6 | Fired and Humiliated

[ZEMIRA]

“There is nothing to tell you. Just get the hell out of my restaurant!” Pointing his fat finger at the door, Nicholas Samuel snapped with a bitter scowl.

I wish I could tell you I knew what was going on here.

I couldn’t.

Nicholas Samuel was the owner of the restaurant I worked for and I used to be the manager until he came to work this morning in a bad mood and fired me out of nowhere. I only took three days off, and the moment I returned to resume my work, this dolt of a man sacked me in front of the entire staff.

What’s with people humiliating me these days?

After the incident at Richmond’s office, I had been so mad ever since. When the next day I went to see him, just like I stated would, that asshole had taken a flight to New Jersey for an urgent meeting.

I knew he was warding me off.

What a wimp!

“But—I don’t understand. How could you—how could this—what have I even done? Is it because I took three days’ leave from work? Is this—” lifting his hand to signal me to be quiet, he didn’t let me complete.

“It’s not about you damn leave, God! It’s about your performance. There are complaints about you. Customers don’t even want to see your face. We are losing business just because you can’t keep your attitude shut, not even for a second,” he yelled through gritted teeth.

He was lying. I loved my job. I always made sure to be extra courteous to the customers. Sure, I had an anger situation, and I did foolish things whenever rage took over, but I never, in my entire career, took out my wrath on a customer. In fact, my workplace was the only place I never even lost my temper. I had no idea what the hell this man was even talking about. He had to be on something to make up something so rubbish.

“Are you seriously blaming me for losing business?” I had to make sure he actually said what I heard. Why was he being so cruel? After three years of my loyalty and dedicated work, that’s how he was going to treat me? Like I was fucking nobody?

“What in the world are you talking about?” To be honest, I wasn’t getting a thing he was saying. My head hurt and my eyes threatened to fall shut if I stayed awake a minute more.

Rubbing my temples to ease the pulsating throb, I tried to calm down.

“There has to be some misunderstanding. I have done my job with all my heart and soul. I’m dedicated. Hard-working. And I barely even take an off. I have given this restaurant three years of my life. You can’t just throw me out, it’s not fair. I deserve to know on what ground are you compelled to dismiss me without at least a week of notice. I deserve an explanation. Only and only then, I’ll accept my dismissal.”

I drew in a sharp breath after those determined words left my mouth. There was no way I was about to lose this job. I had worked too hard to get it in the first place. Not to forget, it was the only restaurant within ten miles of radius which could afford me the salary I needed to support my mom. I couldn’t imagine the hardships she had been through to raise me in this world, which had been nothing but cold and unkind to her.

To my surprise, however, Mr Samuel scoffed out a chuckle. “You think I owe you an explanation?” The only good thing about the way he spoke was that he wasn’t yelling anymore. This time, he spoke evenly and calmly with a pinch of malice that glinted through his dark brown eyes.

It took me by a little surprise when he grabbed me by the arm and yanked me closer. The alcohol in his breath made my eyes burn even more. “I owe you nothing.” He spat out through gritted teeth before letting me go with a little more force that had me stumbling on my heels.

I caught myself before my knees could give out.

“In fact, the amount of business I’ve lost because of your pretentious attitude it’s you who owe me,” he snorted. “But I’m going to let it slide by letting you go. Liza!”

“Yes, boss?”

“Clear Ms Feather’s account immediately and make sure when I return from the lunch with my associates, she is gone out of my face and this place for good.”

With those words, he stormed out of the kitchen’s flip-flap door, leaving me alone and thoroughly humiliated in front of the dozen of staff members.

Heat rushed to my face as the realization of what had just happened washed over me. The room had gotten awfully quiet. All eyes were fixed on me.

I barely held back a whimper, clutching the hem of my blazer in a death grip. Knuckles turning pale.

“What got into him so early in the morning?” One of the junior chefs muttered to someone behind my back.

“Jerk!” someone else added.

“Asshole!”

“Zemira, are you OK?” A hand pressed to my shoulder reminded me that all of this was happening for real. That it wasn’t even ten in the morning and I had already lost my job. This had to be the worst day of my life!

Releasing a hefty breath, I sank into a chair next to the kitchen counter and rubbed my temples. The pain had grown ten times worse. I felt like my head was this close to exploding.

“Zemira!” the same concerned voice called to me again. I glanced up to see Oliver, the senior chef and also a good friend, squatting on his haunches and looking up at me with tense expressions. “Please tell me you’re OK.”

“I’m OK.”

He shook his head. “You’re not. How could you be? You just lost the job you loved so much.”

“I didn’t love the job.” I tried to smile through the hopelessness spreading inside me, but I wasn’t doing a wonderful job. “It’s the pay that I’m going to miss.”

It wasn’t entirely a lie. But I loved my job, too. There were so many memories connected to this place. My first paycheck. The first restaurant I brought my mom for a nice dinner. I still remember the happiness on her face. She was so excited to dine at such a fancy site despite her reluctance at first. Not to forget all those promotions until they found me qualified to be the manager. I worked really hard for all those upgrades. I don’t know how I’m about to let mom know about this. She wouldn’t make a big fuss, I know, but she would worry about the next month’s rent for sure.

After we lost the home to that asshole Jeremiah Richmond, mom didn’t want to stay in the same place. She said that the home lost its aura. But I know the truth. She’s simply too afraid to be seen there and be mistaken for trying to cause trouble and put me in any kind of danger. Those men had been pacing our property like hawks.

Oliver sighed, held my hands, and squeezed them gently. “Come on, let’s get out of here. Anywhere. Just…not here.”

“I still need to clear my account.”

“Don’t worry about that. Liza will take care of it.”

As if waiting on cue, Liza walked up to us, her heels clicking against the smooth tiles. “Oliver is right. You should go. I’ll take care of everything. And if you’ll be needed, I’ll simply let you know. Don’t worry about anything, Zemira. Everything will be OK.”

As I mentioned, I had made many wonderful memories in this place. I made some really awesome friends, too. They all had been super nice to me since day one. One of the reasons I never blew up in this place. They all helped me calm down before anything could escalate. And now that I had been dismissed, I wasn’t sure what I was going to do with myself.

One thing was certain, though.

Nicholas Samuel proved himself to be just another filthy rich jerk I had come across in my life. And God knew how many jerks I could handle before I really lost my mind.

Although nothing could compare to my hatred for Jeremiah Richmond.

By taking away my job, Nicholas Samuel only took away my source of livelihood. I could still see my friends and other staff whenever I wanted. I could find a new job. But Jeremiah Richmond stole someone too precious to my heart.

My home.

My memories.

My life.

After my deceitful father, he was the man I despised the most.

No miracles in this world could change that.