The Ultimate Heir.

Chapter four

After Zale left the room, he swiftly made his way out of the mansion. Since he didn't have personal transportation, he usually depended on taxis for commuting to his workplace.

Despite having access to his wife's car, he had made the deliberate choice not to utilize it.

As a mere delivery personnel, driving to work seemed excessive and impractical, considering he solely relied on the company bicycle to fulfill package deliveries for customers.

Given that his workplace was approximately an hour away from his residence, it would consume an entire hour for him to arrive there.

Zale's workplace, Spade's Delivery Home, stood out as one of the country's premier delivery companies renowned for its exceptional services.

After roughly an hour, the cab came to a halt in front of the company building.

"How much?" Zale inquired, addressing the middle-aged cab driver upon disembarking.

The middle-aged man paused momentarily to calculate the overall fare before replying, "The ride amounts to $5.5."

Zale acknowledged the cab driver with a nod and retrieved six bucks from his pocket, which he handed over. "Here's six dollars. You can keep the change," he said.

"Thanks, sir," replied the middle-aged man with a subtle smile. Receiving bonuses from customers was a rare occurrence for him, so he felt quite elated.

Zale didn't hear the man's response as he had already left and entered the company building.

'DAMN! I'm three minutes late. This man is going to give me a hard time again,' Zale thought to himself, feeling nervous

Zale frequently faced scolding from his boss whenever he arrived late to work. The individual was exceedingly stringent, treating him more like a servant than an employee.

'But if you manage to avoid him, you can steer clear of trouble,' a voice echoed in Zale's mind.

He hurried towards the elevator, determined to reach the second floor as swiftly as possible. The second floor served as a warehouse for packages prepared for delivery.

Luckily, he encountered no familiar faces along the way to the elevator, ensuring no one stopped to engage in conversation, which would have further delayed him.

Unfortunately, Zale's luck took a turn for the worse that day when he was met with surprise as the elevator doors opened—his boss was inside.

His boss was none other than Crassus, known by his full name Crassus Spade, the proprietor for whom the delivery company was named—Spade's Delivery Home.

Mr. Crassus, in his late fifties, sported a pot-belly and stood at around 5 '7'' in height. His short, disheveled black hair, tinged with a hint of gray, hinted at the subtle signs of aging that became more apparent upon closer examination.

As Crassus laid eyes on Zale, who had just arrived, a deep wrinkle etched across his face, portraying a profound sense of disgust.

Zale, overcome with nerves, struggled to form coherent words without stuttering. "I... I'm very sorry, sir," he managed to utter apologetically.

Crassus stepped out of the elevator and approached Zale with a tone filled with disdain. "Of course, you're sorry. Idiots like you only know how to say 'sorry'. In fact, I'm sorry, too. I'm sorry I got to work so early," he remarked, exuding a great sense of detestation.

Crassus's anger intensified as he lashed out at Zale. "Yesterday, you were one minute late to work. Today, you're four minutes late. Tomorrow, you'll be late again, and by then, you'll be fired," he spat angrily. "Pull yourself together, you fool. Customers despise late deliveries. If you continue behaving like this, not only will you lose your job, but you'll also drive away our customers and reduce our rating online. Be cautious. Consider this your final warning. One more mistake, and you're out."

After delivering his stern warning, Crassus left Zale and proceeded with his own tasks, leaving Zale to contemplate the gravity of the situation.

Zale let out a deep sigh of relief as he stepped into the elevator. "At least he didn't slap me today," he murmured to himself, grateful for the absence of physical confrontation."

The elevator emitted a clicking sound as its doors closed, and it remained in motion until it finally came to a halt on the second floor, allowing Zale to disembark.

Upon exiting the elevator, Zale proceeded directly to the order room, wasting no time as he delved into his work duties.

Zale's first delivery was assigned to a young lady residing in the exclusive estate designated for government officials.

As had happened previously, the young lady attempted to offer Zale a monetary gesture of gratitude for his timely delivery, but he politely declined, expressing his appreciation instead.

Despite the young lady's kindness and genuine intention behind offering him money, Zale maintained his refusal, declining the gesture with gratitude.

Zale's decision to refuse the money was in alignment with the company's policy, which strictly prohibited employees from accepting additional payments from customers once the package fees had been settled.

Any form of additional benefit or gratuity beyond the company's standard policies was deemed as a bribe, carrying severe consequences such as termination of employment.

"I'm sorry, ma'am, but I cannot accept this. I genuinely appreciate your kindness, but it goes against our company code. I must take my leave now," Zale politely explained, expressing gratitude while adhering to the rules and regulations of his workplace.

Zale departed from the estate and continued on to his next customer as indicated in his delivery records.

After completing his second delivery, Zale proceeded to fulfill the third and subsequent ones, diligently carrying out his responsibilities by delivering goods to each successive customer in order.

Zale dedicated the following four hours to the relentless task of delivering packages, without taking a single break throughout the duration.

Once Zale had successfully completed all the orders he was assigned to deliver, he finally returned to the company headquarters to collect more packages.

It was at this moment that he also allowed himself a well-deserved break to recharge before embarking on the next round of deliveries.

As soon as Zale entered the lobby area of the company, he was immediately approached by a short, burly man named Dawson Elrod, who delivered the news bluntly. "Hey man, Mr. Crassus is looking for you," Elrod stated matter-of-factly.

Like Zale, Elrod was also a delivery man at Spade's Delivery Home.

Elrod had a friendly demeanor towards Zale, and the two often engaged in conversations when they were not on duty. Their camaraderie extended beyond work, fostering a bond of friendship between them.

Zale and Elrod shared a close friendship, but their bond didn't extend to knowing the details of each other's personal lives. While they were good friends, Elrod was unaware of the identity of Zale's spouse.

Zale's connection to the Jenkins family was deliberately kept concealed from the public eye. The family's esteemed reputation was deemed too valuable to be jeopardized by any association with Zale's background, thus necessitating the secrecy surrounding their relationship.

Zale inquired with a touch of unease, "May I ask why he's looking for me?"

Zale's mind filled with worry as he contemplated the reason behind Mr. Crassus seeking him out.

Could it be that his boss had changed his mind and decided to terminate his employment sooner? The mere thought of it heightened Zale's apprehension.

Elrod shrugged his shoulders and replied, "Honestly, I don't know. He simply instructed me to call you when I spotted you. Go and see him yourself. I'll catch up with you later, man. I have a package to deliver in a few minutes." With that, Elrod bid farewell to Zale and departed, leaving him to confront the mystery of Mr. Crassus's summoning alone.

Zale took a moment to release a short sigh before making up his mind. "If he decides to fire me, then so be it," he resolved within himself. "I'll find another job." Determined and prepared for whatever outcome awaited him, Zale braced himself to face Mr. Crassus.

Zale stepped into the elevator and pressed the button for the third floor. The third floor of the building was dedicated to the intake, packaging, and organization of goods, while the second floor served as the hub where the prepared goods awaited delivery.

In addition, the boss's office was located on the third floor.

Upon reaching the door of the boss's office, Zale gently rapped his knuckles against the door as a polite indication of his presence, awaiting permission to enter..

After a brief pause, a disgruntled voice emanated from within the office, instructing, "Come in."

Zale pushed the door open and stepped inside the office, making sure to close it behind him.

The office was adorned with tasteful decorations, including lovely flowers that added a touch of elegance to the space. Two comfortable sofas with plush cushions were arranged facing each other, with a small round glass table placed in between.

The room was well-illuminated by several high-quality and relatively expensive light bulbs. Towards the far end of the office, there was an office desk, behind which sat the boss in a cozy and ergonomic office chair.

On the desk, alongside the boss's chair, were an assortment of paper documents neatly arranged and a desktop computer. These items served as essential tools for carrying out the tasks and responsibilities of the office.

Zale addressed his boss with utmost respect, saying, "You sent for me, sir."

Crassus paused his attention on the desktop computer and shifted his focus towards Zale. "Yes, I did," he confirmed. "A high-profile client has placed an order, and it will be your responsibility to deliver the goods to them. Someone else will handle your usual duties for the day. Is that clear?"