Chapter 3

On my first day working for the Logistics Department, I was already being targeted.

Back when I was the vice president, the head of logistics, Winston Clay, would bow and scrape before me like an eager little lapdog. However, after seeing me down on my luck, he put on a completely different attitude.

“Charlie, get all that old junk furniture from the warehouse and haul it downstairs. Remember, no elevator. That’s for executives. Bottom-feeders like you take the stairs.”

There were dozens of desks and chairs to move from the twentieth floor to the first floor that I had to move via the stairwell.

Without saying anything, I took off my jacket and started hauling them.

Halfway through, Nathaniel showed up with Serena.

A whole crowd of people trailed behind, clustering around them.

Nathaniel was holding Jack on a leash.

When he saw me drenched in sweat, he covered his nose with an exaggerated gesture.

“Whoa, what is that stench? It’s foul.”

“Rena, look at Charlie go. He’s looking so fit here. Funny, when I used to ask him to pour me a glass of water, he’d make every excuse in the book. But he sure is enthusiastic about moving furniture.”

Serena shot me a disgusted look and took two steps back.

“Don’t waste your breath on him. He was born to do grunt work. Nat, look how well-mannered Jack is. It’s way more well-behaved than some people I know.”

She crouched down and gently patted Jack’s head with a gentle smile.

As I was carrying a table, Jack seemed to recognize me. It barked twice aggressively and then lunged straight at me.

With both of my hands occupied, there was no way for me to block the attack.

As its claws were about to reach my face, I instinctively dodged to the side.

The table I was carrying lost its balance and crashed heavily to the floor with a loud bang.

Startled by the noise, it turned around and buried itself in Nathaniel’s arms.

“Oh, my poor baby!” Nathaniel cried out protectively as he hugged Jack.

He then pointed at me and shouted furiously, “Charlie! Did you do that on purpose? Are you trying to give him a heart attack?

“If he ends up traumatized, you couldn’t afford the vet bills even if you sold every organ you have.”

I looked at the table with its broken leg on the floor, then at the scraped skin on the back of my hand.

I said coldly, “It lunged at me first.”

“Nonsense! It’s the sweetest dog in the world. It wouldn’t go near you unless you reeked so bad he couldn’t stand it!”

Serena walked over, raised her high heel, and kicked me right in the shin.

She looked down at me, her tone leaving no room for debate as she demanded, “Charlie, apologize to Jack.”

She looked down at me from her height with an unquestionable tone.

“What did you just say?” I asked.

I thought I had heard her wrong.

“I told you to apologize to Jack,” she repeated each word slowly. “You scared him. You need to apologize to him. Otherwise, don’t bother walking out that door today.”

The surrounding employees gathered around and started pointing and whispering among themselves.

Some people showed sympathy, while others gloated.

I endured the sharp pain in my leg and stood straight.

I stared directly into her eyes and said, “Serena, I’m a human being. Jack is a dog. Am I really worth less than an animal to you?”

She sneered and wrapped her arm around Nathaniel’s.

“You’re exactly right. Compared to Jack, you’re worthless. Apologize now, or I’ll make you.”

Nathaniel added fuel to the fire as he said, “Come on, Charlie, just say sorry. It’s not like it costs you anything.

“Jack is me and Rena’s ‘baby.’ Scaring it means you are disrespecting us.”

I looked at this pair of despicable lovers and felt a deep sadness for all the years I had spent loving Serena.

I took a deep breath and was about to speak when my phone rang.

It was my mother calling. I answered the call.

Before I could even say a word, her anxious sobs came through on the other end.

“Charlie, you need to come home now! Your father doesn’t have much time! The hospital just cut off his medical payments. They’re pulling the plug as we speak!”