CHAPTER ONE

"What have you done to deserve a raise."

In front of an oakwood table stood a slim-framed man, his overall visage suggested him to be a menacing handsome man. One that would steal a man's girl just with a wink. But his composure made nothing about him attractive.

He shivered as the man opposite him, the complete opposite of what he is to be, robust—ugly in fact, lashed at him and demanded a response.

After thinking about it all night Reynold had finally mustered up the courage to ask for a raise. It was unfair to think about— this company would spare no effort to work its employees to the bones while all the upper ranks enjoyed free time lunch and went to clubs at night—low-rank employees like Reynold were made to work overnight in fact.

And truthfully, anyone can leave. But the little he receives from this company is what he uses to sustain his mother's medical bills. Why would he leave?

Hence this was a do-or-die situation, this raise would be a lot of help for him. He would be able to pay his mother's bills and afford to eat at least two meals a day.

"Sir... I need it, sir."

His voice waned as he spoke.

"You need it? I am quite disappointed in you Mr Reynold. You know, I thought you at the very least should know your place. Look at yourself, do you think you should have the guts to ask for a raise?!"

The pitch of the man's voice scaled higher, causing Reynold's heart to tremble. Not that he was scared of any man but what made him so fearful was the thought of getting fired.

He had taken a risk for this chance while sincerely hoping that he does not get fired, he was ready to eat this man's shit as an apology if it would keep his job.

"See young man, this company is doing the likes of you a great good by keeping your dirty lives here and paying you. Do you think you are special? You bastard?! Do you want to get fired?!!"

At the mention of the word, he dreaded the most, Reynold dropped his knees and began to plead pitifully.

"I'm sorry, sir. I'm so sorry sir. My mother is in the hospital and I need to pay her bills. The money I receive as my salary every month is the same amount as her bill every month costs and I don't have enough time to work extra jobs because I'm devoted at the company."

"And what exactly should I do? Why do you say it as if the company is leeching off you when you are the one leeching off the company? Do you want me to report this to the chairman, so you want to get disciplined or get fired?"

"No sir! No sir! I'm very sorry sir."

His voice trembled, tears almost breaking out of his wrinkled eyes as he pleaded on both knees.

"Please, sir. Don't fire me, my mother is sick, I beg you.”

"What is that supposed to be my business? Are you trying to coerce me into pitying you because your mother is sick? Do you even know I lost my mother last year too?"

The woman enjoyed the fullest of life, had cancer, and a lot of money was spent on her chemotherapy, the cancer left for a while and came back when she continued to expose herself to the same effect, not learning her lesson. Regardless millions more was spent till the woman eventually died and the funeral that was thrown for her was flamboyant than any he had ever seen.

Bringing his mother into this matter and comparing it to Reynold's condition felt utterly unfair. But who was going to say that, definitely not Reynold who was desperately begging so his job could hang on.

"See, you dirty poor commoners make us who actually do all the hard work look like we are wicked."

The man stood up, his potbelly pushing right in front of him as he made his way to Reynold's front. He grabbed Reynold's hair.

"All that you see here, we worked for it. Uh? You can't just come around here as you want and say trash about your mother being sick, it's not my business!"

He yelled, pulling Reynold's hair.

Despite the pain and spit that baptized him, Reynold stayed mouth-shut and obediently bowed his head.

"See, if not for a certain person I would have fired you but I will not do that. I don't want to be a wicked boss. To punish you, however, I will reduce your salary. Think well about that reckless courage that you have and next time use perfume. You smell like a sewage rat." He said covering his nose.

"Get out of my office." He shouted.

Immediately, Reynold picked himself up and ran out of the office. His salary had been cut short, nothing but anger seethed from him as he wiped his tears and stepped out of the man's office.

His mind was filled with so much anguish that as he walked home, dizziness clasped his mind like a cloud and there were several times he almost fell.

After a few walks, Reynold stopped in front of a restaurant. At a time like this, he was filled with so much sorrow. He needed a friend, and that friend was beer.

Staggerly, he hauled himself into the restaurant and ordered nothing but beer. Spending the last of his cash, he took on three bottles.

A few hours passed and rain began to fall. The weather was cold and it made Reynold think of his girlfriend. Despite how hard things have been for him, she has always been there for him. That girl deserves the best of life for real.

"I should get her something."

The thought of her managed to carve out a little smile on his face.

He walked up to the owner of the local restaurant. Since he was a regular here the woman knew him very well.

"Ma, can I owe you a few bucks and come pay back later."

"You are a debtor, you keep owing everywhere you go. I'm sick and tired of you always owing. I don't know what you are using your life for. Honestly, if it wasn't for your mother, I don't even want you coming here at all. Get out of my sight and make sure you pay my money."

'Ops, that didn't go as expected.'

With a shamed look, he bowed and walked away. He had the money but he wanted to use it to get dinner for his girlfriend. At least make her happy even if it is little.

It was a little bit past 4 PM, by this time she would have been home, Reynold was sure of it. He went on to get her favorite, standing in the queue for one extra hour.

After the stress he eventually got the food. He picked up his phone to call her but right that instant, it went off.

'This darned phone'

He cursed with frustration as he put the phone into his pocket and continued his walk to her house. He was sure she was going to be around any way he just didn't want to make it a surprise, she had always hated when he showed up to his house unannounced.

Finally, after a few minutes, Reynold got to her house. He knocked but no one answered. Slightly pushing the door, it opened.

"This girl, isn't she security conscious?"

He worried as he walked into her parlor. Instantly, his eyes began to tremble at the sight that they behold. There was a pair of brown brusque shoes, suit pants were carelessly thrown on the chair, and panties on the floor that led to her room.

With shivering eyes and composure full of hesitation, Reynold slowly walked forward. As he opened the door, there they were.

A familiar fat man on top of his treasured girlfriend ramming her like a slut while she called him daddy.

"Ashley..."

His voice shattered. He couldn't believe his eyes, his boss whom he had left in the office a few hours ago was fucking his girlfriend?!

Hearing his voice the two immediately shattered. Ashley at the very least showed a little remorse although she still had a bold expression on. The man however stood up and wore his boxer.

"You this brat, even after teaching you a lesson this morning you still come to interrupt me. Did you forget how you begged this morning?"

Reynold's brow knitted into a ferocious frown. And a voice resounded in his head.

'You know what... fuck everything!'

Reynold dashed at the man at full speed. But instead, the man's fat fist crunched into his face and sent him back. The man gave him no breathing space and continued to beat him till he was thrown out of the house.

Reynold was weak and broken, even though he had a lot of prospects there was no way he would have won a fight with his fat boss. Not when he is so malnutritioned.

The man kicked him out into the street and closed the door on him to continue with his girlfriend.

The rain began to beat him as if it was reprimanding him for how much of a fool he had been not to notice that his girlfriend was cheating on him.

Why was she so adamant that he should never come to her place unaware? It was obvious right from the start but he just couldn't see it.

Reynold gritted his teeth in anger and frowned as raindrops dripped down his face.

All of a sudden a figure covered him with an umbrella, blocking the rain from falling on him. The lady in front of him, wearing a black suit and coat bent down in front of him.

Her eyes were alluring, her eyeballs threatened to suck him in... her lips were like an enchantment to his senses. His eyes followed her beautiful small lips as she spoke, the question sending chills all over Reynolds’s body,

"Hello Mr, would you like to marry me?"