Humiliated

The next morning, Andre arrived at the company. He went to his office, got his workshop jacket on and started working on an electrical faulted part which he was notified about. But while working, he needs to disconnect the source of light to avoid unnecessary electricity contact.

He was there when Sam informed him that the CEO was calling him, in fact all of them. He said okay, he was coming. He needed to fix things and restore the flow of current. A certain part of the company had been shut down and it wouldn't be nice if he didn't restore the power supply before leaving.

Five minutes later, Sam returned and urged him urgently, “Leave everything and come over immediately” he said, in a time of hastiness. Not understanding the urgency in his tone, Andre followed, still dressed in his overall.

As he got there, he glanced around and saw an elegant woman standing akimbo. He squinted and looked away, this face, wasn't it familiar with the one he bumped into at the grocery store the previous evening?

Anyways, he shrugged. Whatever she's there for, it doesn't concern himer. But he saw that all eyes were fixed on him, with a kind of quietness that he doesn't understand. He felt something wasn't right. What is going on?

“So rude, no regard for the CEO,”Camella commented. This dude is going to get it bad from her. She was glaring at him and Andre glanced at her, who's this woman standing and fuming in rage.

Andre just looked away. If she was referring those words to him, he doesn't have anything to say. When the CEO steps in, he would say hello to him. Anything that would involve exchange of words between himself and any woman, he is not interested in it.

He sees Jasmine in every woman except his mom. Not just her facial looks, he sees her betrayal, the two faced complex creatures in the female species. Girls, women, they're all the same and he hates interacting with them.

“Andre, this is Camella Wood, the new CEO” Fred Maxwell quickly informed. He saw that Andre just glanced at her briefly and looked away. He hates women now, he detest them, they have pierced his heart and it's still bleeding.

Andre brightened up a smile and wanted to say hello when Camella beat him to it “You shouldn't have told him. Do you really have to give a special introduction for him to know that I own the power to his livelihood?” She smirked.

Glaring at Andre from his head to his toes, she continued “And you, who the hell do you think you are? And I heard you caused a major setback in the production process because you interfered with the power supply” she accused. Andre was lost for words.

“And you still stayed back when you were called over. You will pay for the losses the company had incurred over the night till this moment. And I had estimated the cost of it, from now until the next two years, you'll receive just half of your salary and it will continue until the next two years…” Camella declared.

Fred Maxwell was furious, this is not Andre’s fault at all. He came forward to talk but Camella glared at him and warned “A word from you in defense of this idiot, you will not be so lucky like him, you will be on your way out” she threatened.

Fred Maxwell glared at her back and glanced at Andre, the dude just kept his gaze on Camella, not panicking and not in the slightest interest to self defense himself. He should say something, anything to make Camella understand that he's not at fault here and he was not in the workshop when she was introduced.

If Fred Maxwell couldn't say anything, how can he say anything to explain what really happened, Sam was thinking. Why is everything working against Andre when he knows nothing else about the whole shit that happened.

Camella waited but saw that Andre said nothing and simply turned to walk away, how dare he disrespect her again? She wouldn't take this disrespect, she pulled him by his overall and as he turned to face her, she met his cheeks with a slap.

Everyone shivered and the ladies held their breath. Does she really have to slap him like that? What for, what kind of a boss have they got? That day was her first day in office and she was already showing cruelty to Andre of all people?

Andre’s eyes shot red as he glared at her now. How dare she slap him, what right does an employer have to go physical with an employee? And to think that a woman slapped him. It's only that species of creation that does something so senseless.

“How dare you walk out on him while I'm still standing? I will not tolerate any form of insubordination from you or anyone” Camella scowled. She saw him glaring at her in fury and she did the same to him.

“Dont attempt it again” Andre spoke for the first time before her and now his eyes were spitting fire. His words were few but came with weight in the ears of those around him. He glared at her from head to toe and turned around, walking away.

Camella also turned around and left. Automatically, the meeting was over. There were loud whispers, all of them sympathising with Andre and unhappy with this boss lady they just got.

The day went normal for everyone except Andre. He wished he could pay for the losses incurred, he would have paid and left. But he doesn't have such money, especially now that his mom was on medication. He'd saved up money for her medication alone, he'd got no extra money left.

Maybe he could do two jobs to meet up with his mom's medical expenses. Hopefully she will be fine. After the surgery, she'll be fine again. But until then, she would remain on medication like the doctor said.

When the day job was over, Andre closed for the day. On getting to his car, Mary, a secretary in the company, was waiting for him in his car. She was worried about what Miss Camella said earlier. She wanted to sympathise with him but Andre doesn't look bothered in the slightest.

“Hi Andre,” she said, smiling. She rested on the bonnet of his car. Andre forced a quick smile and said “Hi, Mary” unlocking his car. He got in and Mary slipped into his car as well. Sometimes they drive home together.

That was the only conversation that they exchanged. When the news of Jasmine's marriage to Patrick went viral and online, everyone expected something more scary might happen to Andre. He loves her, it was so loud and obvious that he does.

Camella had felt uneasy for the entire day. Not for Andre but the employees as a whole. They seemed to avoid contact with her, afraid that she would become so mean to them like she was to Andre.

She only needed a scapegoat and she got one. Now that she'd made them all realise that she's not a piece of pizza to be toiled with, they'll all learn to respect her and take their jobs more seriously.

She's never going to change her mind concerning that payment. She's a stubborn woman . Whatever she'd said, spoken to the ears of others, she's never going to change it. She can have a change of mind when she's still thinking about it, but not when she'd spoken about it.

Others will learn from that example. She smiled and felt pleased.