Suddenly, I Am Rich

The next day, Will finally stepped into the grocery store’s building.

He had been staying in his place since Saturday.

As he walked down the hallway leading to his ’office’, his movements were slow. He couldn’t help but look at every corner as if scared that he was being watched as he walked.

His posture was also different. It was obvious that he was less confident. Still, there was cockiness in the way he walked. It was as if he knew, at the back of his mind, that he still had a way out of this problem.

The door to the administrative office opened when he arrived.

Will hovered at the entrance.

His eyes scanned the office, as if expecting someone else to be there. When he didn’t see Gray, only Marcus, who was seated calmly behind the desk with a folder in hand, his shoulders dropped slightly.

”...Sir Marcus,” Will muttered, stepping in slowly.

Marcus didn’t stand. He simply closed the folder in front of him and looked up.

”You’re here.”

Will nodded once. He hesitated a little near the doorway.

There was a silent pause for him before he could fully step forward. The tone of Will’s voice had become calmer, more careful, and quieter.

”I... wanted to talk, Sir. If you’re not too busy.”

Marcus didn’t answer right away. He simply gestured to the chair across from him.

Will walked over and sat down slowly. He kept his eyes low for a moment, then looked up.

”I’ve been thinking about what happened,” he began. ”And I realized... I might’ve crossed a line that day.”

His voice was light. Almost pitiful. Like someone trying to sound remorseful for his actions.

”I’ve worked here for a long time, Sir,” Will continued. ”I admit I got carried away, and I wasn’t thinking clearly that day. It’s not who I am, I swear. I just— I was stressed, and things got messy.”

Marcus watched him quietly, and the expression on his face was unreadable.

”I never meant to embarrass the store, or the staff, or the customer,” Will continued to over explain his side. ”I know I was out of line, but I just... I want to make things right.”

He leaned forward slightly, hands resting together on his lap.

”If there’s anything I can do to fix it... anything to make up for what I did, I’m willing to do it, Sir.”

The office stayed quiet for a few seconds.

Marcus finally spoke.

”The investigation is complete,” he said plainly. ”Your hearing is scheduled for Friday morning. Until then, you are to remain on paid suspension. This—” he slid the folder toward Will, ”—is the formal notice.”

Will didn’t touch it right away.

His brows twitched.

”...Sir, with all due respect,” he said slowly, ”don’t you think this is a little much? I already said I was sorry.”

”That’s not the point,” Marcus replied. ”There were witnesses, Will. Clear footage. Verbal abuse. Public humiliation. That’s not a minor mistake. That’s misconduct.”

Will was silent.

Then he picked up the folder slowly, flipping it open.

His eyes scanned the top of the page.

He didn’t say anything for a while.

But when he finally spoke again, his tone was different.

”...I see,” Will muttered. ”So this is how it’s going to be.”

Marcus remained silent.

Will let out a short breath, no longer pretending to be as nice as he was.

”I’ve worked in this place for years, Sir” he said with his voice low. ”I handled problems. Covered for others. Did more than what I was paid for.”

Marcus’s eyes stayed fixed on him.

”And now some outsider walks in and suddenly I’m the villain?” Will’s voice cracked a little, but it wasn’t from guilt. It was from anger. ”You really think this is fair, Sir?”

Marcus finally leaned forward.

”As far as I’m concerned, we’re being fair, Will”

Will clenched his jaw. His hands were now gripping the edge of the folder tightly.

He didn’t yell.

He didn’t curse.

But the look in his eyes said everything.

”...You’ll regret this,” he muttered under his breath.

Marcus heard it.

But didn’t flinch.

Instead, he closed his own notebook and stood.

”Read the documents. Prepare your statement. That’s all I’ll say for now.”

Will slowly stood as well.

He gave a short bow. It was stiff, shallow and insincere.

”Yes, Sir.”

Then he turned and left the office without another word.

Marcus remained in place as he watched the man go. He simply sat back down and reached for his phone.

The line rang once before Gray answered on the other end.

”He received the notice already,” Marcus said.

Gray’s voice came through the other line in an instant. ”And?”

”He played humble. For about two minutes. Then turned threatening.”

”Hmm... oh well,” Gray muttered. ”Let’s move forward.”

”Yes, Sir,” Marcus replied.

He put the phone down, reached for the hearing documents once more, and quietly underlined the date at the top of the page.

Friday

It was only two days away.

And Marcus knew one thing for sure.

With his threat, Will wasn’t going to go down quietly.

— — —

Will didn’t go home.

He didn’t return to the store either.

Instead, he sat in the café across the street, with the hearing notice resting unopened in front of him like a threat.

He didn’t want to look at it.

He already knew what it would say.

It was real now. Not just a warning.

He knew that he could lose everything.

All because of that one moment. That one fucking kid.

’Fuck that man!’ he clenched his jaw and pressed his lips together. He could feel his hands shaking due to anger.

’And that bullshit of a boss...’

Gray.

Will gritted his teeth and rubbed his forehead.

That smug bastard had planned it all, didn’t he?

He must’ve been waiting for Will to mess up. Watching him. Setting him up!

Gray hadn’t even been here that long.

Heck, he was here just for a week! And yet here he was—writing memos, handing out policies, submitting reports like he’d been running the place for years.

’That fucking bastard...’

Will slammed his palm against the table, drawing a glance from the barista but he didn’t care.

His phone buzzed on the table. He picked it up.

A message from an unknown number.

[Unknown]: Sit tight. You’re not alone in this. He won’t be there long. We already called the man you encountered. We’ll do everything for him to take back his statement.

Will stared at the text.

His heart calmed down just a little.

A slow grin tugged at his lips.

Right. He almost forgot.

He had backup.

’Let’s see how long you last, Gray,’ he thought to himself. ’You might be in charge now, but you don’t know who you’re up against.’