just walking by, but I stomped back after giving it some thought.The more I tried to let it go, the more infuriated I felt. My anger had reached its boiling point.So, I stood right before her and watched her dance with a murderous glare."You must work here as a server, don't you? Well, I'm going to dine here. Then, I'm going to file a complaint against you!" I declared.The arrogance she had in the day was long gone. Instead, she groveled and pleaded, "Why don't we sweep everything under the rug, huh? I'm not a server here. I'm just a dancer. This is my side gig. I'm actually an actor. I take on various odd jobs just to make a living. Please don't make things difficult for me."Oh, how the table had turned. It was finally my turn to stomp her to the curb.So, I crossed my ar

  • It’s a Rough Ride from Here   Chapter 4

    "Are you delusional?" Anna asked sardonically.Tears welled up in my eyes out of frustration.I was just about to continue defending myself when Anna's laughter interrupted me once again."Maya, Mr. Aloe works really hard every day. You should stop with your pranks," she said blithely. "Besides, it takes two to tango. The customer wouldn't have complained about you if you hadn't given her a reason to, right?"I slapped her across the face. I had tolerated her long enough. "Well? How does that feel? Does it really take just two to tango?" Her eyes instantly turned red rimmed and she dashed out of the office, cupping her cheek with her hand. I didn't need to guess as to where she was going. She was definitely making rounds around the company and telling everyone how I slapped her.Connor choked on his spit out of sheer fury. He hacked and coughed before finally pointing at me and yelling, "How could you hit her? This is workplace bullying!"Even though I wasn't the one at fault,

  • It’s a Rough Ride from Here   Chapter 5

    Anna was so smug after she took office that she was strutting around like a peacock.She no longer needed to answer calls and could openly slack off in the office.On one occasion, she even hired a nail technician to the office just to get her nails done.To make matters worse, she began to pick on me in earnest.Fortunately, my work performance was strong enough that she failed to find any weaknesses she could exploit.Still, she would constantly make snide remarks day in and day out."Sure, you have to be hardworking, but talent plays a huge role in life, too. All you do is compete with your colleagues, but you'll never get promoted if you're a fool," she snarked.I decided to heed her advice to the letter and did the bare minimum. I started scurrying for my shoes at 4:50 pm as my new goal was to make it to the company's entrance by 4:58 pm.That way, I would be able to punch in my card at the clock-in machine right at 5:00 pm.During Anna's first month as the department m

  • It’s a Rough Ride from Here   Chapter 6

    Anna was seated next to Connor, crying pitifully."There is a mole within the company. We are going to uncover just who that mole is in today's meeting! Now, I want all of you to write your phone's passwords on the back of your phones, hand them over, and allow Anna and me to inspect them," he instructed.An uproar erupted the minute those words fell from his lips. After all, everyone had things they would prefer to be kept private. Thus, his request was excessive.Anna rose to her feet, shedding the arrogance she had shown us just yesterday. "I don't know who I have wronged for you to put me in such a difficult position. Now, all I'm asking is for you to have some compassion and spare me."He watched her performance with heartache in his eyes. Then, he started urging us to hand over our phones.The account that I had used to upload the videos was anonymous. Unfortunately, it was still logged in on my phone. I would be exposed the second I handed my phone over like a doormat. Fo

  • It’s a Rough Ride from Here   Chapter 7

    Anna got so worked up that she threw tea all over me."Stop!" a commanding voice shouted."M-Ms. Quinn…" Anna shook as she greeted the general manager tremulously.The general manager, Agatha Quinn, was a busy woman who rarely made rounds around the office. Still, she recognized me as I had been the top employee for years now.I had an inkling that she had also watched the video of Anna cursing at her subordinates during a meeting. The scandal was most probably a thorn in Agatha's side.So, I had deliberately waited for her in the basement this very morning.I informed her that I had a solution to her little problem and that I'd like a few minutes of her time so we could chat in her office.Since this scandal was snowballing into a massive pain, I knew she would come looking for me if I failed to show up in her office.Besides, I wanted to use this opportunity to show her just how arrogant Anna was. Secondly, I had something I wanted to clarify.My colleagues had snuck out t

  • It’s a Rough Ride from Here   Chapter 8

    I turned to leave, but Anna stepped in front of me and barred my path. "I'm here to negotiate. How about this? I'll give you the extra 300 dollars I get every month after my promotion. All you have to do is delete the video and improve your work performance."I chuckled at her demands. She clearly had no idea how to ask for a favor. Meanwhile, Anna grew anxious when she noticed I had zero intention of ever agreeing. After all, Agatha had given her a strict ultimatum. Anna would be the one cast aside like yesterday's trash if she didn't resolve these issues herself."Be reasonable here. 300 dollars isn't a small sum. Plus, your performance last month was awful and your salary is a pittance," she added urgently.I tilted my head as I regarded her slightly flushed face, which had reddened from her agitation. My smile slipped away."I'm not here for the money. All I want is justice."Agatha found me the following day and handed me a transfer application form.My eyes were immedia

  • It’s a Rough Ride from Here   Chapter 9

    Anna's sobbing broke the silence first."Dad, what am I to do now? I finally became the department manager. Am I really going to have to give it up to Maya?"Connor eventually spoke, as though in a dilemma. "My wife is starting to suspect something fishy is going on. You should start from the bottom for now. I'll steer you in the right direction after things calm down. I'll be able to promote you once you achieve some results."She clearly couldn't accept this outcome. "I just can't stand seeing Maya looking so pleased with herself. Dad, just think of something! I will never give this position back to her!"He immediately blew up on her. "You'd better cease your tantrum right this instant, young lady. Keep this up and I'll cut off you and your mother's living expenses!"I struggled to suppress my laughter, eager to hear more.Alas, the office fell into pregnant silence.To make matters worse, the door suddenly flung open violently just as I was about to take a peek.Anna storme

  • It’s a Rough Ride from Here   Chapter 10

    The loud commotion had caused the nearby residents to check things out.Anna had no choice but to abandon her car in a deserted area before taking the high-speed rail to the headquarters.She thought her plan was flawless.Little did she know, the truth would always come to light and the law would wrought justice upon the sinners."Dad, save me! I don't want to go to jail!" None of us knew whether she had blurted everything out in a fit of panic or whether she had done it on purpose. What mattered was that she suddenly fell to her knees and grabbed Connor desperately.Connor struggled to shake her off, constantly glancing furtively at Agatha."Who are you calling Dad? Cease your nonsense!" he snapped."Officers, please take her away. The company does not welcome morally decrepit employees like her in our ranks!" Anna's eyes widened as she sank to the ground bonelessly.Then, she let out a bark of self-deprecating laughter. "I'm about to be taken away by the cops, and you still

Bab terbaru

  • It’s a Rough Ride from Here   Chapter 10

    The loud commotion had caused the nearby residents to check things out.Anna had no choice but to abandon her car in a deserted area before taking the high-speed rail to the headquarters.She thought her plan was flawless.Little did she know, the truth would always come to light and the law would wrought justice upon the sinners."Dad, save me! I don't want to go to jail!" None of us knew whether she had blurted everything out in a fit of panic or whether she had done it on purpose. What mattered was that she suddenly fell to her knees and grabbed Connor desperately.Connor struggled to shake her off, constantly glancing furtively at Agatha."Who are you calling Dad? Cease your nonsense!" he snapped."Officers, please take her away. The company does not welcome morally decrepit employees like her in our ranks!" Anna's eyes widened as she sank to the ground bonelessly.Then, she let out a bark of self-deprecating laughter. "I'm about to be taken away by the cops, and you still

  • It’s a Rough Ride from Here   Chapter 9

    Anna's sobbing broke the silence first."Dad, what am I to do now? I finally became the department manager. Am I really going to have to give it up to Maya?"Connor eventually spoke, as though in a dilemma. "My wife is starting to suspect something fishy is going on. You should start from the bottom for now. I'll steer you in the right direction after things calm down. I'll be able to promote you once you achieve some results."She clearly couldn't accept this outcome. "I just can't stand seeing Maya looking so pleased with herself. Dad, just think of something! I will never give this position back to her!"He immediately blew up on her. "You'd better cease your tantrum right this instant, young lady. Keep this up and I'll cut off you and your mother's living expenses!"I struggled to suppress my laughter, eager to hear more.Alas, the office fell into pregnant silence.To make matters worse, the door suddenly flung open violently just as I was about to take a peek.Anna storme

  • It’s a Rough Ride from Here   Chapter 8

    I turned to leave, but Anna stepped in front of me and barred my path. "I'm here to negotiate. How about this? I'll give you the extra 300 dollars I get every month after my promotion. All you have to do is delete the video and improve your work performance."I chuckled at her demands. She clearly had no idea how to ask for a favor. Meanwhile, Anna grew anxious when she noticed I had zero intention of ever agreeing. After all, Agatha had given her a strict ultimatum. Anna would be the one cast aside like yesterday's trash if she didn't resolve these issues herself."Be reasonable here. 300 dollars isn't a small sum. Plus, your performance last month was awful and your salary is a pittance," she added urgently.I tilted my head as I regarded her slightly flushed face, which had reddened from her agitation. My smile slipped away."I'm not here for the money. All I want is justice."Agatha found me the following day and handed me a transfer application form.My eyes were immedia

  • It’s a Rough Ride from Here   Chapter 7

    Anna got so worked up that she threw tea all over me."Stop!" a commanding voice shouted."M-Ms. Quinn…" Anna shook as she greeted the general manager tremulously.The general manager, Agatha Quinn, was a busy woman who rarely made rounds around the office. Still, she recognized me as I had been the top employee for years now.I had an inkling that she had also watched the video of Anna cursing at her subordinates during a meeting. The scandal was most probably a thorn in Agatha's side.So, I had deliberately waited for her in the basement this very morning.I informed her that I had a solution to her little problem and that I'd like a few minutes of her time so we could chat in her office.Since this scandal was snowballing into a massive pain, I knew she would come looking for me if I failed to show up in her office.Besides, I wanted to use this opportunity to show her just how arrogant Anna was. Secondly, I had something I wanted to clarify.My colleagues had snuck out t

  • It’s a Rough Ride from Here   Chapter 6

    Anna was seated next to Connor, crying pitifully."There is a mole within the company. We are going to uncover just who that mole is in today's meeting! Now, I want all of you to write your phone's passwords on the back of your phones, hand them over, and allow Anna and me to inspect them," he instructed.An uproar erupted the minute those words fell from his lips. After all, everyone had things they would prefer to be kept private. Thus, his request was excessive.Anna rose to her feet, shedding the arrogance she had shown us just yesterday. "I don't know who I have wronged for you to put me in such a difficult position. Now, all I'm asking is for you to have some compassion and spare me."He watched her performance with heartache in his eyes. Then, he started urging us to hand over our phones.The account that I had used to upload the videos was anonymous. Unfortunately, it was still logged in on my phone. I would be exposed the second I handed my phone over like a doormat. Fo

  • It’s a Rough Ride from Here   Chapter 5

    Anna was so smug after she took office that she was strutting around like a peacock.She no longer needed to answer calls and could openly slack off in the office.On one occasion, she even hired a nail technician to the office just to get her nails done.To make matters worse, she began to pick on me in earnest.Fortunately, my work performance was strong enough that she failed to find any weaknesses she could exploit.Still, she would constantly make snide remarks day in and day out."Sure, you have to be hardworking, but talent plays a huge role in life, too. All you do is compete with your colleagues, but you'll never get promoted if you're a fool," she snarked.I decided to heed her advice to the letter and did the bare minimum. I started scurrying for my shoes at 4:50 pm as my new goal was to make it to the company's entrance by 4:58 pm.That way, I would be able to punch in my card at the clock-in machine right at 5:00 pm.During Anna's first month as the department m

  • It’s a Rough Ride from Here   Chapter 4

    "Are you delusional?" Anna asked sardonically.Tears welled up in my eyes out of frustration.I was just about to continue defending myself when Anna's laughter interrupted me once again."Maya, Mr. Aloe works really hard every day. You should stop with your pranks," she said blithely. "Besides, it takes two to tango. The customer wouldn't have complained about you if you hadn't given her a reason to, right?"I slapped her across the face. I had tolerated her long enough. "Well? How does that feel? Does it really take just two to tango?" Her eyes instantly turned red rimmed and she dashed out of the office, cupping her cheek with her hand. I didn't need to guess as to where she was going. She was definitely making rounds around the company and telling everyone how I slapped her.Connor choked on his spit out of sheer fury. He hacked and coughed before finally pointing at me and yelling, "How could you hit her? This is workplace bullying!"Even though I wasn't the one at fault,

  • It’s a Rough Ride from Here   Chapter 3

    Work was already bothersome enough.Alas, I was unlucky enough to bump into my nemesis, Fiona, on my way home.She was dancing away in front of a restaurant.I initially thought about ignoring her and just walking by, but I stomped back after giving it some thought.The more I tried to let it go, the more infuriated I felt. My anger had reached its boiling point.So, I stood right before her and watched her dance with a murderous glare."You must work here as a server, don't you? Well, I'm going to dine here. Then, I'm going to file a complaint against you!" I declared.The arrogance she had in the day was long gone. Instead, she groveled and pleaded, "Why don't we sweep everything under the rug, huh? I'm not a server here. I'm just a dancer. This is my side gig. I'm actually an actor. I take on various odd jobs just to make a living. Please don't make things difficult for me."Oh, how the table had turned. It was finally my turn to stomp her to the curb.So, I crossed my ar

  • It’s a Rough Ride from Here   Chapter 2

    As soon as I returned to the office, a colleague informed me that Fiona, who had called me earlier, was already at my desk.I reiterated the explanation I had given her over the phone and even called Revenant Corp for her.However, the person on the other end of the line immediately hung up when they heard me claim that a phone was damaged due to a bad SIM card.I couldn't help but envy their assertiveness. Frankly, it made me want to change companies.Still, the company I work at prioritized service above all else. Thus, we were expected to greet a customer with a smile no matter how unreasonable they might get.Fiona threw the SIM card at my face. Sadly, I had to stuff my anger into a little box and squeeze a smile. In the end, I gave up and sought help from the director, Connor Aloe, due to her incessant harassment."Is she crazy? Wait here. I'll toss her out," he growled.Connor stormed into the reception room. Yet, his face did a complete 180 when his eyes landed on Fiona

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