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Heroes and Villains

Micheal POV:

“Whom did I asked to deliver the emails for me” I hollered early the next morning.

I woke up on the wrong side of the bed and like usual, I was going to take it out on my workers. They were the best option to relieve ones of frustration and irritation. Watching them cower right in front of me is thrilling enough to start any day.

“I was”

“So, what happened? I clearly told you how important it was, yet you willy-nilly refused to do so.”

“I had a lot of to do yesterday, my mind must have skipped it at the end”

“That is not an excuse to forget what I asked you to do Miss Collins” I hollered “I didn't pay you that much to give excuses, I pay you to work and when I ask you to do something you do it”

“The weather was quite somber yesterday, I also had to consider the possibility of both I and the important getting wet. I planned to mail it first thing this morning, that was why I got to work extra early, but it was nowhere to be found”

“Because I entered the rain you were avoiding and mailed it myself”

“I'm sorry sir”

“You know how I feel about apologies, so you'd better keep it to yourself. I am going to deduct tomorrow's pay from your monthly wage” I hollered,

The whole office was dead silent as my raging voice echoed in the room.

She stared at me, mouth agape, too stunned to speak.

“Mr. Angelo” She started,

“Do you have something to say.” I dared her

“No sir” she replied

“I thought the same”

I headed toward my office, before realizing someone was occupying Aurora space.

A petite woman, possibly approaching her late 20s.

“Who is she?” I asked

“I'm your new personal secretary” she replied

“I didn't ask you, you don't speak unless you are spoken to”

“Miss Collins” I called out

“Yes sir”

“Who is she?” I inquired, "She's the new secretary you asked me to find”

“What's her name?”

“Miss Stark” she replied,

“So Miss Stark, I hope you won't be as naive and useless as your predecessor”

I could tell she was stunned by my unfiltered words.

“I surely hope so, sir”

“For your sake, I hope so too” I added.

○■○□□○■■■♤○■

“Miss Stark” I said to the intercom “get me Mr. Cassidy's files”

“Yes sir” she replied

After several minutes of waiting, she appeared through the door, clutching tightly to the file like her life depended on it.

She handed it to me. One glance at it and I knew.

“I asked you for Mr. Cassidy files” I thundered “what the hell is this” I said, waving the random file

I threw the files at the shell shaken lady in front of me. The papers flew around her. She bent down, leg shaking with nerve, as she struggled to quickly pick the flying sheets of paper.

“I'm sorry sir” She said, lips trembling.

“No, sorry won't cut it. I can't condone mediocrity, You are fired” I said

“What?” She asked shocked

“Did I stutter? I said you are fired”

“I just started work today” She replied with a low voice clearly laced with pain.

“Is there a law or rule against being fired against on one's first day at work”

“No sir, but please, this job means a lot to me, I really need this it”

“That's none of my business, you should have thought about that before bringing me the wrong file” I replied Unmoved by her teary eyes.

“It was a small mistake, and on my first day at that. Please let me have another chance, I can improve, I will improve, such mistakes won't repeat itself.”

“I'm sure it won't because you won't be here to make them. Get your stuff and exit the building immediately. I will mail you your day payment off course.

“This is unfair”

“You made the mistake, not me, you ought to reflect on yourself and become better at what you do before seeking for a job somewhere else. And Life has always been unfair, deal with it”

Here came their trademark waterworks, I watched irksomely as the tears streamed freely down her cheek.

“You are the most vile human I've ever seen, your unorthodox disregard for others' feeling coupled with your blatant ego. You need help and should seek help” She said,

“You can't tell me anything I haven't heard. Save the profanities for the next person you work for because I'm pretty sure you'd get fired as quick as I did with your horrible attitude and sluggishness.”

“My Attitude” She shrieked. She pointed a finger at me which was twitching with rage, “What attitude, you monster.”

“That attitude, channel your rage into being better at what you do” I replied “You got fired because you are horrible at you, you become better when you take accountability for your woes. You can improve at your pace, but not with me. Like I stated earlier, I can't condone mediocrity. So, off you go.”

She stared at me for quite a while, unsure what was going through her mind. She'd probably think of words she could say to hurt me deeply, but I was sure she wasn't going to come with any, not only was I thick-skinned, there was literally nothing to hurt me with.

She threw the few files she had already picked up the floor hardly at me, but they were too few to cause a significant pain.

“I thought people call You a monster as a deliberate overstatement, but you really are a monster” She shrieked and barged out of my office.

'That was the best she could do, I expected more' I snickered.

I watch in awe at my new personal record and most definitely a world record of how quick an employee can be fired. My earlier record was 3 days, I didn't know another can irk me so much within five hours.

I waited for a few minutes to be certain my ex secretary had left, before stepping out to look for the files myself. Trading words with her in front of the other workers would breed subtle disrespect.

Sure she was gone, I finally stepped out of my office. It was quiet as a grave when I stepped out, all the accusing eyes turned towards me.

How dare they?

But behind all the accusing eyeballs, I could see fear, fear of being fired or fear of being chided. I was comfortable with that, I am paying them handsomely, not for them to love me, I don't need anyone to love me. I pay them to work for me, and fear is the plausible way to get the best out of workers. I would gladly do it.

“Mrs. Collins” I called loudly,

“Yes sir” She replied. I could feel the irritation in her voice. It would be too petty and ridiculous to call her out because of the tone of her voice. Besides, we both knew I could only rebuke her, she is my longest working employee, firing her would be catastrophic. It would be like loosing another Aurora. But nonetheless, she knows there was a line she shouldn't dare cross, there's little to amount of rebelling I can condone, and she was treading carefully at the edge.

“I need that Mr. Cassidy files, rummage for it in those heaps of files and bring it to me. Do that quickly, I need it now”

“Mr. Cassidy, files” She asked bewildered

“Yes” I replied with a raised eyebrow.

“You asked me to bring it to your table two weeks ago, which I did”

“You didn't”

“I did, I clearly remember doing so” She replied irksomely.

The venom in her voice could take down a pit viper.

“I can't find it”

“Maybe if you look patiently, you'd see” She muttered.

“What did you just say to me” I asked with a furrowed brow

She knows that is her crossing the boundaries, I would dismiss her on the spot, consequences be damned.

“May I look for it in your office” She replied,

“Yeah, you may”

She trailed behind me into my office. I sat down comfortably and watched her rummage through a number of files on my desk, One of them caught my eye.

“Let me have that” I said.

She handed to me without looking and searched on. I stared at the file in my hand, it is Aurora's father's death case, she handed it to me, months ago to help her with. She had entrusted me with it, but I tossed it aside. I guess it was time I looked into it, it would be the most perfect excuse to go looking for her. Perhaps if I helped her with it, it would be enough to convince her to come and work with me again.

“Here it is, sir” Libby said

“What?”

“Mr. Cassidy files” She replied

"Oh' you found it. Drop it and leave"

“Of course I did, I told you I dropped it on your desk”

“Yeah, yeah, you already laid enough emphasis, you can leave.”

“If you had searched for it carefully you would have seen it and Miss Stark wouldn't be looking for something she was never going to find”

“Do you have something on your mind you'd like to share, Miss Collins? If you do, I suggest you get on with it” I said coldly.

She sighed heavily.

“Miss Stark was never going to find the file and dismissing her for an error that was totally out of her control is a bit too harsh”

“You have a point, but has you have failed to see or chose to ignore, Miss stark has a slow response and a terrible attitude to match”

She stared at me weirdly, just like miss Stark. I presume to underline the irony of me accusing of someone having a terrible attitude. But none of them dared say it out loud to my face.

“She started work this morning” She pointed out “she is yet to adapt to her surroundings”

“A few hours is enough to evaluate a worker's behavior and future performances, ability to adapt to a surrounding in a heartbeat is one of the qualities of a good secretary. “ I replied,

“But”

“I'm sure you have enough on your hands than you to be bothered about a lost cause.”

“Sir, I can't keep finding you new secretary just for you to fire them on impulse. It almost seems like you are praying for them to make a mistake, waiting for an excuse to fire them”

“When did I start pitching you ideas and excuses for anything I do? You had better tread carefully, Mrs. Collins. “

“I can't keep looking for a secretary, just for you to fire them on impulse.”

“Are you tired of your Job? Mrs. Collins. You know better than anyone no one is indispensable."

She opened her mouth, but closed them back. I knew she still had a lot to say, most of which I wouldn't find pleasant. She was a smart woman, she knows to keep it to herself. She sighed heavily and finally exited my office.

I stared at the file in my hand, wondering where to start from.

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