1

The

sound of glass splattering on the floor, made Allen jerk in fright, but he dared not lift his head to look at the one who had wanted to throw the glass cup at him.

"How dare you look down on me? Do you know who I am?" The young lady yelled at him, fuming in anger. 

It wasn't his first facing people like that. They always do that to him but he doesn't have the power to do anything.

That was the kind of life he had. His unlucky life.

"Why are you quiet? You should apologize." She yelled out at him. "I can take you down and make your life miserable by just a phone call. My father is the mayor of this town and I wouldn't bat an eyelash to make you pay for this."

"What is going on here?" The manager of the restaurant asked, running towards the scene. Getting to where the two stood, he glanced at Allen and then looked at the young woman.

"Miss Valerie, what is going on? What did he do?"

Valeria pointed at Allen with spite in her eyes. "This good for nothing peasant dared to talk back at me. He wouldn't apologize for it."

"Allen how dare you? How dare you talk back at our top customer?" The manager questioned Allen, whose head was lowered.

"I......I didn't."

Valeria smirked and lifted her brow, "Are you saying I am lying?" she faced the manager, "I told him to bring hot coffee for me with moderate sugar and milk, but he brought what I didn't order and when I asked him about it, he dared talk back at me."

Allen quickly lifted his head and defended. "That is not it sir, I promise. She asked for coffee with little sugar but enough milk which I brought to her, then she told me that wasn't what she ordered and told me to bring cold latte, which I did, but she said that wasn't what she ordered and when I asked her to be specific, she began yelling at me." he explained but that made her laugh out loud.

"You liar. Now you are lying against me?" she faced the manager again, "Is this how the service of this restaurant is? Do the customers get lied upon?" she sneered.

"I made an order, but he was deaf to listen and then when he got it wrong, he has the guts to lie that I wasn't specific?" she clapped her hand at his face, "As a loser, shouldn't you have the tiniest bit of dignity? People like you shouldn't serve us rich people. Your fingers are contaminated and you are dirty and poor looking. We need first class, well trained waiters, at our service." Her voice was filled with spite as she laid it all out.

"I apologize for what happened Miss Valerie. I will take the necessary action to punish him and make this not to repeat itself again."

"The necessary action better be to fire him. I don't want someone like him serving me again in the future."

"But ma'am, he is one......"

The young girl raised her hand, stopping the older manager from speaking any further. "I don't care. If you don't fire him, then I will stop coming here and I will inform my dad about this atrocity. You know what that would lead to right?" she threatened with a smirk on her face.

The manager mouth fell opened knowing the kind of situation he was in. He swallowed hard and faced Allen. 

"No boss, please don't do this to me." Allen pleaded as his eyes got wet from tears threatening to spill out.

"I am sorry. I wouldn't want to lose my business. I've got kids to take care of." He said.

Allen fell on his knees with his hands joined together. "Please sir. This is my only hope. My mom is sick and I need money to take care of her. Please I beg you." Tears flowed down his cheek when he saw he wasn't ready to listen to him.

Allen quickly moved on his knees to Valeria, stopping before her with his hands joined together. "Please ma'am, have mercy on me." he cried.

Valeria scoffed and crossed her arms. "You offended me and you think kneeling would sort it all?"

"Please have mercy. I will do anything you want."

A smile appeared on her lips as she sat down back on the chair, "Alright then, bow to me with your head to the ground and apologize."

Allen lifted his head with his eyes widened. Bow to her? Does she really have to go that far?

"What are you waiting for? I said bow to me and apologize properly. I might forgive you then. Or, do you want to leave this work and let your mother suffer cause you don't have enough money to pay for her bills?"

Allen rolled his fist into a ball as he lowered his head. He had always known who Valerie was. She was known as the proud daughter of the mayor and he has always avoided getting into her trap ever since she started coming to the restaurant.

Even the manager made sure to make her satisfied or she would cause a ruckus.

It was all for his mother. He would bow to her for the sake of his mother.

He swallowed hard and shut his eyes. Slowly, he fell to the ground, with his head touching the floor.

"I apologize ma'am. Please forgive me. I made mistake with the order and I am very sorry for talking back at you. Please have mercy upon me." he said, trying so hard to hide back the anger he felt.

A huge smile formed on her lips as she stared at him. After what seemed like forever even though it was just some few minutes, she stood up.

"Alright then, I forgive you. But, rude people like you don't suppose to attend to customers. You admitted your mistake and it is a good will. I do hope you become a better person when you get another job."

"Ma'am?" The manager and Allen called at once.

"I still stand on my decision. You have to fire him this moment."

"But you said you will forgive me."

"I have forgiven you, but I am doing this for the sake of every other person you would serve in the future."

"Vale......." He was interrupted when a familiar young lady rushed in. Seeing how bothered and scared she looked, Allen knew there was trouble.

"Allen, mother has been rushed to the hospital." she announced.