Veiled Vengeance

chapter 28 (The Shock of Retrenchment News)

at Sarah's office...

Sarah returned to the office, only to be met with shocking news. She was given a notice that she had 15 days to turn over her responsibilities to the person who would replace her. 

Sarah: (shocked, holding the termination letter) What... what is this? I'm being fired?

HR Manager: (apologetic) Sarah, we've given it careful consideration, but your habitual absence from work has led to this decision. We're sorry.

Sarah: (bewildered) Habitual absence? I don't understand. I've been coming to work regularly.

HR Manager: (consulting a file) According to our records, you've exceeded the allowable number of absences over the past few months. It's become a pattern.

Sarah: (frustrated) I've been dealing with personal issues, and I've communicated with my supervisor about it. This can't be happening.

HR Manager: (sympathetic) We understand that life can be challenging, but consistent attendance is a crucial part of maintaining the efficiency of the team.

Sarah: (desperate) Can't we find another solution? I need this job.

HR Manager: (regretful) We've reached this decision after multiple discussions, Sarah. I'm sorry, but you have 15 days to transition your responsibilities to the person who will be taking over.

Sarah: (near tears) This is so unfair. I'm trying to deal with everything in my personal life, and now I'm losing my job.

HR Manager: (softly) We sympathize with your situation, Sarah. If there's anything we can assist you with during this transition, please let us know.

Sarah: (muttering to herself) I never expected my life to unravel like this.

Sarah, feeling depressed and confused, sat at her desk in disbelief, wondering why everything seemed to collapse abruptly. In the solitude of her thoughts, she expressed her emotions through a tearful dialogue with herself:

Sarah: (whispering, tearfully) Why is this happening? What did I do to deserve this?

(Deep sigh)

Sarah: Everything was already so challenging, and now this? It feels like my world is collapsing, and I can't make sense of any of it.

(Taking a moment to collect herself)

Sarah: I was trying to hold on, to keep everything together. Why did it have to unravel like this? I feel so lost.

(Tears streaming down her face)

Sarah: It's like a storm hit without warning, and I'm left here, trying to pick up the pieces. What did I miss?

(Reflecting on the situation)

Sarah: I thought I was managing, communicating about my struggles. How did it come to this? Abrupt and heart-wrenching.

(Feeling overwhelmed)

Sarah: Now, it's like I'm drowning in confusion and despair. How do I navigate through this sudden darkness?

(Wiping away tears)

Sarah: I need to find a way to understand, to breathe. This is just a chapter, right? It can't be the whole story.

(Holding onto hope, despite the pain)

Sarah, determined to seek reconsideration, approached her manager to discuss her termination. However, the manager explained that the decision was made by the board, leading to a difficult conversation: