5. THE RULE BOOK

THE RULE BOOK

“You’re joking,” Emma said, calmer this time, though disbelief still rang clearly in her voice.

Jerry leaned back in his chair and smirked, the kind of smirk that instantly irritated her.

Without saying a word, he reached for the landline telephone on his desk and dialed a number.

Emma frowned.

What exactly was he trying to prove now?

After two rings, someone picked up.

“Hello sir, what can I help you with?” Lucy’s voice came from the other end.

“Lucy, come to my office. Now.”

Lucy paused.

For a brief second, her heart skipped.

Was something wrong?

Were they about to sack her?

She quickly shook the thought away and forced herself to answer.

“Right away, sir.”

Jerry hung up the call and placed the phone back down slowly, all while keeping that infuriating calm expression on his face.

Emma folded her arms.

“Why did you call her?”

Jerry glanced at her.

“You’ll see.”

Emma frowned harder.

She hated that answer.

And she hated how calm he looked.

It made her feel like she was the only one losing control here.

A few minutes later, there was a soft knock on the door.

“Come in,” Jerry said.

Lucy stepped inside carefully.

She looked nervous.

Very nervous.

Jerry folded his hands on the desk and stared at her.

“Lucy, you are in charge of employee salaries and all financial transactions in this company, correct?”

Lucy blinked.

“Ye... yes sir.”

She didn’t understand where this was going.

Was he testing her?

Was she in trouble?

Jerry’s eyes narrowed slightly.

“You sound uncertain.”

Lucy straightened.

“Yes sir, I handle those records.”

“Good.”

Jerry turned his chair slightly toward Emma.

“I need you to deduct five dollars from Miss Jones’ salary for violating company rules.”

Emma rolled her eyes so hard it almost hurt.

Lucy looked at Emma, then back at Jerry.

“Five dollars, sir?”

“Yes.”

Lucy nodded.

“Yes sir.”

Emma scoffed.

“This is ridiculous.”

Jerry raised a brow.

“Would you like me to make it ten?”

Emma shut her mouth immediately.

Lucy almost smiled.

She couldn’t help it.

Seeing Emma finally go silent felt like a miracle.

Jerry continued.

“And hand Miss Jones the company rule book.”

Emma blinked.

“There’s a rule book?”

Jerry looked unimpressed.

“Of course there is.”

Emma muttered under her breath.

“Sorry, but I’m not a fan of books.”

Jerry’s expression darkened.

Lucy reacted instantly.

Before Jerry could respond, Lucy grabbed Emma by the wrist.

“Alright sir, I’ll handle it,” Lucy said quickly before dragging Emma out of the office.

The moment the office door shut behind them, Emma pulled her hand away.

“Why did you drag me like that?”

Lucy turned and stared at her like she had completely lost her mind.

“Because if you stayed in there for one more minute, you would have gotten another deduction!”

Emma folded her arms.

“I only said I don’t like books.”

Lucy gave a dry laugh.

“And to him, that probably sounded like rebellion.”

Emma rolled her eyes.

“Dramatic much?”

Lucy pointed at Jerry’s office.

“No, you’re dramatic. And reckless.”

Emma tilted her head.

“I broke like... three rules.”

Lucy stared at her in disbelief.

“Exactly! Three important rules on your first day!”

Emma shrugged.

“That doesn’t sound that bad.”

Lucy rubbed her forehead.

“They were major rules!”

She pointed down the hallway.

“This is your office.”

Emma looked toward the room.

It was right beside Jerry’s office.

She froze.

“Why is my office next to his?”

Lucy looked at her blankly.

“Because you are his manager.”

Emma shivered dramatically.

“A minute with that man gives me goosebumps.”

Lucy smacked her own forehead.

“If he needs you, you must be close.”

Emma groaned.

“So now I’m trapped beside him?”

Lucy crossed her arms.

“You are employed beside him.”

Emma narrowed her eyes.

“Same thing.”

Lucy sighed.

“Whatever. Stay here. I’m going to get the company rule book.”

She walked away before Emma could argue.

Emma stepped into her office and looked around slowly.

It was neat.

Simple.

A desk sat near the window.

There was a comfortable chair, shelves, and white walls.

Very white walls.

Too white.

Emma stared around with a frown.

“Why are office walls always white?” she muttered.

She walked farther in.

“White desk, white walls, white shelves... do these people hate color?”

She dropped into the chair and leaned back.

“If I had a choice, this whole room would be purple.”

She rested her legs on the desk.

“My first day and I’ve already lost five dollars.”

She sighed dramatically.

“Money I haven’t even seen yet.”

She let her head fall back.

“This company is stressing me already.”

A few minutes later, the door opened quietly and Lucy stepped in.

Emma raised a brow.

“Why are you sneaking in?”

Lucy looked offended.

“I’m not sneaking.”

“You opened the door like a thief.”

Lucy placed a thick book on the desk with a loud thud.

“I was trying not to make noise.”

Emma stared at the massive book.

Then at Lucy.

Then back at the book.

“No.”

Lucy blinked.

“No what?”

“That is not a rule book.”

Lucy folded her arms.

“Yes it is.”

Emma pointed at it.

“That is a dictionary.”

Lucy sighed.

“It is the company rule book.”

Emma sat upright.

“Why is it so big?!”

Lucy tapped the cover.

“Because every rule is explained in detail.”

Emma stared at the giant book like it had personally offended her.

“I am a fool.”

Lucy nodded.

“Yes.”

Emma glared at her.

“You agreed too fast.”

Lucy shrugged.

“You said it first.”

Emma dropped her face into her hands.

“I left my old job for this.”

Lucy leaned against the desk.

“What happened at the old job?”

Emma looked up.

“The manager was rude, the pay was low, and I was tired of the stress.”

Lucy raised a brow.

“And now?”

Emma gestured around the room.

“Now I’m in a luxury prison.”

Lucy laughed.

Emma groaned louder.

“Everywhere I turn, it’s stress. Left? Stress. Right? Stress. Front? Stress. Back? Stress. Even my forehead probably has stress written on it.”

Lucy laughed again.

“You’re unbelievable.”

Emma slumped in the chair.

“I think my destiny is stress.”

Lucy softened a little.

“Emma, this is a big company. Big jobs don’t come easy.”

Emma stayed quiet.

Lucy continued.

“You don’t get a huge salary for doing nothing.”

Emma sighed.

“I know.”

“You have to work for it.”

Emma leaned her chin on her hand.

“I know.”

Lucy crossed her arms.

“Then stop acting like this.”

Emma looked away.

Lucy spoke more gently.

“My advice? Follow the rules and listen to the boss.”

Emma gave her a look.

“You call that man nice?”

Lucy nodded.

“He is strict, but he’s not bad.”

Emma pointed toward Jerry’s office.

“That man is evil.”

Lucy laughed.

“Believe what you want, but if you keep behaving like this, you’ll lose far more than five dollars.”

Emma groaned.

“Me and that man already have issues.”

Lucy shrugged.

“Then fix it.”

Emma gave her a blank stare.

“Fix it?”

“Yes.”

“No.”

Lucy rolled her eyes.

“Well then suffer.”

Emma sighed dramatically.

Lucy turned to leave.

Then Emma suddenly said:

“Lucy?”

Lucy looked back.

“Can I repaint this office purple?”

Lucy froze.

Emma burst into laughter.

“I’m joking!”

Lucy placed her hand on her chest.

“You almost gave me a heart attack.”

Emma grinned.

Lucy pointed at her.

“And stop saying ‘we.’ If the boss hears anything about repainting walls, I’m denying all involvement.”

Emma gave a mock salute.

“Yes ma’am.”

Lucy shook her head.

“You are exhausting.”

Emma leaned back with a grin.

“And yet you like me.”

Lucy rolled her eyes.

“Read the rule book.”

Then she walked out.

Emma looked at the giant book on the desk.

Then at Jerry’s office wall.

Then back at the book.

She sighed deeply.

“My old manager was rude... but at least he didn’t hand me a weapon-sized rule book.”

She slowly opened the first page.

Her eyes widened.

“Rule one?”

She flipped another page.

“Still rule one?!”

She flipped again.

“WHY IS RULE ONE TEN PAGES LONG?”

Emma dropped her head onto the desk.

“This company is trying to kill me."