Chapter 2

Her barrage of yelling left me momentarily stunned.

That’s when I remembered—Julie had been hitching rides in my car to and from work for almost six months now.

We lived in the same neighborhood, and about a week after I started at the company, I realized my direct supervisor lived just across the hall.

Out of politeness, I offered her a ride one morning.

I didn’t think much of it at the time—but from that day on, she latched onto me like I was her personal driver.

I’ve never been one to make a fuss, so I let it slide. After all, she was my boss, and it wasn’t exactly out of my way.

But now, hearing her demand that I cancel my leave and prioritize her commute? It was like she genuinely believed I existed just to chauffeur her around.

My dad, who had been sitting nearby, noticed my darkening expression and opened his mouth to speak. I quickly shot him a look, silently telling him to hold back.

Instead, I grabbed my phone, took a screenshot of my approved leave request, and sent it to Julie with a calm message:

“Julie, I’m not skipping work. My leave was approved by Mr. Reed. You can check the system if you don’t believe me.”

Her reply came almost immediately, and it was just as aggressive as before.

“Don’t try to pull rank on me with Mr. Reed. I’m your direct supervisor, and you report to me! I’ll say it one more time—get your ass back here now. This is your only chance.”

“And tomorrow morning, at 8:30 sharp, I better see your car waiting for me. Do you understand?”

Her entitlement was so absurd, I actually laughed.

What a power trip.

I took a moment to breathe deeply, trying to remind myself to stay calm. After all, I’d worked hard for over a year, and permanent employment was just within reach. A little patience now wouldn’t kill me.

I forced myself to respond politely.

“Julie, I’m sorry, but my car’s being used as the wedding car this weekend. I really can’t bring it back.”

“You might need to grab a cab for the next two days. I apologize for the inconvenience.”

Our neighborhood is well-connected, and it’s easy to hail a ride. Plus, the company provides a monthly transportation stipend for city commutes. It wasn’t like I was asking for the moon and stars.

But my calm tone only seemed to fuel her rage.

“What do you mean, I should take a cab?!” she snapped.

“Emma, don’t let your little achievements go to your head. Do you even know your place?”

“Let me make this clear—if I don’t approve your leave, you don’t get to take it. I don’t care if someone in your family died! You don’t just waltz out of here whenever you feel like it!”

“And if you’re not back tomorrow, don’t bother showing up again. Just pack up your things and leave.”

Her voice practically exploded through the phone, every word sharp and cutting.

Does she think I’m some pushover?

Even the most patient person has their limits, and mine had just been crossed. I was about to shoot back a response when, suddenly, she hung up.

And then she blocked me.

Blocked. Me.

I stared at my phone in disbelief, anger simmering in my chest.

My dad, who had been trying to remain calm, finally lost it. His thick eyebrows knitted together as he fumed.

“Didn’t your mom say your boss was supposed to be a decent person? Listen to the way she talks! How could anyone treat their employee like this?”

“And to think I let Old Xu help with their sales targets. She repays us by cursing at my daughter?”

I gave him a wry smile and shrugged. “Guess you never really know someone. She seemed nice enough at first.”

It was true. When I first started, Julie had been charming and approachable. But somewhere along the way, her true colors had come out. The more leniency I gave her, the more she pushed, taking advantage of my kindness.

My dad grumbled under his breath and then asked, “Do you want me to help you find another job? You don’t have to put up with this.”

I quickly shook my head.

This was my mess to deal with. I’d let her walk all over me, and now I was paying the price.

It was time to grow up. I couldn’t rely on my dad to fix all my problems forever. If I wanted to make it in this world, I’d have to learn how to stand my ground.

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