"Boss… please. Just one minute."
Wearing a white shirt and a navy-blue tie, Ryan called out to his boss, who was already heading toward his cabin.
It was almost five p.m., office hours nearly over. So Ryan rushed to catch up.
"Boss, you're aware I've been working overtime for the past two months to get that assistant manager position, right?"
"Yeah. Look at you." His boss replied without even turning around. "Your skills and productivity have improved at an astonishing rate. Frankly, I'm worried you'll win Employee of the Year again."
Ryan's face ashened. For a moment, he couldn't tell whether his boss was joking or deliberately avoiding him.
For more than three years, Ryan had given everything to the company. From morning till evening, sometimes late into the night, he had ground himself down for it.
And what happened in the end?
He was standing in the exact same place he had been three years ago.
Because of that, two girlfriends had already left him. And he couldn't let all that effort go to waste. He had to take what he deserved.
"You know, boss…" Ryan said, gritting his teeth. "Stacy is inexperienced. She joined not long ago and lacks expertise in many fields. How could she be suitable for the position? You need to reconsider."
This time, the boss stopped and gave him a sideways look.
"Ryan, listen," he said calmly. "Everyone isn't made for everything. Sometimes, talent alone is enough. As for the rest... well, practice makes a man perfect. Beside right now, I want you exactly where you are."
"But..."
Before Ryan could even start, the boss patted his shoulder. "Hey, don't make a scene. Go do your job. I'll give you your bonus tomorrow."
"What do you mean?" Ryan protested.
He wasn't talking about the bonus. He would get it anyway, maybe a few days late. There was no reason to give up a higher position over a minor delay.
Seeing his reaction, the boss smiled. A veteran grin. He'd dealt with people like Ryan for decades.
"You think you're just an employee?" His expression hardened. "Let me remind you — I own you. Not just for three years. For life. You're my bitch."
Ryan froze.
"What… want to quit?" The boss laughed. "Hahaha. Don't get funny ideas. If I mention in your reference that you drink on the job and hurt company performance, who do you think will offer you the same salary?"
A chill ran down Ryan's spine.
Leaning closer, the boss whispered again, "Now leave. Don't waste both of our time."
With that, he turned and walked into his cabin.
For a brief second, through the narrowing gap of the glass door, Ryan saw a woman sitting inside. Her clothes were slightly disheveled as she applied lipstick.
It was Stacy.
The one who took his promotion.
"Damn it… is this her talent?"
The urge to kick his boss straight in the ass surged up but he crushed it. He wanted to quit, desperately, yet he couldn't. His parents, their medical bills, and the personal loan that never seemed to shrink wouldn't allow him even a single day of unemployment.
All he could do was sigh helplessly.
Once office hours ended, Ryan didn't go home. Instead, he walked to a nearby 24/7 store.
He needed a drink. Something strong enough to erase today's humiliation.
Standing in the beverage aisle, he grabbed a few cans of beer and thought about calling his buddy, Jax. After all, a friend was necessary when the sadness hit hard.
He called.
The phone rang. However, no one picked up. Probably busy.
"Fine. Who needs him?" Ryan muttered. "Why should I bother him with my problems anyway?"
Disappointed, he walked to the counter, where a girl began scanning his items. Two six-packs of canned beer. Nothing more. Enough to knock him out until morning.
"$24.90. Cash or card?" the girl at the counter asked.
Ryan let his gaze travel slowly over her from head to waist, studying her more closely than he probably should have.
"She's really beautiful," he thought. "It's just that she doesn't have the same mature allure as Stacy."
"Fuck. Why am I comparing every woman to her? No. This won't help. I need to down these cans... fast."
Frowning, he pulled out his phone.
The girl understood his gesture and generated a QR code.
The payment went through, and a bank notification followed instantly.
[Available balance: $847.45]
Seeing the meager balance, Ryan grimaced.
"These bastards really know how to strike at the perfect time."
Still, when the cashier gave him a heart-melting smile, his mood lifted, just a little.
Next, as he stepped outside, he snapped open a can and emptied it in one go.
That wasn't enough.
One can after another opened and went down. It wasn't until the fourth that Ryan realized something was off. The road he was walking on wasn't the one that led home.
"Huh… when did I get here?"
He found himself near a construction site. Confused, he pulled out his phone once again, only to see the battery was dead.
"I'm such a looser.... Why didn't I book a cab earlier?"
Not wanting to waste time, he quickened his pace.
With regret turning into frustration, and frustration hardening into anger, he quickened his pace. He didn't want to waste another second. He still had to ask someone for directions.
But the site was deserted.
Ryan had barely stepped further inside when a strange tingling sensation crept up his spine. His steps halted as he slowly turned around.
The space behind him distorted violently. Fine cracks spread across the air itself.
Then,
A massive gap tore open.
"No way… A dimensional rift!"