4. FIRST DAY AT WORK

FIRST DAY AT WORK

Emma woke up late on purpose.

As the taxi sped through the streets, she rubbed her palms together and let out a quiet evil laugh.

This was it.

The perfect plan.

If she showed up late, dressed badly, and acted completely unprofessional, Jerry would definitely get fed up and fire her.

And once he fired her, the ridiculous contract would be useless.

Emma grinned to herself.

"No one knows how to frustrate people better than me," she thought proudly.

By the time she got to the company, it was already past nine.

She stepped out of the taxi and walked slowly toward the building, making no effort to hurry.

The first time she came here, she had admired everything.

The giant glass doors.

The shiny marble floors.

The expensive furniture.

Now?

She hated all of it.

The place no longer looked beautiful.

It looked like the headquarters of evil.

Emma entered the elevator and went upstairs, wearing the most unserious outfit she could find: a flare skirt, oversized sweatshirt, and white sneakers.

Her hair was loose and messy over her shoulders.

No professional look.

No neat makeup.

Nothing.

She smirked.

There was no way Jerry would keep her after seeing her like this.

"This plan cannot fail," she thought confidently.

When she stepped out, she saw Lucy pacing back and forth outside an office.

Lucy was dressed in a fitted red suit, black heels, and a bow tie.

She looked polished, elegant, and very much like someone who belonged in a company like this.

Emma looked down at herself.

Then smiled wider.

Yes.

She definitely looked like someone who was about to get fired.

Lucy finally noticed her and froze.

Her eyes widened as she slowly looked Emma up and down.

For a second, she forgot how to speak.

"Wow," Lucy thought. "I have never seen someone so desperate to stay poor."

Emma walked closer and placed both hands on Lucy’s shoulders dramatically.

“Darling, good morning,” she said sweetly. “Where’s the CEO’s office?”

Lucy blinked.

Then pointed silently at the door behind her.

Emma turned and read the sign:

DO NOT DISTURB

She scoffed.

"Boy, don’t you know you hired chaos?"

Without hesitation, Emma lifted her leg and kicked the door open.

Lucy gasped so hard she almost choked.

“She kicked the door...” Lucy whispered in horror.

Inside the office, Jerry looked up sharply.

There stood Emma.

Smiling brightly.

Jerry frowned.

Why was she smiling?

Then his eyes moved over her clothes.

The oversized sweatshirt.

The sneakers.

The loose hair.

The deliberate lateness.

And then...

He understood.

A slow smile spread across his face.

Emma was trying to get fired.

Interesting.

Very interesting.

“Well played,” Jerry thought.

Emma stood there with her fake innocent smile.

“Good morning,” she said sweetly.

Jerry leaned back in his chair, studying her.

“Good morning to you too, Miss Jones,” he said calmly. “You are late.”

Emma resisted the urge to roll her eyes.

“Traffic, sir.”

Jerry nodded slowly.

“Miss Jones, take a seat. We need to talk.”

Emma sat down, trying not to grin.

"This is it," she thought.

"He’s going to fire me."

Jerry folded his hands on the desk.

“You are late,” he said firmly. “And late means late.”

Emma flinched slightly at the sudden seriousness.

Jerry stood up and walked around the desk.

“In this company, we do not tolerate lateness.”

Emma looked up at him and said boldly:

“Then fire me.”

Jerry stopped.

“Fire you?”

“Yes.”

Jerry crossed his arms and smirked.

“Miss Jones... in your dreams.”

Emma clenched her fists.

“I won’t fire you,” Jerry said. “You wanted this job badly enough to sign that contract, didn’t you?”

Emma glared.

She didn’t answer.

Because yes.

She had wanted the job.

She just hadn’t known the devil owned the company.

Jerry sat back down.

Then said casually:

“You’re fired.”

Emma’s head snapped up.

“What?”

“You’re fired,” Jerry repeated.

Emma stood up immediately.

“Are you serious?”

“I am very serious.”

A smile spread across Emma’s face.

Finally.

She grabbed her bag and turned to leave.

Then Jerry spoke again.

“But before you leave, you’ll need to pay back everything you owe me under the contract.”

Emma froze.

Jerry leaned back.

“If you leave this company, I’ll recover every cent. Your salary, penalties, everything. If necessary, I’ll take your house... your belongings... whatever you have.”

Emma slowly turned around.

Her jaw tightened.

She punched the wall beside her.

“Ow!”

The pain shot through her knuckles, but Jerry looked completely unbothered.

In fact...

He looked amused.

“So,” Jerry said calmly, “do you still want to leave?”

Emma glared murderously at the wall.

“No.”

“Good. Sit down.”

She dragged herself back to the chair like she was walking to her execution.

Jerry cleared his throat.

“Rule number one: never come late.”

Emma folded her arms.

“A manager arrives before the boss,” Jerry continued. “Rule number two: never dress like... this.”

He gestured toward her outfit.

Emma looked down at herself.

“What’s wrong with it?”

Jerry gave her a blank stare.

“Everything.”

Emma frowned.

“I don’t have office clothes.”

“Then buy some.”

“With what money?”

Jerry paused.

Right.

She was broke.

He rubbed his forehead.

“Fine. But fix it soon.”

Emma muttered under her breath, “Or what?”

Jerry looked at her.

“Or I cut your pay.”

Emma’s eyes widened.

“You can’t do that.”

“I can.”

She sat upright.

“What?!”

“One dollar deducted.”

Emma stared at him.

“For what?!”

“Raising your voice. Another dollar.”

Emma gasped.

“You’re insane!”

“Three dollars.”

Emma stood up.

“This is nonsense!”

“Four dollars.”

Emma banged the desk.

“You’re making this up!”

“Five dollars.”

Emma looked like steam was about to come out of her ears.

Jerry, meanwhile, looked perfectly calm.

“You shout, I deduct.”

Emma stared at him in disbelief.

She hadn’t even started working and this man had already deducted five dollars.

“This is robbery!”

“Six dollars.”

Emma quickly covered her mouth.

Jerry smiled.

“Now we’re learning.”

Emma sat down slowly, glaring at him like she wanted lightning to strike him.

Jerry leaned forward slightly.

“If you follow the rules, we can work peacefully.”

Emma gave him the fakest smile in human history.

“Sure.”

Jerry nodded.

“Good. Third rule: you knock before entering my office.”

Emma crossed her arms.

“I didn’t know the rules.”

Jerry raised an eyebrow.

“You saw the sign.”

“What if I can’t read?”

Jerry stared at her.

Then said flatly:

“Two more dollars.”

Emma nearly screamed.

But stopped herself just in time.

Jerry smiled in satisfaction.

“Excellent progress.”

Emma folded her arms tighter.

This man was evil.

No.

Worse.

He was enjoying this.

Emma nearly screamed.

But she caught herself just in time, pressing her lips tightly together.

Jerry leaned back in his chair, looking entirely too pleased with himself.

“Excellent,” he said calmly. “At least you learn fast.”

Emma glared at him so hard she was sure her eyes could burn holes through his forehead.

This man was impossible.

No.

Worse.

He was enjoying every second of this.

Jerry picked up a file from his desk and flipped it open.

“Now,” he said, “since we are done with the basic rules, let’s talk about your duties.”

Emma folded her arms, slumping back in the chair.

Jerry glanced at her posture.

“That attitude is not helping your case.”

Emma straightened immediately.

He gave a satisfied nod before continuing.

“As my manager, your responsibilities include arranging meetings, organizing my daily schedule, handling urgent files, reminding me of appointments, and making sure nothing disrupts the workflow.”

Emma stared blankly at him.

Then blinked.

Then blinked again.

That sounded like... a lot.

Jerry looked at her expression and raised a brow.

“Problem?”

Emma forced a smile.

“No, sir.”

“Good.”

He closed the file and looked directly at her.

“You will also be expected to arrive before me every morning.”

Emma wanted to laugh.

That was definitely not happening.

But after the whole dollar deduction madness, she wisely kept quiet.

Jerry narrowed his eyes.

“You have something to say?”

Emma smiled stiffly.

“No, sir.”

Jerry nodded.

“Better.”