“Attention, shoppers,” I spoke into the microphone with my most charismatic newscaster voice. “I’d like to announce a huge sale on not being a total piece of shit! For the low, low price of absolutely free, you can get yourselves some morals! Of course, this is mostly aimed at our employees.”
Everyone around me flinched. Too bad for them, it was only going to get worse.
“Cathy, if you’re not going to deliver on your promises, why make them at all? I don’t blame you for not paying up with the kinds of deals you make, but don’t expect it to work more than once on the same person. So Andre, try to keep that in mind for next time!”
Cathy’s mouth dropped while Andre looked towards her with suspicion. While he whispered a battery of questions, I didn’t give Cathy a chance to answer back.
“And you Andre, you aren’t completely innocent yourself! You think you’re hot shit with how ‘you’re going to be assistant manager’ this and how ‘everyone should preemptively listen to you’ that.”
I wracked my brain and Mike’s memories for any potential dirt on Andre as he gave me a baleful look.
“And your so-called plan to become assistant manager? It’s pretty pathetic seeing you try to seduce Charlotte from corporate whenever she comes by so you can jump the ladder. She isn’t into you, dude! And why would she be? Nobody with status like that is going to want to even touch you if you’re going to act like you’re already their boss! Confidence is hot, but arrogance is not.”
While the two continued to process how their submissive coworker finally grew an adamantine backbone, Judd finally made his way from the changing rooms with an utterly enraged aura.
“Oh, and how could I forget about our good old boss, Judd? Oh, I’m sorry. I mean Mr. Wheldon. Who’s apparently so desperate for some poon that he’s willing to let the biggest gold digger I’ve ever met fuck a different guy in the changing rooms several times a week in hopes that he could be one of them! Did I mention that us lowly employees are the ones who have to clean up everything? And if that weren’t enough, you still have to stare at literal teenagers! And that means you, Trish.”
The girl who was just passing by froze in place and turned to look at me. Her doe-like eyes were wide with fear, and close to misting up.
“You, Trish, are probably the only decent person around here. I just wanted to let you know that you’re better than all the others, and if ‘Mister Wheldon’ tries to proposition you, you can say no. You’re worth more than that, and you should wait for someone who also realizes that. Someone who won’t cheat on you and you won’t want to cheat on yourself.”
She slowly nodded, no longer scared but hosting a look of apprehension. I didn’t blame her, a kid being drawn into this legendary stunt. But that was the great part about all of this, it was Mike Smith pulling it, not me. And while he might’ve freaked out about cleaning up the mess featuring the colorful cast of his life, I really didn’t care. The people from my life were gone, back home, while I was here and able to start anew.
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I jumped over the counter and made my way to my now ex-boss. Wow, I was leaving a pile of exes in my wake. I wondered what kind of ex would be next?
“So, now that I’ve turned in my resignation effective immediately, I’m going to need my last paycheck.”
“Paycheck?” he fumed between gritted teeth. “After that stunt, you’re lucky I don’t call the cops! Now get the fuck out of my store, and don’t expect a penny from me!”
I was about to shrug my shoulders and leave, having accomplished what I wanted, but something stopped me. [Detect Cheating] went off again, this time stronger than ever and with a hint of something else alongside it. What was going on? It wasn’t like he was actively cheating on his wife right now by being a cheapskate, or… then it hit me.
“I don’t know, Judd, I’d love to walk out of here now and give you a chance to heal from hearing the truth.” I replied mockingly. My gaze then turned ice-cold as I looked right into his pupils. “But then I’ll have to call the labor board and have them pick up my last paycheck for me.”
Judd froze, his jaws locked so hard he couldn’t get anything out.
“And I’m sure they’d like that, as well as any other dirty secrets they might find. And knowing you, I’m sure there are plenty,” I said with a devilish grin.
“F-Fine. I’ll get it for you from the back,” he stuttered as he slowly made his way there.
I followed him, as I was headed there anyway. He quickly scribbled the company information onto a paycheck form and handed it to me.
“Oh hey, look at that! A full two weeks! Didn’t the pay period just start though?” I asked teasingly.
“Consider that a bonus for not going to the labor board,” he replied in a hoarse whisper.
“Well I guess you can be generous, after all. Thanks again, and see you never!”
I exited the store and made my way to my car. What an interesting morning that was. I went to my job, got shat on, retaliated and quit, and now…
[Level Up! (3)]
[Str: +1 | Con: +1 | End: +1 | Cha: +2 | Atr: +0 | Dex: +1 | Int: +1]
[Str: 12 | Con: 12 | End: 11 | Cha: 15 | Atr: 10 | Dex: 12 | Int: 12]
[Skill Level Up! Revenge lv 1 -> 2]
[Skill Level Up! Detect Cheating lv 2 -> 3]
[Detect Cheating Perk Obtained! Information: Cheater]
I leveled up! The third one so far, and there was a lot to unpack. Way more of my attributes increased this time, probably because I was doing more things. Like tedious labor, stomaching everyone’s shit, telling people off, and realizing that Judd was trying to fuck me over with my pay.
Charisma had gone up by 2 instead of just one. I guess the more impressive things I said, the higher that number would increase. Well, I did feel a lot more glib than when I was airing everyone’s dirty laundry over the intercom, I guess it really was having an effect on me.
I hadn’t had much of a chance to test the other Skills, but I honestly didn’t see why it was worth even bothering with for now. It wasn’t like I was going on some grand quest to save, or fuck, a princess or anything. I didn’t need most of those things to get through daily life.
And then there was the level up in Detect Cheating, along with the ‘Perk’ it came with. “Open System.”