Chapter 4: A total scandal

Hearing the reason behind them being fired, Owen was absolutely gobsmacked, and rendered speechless.

After his brain processed everything he had heard, he then said, "So you, Avery, got fired for pouring hot coffee on a rude customer, and then the customer turned out to be the CEO of GameHive?"

"Correct." Avery answered.

"And then you, Madeline, decided to call it quits, because your best friend got fired?" The tone in which he asked that question, made it sound like he was actually questioning Madeline's sanity.

"Absolutely." Madeline answered with pride resonating through her voice, she obviously did not understand the message that was hidden in his tone.

Owen was then about to say something else, but the sound of a familiar voice, getting louder as the owner of the voice approached the front door, was enough to shut him up.

The three of them then turned their heads to face the front door. Avery, and Madeline showed horrified expressions on their faces, while Owen was smiling wildly as the door opened, revealing the person.

"Mom! You are finally back." Owen got up immediately from the couch in delight.

A petite, and young looking woman who was holding a luggage, walked into the house. She was Mrs Campbell, the mother to Avery, and Owen. She was grinning ear to ear, as she said, "Yes, I am, my dear, but I am not alone, I also brought grandma!"

Almost immediately she said so, a much more older woman then walked into the house. Her shoulder length black hair already had shades of grey. "Home at last!" She said, while putting her hands on her waist like those superheroes in the movies.

Avery, and Madeline's faces grew darker with horror at the sight of her, while Owen jumped over to her like a little bunny in excitement. "Grandma Pam! You finally decided to visit."

"Yes, dear. Your mom was on my neck all through her stay at my house. I just had to give in to her demand for the sake of my peace of mind." She replied as she patted his head.

"You won't regret deciding to come live with us, grandma. I'll make sure of that." Owen assured her.

"I hope so." She said, and then her gaze fell unto the girls that were still rooted to their seats this whole time, "What are you doing, still sitting down there? Aren't going to welcome me?"

Mrs. Campbell followed her mother's line of sight, and that was when she saw Avery and Madeline seated on the couch. "Why is Avery here?" She directed the question to Owen, but she didn't wait for a response from him, before she changed her question, and directed it to Avery this time. "Aren't you supposed to still be at work, missy? The both of you, actually." She pointed a finger at the girls, and they stood up abruptly from the couch.

"Good afternoon, Mrs. Campbell." Madeline greeted, but when she didn't get a response, she then nudged Avery by the shoulder, and said, "Avery here, is going to give you a very good explanation for why we aren't at work."

Avery who had felt a little relieved thinking Madeline was going to handle the situation, gave Madeline a side-glare, and if looks could kill, Madeline would have fallen dead right that instant.

"I'm waiting!" Mrs Campbell said as she tapped her feet on the ground, showing them that she was running out of patience.

"Well, the thing is… uh…" Avery tried her best to think of an excuse, anything! But her brain was malfunctioning at the moment, and refused to come up with ideas.

"You got fired, didn't you?!" Mrs. Campbell yelled, and in a swift movement, she removed one of her shoes, and started to charge towards the girls.

Eyes wide in horror, Avery shouted, "Run!" And so, she and Madeline took to their heels, running around the living room, as Mrs. Campbell chased them with a shoe.

"Mom, you just came back. Have some rest, please!" Owen pleaded with her, but she paid no attention to him.

"I knew what I went through before I could get Mr. Ben to employ you, and now you have gotten yourself fired. You didn't even last two weeks!" She expressed her dissatisfaction, while still chasing them.

Grandma Pamella on the other hand, just stood there laughing as she watched the scene playing out before her.

"Aren't you going to stop her, grandma?" Owen asked.

"Nope! My mother never once tried to stop me whenever I disciplined your mother, so why should I?" She answered, and then focused her attention back to her daughter, who was already slowly running out of breath. "You've got this girl! Give those girls some ass whooping!"

"I have got good news everyone. I have gotten a job at GameHive!" Owen announced, and this time around, to the relief of Avery, and Madeline, Mrs. Campbell finally stopped chasing them.

All of them, including Avery, and Madeline were shocked by the news.

"What did you say?" Mrs. Campbell asked, as her shoe fell from her hand in shock.

"Exactly what you heard, mom." Owen answered with a barely suppressed smile.

A shrill scream suddenly echoed through the house. "Oh my God! That's exciting news, we should celebrate!" Mrs Campbell said as she ran to envelop him in a tight hug.

"That's my boy." Grandma Pamela said as she ruffled his hair, and then she asked, "When are you to resume work?"

Owen suddenly paused, and then he let out a nervous laugh. "Well, the thing is, I haven't really gotten the job yet. I was only asked to come back on Friday for a proper interview."

…

Skyline district,

Silver crest city.

The skyline district, a neighborhood where the rich, and mighty dwelled. It was a mesmerizing symphony of towering skyscrapers, and elegant duplexes, which reached for the heavens in a harmonious dance of architectural beauty.

This enchanting neighborhood was a true feast for the eyes, with its gleaming glass facades reflecting the golden sunlight, creating a breathtaking panorama that leaves one in awe.

Amongst the many beautiful buildings, there was one that stood out the most. It was the GameHive company.

It was a skyscraper, which offered a breathtaking view, and a sense of grandeur. It's sleek glass exterior reflected the vibrant energy of the gaming world, which drew the attention of passerby, and ignited curiosity within them.

The gates of the company suddenly opened, allowing a Tesla Model S car to drive into the compound. The car then came to an abrupt halt in the middle of the compound, and the person in the car alighted from it.

It was Ethan Smith. He was still dressed in the suit which he had worn to the Cuppa Joy café earlier that day.

He tossed the key of his car to one of the security guards, and he said, "Take it to the underground parking lot."

"Yes sir!" The security guard responded, and immediately did as he was told, while Ethan approached the entrance of the building.

Ethan's face was stern, and his pace was determined as he strode into the lobby, and the atmosphere of the vicinity seemed to shift.

The employees in the ground floor that were involved in a serious debate over something, immediately began to scurry off to their respective duties with a sense of urgency, when they sensed his arrival. None of them wanted to catch his attention in his current unhappy state.

Ethan on the other hand, didn't even pay them any attention, as he walked straight to the elevator, but they didn't let their guards down yet. It was only when he got into the elevator, and the door of the elevator closed, that the employees working on the ground floor finally let out sighs of relief.

The elevator ride came to a stop on the hundredth floor, and Ethan came out of it. There was only one office on this floor, and it belonged to him.

When he opened the door to the office, he caught his supposed secretary, and his P.A engaged in a heated argument.

"Play the video one more time." The secretary had said.

"What's going on here?" Ethan's voice reverberated in the office in a stern manner, causing the two men who were unaware of his presence to yelp in surprise.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Smith." They both greeted in unison, but they only got silence as response.

"At least I don't work as a barista in a café. What have you done with your life?" Ethan suddenly heard that familiar line coming from the phone his P.A was holding.

"Let me see that." Ethan said to his P.A, and the man hesitantly handed over his phone to him.

Ethan's eyes widened as he saw the video that was playing right before his very eyes. It was a video of him, and that barista from earlier that day.

His P.A then cleared his throat, and said, "The video is now on the top 5 trending topics in the internet, sir. It is a total scandal."