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Chapter 2

Author: Perfect Timing
I seized the moment when Sadie was in the restroom and quickly brought the snacks over to our manager, Ian Rodriguez's office.

In my past life, I had reported Sadie's appalling behavior to him more times than I could count, but he always encouraged me to be patient. After all, she'd been unemployed for over a year.

This time, I was determined to let him witness Sadie's "generosity" firsthand.

"Mr. Rodriguez, these are the snacks our new colleague handed out. Since it's about afternoon tea time, I thought you might like some," I said.

A bright smile spread across Ian's face as soon as he saw what I was holding. "Excellent timing. I was getting peckish. You can leave them here."

I set the snacks down and left without saying a word. Just as I was about to step out of the office, I caught the sound of him ripping open the bag and eagerly digging in.

I returned to my desk and got back to work.

Before I realized it, the day had ended. One by one, my coworkers started packing up, getting ready to clock out.

Suddenly, Sadie stood up and blocked everyone's way.

"You all just ate my snacks," she said, holding up her phone with her PayPal app opened. "Nobody's paid me so far. Make sure you do before walking out."

A few of my coworkers froze, exchanging knowing looks. It quickly dawned on them that they were dealing with someone a bit unconventional.

Finally, one of them asked, "Alright then, how much do we owe you?"

"50 bucks," Sadie said without missing a beat.

Those who were ready to pay just to avoid trouble immediately lost their composure.

"Wait, what? Why should I pay 50 bucks for those cheap snacks?" someone blurted out.

"These are imported! You clearly don't know what real quality tastes like. 50 dollars is already a steal," Sadie snapped back.

Everyone's mood shifted, their faces burning with anger.

A few lucky coworkers who happened to be on a diet got off easy. They handed the snacks right back to Sadie.

"Luckily, I haven't touched any yet," one of them said. "You might as well take them back. There's no way I'd risk eating something that pricey."

Meanwhile, someone had already done a quick search online. As it turned out, each snack cost only five dollars.

Holding up their phones, my coworkers confronted Sadie. "This is extortion! It only costs five bucks online. Do you think we're idiots?"

Sadie crossed her arms and rolled her eyes. "But I brought those snacks all the way to the office. Doesn't that count as travel expenses? Stop complaining and pay up!"

Just as they were about to argue, the manager's office door suddenly slammed open. Ian stepped out, looking pale as a ghost.

He glared at Sadie and shouted, "Sadie! What on earth did you feed me?"

Ian couldn't hold back his gag reflex. Before he even made it to the restroom, he doubled over and vomited right where he stood.

A sharp, sour stench filled the air instantly, forcing everyone to cover their noses and step back.

Sadie looked completely bewildered. "What are you talking about? You've got to be mistaken."

I finally spoke up. "Sadie, since you handed out snacks to everyone except Mr. Rodriguez, I thought I'd give him my share. What's wrong, Mr. Rodriguez? Are you feeling okay?"

"Those snacks were spoiled! How could you hand them out like that? Sadie, were you trying to poison me?" Ian's voice cracked as he shouted.

Sadie was caught off guard. She quickly stepped forward, trying to steady him. "No, wait! I didn't know Cora gave them to you. Don't be angry, Mr. Rodriguez. Let's get you to the hospital right away."

Just then, one of my coworkers spotted the expiration date stamped on the corner of the package. "Are you kidding me? Did you honestly expect us to pay for expired snacks? What's wrong with you? What if we all ended up with food poisoning? Would you even own up to it?"

Without warning, another coworker hunched over, gripping their stomach. "Damn, my stomach's killing me! It's definitely those expired snacks. Don't think you can get away. You're paying for my medical bills!"

Sadie didn't dare say a word. Helping Ian to his feet, she hurriedly helped him out of the room.

As soon as she was gone, the remaining coworkers gradually dispersed, quietly voicing their frustrations under their breath.
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  • Second Chance: Dismantling the Penny-Pinching Mother   Chapter 9

    I sent all the evidence that I had collected to Ian's wife, Grace Hutchinson. Initially, she didn't believe me, but after secretly checking Ian's phone, the truth was laid bare.She had carefully selected this day to catch him in the act. Her plan was to throw him off balance, leaving him completely unprepared.Confronted with such irrefutable evidence, Ian and Sadie were left speechless.Not far away, Melissa picked up a photo from the floor. After studying the faces closely, she let out a cold snort. "Damn. I never thought the employees at this company could be so deceitful. Looks like we won't be continuing our partnership."Melissa had been betrayed by a scumbag herself. During her divorce, she was manipulated into losing everything.Not only had she raised her daughter on her own, but she had also fought to rebuild her business from the ground up. Because of that, she had no tolerance for cheaters. There was no way she would ever consider doing business with someone like Ian.

  • Second Chance: Dismantling the Penny-Pinching Mother   Chapter 8

    Suddenly, Sadie sprang to her feet to stop Melissa. She snatched the menu from her hands and handed it back to the waiter."It's fine," she said. "I bought a voucher online. Just scan it for me."As the waiter checked the voucher, he noticed it was for a two-person meal.He kindly pointed out, "There are three of you. A two-person meal might not be enough. Would you like to add some more dishes?"Ian forced a smile. "Let's add a few more. Ms. Green, what would you like to have?"Sadie leaned in and whispered in Ian's ear, "There's no need to add anything. The company won't cover this meal. We'll be paying for it ourselves. The food's way too pricey here."Given that there were only four people in the room, everyone could clearly hear what she said.There was no denying the lack of sincerity with which Sadie and Ian approached their business negotiations. Melissa's expression darkened, and her voice turned sharp. "It's fine. Let's just leave it at that."The tension, however, wa

  • Second Chance: Dismantling the Penny-Pinching Mother   Chapter 7

    After the ordeal, I walked out with the proposal in my arms. I was still shocked that Sadie hadn't been fired after such a colossal mistake. It was clear that I had seriously underestimated her.I kept my head down and made my way to the exit. Suddenly, Ian called out to me from behind, "Cora, send your client list over to Sadie. She'll be handling them from now on."It was infuriating. Not only had Sadie ruined the deal, but now she was trying to take my clients too. Without those clients, how was I supposed to survive in this company?"Mr. Rodriguez, if you want clients, you should go find your own. Why are you trying to take mine? I worked hard to bring them in," I said, flashing him a mocking smile."What do you mean? Without the company's platform, would you even have these opportunities? Right now, the company needs you to follow orders, not to take ownership of its properties." Ian spoke with a tone of self-importance, as if a few well-chosen words would make me hand over

  • Second Chance: Dismantling the Penny-Pinching Mother   Chapter 6

    Sadie quickly piped up, "That's right, Mr. Wood. I was just following Cora's orders. She didn't give me any money, so I had no choice but to take matters into my own hands."I'm just a struggling mom, and yet she expected me to prepare a whole spread of refreshments. Isn't she purposely making things more difficult for me?"Tears began to stream down Sadie's face as she spoke. It was almost as if she considered serving her breast milk a heroic sacrifice.Being pushed into the spotlight, I listened to their absurd back-and-forth. With every second, my frustration deepened.I argued, "Mr. Wood, this is completely unfair. I've been working overtime every day on the proposal, while Sadie hasn't done a damn thing."I thought assigning her the refreshments would be the easiest task on the list. I even reminded her to keep the receipts so she could submit them to the Finance Department for reimbursement. Who could have guessed she'd be so stingy that she'd use her own breast milk?"And

  • Second Chance: Dismantling the Penny-Pinching Mother   Chapter 5

    "Pfft—!" One of the clients choked, unable to keep his drink down.He pointed at the half-drunk latte, his voice trembling with disbelief. "Breast milk? Did you seriously make this latte with your own breast milk?"Sadie flashed a smug grin. "Exactly. I've got more milk than my son can even drink. It was about to go bad in the fridge, so I thought I'd let you all have some. Consider yourselves lucky."Rest assured, it's pure breast milk. Not a single drop of water was added. That's why the coffee tastes so rich and creamy. I even used it to make those nougats. If they suit your taste, you're welcome to take some with you. Just remember to pay up."Breast milk might not have been poisonous, but it was still a fluid from another person's body. It had been decades since any of them had tasted it, and the mere thought was enough to make their stomachs turn. A few couldn't control themselves and gagged right there at the table."Sadie! Have you completely lost your mind? How could you

  • Second Chance: Dismantling the Penny-Pinching Mother   Chapter 4

    Two days later, the clients arrived right on time. George came out personally to welcome and host them.The meeting room had been set up early that morning, with steaming lattes, cookies, and nougats placed in front of each seat. I had reminded Sadie to buy some fruit too, but she probably thought it was too expensive.Once the clients were seated, Sadie pulled me aside. "Ms. Shepherd, how can I get reimbursed? I misplaced the receipt, and the Finance Department won't authorize the payment."I thought for a moment. "Do you have any proof of payment? If not, you'll have to speak with Mr. Wood. Maybe once the deal goes through, he'll be in a better mood and approve the reimbursement."Upon hearing that proof of payment was needed, Sadie's expression shifted uncomfortably. "I'll check with the Finance Department again. These items were expensive, so I'll need to get reimbursed."Since Sadie was just a junior staff member, her absence didn't make much of an impact. I closed the meetin

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