Working Under Mr. Black (Boys of Chicago Series 1) - SAMPLE

Chapter 1

"What's happening?" I asked Yena as I arrived at the office tonight. The whole office is in chaos. Everyone is frantic and panicking like something bad is going to happen. Yena and my other friends are all crying.

I work in a telecommunications agency as a customer service representative for about two years now. It is my main job as I have a side line in a café near my apartment.

Yena went to me and hugged me while crying. "Big Boss is going to jail because of tax evasion! And now, the investigators are in his office. Team leader says the whole telco will stop operating starting today."

My eyes widened at what she said. Mr. Penthone, aka Big Boss, is known to be a diligent tax payer! How can this happen now? More than anything, I can't believe that this is even true!

"What are we going to do now, Heaven?" Yena bawled as she hugged me tighter.

I understand why Yena is this devastated. Her mom is in the hospital because of a weak heart. Her insurance is the only thing saving her mom. And now that our job is going to be taken away, how could she help her mother?

I tried to console her. "Don't worry. You'll get another job soon," I told her.

But that didn't make her feel better at all. She cried even more.

I sighed and just hugged her. I don't know her pain. I shouldn't be the one to talk.

The door of Mr. Penthone's office opened and the investigators came out of it one by one. Mr. Penthone came out last with two police men tailing him. He told something to his secretary before being dragged by the police.

Mr. Billy, Big Boss' secretary, walked to the bulletin board and posted a notice. With the way I see it, I think it's the memo that the office will be shut down starting tomorrow.

Mr. Billy sighed and faced us. "I have a memorandum from Mr. Penthone," he started. "This is to announce the sudden closure of this company effective tomorrow morning, Tuesday, March 28, 2017. In line with this, all employees will receive their monthly salary with corresponding bonuses."

He, then, took out several envelopes from his bag and called out our name one by one. That's the salary and the bonuses. We can't really do anything about this now. This is all prepared. We don't have any other choice.

After getting the envelopes one by one, we all emptied our tables, taking everything we own.

My heart is so heavy as I packed my things. This job has been my main source of living for two years. And now that I have lost it, I need to look for another job that's going to pay me as much or even much more than this.

We all walked home dejected and sad. From here, most of us don't know how to start again. My colleagues even stayed in the company longer than me. They have dedicated their lives on the telco. And now, it closed suddenly. It's like losing one portion of their lives in a blink of an eye.

I sighed and walked home. Normally, walking makes me think clearly. But this time, it only made me think about the uncertainties in this life. I've thought that job is my life line so now, I feel like I'm not going to push through life again. How will I be able to start again?

Will I be in the slump again?

"You only have until this Friday of this week to settle your dues or I will be forced to kick you out of the building, Heaven." Mrs. Oliver's words were marked with finality.

I nodded and sighed as I fixed my sling bag that's been looking older than me. I've been out the whole day to look for another job because the current one I have now isn't paying me enough to afford to eat three times a day. How can I expect it to pay for my rent, too?