Chapter 2 Floating in Misery.

Working in a law firm isn't as easy as it may seem.

For many years I have worked my *ss off to get here, and it's only a matter of time till I get promoted to a senior ranking as my salary is a dreaded amount at the moment.

I can't let anything or anyone ruin this for me.

As soon as morning came, I dash to my basement for a house and get ready for work.

Making my way out of the room I stop, turn back, and stare at the cramped space before me.

To think that I overlook all this difficulty and work hard while getting by on sandwiches just to get that apartment, only for it to be taken away from me like candy from a baby.

Thinking about it just reminds me of how stupid I was, and in anger, I click my tongue and dash out of the room.

"Good morning sir," I greeted with my head bowed in fear.

Three minutes late and I feel as though I had made a mistake.

It's quite fortunate I'm not alone as I spot my colleague Kate by his side, it's a good thing I told her to cover for me, knowing I have the number 1 staff on my side fills me with relief.

I still can't bring myself to face him after cutting my trip shorter than scheduled, and I would be d*mned before I tell him that it was because of a man.

Shame! That’s what I feel. Shame!!

"Yes, Vida, them..."

Something is off about him. Yes, his tone, the haystack of papers on his table and his knitted brows frightens me.

"Is something the matter sir?" I ask, anxious while pleading with my eyes for him not to tell me.

Finally, he heaves a sigh and puts down the paper in his hand, looking at me. I could feel the hairs on my body stand as I flinched from fear.

He sits upright, pushing a white envelope towards me, "take it," he says in a low voice.

Feverishly I reach out and open it while staring back and forth at him and the envelope. Tears start to hang in my eyes as I quiver.

"Sir?"

"There's nothing to cry about, you're fired," he breaks the bad news.

The words from his mouth throw me a second blow, and I'm shaken up so badly that I lose balance and stagger.

"What...?! How ?"

"You've been going home quite early, leaving lots of meetings halfway, and let's not forget about how you made us lose today's clients," he quips.

"We… lost the client?"

I'm confused.

The first thing I do after realising this is turn to Kate, my eyes demanding an explanation.

Caught between creating a ruckus and crying, so I draw closer, resting my arms on his table as I explain myself, doing my best to remain calm.

"Sir, I know I've been a bit careless, but I did ask for permission, I even told Kate to fill in for me for the meeting…”

"Vida," he cuts in with yet another sigh as he caresses his temple.

One could slice the thick silence that had washed over the office as both parties stare at each other in exasperation.

"Kate, did she tell you to fill in for her?"

"No sir, Vida didn't tell me anything," she lies without batting an eye.

"So there we have it, so you can leave my office now, since you were once a good employee, I can at least send you off with a severance pay," my boss tells me.

"Haha." With nothing left to say, I chuckle as I make my way out of his office.

"What was all my hard work for? What have I been fighting for?" I wondered.

Bearing the watchful eyes of my colleagues I clear my desk turning deaf to their snickering and chatter.

"I can help you if you want," a high-ranking senior lawyer says as he leans over at my desk.

Knowing Todd, everything about him was nothing but bad news, and it's quite unfortunate I get to meet him this way.

I couldn't expect anything good from his words so I forge on without acknowledging him, help myself to the door while he tails behind me like a dog.

It starts as annoying but it's amusing to watch him hold the door.

"Have you gone deaf Vida?!" A tired Todd yells.

It was about time I gave him a reply as I turned to face him with a weary smile however I immediately felt disgusted as I noticed the smugness on his face, "What is it?"

"Vida, baby, I just want to help," he lies through his teeth and that cheeky smile.

"I can find you a new place, give you a new life, you'll be a new person, and all this for a little price, I mean a night won't be half of the cost of your transformation, I'll make you receive," his gaze like a wild animal is directed towards me as he scans from head to toe.

"Todd!"

"Yes," he answered excitedly, but I smiled back as I raised my middle finger. "Go fu*k yourself."

"You fool, you'll regret this," he yells loudly as I make my way out of the firm, with only one thought in my head and that's to make money.

I walk down the street, my thoughts drift into an endless abyss and my eyes go blurry from tears.

The cost of my grandmother's chemotherapy bugs me as I find myself in terrible need of money for her treatment, I need more time.

My high starts to vibrate as my phone rings.

I reach into my pocket and with stress in my hoarse voice I respond, "This is Vida, who are you?"

"Yes Vida, nice to hear from you again," my world seizes as I recall the familiar voice of the hospital receptionist.

"I'm calling from Central Hospital, your grandmother currently is our patient."

"Okay but why the sudden call, what's going on?"

"I'm afraid your grandmother's health deteriorates today, she can be saved but we'll need you to pay for the operation cost, she needs to operate as soon as possible otherwise you may lose her," she says.

"Ha! Hahaha!"

I laugh loudly as I hang up unexpectedly, it's one issue after the other and I feel like I'm about to break.

Reaching my limit, I turn to a corner to finally let it out.

Huh?

I raise my head slowly to find two men in black, standing before me.

"Vida?" The question, and with fear I back away and respond.

"Yes?!"