My hard boss

Sally was not feeling very excited this morning. She was heading to another job interview. Dressed in a simple shirt and skirt, she held her bag and documents tightly. When she arrived at the company's building, she decided to grab a cup of coffee as she rode the elevator.

After taking a few sips, she realized she needed to use the restroom. She tried to hold it in, but the pressure became overwhelming. As soon as the elevator door opened, she dashed out, not paying attention to her surroundings. In her haste, she bumped into someone, spilling her coffee all over him. Sally froze in shock.

"What the...? Can't you watch where you are going?" he exclaimed, visibly angry. He pulled a handkerchief from his pocket to clean himself up. As he did, Sally had a better look at him. He wore a black suit and a colorful tie, and he had a magnificent build. The spilled coffee stained his white inner shirt, revealing the outline of his abs. He had brown hair, high cheekbones, pink lips, and a striking complexion. Standing about six feet tall, he was undeniably handsome; Sally found herself captivated.

"What are you staring at?" he shouted.

Sally snapped out of her daze and replied, "I am so sorry. I never meant to do this. Please, let me help you." She offered her handkerchief to help him clean up.

He snapped back, " you have done enough already. Get your clumsy hands off me! You look like you can't do anything right. Good for nothing."

Sally stared at him, feeling frustrated. "Well, I am not the only one at fault. You should watch where you are going, too. Just because I am not tall does not mean I am invisible. Maybe you should get your eyes checked! How dare you blame me!"

A crowd started to form at a distance, watching the confrontation. The man turned and walked away, disappearing. Sally quickly headed to find the restroom.

***

Sally sat in front of the office, anxiously waiting for the secretary to call her name for the interview. So far, everyone who had entered the office had come out in tears. She wondered if the interviewer was so bad. Was he some kind of monster? Standing up, she followed a sobbing woman to the restroom.

"Hey," she said, gently placing her hands on the woman's shoulders. "Are you all right?" The woman grabbed some tissue from the counter and wiped her face, her makeup running down her cheeks. "He is so cruel," she replied.

"Who?" Sally asked.

"The interviewer. He is the boss and owner of the Perfect White Group of Companies. He is terrible!"

Sally froze, feeling a wave of fear wash over her. She comforted the woman and even offered her some of her makeup. But Sally was scared; she was about to face the same interviewer, and she wasn't sure what would happen. She swallowed hard and returned to her seat.

"Miss Sally Ron, it is your turn," the secretary called. As she stood up, her hands trembled. Her neighbor whispered a faint, "Good luck."

Stepping into the room, she tried to calm her nerves.

There were two people inside: the man she had accidentally spilled coffee on just an hour earlier, and a woman who appeared to be around sixty-eight, wearing a white dress and rimmed glasses. Sally's eyes widened in recognition. The man smiled wickedly. She could guess the outcome of this interview. Sally began to shake.

"Young lady, please have a seat," the elderly woman said. Sally sat down, still shaking.

"So, tell me," the man said, "Sally Ron, twenty-three years old, I believe?"

"Yes," Sally replied.

"What makes you think you are qualified for the position you applied for? According to your resume, you have no experience as an administrative assistant. The only qualification you have is working as a waitress. What benefit can you, as a waitress, add to this company?" His voice was harsh and intimidating.

Sally swallowed and said, "I just graduated from college. If you look at my resume, you will see that I participated in many clubs and academic activities to gain experience relevant to the administrative assistant role. I have only worked as a waitress during holidays and to support myself after classes. This role has taught me valuable skills, including patience and attentiveness, which ensure customers leave satisfied."

Edmund smirked, trying to suppress his laughter. Patience and attentiveness were not what he observed when she had bumped into him by the elevator. She had not even taken responsibility for the incident, and now she was claiming those qualities.

"Anyone added to this company must bring something of value. I don't pay well for mediocrity, and with your minimal experience and questionable character, Sally Ron, you do not meet this company's expectations. I suggest you leave and find a lesser firm until you develop proper skills. Get out!"

Sally stood up, her eyes welling with tears, but she refused to let them spill. She would not give him the satisfaction of seeing her cry.

"Wait," the elderly woman called out.

Sally looked at her, unsure of what to expect.

"Please, have a seat," the elderly woman said.

"Grandma, she's not good enough," Edmund protested.

"I know what is good or not; do you not trust my judgment?" his grandmother replied. He fell silent, unable to argue.

"That necklace you are wearing-the pendant is of the moon and sun, right? Is it yours? How did you get it?" she inquired.

Sally touched the necklace and said, "It belonged to my mother. She gave it to me before she passed away."

"I see..." Grandma said. "Your record does not look too bad. Besides, fresh minds bring new ideas, which could benefit this company. You are hired, Sally. Congratulations! You can start work tomorrow."

Sally jumped to her feet, excited. "Thank you so much! I promise not to let you down."

"Grandma..." Edmund called out, clearly unhappy with the decision

Edmund let Sally leave before speaking his mind to his grandmother. "Grandma, why? I do not want her working here."

"Care to tell me why, my boy? She is qualified," Grandma responded.

"She is so annoying, clumsy, and a troublemaker," Edmund replied.

"You speak as if you know her. How long have you two been seeing each other? Is there more to this story that I do not know about, Edmund?" Grandma smiled.

"Don't tease me, Grandmother. She is nothing," Edmund said.

***

Sally returned home to the two-bedroom apartment she shared with her friend Becky. She stormed in with some drinks and pizza.

Becky was home, and Sally was delighted. "Guess who's got a job!"

Becky screamed, "I knew you could do it, girl! You always had it in you."

"You were right, but it was a close call," Sally replied. She proceeded to tell Becky everything that had transpired. Becky burst out laughing.

"It was not funny when it all played out. Do not make fun of me," Sally protested.

"Do not blame me. You spilled coffee on the boss of the Perfect White Group of companies by mistake, and he was your interviewer! Even if you get this job, I think you have bad days ahead. Don't say I didn't warn you. Brace yourself, honey. Now give me a slice of pizza so we can celebrate."

Sally took the pizza and drinks into the other room. "Sometimes I wonder if you are really my friend."

"Come on," Becky said. "Just give me some pizza." Becky followed Sally into the room.

***

The next day, Sally wore a pink dress and a pair of white kitten heels to work. She hoped for the best and wished that what Becky had said would not come true.

She met the secretary, who informed her that her office was located near the boss's office. It was so close that Edmund could slide in whenever he wanted. Sally bit her lower lip, wondering what could be worse than this.

She entered her office and quickly arranged her things, placing a picture of herself and her mother, a water bottle, and some personal items on her table.

Suddenly, only the phone on her desk rang. It was Edmund's voice. "Sally, I want you in my office now!"

Sally bit her lower lip and rose to her feet. She entered Edmund's office and saw him wearing a sky-blue shirt and a black tie. He had rolled up his sleeves, with his eyes focused on the computer screen. "Take those files and go work on them," he said, without indicating which pile he meant. There were several piles on his desk.

Sally hesitated, unsure which pile to pick up when he muttered, "You always act like you're deaf. Why don't you do what you are told? Get your useless self out of my office!"

"I was wondering which pile of files I should pick up, sir," Sally explained.

He sighed impatiently. "The one on the right."

Sally moved to the right side of Edmund's large desk, noticing there were three piles there. She reached for the first.

"No!" he shouted. "Can you not do anything right? You are such a pain."

Sally swallowed her frustration but knew she had to remain professional. "Do you have a shelf, boss?"

"Stupid question," he replied. "Does my office look as impoverished as yours?"

Sally smiled, taking note of the shelves placed perfectly throughout his spacious office. "Indeed, your office is nicely furnished. It is definitely not like mine. However, I suppose you do not know how to use your resources effectively because your desk resembles that of a worker who lacks shelves to keep files organized. I am already confused just by looking at your desk."

Edmund fumed as Sally continued, "Boss, please let me know whenever you want to properly arrange your office. I am here to help you manage your resources. After all, I studied this in school. So, sir, which pile of files exactly am I taking?" Her voice was slow and deliberate, but her tone was strangely pleasant, and a smile remained on her face.

Edmund hated her smile. Without saying a word, he pointed to the files he wanted her to pick up. She took them and left.

Edmund was boiling with rage; he hated being corrected. He was too proud to admit it, priding himself on being one of the best. He was definitely going to avenge this insult.

***

Outside the office, Sally felt like slapping herself. She hurried to her office with the files and gently smacked her lips. "Oh! I did it again! I can't keep my mouth shut. Why? I just got this job after searching for so long, and I really want to keep it." Frowning, she got to work immediately.

At lunchtime, she set her work aside and went to the cafeteria. She ordered a light meal and moved to an empty table to eat. Since she did not know anyone yet and had not made any new friends, she hoped to meet some in the coming days. She noticed a group of ladies staring harshly at her from a distance and wondered why.

A shy young man with glasses walked up to her, a plate of food in his hands. "Hey, mind if I sit here?"

Sally smiled. "Sure."

He sat down and noticed that she was glancing at the women who were staring at her and gossiping harshly.

The man smiled back. "My name is Derick. I work in the finance department. Do not mind them; they are staring and gossiping because they are jealous of you."

"Jealous?" Sally asked.

"Yeah. You came in, and the first thing you got was an office next to the boss, given to you specially by his grandmother. That office was meant for the deputy managing director, and we have not had one since the big argument in this company."

"I see. I want to hear more about it. Tell me everything." Sally was really enjoying the gossip. As Derick shared the details, her delight grew. She had finally made her first friend in the Perfect White Group of Companies.

***

After lunch, Sally headed back to her office, humming a song as she opened the door. She almost stumbled when she saw her boss, Edmund, sitting in her chair.

He noticed her surprise and chuckled. "You did take a while," he said. "Is this how competently you do your job?"

Sally tried to steel her nerves. He was such a bully. "It was lunchtime," she replied. "I had to eat. I need strength to do my work, boss. Or do you not agree?"

"I know what happens at lunchtime, silly girl. You do not have to tell me about it," Edmund said.

Sally almost rolled her eyes, but she stopped herself, knowing he would see her. "How can I help you... boss?"

"Do you not know?" he asked sarcastically.

Sally smiled and looked around, discovering a larger pile of files stacked on her desk.

"Work on these files too," he instructed. "And you cannot leave the office until you're done. I do not care how long it takes you. All I know is that I must have them on my desk tomorrow. You cannot be lazy while you work here. My family worked hard to build this company, and no good-for-nothing will ruin it. Am I clear?"

Sally smiled, testing her patience. "Understood, sir."

He continued to smile at her, feeling like a child enjoying revenge on his enemy.

She frowned. "I will work faster if my boss leaves my chair and office right now. Or would you suggest, sir, that I work on the floor?"

Edmund realized he was still sitting in her chair and quickly rose to his feet. She was politely kicking him out.

"What a horrible temper," he said. "Note one thing: you cannot take the company files home. It is against our policy here." He moved past her and reached the door. As he opened it, he noticed the scent of her perfume; it was a tantalizing fragrance. He felt tempted to stay longer, but he stepped out and left.

Finally, Sally expressed what she had been holding in, "You evil... good-for-nothing boss! These files are too much. How am I supposed to finish this before closing time?" She jumped around, pulling at her hair in protest.

Edmund hadn't really left; he had paused outside her door, listening to her outburst. He smiled and chuckled at her protests before walking back to his office.

The secretary noticed everything and picked up her phone, dialing a number. "Jasmine, you need to know what just happened at the office."

There was a brief pause as she listened to the person on the other end. "It's about your boyfriend, Edmund. There's a new girl at work, and he's treating her differently. You have to come see for yourself."

Another pause followed before the secretary hung up the phone.

***

Sally arrived home at 9 p.m. Becky opened the door and greeted her exhausted friend. "My goodness, girl! You told me your job closes at 7 p.m. Why are you home by 9? Did you go somewhere I don't know about? Tell me!" Becky asked.

"It was work, girl; I am telling you the truth. I have the worst boss in the world. He gave me a huge number of files and said I could not leave until I finished them all," Sally replied.

"Your boss sure is mean! Did he stay with you in the office?" Becky asked.

"No. That cursed son of the devil left much earlier than everyone else. I hate him so much! I wanted a job for so long, and now that I have it, my boss bullies me!" Sally nearly cried.

Becky sat beside her and placed her hands on Sally's shoulders. "He is really a pain. You know what? I do not think you should let him bully you. He should not force you to work overtime. Is he paying you for it?"

"He did not say anything about paying me for overtime," Sally replied.

"Well, girl, you can't let him take advantage of you. If he wants you to work extra hours, then he needs to pay you for it. No more unpaid work when you are meant to be at home resting."

"I will do just that," Sally replied.

***

Edmund was sitting in his car while his driver took him home. He had been at the tower next to the office, observing Sally as she worked. He had given her extra files and forbidden her from leaving early, intending to punish her. He had instructed the security guards at the company to keep an eye on her, but despite this, he felt a pang of hurt watching her work long and hard.

Wanting to check if Sally was okay, he had rented a room at the hotel next to his workplace. The office Sally used had secret cameras installed, and he had watched her the entire time.

When everyone else had left for the day, Sally started playing some music and even altered the lyrics of some songs to curse him. Seeing her childish antics made him laugh. He anticipated thinking about her throughout the night and was prepared to give her an even bigger shock in the morning.

***

The next day, Sally arrived at the office and quickly arranged the files, getting ready to present them to her boss. She knocked on the door and heard a cold "Come in." Frowning, she thought, if that tone meant he was unhappy to see her, then she wanted him to know she was not pleased to see him either.

Upon entering his office, she tried to place the files on the table.

"No," he interrupted, stopping her. "Put the files on that shelf." He pointed to a nearby shelf, and Sally complied. As she turned to leave, he halted her again.

"Sally. Thank you. You have done a great job," he said.

Sally was taken aback. Why was the most arrogant person she knew thanking her? She pinched herself slightly to make sure she wasn't dreaming.

Edmund noticed her confusion and smiled. "I really need to thank you for working on those files for me. I'll be using them in the next six months, and you have made the process so much easier."

Sally felt like she was about to explode. When Edmund had given her the files the day before, he had acted like they were urgently needed. Now, he was saying the files would not be used for another six months?