The Ultimate Heir.

Chapter five

Mr. Crassus diverted his attention from the desktop computer to Zale and affirmed, "Yes, I called you. A prominent client has requested the delivery of some goods, and it'll be your job to make the delivery. Your regular duties that day will be handled by someone else. Is that clear to you?"

When Zale heard this unexpected news, he was confused for a brief moment.

The sudden change in his assigned task caught him off guard and left him momentarily surprised and conflicted.

Zale couldn't help but wonder why his boss had chosen him of all people to make the delivery for such a high-profile customer.

The thought crossed his mind, and he pondered the reasons for this decision, trying to understand the reason behind Mr. Crassus' choice.

Considering that there were many capable delivery people in the company, including some who were possibly better than he was, Zale pondered the reasons behind Mr. Crassus' decision to give him this job.

Also, given the previous instances in which Mr. Crassus had expressed displeasure with Zale's tardiness; it was reasonable to assume that his boss would likely harbor some level of anger toward him.

Zale expected possible consequences and braced himself for a possible reprimand from Mr. Crassus, but that wasn't the case.

According to the company policy, delivery agents received an incentive in the form of higher pay if they successfully made deliveries for high-profile customers and made a positive impression, which earned the company positive feedback. This policy aimed to motivate and reward agents for their efforts in maintaining good relationships with valued customers and improving the company's reputation.

It's not uncommon for many delivery agents to clamor for the opportunity to make deliveries for high-profile customers. The lure of higher pay and the prospect of additional perks motivate agents to go the extra mile to secure such assignments. The financial benefits associated with delivering to high-profile customers often prompt delivery agents to strive for service excellence, as it's a lucrative way to improve their income.

Zale couldn't quite understand why Mr. Crassus would assign him to deliver goods to a prominent customer without apparent fuss or hesitation. Given Zale's previous experience with strictures and rebukes, it seemed unusual that he'd be so readily entrusted with such an important assignment.

Zale couldn't help but feel some confusion and was curious about the reasoning behind this decision.

"If you have no further questions, take this order number and get the appropriate goods from the order room. You may leave now," Crassus elucidated, handing Zale a small slip of paper with the unique order number for the assigned goods.

"May I ask something, sir?" Zale gathered his courage and addressed his question to Mr. Crassus.

"Go ahead, but be brief and to the point. I've no intention of wasting my time with individuals like you," Crassus replied dismissively, not bothering to shift his gaze to Zale.

Undeterred by this insult, Zale continued with the question that was burning in his mind.

"Why are you entrusting me with this task? Weren't you angry with me this morning?" Asked Zale directly, not sugarcoating his words.

Crassus paused, his gaze narrowing as he looked at Zale. "Isn't it obvious? I'm giving you this opportunity because I want to help you. You're clearly in need of it. People like you, with your pathetic existence, deserve a chance. But don't think for a moment that this act of generosity means you can slack off. I expect you to treat this job as if your pathetic life depended on it. Now get the hell out of my office!"

Not wanting to hear another word from Zale, Crassus abruptly waved his hand to signal his dismissal.

Zale took a deep breath and tried to shake off the encounter with his boss.

He walked down to the second floor where the order room was located, determined to focus on the task at hand.

When Zale entered the ordering room, he headed straight for the automatic ordering machine. He quickly punched in the order number his boss had given him, eager to retrieve the detail of the high-profile customer's order.

A few seconds later, the order details popped out on the screen of the machine.

Zale's eyebrows drew together in confusion as he read the description of the goods to be delivered. The order mentioned a necklace worth only two hundred dollars. That seemed incredibly cheap to him for an item that was considered high-end. He couldn't help but question the accuracy of the information.

The discrepancy between the expected value of the shipment and the actual value made him wonder.

He wondered if it was a mistake or if there was more to the story than appeared.

Feeling skeptical, Zale decided to proceed cautiously and gather more information before making any assumptions.

'A high-profile client couldn't have possibly ordered something so cheap, right? It just doesn't make sense. Things don't seem right.

Slowly, he began to realize that everything about this task seemed suspicious.

First, his boss gave him the task without him asking for it, despite knowing he would earn more from it.

To make matters worse, the items that were supposed to be delivered to this supposedly important client turned out to be nothing but a necklace valued at a mere two hundred dollars.

The pieces of the puzzle didn't fit together, intensifying his suspicions even further.

Zale's mind was suddenly struck by a thought: "Could this be a plot to eliminate me? It's the only explanation for how easily this task was assigned to me."

As he pondered over it further, the idea started to make more sense to him, and before long, he became completely convinced that it was indeed the situation at hand.

Since his boss held a strong dislike for him, he had no motivation to oppose his demise, regardless of the absence of any monetary incentive.

"If that was their intended plan for me, then they've failed," Zale muttered, a mix of excitement and sadness in his voice. "I know that fool wouldn't assign me this task so readily. He must have had a hidden agenda. Too bad for them, their scheme didn't work."

If he refused to deliver the package, it was highly probable that he would face termination from his job. Zale speculated that his boss had likely received a substantial sum of money for this operation, making him all the more agitated if he discovered that his scheme had been unsuccessful.

However, a sudden realization crossed his mind, instantly dispelling the sadness. "In the grand scheme of things, my life is far more significant than this wretched job. Besides, this is not the only employment opportunity available in this country. Given enough time, I am confident that I will secure another job."

Without a moment's hesitation, he discarded the piece of paper bearing the order number and swiftly exited the room designated for orders.

While making his way out, he coincidentally encountered Elrod in the hallway. The latter was en route to collect additional packages.

"Hey, man, did you meet with the boss? What did he say?" Elrod asked, curious.

"Nothing much, just business," he replied with a straight face. He hesitated for a moment before he finally said, "I'm afraid I won't be able to continue working here. I'm actively seeking another job. I wanted to let you know as a friend. Hopefully, our paths will cross again."

Without waiting for Elrod's response, Zale proceeded on his path. He stepped into the elevator, descended the building, and departed from the company without looking back.

Elrod, on the other hand, stood frozen in disbelief. He couldn't fathom what he had just heard.

Did Zale really say that he would no longer be working at the company?

He was overcome with such astonishment that he couldn't muster the courage to inquire why Zale had decided to leave.

"This must be a joke. He can't simply quit out of the blue. Perhaps the boss assigned him a special mission. I'm certain he'll return tomorrow," Elrod attempted to reassure himself, although his own words were already starting to sound doubtful.

Gazing at the now-empty elevator where Zale had departed, Elrod pondered the idea of pursuing him to gather more information. However, after careful consideration, he opted against it.

He reasoned that Zale might be playing a prank, and in any case, he had a significant number of packages to deliver to customers.

"I really hope this is just a joke," he muttered under his breath. With those words, he proceeded to the order room and resumed his work, setting aside any further thoughts about the situation.

...

Once Zale exited the company premises, he headed straight to the nearest cafeteria.

Taking a seat at an unoccupied table, he ordered a cold coffee, seeking solace in its soothing properties.

He recognized the necessity to compose his racing thoughts and regain clarity. After all, it appeared that he had narrowly evaded a dangerous situation - or at least it seemed that way.

While savoring his coffee, a thought crossed Zale's mind. "That fool might attempt to contact me soon."

With a determined gesture, he retrieved his phone, located his boss's number, and blocked it.

[Contact blocked.]

Satisfied with his decision, he returned the phone to his pocket and resumed enjoying his coffee, hoping for a moment of respite from any further unwelcome communications.

While quietly sipping his coffee, Zale's phone received a notification that instantly stirred his emotions. Curiosity piqued, he opened the message to discover a reminder from his phone's calendar.

"How could I've forgotten what today is? Wherever he is, that old man would be disappointed in me," Zale murmured, his voice laden with deep emotion.

Today marked the anniversary of his foster father's passing, and it was his duty to pay a visit to his grave at the cemetery.