Free Web NovelChapter 1: Step 1 to Greatness: Wrongful Termination
"You’re fired!"
Those words echoed in Adrian’s ears. After last month’s performance evaluation, he was expecting a promotion. That’s why he wasn’t surprised when called into Director Park’s office.
However, when he entered the office, he saw one of his female coworkers, Elena, there, crying into his corporate rival Richard’s shoulder.
"Director, you called?"
"Called you my ass!" Director Park yelled.
"What...? I don’t—"
Adrian wasn’t even given a moment to understand the situation before being grilled by Director Park for harassing Elena. freewebnovёl.ƈom
Adrian was taken aback by the sudden accusation. He had always considered Elena a friend, and he had even stepped in last night when things were spiraling out of control after a few drinks, and she got handsy with him.
Given his dating history, Adrian knew getting together with her would destroy their friendship, and that was the last thing he wanted, as she was the only person close to him. Hence, he declined her advances and even cheered her up.
Everything was fine last night... so why?
However, the story Elena told Director Park was entirely different. She told everyone that Adrian was a drunken harasser in an alleyway, and Richard, the company’s most eligible bachelor and star employee, was the hero who rescued her from him.
"Director! Believe me, that’s not true!"
Adrian tried to defend himself, but Director Park had already made up his mind. As a result, he was fired from the company to which he had given seven years of his life.
"Be thankful to Elena because even after what you did to her, she asked me not to mention it in your record," Director Park spat. "You’re a disgrace to us! I can’t believe I was about to offer you a promotion today."
It was then that it hit Adrian. He looked at Richard, who had a subtle smirk on his face.
"It is all his plan!" Adrian yelled, pointing a trembling finger at Richard.
Since both of them were running for the promotion, and he lost, Richard must have planned it all to get back at him.
"Director Park, please give me a chance to explain," Ardrian begged. "I’ve been wronged—"
SMACK!
Adrian was shocked when he felt a stinging pain on his cheek. Director Park had just slapped him across the face, shocking even Elena and Richard.
"If your mother weren’t a friend of mine, I would have called the police to throw you out of here," Director Park snarled as he grabbed him by the collar. "Get out of here, you bastard, and never show me your face again!"
Adrian couldn’t even raise his eyes after Director Park slapped him. He had been wronged, but it wasn’t the first time, nor it’d have been the last.
He quietly got out, gathered his things, and left the building. At just twenty-seven years of age, Adrian was tired from his miserable life.
Nothing in his life had ever gone right in his life ever since he turned eighteen. First, his mother died in a car crash trying to protect him.
Then, when his dad married his stepmother, and he finally found a happy family, his stalker attacked him with acid. Adrian’s stepmother had defended him and ended up with neck and lower right jaw getting burned.
That’s when his father sent him away, unable to tolerate the jinx in his life. But soon after, he too passed away in a work accident. His stepmother and stepsister didn’t even inform him about it. He had to learn about it from his former neighbors.
In a lonely world, Adrian had thrown himself into his work only to be unceremoniously thrown out of the workplace on a false accusation.
"...what’s the point of living anymore?"
Adrian walked through the empty streets, his head down and his hand deep into his pocket as he dumped all his stuff on the roadside. His mother has always taught him never to give up, but this time... he couldn’t.
Without warning, raindrops began to fall, gently at first but quickly turning into a steady downpour. Adrian stopped and looked up at the sky.
The rain soaked his face, mingling with the tears he didn’t realize he had been shedding. The cold water felt almost cleansing, but it did little to ease the sadness in his heart.
"Should I end it all?" he mumbled.
The idea of ending it all had been haunting him for years, and now, standing in the rain, it felt more tempting than ever.
"Maybe... it’ll be easier to die and let go of the pain..."
But even as Adrian contemplated jumping into the nearby river, something within him told him to stop. He stood there for a long time, letting the rain wash over him, torn between despair and the faintest glimmer of hope that kept repeating itself in his head in the form of his mother’s words.
"..."
Ultimately, he decided not to take the coward’s way out. He took his expulsion as if life had thrown another lesson his way, and he shrugged as he walked home.
But on his way, he heard a girl’s scream. Without thinking, Adrian ran towards the sound. He turned into a dark alley and saw several men surrounding a woman who was cowering against the wall.
"Leave her alone!" he yelled, rushing forward.
He inserted himself between the girl and the men, hoping it would deter the men from doing anything dangerous. However, they began laughing, and simultaneously, the woman behind him stopped crying.
Before he knew what was happening, the woman kicked his family jewels, and Adrian fell as terrible pain shot through his body.
He looked up only to see the woman fixing her makeup.
"Thanks for falling into our trap, Mr. Savior," She grinned and said. "Here, take this as a reward for your bravery."
The woman leaned in and kissed Adrian’s cheek before walking away. His heart sank as he realized what was happening. It was a setup to lure in unsuspecting men and rob them.
"I don’t have any money on me..." he coughed, trying to deter the men from doing anything rash.
"...check him."
The leader of the goons instructed the underlings, who confirmed that Adrian was broke as hell. The leader frowned, taking a drag of his cigarette.
"What a waste of time. Beat him up!"
The goons advanced on Adrian. He fought back as best he could, but couldn’t do much as he was outnumbered and unarmed.
Fists and kicks rained down on him, and he struggled to get on his feet. One of the attackers, growing impatient, pulled out a knife.
"Enough of this," the man growled. freēwēbηovel.c૦m
In one swift motion, he stabbed Adrian in the side. Pain shot through his body, and he collapsed to the ground. The leader saw it and smacked the man who stabbed Adrian.
"The fuck did you do, bastard! I gave you the knife to scare him, not to stab him, you dumb fuck! Shit, just run, go!"
Scared, they left him lying in the alley to die.
Adrian watched them leave as his energy drained through the wound.
"Fucking hell..." he grumbled, then broke down laughing.
His life had been one absurd tale after another, and now, when he was getting a release, he couldn’t help but laugh, recalling the memories.
As he lay there, his vision blurred, and he felt the cold creeping in. He took one last, shuddering breath, his thoughts drifting to the life he wished he could have lived...
The rain continued to fall, and the alley turned silent once more, save for the sound of raindrops hitting the ground. No one in the world noticed when Adrian’s life slipped away.
...but it wasn’t the end.
As darkness took over, he noticed a light heading his way. At first, he thought it was one of the angels the religious people kept talking about, ready to take his soul to heaven.
Finally... someone who might actually want me!
Instead, the light took the shape of an old man who smacked him across the face.
"Get up, you pathetic brat!"
