CH001: Humiliation

Jedidiah held a stack of ruined papers in one hand and a squeezed coffee cup in the other with a look of horror on his face.

He was returning from the breakroom with the cup of coffee he had gone to get and the documents he was asked to scan when someone bumped into him, causing most of the cup’s contents to spill on the documents.

“Are you blind?” the guy that bumped into Jed scoffed instead of apologizing. “Do you know how much this designer shirt costs?”

Jedidiah didn’t hear all these as he frantically tried to wipe off the stain on the papers. He couldn’t imagine how much trouble he would get into. But the guy thought Jed was ignoring him and got pissed off. He reached out and grabbed the papers before throwing them down.

“It was you who bumped into me first and you should be apologizing,” Jed snapped, looking at the completely ruined papers helplessly.

“How dare you talk back to me?”

Jed finally looked up and realized the guy he had been arguing with is the company’s Casanova, Mark Hawkins.

The latter has quite a reputation in the company because of his numerous involvement with the female staff but no one dares speak a word against his actions because he is the nephew of the Ceo.

“You did this on purpose, didn’t you?” Jed recognized the evil smirk on Mark’s face. Even since Jed joined the company, Mark and his lackeys have been on his toes.

Mark didn’t bother to deny this. He simply walked closer and whispered harshly, “Do you still not get it? People like you belong on the streets. Even this messenger’s post is unfit for you!”

Jed’s hands clenched by his side tightly. While growing up as an orphan, he has heard these words many times. He grew up in the slums of Philadelphia with no one to call his own.

He spent the early youthful years of his life begging, pickpocketing, smuggling and so many more crimes. Eventually, he decided to get a legal occupation and recently found a position as a messenger in a tech company but his misery didn’t end there.

Due to his low status and poor background, he quickly became a victim of bullying. To make matters worse, he is a klutz and often messes up his tasks which causes the bullying to intensify.

Before he could reply, a lady’s shriek filled the room. While the former was arguing, he didn’t realize they had caught the attention of their colleagues. The lady made her way to Jed and right in front of everyone, gave him a tight slap.

“The last time I asked you to perform a simple task for me, you broke the photocopier machine and even tampered with the mail! Look at what you’ve done this time. Do you have any idea how important these papers are?”

“Ms. Kate,” Jed bowed slightly. “I didn’t…”

Kate didn’t give him a chance to explain before she yelled again, “You even ruined Mark’s shirt. Can you afford the damages? I’ve had enough of your clumsiness. I am going to report this matter to the Ceo and make sure this is the last time we hear from you again!”

Jed’s eyes widened and he fell forward, grabbing Kate’s legs. “Please ma, spare me for the last time. It won’t happen again.”

But Kate angrily kicked him off and even stomped on his hand. “Don’t touch me, you dirty thing!” Then she walked away angrily. Jed covered his aggrieved face and tried hard not to cry. Did he lose his job just like that?

Just then, Mark said, “Aww, is the tough guy going to cry? If you are willing to grovel at my feet, I’ll let you stay. Kate is only my uncle’s secretary and you should be sensible enough to know who has more influence between us.”

“Yes,” one of Mark’s lackeys agreed. “Kowtow in front of him ten times and you can stay.”

Other colleagues patiently waited for a good show. No one expected that Jed would get up and turn around without a word. Kate only said she would report him. It doesn’t mean she has done so. Perhaps, if he could still plead, she would be lenient.

“How dare you ignore me?” It was this calm character of Jed that Mark hated most. He signaled to his lackeys and two of them rushed forward. They grabbed Jed and kicked his legs forcing him to kneel.

Mark walked to him and slapped him. Seeing that Jed refused to make a sound even though he was clearly in pain, he got furious and spat out

”Who are you to act so insolent? If you want to walk out of here, you have to pay for staining my new shirt. It costs just 5,000$.”

Jed finally reacted. “It is just a stain and I can easily get it cleaned at a dry cleaner. Why do I have to pay for a new shirt?”

Mark laughed scornfully. “Grovel at my feet if you cannot afford it!” He was determined to humiliate Jed.

But just then, Kate came back. Without casting a look at Jed, she called out, “Mark, the Ceo wants to see you.”

Jed’s heart sank. She has gone to the Ceo.

“This isn’t over yet,” Mark snarled before leaving.

Jed was pushed down as the employees dispersed. It is unknown how long he remained on that spot but the employees slowly began to leave.

It was already getting dark when he got up. He got his old strap bag from the locker room and proceeded to leave. When he got out, a group of employees who were planning to go home together saw him.

“Jed, if you keep taking the routes down those scary alleys to your house, I’m afraid one day you will end up in newspapers as a murder victim!” someone called out and others burst into laughter.

The dark clouds chose this moment to rumble its disagreement at their actions.

“Oh no! Seems like it’s going to rain,” another said and the employees separated, each in the direction of their locations.

Jedidiah sighed and continued his journey. Their words couldn’t be compared to the pain he was feeling. The sky thundered again as he took a turn into one of the alleys that led to the slums he lived in.