Fired?

"I don't pay you in huge numbers for this ineptitude, Miss Taylor! Pick this trash and throw it in some dustbin." The ear-piercing scream of Kian Wilson echoed through the half-closed door of his French-styled cabin. She flinched back, startled at the unforeseen slamming of the file on the table. Her lips wobbled and tears lingered in her eyes.

Staff working on his floor gathered outside the room to sneak a peek at the insult she was going through. Needless to say, it was a frequent occurrence for them, yet they enjoyed it each time. The girl, getting an earful from their arrogant and ruthless boss, gave a thrill to them.

People!

"S-Sir, this is the f-fourth presentation…" she stuttered, trailing her words, without daring to lift her brimmed gaze from the file on the table. A cry stuck in her throat, hoarse in her voice.

She couldn't lift her gaze directly at his eyes right now. It was too risky, as she was a hundred percent sure that if she dared so, she might burn down to ashes with the roaring blaze of his red eyes.

Out of fright, her trembling fingers were grasping the soft material of her knee-length formal navy blue skirt. Her knuckles turned white in no time with the death grip she had clasped it with.

"Oh, just shut up! All you have are excuses. And what do you want to say? That this is the fourth presentation I'm rejecting, eh? Then what the hell did you do all these four times that it's still getting rejected?" Kian stormed, banging his hand on the same table. His lips twitched outrageously as he shouted again.

His fiery eyes bored a hole into her face; she felt his gaze penetrating her skin even at this distance.

She pulled the soft flesh of her lower lip into her mouth unconsciously and bit it till bled. A coping mechanism for such a harsh situation as it was for her subconscious mind, she tried to control her tears by giving herself pain unconsciously.

But damn the luck! And blame her tears or her life; nothing had been in her control. All her life, Ariana Taylor only wished for peace. Simply peace in her chaotic world. Still, this moment was the very proof of the denial of her pleas. That her wishes were turned down cruelly.

Brutally!

What did she do to deserve every worst in the world?

What was her mistake that she had to receive every such pain that won't go away without seeping deeper into her life?

Sucking in a deep breath, she held back the urge to cry out loud and begged again.

"I'm sorry, Sir, I… I'll…" She still tried to be apologetic for what hadn't been her mistake properly, but it got interrupted one more time only to be thrashed out insensitively.

"Stop right there with your sorry bullshit, Miss Taylor." Kian held his index finger up, cutting her abruptly. "I can't risk my project with you anymore. Hand it over to Michael from here. You are out." Miffed at her, Kian announced in a harsh tone.

Without another glance at her, he sat in his chair, pressing his throbbing temple as he plopped his head to the back of the chair.

Instinctively, a sudden rush of panic surrounded Ariana's face. She feared the loss of her only job. The only source of living for her and her ailing mother. All her ongoing miseries swoon around her eyes. Their landlord won't take another day to throw the two ladies out. Her mother would die in a day on the cold streets of the Bryton City.

Oh, God! The mere thought was terrifying.

Shaking her head frantically, she tried to object to the announcement. "Sir, I'm sorry. I'll do it immaculately this time. Please don't throw me out of the job, Sir," Vulnerability dripped off her tone. Her face twisted as if she would burst out crying the very next moment. Trembling in her position, she stared at her boss with anxiety swirling in her amber eyes.

Kian snapped his eyes open and furrowed his eyebrows. Turning his head towards her, he stared at her in disbelief. Somehow, her appeal did nothing but add to his fury. His sharp jaws clenched as he fumed. "Only if you have forgotten what you have to compensate to me, would you think of getting out of this job, Miss Taylor!" His taunting voice drew her attention to that particular incident two months back, sending a chill down her spine.

The frosty night of December!

Her miseries!

And the life-changing help!

She was as helpless as an ant in the flood. Nothing other than approaching the easier option came to her mind. Ariana still chastised herself for that one decision. But was there any other way left for her to chase?

The answer is no!

Well, again, nothing has been in her control!

Noticing her scared features zoned out for the moment, Kian knew exactly where her mind must be circling. He huffed in annoyance and tapped the table hard to get her back at the moment, "Back to the scene, Madam; I don't have the whole day of your nonsense. Hand this over to Michael and you get me the finance reports by tomorrow. Now, don't come up with any excuses to escape this task." He pointed a finger, glaring at her in a warning. The intensity in those eyes was heated enough to burn her soul, but the girl nodded, taking up the new task eagerly.

"In words, Miss Taylor!" Kian grumbled again, making her flinch one more time. He detested when people answered him with anything less than a vocal response.

"Yes, Sir! I'll get it by tomorrow." She shook her head positively, taking the order the way he expected her to.

Kian then opened his laptop without sparing another glance at her. When he felt she stood still, rooted in her place, he gazed up.

"You can leave now," Kian said with a stoic face, knowing she won't leave until he ordered so. Such was the rule he had set for her since day one. He slid the file to the end closer to Ariana and gestured for her to pick it up.

"Y-yes, Sir!" With the speed of a deer defending herself from her predator, Ariana exited his office, holding the file tightly.

As soon as Ariana reached her cabin, she locked the door. "Huff. Calm down, Ari, you're okay!" she released a long breath that she had held since exiting his cabin.

Tear-dried eyes blinked several times. She gulped a few more, then breathed deeply, allowing her heartbeat to come back to a normal pace.

A visit to Kian's cabin has always been an exhausting adventure for her, in fact, every time.

A few minutes later. She called Michael, the other assistant, to Kian, and handed over the project file to him. Since the man was also keeping tabs on the project, as per their boss' orders, the task was familiar to him.

He took the file from Ariana and left for his cabin, not before expressing his empathy for her. Only this man in the entire office never made fun of her state or the scolds she received from Kian on a regular basis.

After Michael left, Ariana slumped in her chair, closing her eyes for a minute; to have a moment of peaceful breath.

A few seconds were what she got to herself when a loud knock on the door startled her again. Ariana thought to ignore it, but the call of her name made her allow the visitor in. A peon came in with a rushed face and stated hurriedly. "Miss Taylor, Sir has immediately summoned you to the parking lot. He said if you don't reach there in five minutes, consider yourself fired."

At the same time, her phone buzzed with a notification of a text message. Widened eyes of horror already, she turned her gaze to the mobile screen and her heart thumped at a mad pace, reading the name of the sender. Her fingers shivered as she tapped on the screen.

*Four and a half minutes…* The text from Kian read. What frightened Ariana more were the three dots at the end of the text, which meant he was counting every second down.

The peon who was witnessing the scene understood the change of color on her face and tried to advise. "Miss Taylor, I suggest you to—"

"Please shut down my system and manage the cabin before you leave, Joy!" Cutting his words abruptly, Ariana sprang off her chair and fetched her handbag, laptop, and mobile of course before storming out of the cabin.

Without a second glance at Joy, who was now standing out of her cabin, she entered the elevator and punched the button. Joy stood looking at her, disappearing behind the closed doors of elevator and sighed helplessly. "May God give you strength to face the devil!" He mumbled, recalling Kian's red face when he was ordering him.