Jasmine replied fondly, “Actually, I am thrilled to see such conviction in you because there have been some adjustments that have been made to your cleaning task. I will show you to the right area where you are to clean.”

  Mabel nodded with a hint of suspicion. “OK.”

  They went to the floor where the CEOs’ office was located. Jasmine directed her to clean the open office there. She instantly knew the job would take her all night.

  “Is this job really meant for just one person?” Mabel asked respectfully.

  Jasmine smiled with a hint of concern and said, “I’ll take my leave now.”

  Mabel replied sadly, “OK, goodbye. Have a safe trip home.”

  “Thanks,” Jasmine replied as she left Mabel’s view.

  Mabel surveyed the office, inhaled deeply, and got to work. If she engaged in any endeavor, she always made it her aim to give it her best. And so, she did. She cleaned meticulously. Unknown to her, Eadric was still in the office. Around 4 a.m., just as she was finishing mopping, he walked out and noticed how well she was working.

  As he watched her, he thought, She’s actually cleaning like she wants to do a good job. What is wrong with this girl? She is more than qualified for this job. Why is she stooping so low? Maybe I judged her too soon. His gaze softened. She’s not so bad.

  Mabel finished and raised her hands in victory, “In your face life, I did it, even though I am cold and sick! In your face!”

  A bit concerned, Eadric wondered, She’s sick? His face hardened, Why wouldn’t she be sick when she stayed under the rain for so long? She just started working here and now she is about to cost us money.

  Mabel, who still hadn’t noticed her boss watching her from a corner, said out loud, “Ughhh, I’m so cold. Achoo! Achoo! I’ll get myself warm—hehe.” She laughed mischievously. She immediately squeezed the mop she was using to clean and started to use it as a rod toward an imaginary character.

  Staring into the distance, she said, “So you walked into my kingdom, thinking you could take it away from me without a fight? I am Mabel Harold, and I will show you what true pain feels like.” Flying, jumping, and backflipping, she continued with the mop stick, “Ha, hya, hya, haaaa, hya, hya, ha, ha, whoosh, ha, hyaaaa, hya, hya, hya, ha, haha, hahahaha. Are you scared? Haha, aah, hya, ha, hya, hyaa…

  Eadric was emotionlessly staring at her. He sighed. Sooo, she’s mentally unstable. I knew I didn’t judge her enough. He sighed more deeply. She is so going to be a rollercoaster. I know it.

  Mabel was still fighting for her people in her fantasy kingdom. “Hya, hya, hyaa, you thought I would stay—

  Glass shattered. The mop stick Mabel was using as a weapon against her imaginary enemy accidentally struck a window, shattering it. She gasped in shock, covering her mouth.

  “Hey!” Eadric instinctively yelled with threatening eyes that were about to bulge out of their sockets.

  Mabel, who was still in shock, looked back and instantly turned pale. It was him—the man whom she had so boldly boasted to about her competence. Why and how is he here, at this time?

  At that moment, they heard a scream from downstairs. It was a man’s voice. Mabel tried to look down but she could not see clearly. With trembling arms and hypertensive anxiety, she thought, Goodness gracious, what have I done? Don’t tell me somebody is hurt because of me. I checked, and these windows were sturdy how did it break so easily with a mop stick?

  She gathered her courage, turned back to Eadric despite his wrath, and stammered with a trembling voice, “Someone might have gotten hurt.”

  Still maintaining his threatening composure, Eadric said in a deep murderous tone, “Why don’t you go check?”

  Mabel immediately ran downstairs. On her way, she thought with slight relief, Fortunately, I got out of his way. His stare was so scary. It felt like he could pluck my eyes out just with his stare. Her anxiety began to rise higher as her thoughts spiraled further. Was he there the whole time? No, no, it can’t be. It can’t. She began to slap her face gently as a way to comfort herself. Ok, Mabel, just calm down. What’s the worst he could do? Fire me. Anxiously, she remembered, No, sue me. But I don’t have any money right now. What am I to do? Just take your mind off it. Think about the person downstairs. What if that person also sues me? I’m doomed. I’m in so much trouble. Should I have let this job go or are these just obstacles? They are definitely just obstacles. If there is even the slightest hope that I won’t get fired, I so will not let go of this job!

  The police were already on the scene when she got down. The man who screamed was yelling angrily. “Who did this?! I will really see to it that he gets justice, my justice!”

  Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

  Why does that voice sound so familiar? Mabel thought. I just have to beg. Just beg profusely the moment you get out of this building. Beg like your life depends on it.

  The moment she got out, she did just that. She bowed her head and begged like her life was about to end. Even before seeing the face of the person, she started with tears in her eyes, “I’m so sorry, I’m so sorry. I hope you didn’t-

  Maxence saw her and was shocked, “It’s you!”

  Mabel looked up and noticed the man she was begging. It was the guy who splashed her water and accused her of causing trouble the day before.

  He continued, “You were the one who tried to kill me?! Officers, arrest her!”

  Mabel pleaded sincerely on her knees, “I’m sorry, I’m really sorry. It wasn’t intentional. I was-

  Maxence cut her off angrily, “I will sue you. I will make your life miserable. At first my car and now me. Are you targeting me? Who are you working for?”

  Mabel replied very worried, “I’m only a cleaner. I promise; I didn’t mean to hurt you. I’m sorry-

  As she spoke, she thought angrily, Of everyone in the world, why does it have to be you? What are you doing here so early in the morning?! Does he work here? Wait, is he one of the CEOs? No, it can’t be. Why do things keep going sideways? He has already said it, he is going to make my life miserable. I don’t think he is even hurt with the way his mouth is running. I don’t think anything touched him. I’m sure that he is happy to have found me again so that he can make my life miserable-

  Maxence cut in, “ You didn’t mean to hurt me? Then how is it that, in less than 24 hours, you have attacked me twice?”

  Mabel immediately got defensive, “Attacked, what do you mean by, attack? To ‘attack’ is an intentional act, how could I have attacked you when it was an accident? Also, this accident has occurred only this once, the last time was you who splashed me water.”

  Maxence replied, “Wow, she is already defending her actions.”

  Mabel answered immediately, “It’s my right, isn’t it? But that doesn’t mean that I am not sorry about what just happened. I’m truly sorry. I know that I nearly hurt you-”

  Maxence cut in, “Hurt, you nearly killed me! Officers, this woman has been a threat to me not once but twice, please make me feel safe.”

  Mabel was very confused, “What do you mean by twice? Officers he is lying. I wasn’t a threat to him the first time. He splashed me water on the road.”

  One of the officers replied, “Ok, we’ll have to take you, lady, to the station for further questioning regarding the first incident as the complaint came from him first. But regarding this one, Mr. Maxence, it was clearly an accident. But we will still confirm that with her in the station. Miss, please come with us.”

  Mabel was slightly glad that the officer took her side but she wanted Maxence to get what he was trying to put on her. So, she said, “Officers, thank you but wouldn’t it also be right for you to give ear to my complaint?”

  The officer asked, “Which is?”

  “He lied. He said that I attacked him at first when in his heart, he knows that I didn’t. I would like him to be arrested for lying.” Mabel said calmly.

  Maxence smiled, She’s smart. Unfortunately, I’m smarter.

  Maxence spoke up, “It’s all right, let’s all go confirm the truth.”

  Mabel was a bit surprised that he agreed to it, Wouldn’t the LDM prove that he was lying? Why is he playing along? Or is he ok with the one-minute arrest? Whatever, he would be arrested. He will get what he wished for me. You messed with the wrong girl.

  The LDM made the truth beep and Mabel was shocked. They were all in an interrogation room in the station and Maxence had just attested to the fact that Mabel had attacked him in the morning, splashing water on his car.

  Mabel thought, How is that true? Unless; he twisted his words in a way that was true. He said, “She allowed water to splash my car after splashing her, that was the attack I talked about.” Wait, that doesn’t mean that it was necessarily an attack, it was just what he referred to as an attack. She smiled, He’s smart.

  Mabel asked the officers, “Can I ask him just one question?”

  The officer replied, “Go ahead.”

  “Please give a yes or no answer. Do you believe in your heart and mind that what I did was rightly called an attack?” Mabel asked with a slight smile.

  Maxence thought, How did she catch on so quickly? Mabel Harold, she’s the one for the Super Important Job. She’s smart. But I’m sure she has already lost her job. Eadric wouldn’t let it slide. The question is, how did she even break a window, those things are supposed to be unbreakable. She would have been fun if only she lasted. She’s smart and bold, I’m slightly fond of her already.

  Mabel snapped him out of his thoughts, “Mr. Maxence you haven’t answered the question.”

  “No, I don’t believe it.” He replied with a smile.

  Mabel’s eyes widened, “See, do you see, he lied.”

  Maxence answered, “Did I really lie? I referred to the incident as an attack, but that doesn’t mean that it literally was. I might have used the word ‘attacked’ as a hyperbole.”

  Mabel replied sarcastically, “Wow, you are such a good citizen who obeys the don’t lie law.”

  Maxence replied, “You are new to Antoria, aren’t you? You’ll get used to it over time.”

  The officer spoke, “Mr. Maxence, you shouldn’t leverage the loopholes of this law. The law aims to have a transparent country. It’s not only about lies; you shouldn’t also be deceptive. And you just deceived an officer of the law.”

  Maxence replied calmly, “OK.”

  “I feel like you will continue in your deceptive behavior.” The officer replied.

  He replied with a smile, “We’ll see.”

  The officer sighed and said after a yawn, “OK. We have seen that both incidents were accidents and were not intentional and she is deeply sorry for what happened to you this morning. Mr. Maxence will you hold Miss Mabel accountable or do you forgive her?”

  “I forgive her, at least for putting her through this whole interrogation,” he replied with a smile.

  Mabel replied heartfeltly, “Thank you, Sir.”

  Maxence was a bit surprised, I thought she would still be hostile. She honestly thanked me. Was she really sorry? Hmmm, she’ll be fun to tease. We should keep her.

  Mabel was tired in her thoughts, I just can’t wait to go home. I am really tired. I really wonder how a mop stick could break that window. I should have also gotten this guy to apologize to me for splashing me water but it’s ok. At least, he is not holding me accountable for the window break. Today has been so exhausting. I really hope that he has gone home.

  “We will take you back to the company.” The officer said.

  They were back at the entrance of the building.

  Mabel spoke to Maxence, “Alright then, goodbye.” She walked into the building as he watched on.