"You're FIRED!!"
The voice of Derek's boss could be heard throughout the whole office as Derek sat there, stunned beyond belief.
"But boss! That was not my mistake! This was not my doing!"
Derek had to defend himself this time. Throughout his employment, all his colleagues have picked on him and played politics because he was too nice a person.
Even his boss enjoyed picking on him. Everyone in the office had time and again schemed against him to make him look bad in front of everyone in the office, including visitors.
On this day, they had a VIP guest visiting the office. Derek's boss has always wanted to work with this VIP. As usual, Derek's colleagues set him up for failure.
Derek had sent a copy of what was supposed to be the final draft of the partnership contract for his boss and the VIP to sign. What he didn't know was that the contract was shredded and placed back into the leather folder.
"I don't care!!!! You caused this mess and embarrassment!! Pack your stuff and leave! and don't even think of getting paid!!!" screamed Derek's boss....well, now ex-boss.
In his heart, to say that Derek was fuming was perhaps the greatest understatement. Yet, he kept his calm, apologized to the VIP visitor and proceeded to pack his belongings.
On his way out, his now ex-colleagues applauded and cheered at him, obviously making fun of him.
"Best of luck in your future endeavours, LOSER!!!" mocked Desmond, the one who set Derek up.
That was breaking point for Derek. He slammed his box of belongings on the floor. The sound from the box being slammed on the floor was so loud that the whole office went silent.
In an instant, Derek stormed straight up to Desmond and stop so they were literally face to face, a palm's distance from each other.
Deep down, Derek wanted to punch Desmond in the face so badly. Instead, he said something that no one expected a fired staff to say.
"I don't need the luck. You do. Don't forget, you still have to work for that fat a*****le."
"You guys think you got rid of me. Truth is, you all did me a favour. I don't have to look at all your pathetic faces anymore. Thanks, idiots!"
With that, Derek smiled, turned away from Desmond, picked his box of belongings and walked out of, in Derek's mind, the crappy, unethical, immoral office, thankfully for the last time.
In life, Derek had always been the victim. He was never accepted in any place and phase in his life.
In school, Derek was always bullied and outcasted by his schoolmates just because they felt like it. The teachers were no better, punishing him for things that he didn't do wrong.
At work, he was constantly picked on, not just in his last job but all jobs before that too.
Even his foster family and relatives would find ways to hold Derek back. This happened ever since Derek's foster parents passed away when he was five years old.
His foster family, the Smith family, run a very successful business called DreamSmiths and lived in a big house in Townsville.
The head of the family, Madam Louise Smith is mother of three sons, Dave, Raymond and Derek's foster father Edward. Madam Louise is also grandmother to two grandsons: Charles and Mason from Dave and his wife Lois, and three granddaughters Chloe, Madison and Juri from Raymond and his wife Pam.
After Derek's foster father Edward and his wife Emma passed away due to a very deadly sickness, Derek was made to be the family's servant.
Easy to say, Derek led a hard life.
As Derek made his way back to his foster family's house, a sense of reality and worry flooded his thoughts.
He was just fired from his job. Where was he going to find work now?
Just as Derek approached the Smith mansion, he was in for a rude shock.
There was a worn, half opened suitcase at the gate of the mansion. In it was Derek's clothes.
"WHAT IS THIS?!?!?!?" yelled Derek. "WHAT ARE MY CLOTHES DOING OUT HERE?!?!"
"Hey! Shut up loser!!!"
Standing at the other side of the gate was Chloe, one of Madam Lewis's granddaughters.
"I heard that you were fired from your job! What further use are you to this family you loser leech?" mocked Chloe.
Derek looked up and saw the rest of the family standing at a distance, with mocking and disgusted looks on their faces.
"Your ex-colleague Desmond is a close friend of Charles. He told Charles about you. That's how we knew, loser."
Chloe continued, "Since you are a jobless loser, we don't need you ruining our family reputation. Take your stuff and get lost!"
Derek, absolutely enraged at the situation, picked up the suitcase. Before he turned to leave, he looked at the Smith family one last time with the utmost contempt and anger.
"Remember this moment, Chloe! The Smith family will fall; and I will be alive to witness it" said Derek, his teeth gritting with rage as he said it.
As Derek turned to leave for the nearest bus stop, he could hear the Smith family mocking him and calling him a loser repeatedly.
'Just you wait, Smith family. You will get yours. You too Desmond!' thought Derek.