—---
John O'Connor woke up with a sense of dread, his old bed creaking in protest as he sat up. The sound of heavy rain pounding against the roof was a stark reminder of the miserable day ahead. He grumbled to himself, noticing raindrops leaking through the roof, and lay back down, thinking about the long day of work ahead. Three jobs, all in this terrible weather.
"Ugh, why me?" John muttered to himself, throwing off the covers.
As the rain finally began to clear, John got out of bed and prepared for the day. On his way out the door, his eyes landed on a picture frame - the last photo of him and his ex-girlfriend. He kicked it to the floor, feeling a surge of annoyance.
"Stupid memories," John growled, shaking his head. "Why do I still have this? She's gone, and I'm still stuck in this miserable life."
He took a deep breath and tried to shake off the lingering emotions. He couldn't afford to be late for his first job, working as a waiter at a popular restaurant.
As he arrived at the restaurant, his manager, Mr. Thompson, greeted him with a stern expression.
"John, you're running late. Get to work, and don't disappoint me today," his voice firm but concerned.
"Yes, sir. Sorry, sir," John replied, hurrying to put on his apron and get to work.
The day was chaotic, with a constant stream of demanding customers. John did his best to keep up, but it seemed like everything was going wrong. Spilled drinks, forgotten orders, and a never-ending stream of complaints.
—---
Just when he thought it couldn't get any worse, a difficult customer stormed in, his face red with anger.
John approached the table, his notepad and pen at the ready. "Welcome, sir! What can I get for you today?"
The man looked up from his phone, his eyes narrowing. "Just a coffee. Black."
John nodded and scribbled down the order. "Coming right up, sir."
He hurried off to prepare the coffee, his mind racing with the demands of the busy restaurant. When he returned with the steaming cup, the man took one sip and scowled.
"This is terrible!" he exclaimed, his voice booming across the restaurant. "You call this coffee? It's weak and lukewarm!"
John's heart sank as the man's insults began to flow. "You're a slowpoke, can't even get an order right! What's wrong with you, kid? You stupid or something?"
John felt a surge of anger, but he bit his tongue, trying to remain professional. "I'm sorry, sir. Let me get you a new cup, right away."
But the man just laughed, a harsh, mocking sound. "A new cup? You think that's going to fix it? You're a joke, kid. A complete and utter failure!"
John's face burned with shame as the man's insults continued to rain down. He knew he didn't deserve this kind of treatment, but he couldn't defend himself. He just stood there, taking the abuse, feeling like a small, helpless child.
John picked up the cup and rushed to get another one, his heart racing with anxiety. When he brought it to the man, he took another sip and then hurled the cup at John, barely missing his head.
"You're a pathetic excuse for a waiter!" the man spat, his face red with rage. "You can't even get a simple order right! You're a waste of space!"
The cup shattered on the floor, and the restaurant fell silent, all eyes on the scene unfolding before them. John's face burned with shame and fear, but he still managed to bow his head and apologize.
"I'm so sorry, sir. Please accept my apologies."
The man's face turned purple with anger, but he stormed out of the restaurant, leaving John shaken and humiliated. The other customers looked on in shock, some of them whispering to each other in disbelief.
John's manager, Mr. Thompson, rushed over to the scene, his face stern. "John, what happened?"
John explained the situation, still trying to process the man's vicious behavior.
The manager scolded John, his face red with anger. "You're a jinx, John! You always drive away customers! If you're not happy here, then maybe you should just leave!"
John felt a stinging sensation in his eyes as tears pricked at the corners. "I'm sorry, sir. It's not my fault," he protested, his voice shaking.
The manager's expression turned mocking. "Not your fault? You're always apologizing, John. Maybe it's time to take responsibility for your mistakes. You're a liability to this restaurant!"
John felt a surge of anger, but he bit his tongue, trying to remain professional. "I understand, sir. But please, give me another chance. I'll do better, I promise."
The manager snorted. "Another chance? You've had plenty of chances, John. You're just not cut out for this job. Maybe you should consider a different line of work."
John felt a heavy weight settle in his chest. He knew he couldn't afford to lose this job, but it seemed like everything was conspiring against him. He nodded, feeling humiliated and defeated. "Yes, sir. I understand."
The manager turned away, dismissing John with a wave of his hand. John felt a tear roll down his cheek, but he quickly brushed it away, trying to maintain some dignity. He knew he had to find a way to turn things around, but for now, he just felt like a failure.
—---
After a long and tiring day, John trudged up the stairs to his apartment, his eyes fixed on the door as if willing it to open and swallow him whole. He ignored the other tenants staring at him with disgust, their faces a blur as he passed by. This lousy apartment was all he could afford, and he knew they judged him for it.
As he scrambled for his keys and tried to open the door, his phone suddenly pinged! He froze, his heart sinking as he saw the text message from his landlord: "Final Notice".
John's heart sank as he read the words on his old mobile screen. "No, no, no...this can't be happening," he whispered, feeling like he was drowning in a sea of misfortune, with no lifeline in sight.
------The message confirmed his fear. The landlord had sent him an ultimatum text that if he doesn’t pay his rent soon, he would be kicked out. He was given just one week to make the payment.John stood in silence, thinking desperately of what to do. His salary wasn't due to be paid till next two weeks and he was currently broke.There was no savings left as he had spent the little bonuses he got on groceries. What was he going to do?As he thought about this, he suddenly reasoned perhaps he could borrow some money. But he wasn't on good terms with his neighbors as they all despise him for his miserable state.“I need to think of something or I will be thrown out. But what?” he thought as he paced back and forth in his run down apartment. “If I don’t pay my rent, that heartless landlord of mine wouldn’t hesitate to kick me out. And I’ll be out on the street.”The thought of being out on the street gave John shivers. He knew that he had to come up with a way to pay up his rent.The fa
------John was overwhelmed and thanked Mrs. Nora with a nod before heading back to his apartment. "Thank you, Mrs. Nora...I don't know what I would do without your help," he whispered, his voice barely audible.He ignored the other neighbors' accusing gazes and rushed back into his apartment, his eyes cast down. As he entered, he quickly typed a message to his landlord on his phone: "I'll send your payment tomorrow."The landlord replied with a sarcastic tone, and John's face burned with humiliation as he read the words on his screen. "Did you borrow money again? Aren't you ashamed of yourself? Well, I actually don't care as long as you pay my rent."John felt a surge of anger and frustration, but he knew there was nothing he could do. "Why can't they just leave me alone?" he muttered, feeling tears prick at the corners of his eyes. He slammed his phone on the table, making the dishes rattle, and stormed into the kitchen, grabbing the first thing he could find to eat - a stale cookie
------John hailed a cab and gave the driver the address, his eyes fixed on the piece of paper in his hand. The cab finally pulled up to the address, and John got out, his hands shaking slightly as he paid the fare.He looked up at the building, his eyes widening in awe. It was massive, easily three stories tall, with a high ceiling and tall windows. John had never seen anything like it before. "Who could possibly live in such a big, fancy house?" he thought, his mind racing with questions. "Was Mrs. Nora wealthy? I certainly had no idea."He walked towards the door, his footsteps slow and deliberate, and knocked. Bang! Bang!! The sound echoed through the silence. After a few seconds, the door was opened by a tall and apparently well-fed man, who burst into a wide smile when he saw John."Hi, John. I'm so glad you could make it. Please, come in," the man exclaimed, his voice warm and welcoming. He gestured for John to enter the magnificent villa, his arm sweeping wide like a host ushe
-------John sat there, frozen in confusion, as Davis walked away to answer his phone. He couldn't make sense of what was happening. Who was he, really? What position was he supposed to take back? And what did Davis mean by "shake the tech world like you did years ago"?Davis returned and sat back down, his expression apologetic. "Sorry about that." He gestured to his phone, still clutched in his hand. "I had to take it. It was an important call."He noticed John's confused and unconvinced expression and leaned forward, his eyes intense. "Five years ago, people in the tech world would tremble at the mention of your name." He began to speak, his words pouring out in a passionate torrent.John's eyes widened, his mind racing with questions. Davis's words were like a puzzle piece, fitting into place with a satisfying click.Davis's hands gestured animatedly as he spoke. "You were considered one of the most brilliant minds in the industry. You developed groundbreaking technologies and cre
—----After the contract signing, John was escorted to his new luxurious apartment by Michael. As they entered, a smooth, melodic voice filled the air."Welcome, John O'Connor."John's eyes widened in surprise, and he spun around, trying to locate the source of the voice. He looked at Michael with a hint of fear in his eyes.Michael chuckled and nodded reassuringly. "That's just the AI voice device, John. It's been programmed to assist you with anything you need."John looked around the room, still trying to wrap his head around the sudden greeting. He took a step forward, his curiosity piqued. "Hey, AI...what's your name?""Hello, John. My name is Nova. I'm here to help you with any questions or tasks you may have. How may I assist you today?" The voice seemed to come from all around him, and John turned around, trying to locate the source.John's eyes lit up with excitement. He nodded eagerly, his hands gesturing as he spoke. "Nova, huh? Well, Nova, can you show me around this place
—---John grabbed his suit and went out of his new apartment with Finn and Michael. Michael left them and went his way, while Finn helped John into the car and drove to the showroom.As they arrived, Finn opened the car door for John and they both got out. Finn gestured towards the showroom, "We're here, John. This is one of the best showrooms in the city."John nodded, straightening his suit, and they walked in. A salesperson greeted them with a fake smile, her eyes scanning John's suit. "May I help you?" she asked, her tone condescending.Finn spoke up, "We'd like to register a membership to buy a car."The salesperson raised an eyebrow, her expression mocking. "You want to register as a member here?" She emphasized the word "member" as if it was a joke.John's face flushed, but Finn remained calm, his expression firm. "Yes, that's right."The salesperson snickered, glancing at John's suit again. "Did you check the sign before coming? The lowest membership costs a million dollars."
—-----After the whole charade at the showroom, John leaves in a Bentley as Finn drives him to work. Finn's friendly demeanor puts John at ease as he briefs him on things to expect at work, his schedule, and other things.As they drive, Finn glances over at John and says, "So, you're going to have a busy day ahead of you." He smiles reassuringly."I know it's going to be a lot of information to take in, but just try to relax and enjoy the ride. And feel free to ask me any questions you have. I'm here to help."John nods, taking a deep breath and trying to relax. He turns to face Finn, his eyes locked on the driver. "Okay, so what's first on the agenda?" he asks, his voice laced with a hint of curiosity.Finn's eyes flicker to the rearview mirror as he responds, "Well...um, first we're going to head to your new office and get you set up there. Then we'll take you around the company to learn more about Eon Innovations." He pauses, his hands moving deftly over the steering wheel. "You'll
—----John walked out of his office and into the bright sunlight, his phone already in hand. He dialed Rachel's number, his eyes scanning the parking lot for Finn and the car."Hey Rachel, it's John. I need to reschedule our meeting for an hour later. Something urgent has come up," he said, his voice firm but apologetic."Okay, no problem sir. Is everything all right?" Rachel asked, her voice filled with concern.John nodded, even though she couldn't see him. "Yeah, everything's fine. I just need to take care of something."He ended the call and spotted Finn waiting by the car. "Hey Finn, I need to go to an address. It's an old apartment of mine."Finn raised an eyebrow but didn't say anything. He started the engine and drove off into the streets. When they arrived at the address, Finn stared at the building, then back at the GPS, wondering if it was the wrong address. But the GPS indicated they were at the right destination. He looked at John from the rearview mirror, confusion etche