Man Mocks Stranger's Appearance, Meets Him as the Boss Next Day - Story of the Day

Ravi moves to a new country, and all is well until he meets Ben, who insults him because of the color of his skin. Everything goes south when Ravi is introduced as the new Finance manager where Ben works. Ben tries to get Ravi fired before Ravi does the same to him.

"Everywhere looks so different," Ravi mumbled under his breath as he got out of his car.

He had a slight smile on his face as he confidently walked over to the ATM he needed to use, glad that it was empty with no one in sight.

He had been recently invited to work in the main headquarters of the company he worked for in another country, and he was excited to be there.

The people he met so far were friendly, and some strangers even went out of their way to greet him the second they saw him.

It was summer, and the sun was high up in the sky, but Ravi wasn't bothered by it as he felt the warm heat against his dark skin.

He soon got to the ATM and slowly began withdrawing the money he needed for the day.

Moving to a completely different country was hectic, and he felt like there were still many things he needed to get.

Soon after, Ravi felt someone queue behind him, but he paid no attention as he focused on what he needed to do.

But behind him was Ben, who slowly began to hiss loudly in annoyance the second he moved to stand behind Ravi.

The intermittent noises he made under his breath slowly got on Ravi's nerves, but he chose to ignore him completely. His focus was on getting the money he needed and leaving.

But it soon became apparent that Ben had no intention of being patient enough for him to be done.

"Aiish," he hissed under his breath, glaring heavily at the back of Ravi's head, more irritated the longer the man in front of him continued to ignore him.

Finally, Ben couldn't take it any longer and finally snapped.

"Why are you taking so long?" Ben yelled from behind Ravi, who instantly turned around at the unexpected shout from behind him.

"What does that even mean? I just got here, and you've only been standing behind me for a couple of minutes," Ravi tried to explain gently, even though his tone portrayed how annoyed he was.

The last thing he expected was to hear the impatient man behind him instantly explode.

"Which country do you think this is?" His tone was harsh, and Ravi couldn't help but put some more distance between them when he saw the enraged look on his face.

"I have more right to this machine and the money you're getting from it than you do!" Ben shouted, openly raining down spittle on Ravi, who did nothing but watch.

Ravi was very shocked. He wondered what he could have done to make the man boil with such hatred in seconds.

"Look, it's fine. I'm pretty much done," Ravi gently responded, trying to de-escalate the tension, but Ben wasn't having it.

"Go on, out of the way. While you're at it, why don't you go back to your country? People like you with your funny accents...you think you can come to my country and hog the benefits!"

Ravi instantly understood what was happening when he heard the insults rained on him. Quickly, he turned back to the machine and finished his transaction.

Ravi got the money he needed and also picked up his card. But he had just turned around to leave when he heard a loud smack.

He felt a sharp sting on his hand and watched his card fall to the ground.

Ben stood before him, wiping his hands with a handkerchief as if he had touched something dirty and disgusting.

"Go on! I never want to see your kind again," Ben hissed in a low whisper as he stepped over Ravi's card before walking closer to use the machine.

For a few seconds, Ravi didn't know what to do as he stared at his card on the floor and Ben, who kept on mumbling angrily under his breath.

Ravi was angry. He wanted to lash out and yell. Walk over to the man who had treated him in such a demeaning way and do the same thing to him.

He wanted to swipe the man's card out of his hand and stomp it on the ground, but he didn't. Instead, he picked his card off the ground and walked away.

Today's a beautiful day; I refuse to let you spoil it for me, Ravi thought as he left the ATM outlet and went home.

Ben remained there with a furious expression as he used the machine.

His fists were clenched in anger as he ground his teeth together, trying to temper his rage.

It was the designer shoes he had seen on Ravi's feet that had been the first trigger. Watching him withdraw money with a calm expression on his face was all it took to push him to the edge.

Ben had a good job, and he made enough money to sustain himself, but watching Ravi, an Indian man who seemed to be doing well, triggered him.

He shouldn't be here. He doesn't deserve to take up space someone like me could quickly fill. Ben groaned with irritation.

The moment he was done at the ATM, he instantly left and made his way home.

It was a Friday, and he couldn't help but look forward to the weekend, only to feel his mood dampen looking around as he walked home.

People like me are so much more superior. He sneered in his heart as he passed a tall, dark-skinned man holding his wife's hand and their Asian daughter.

"Money, women, they take everything," he grumbled under his breath, walking faster.

His weekend passed in a blur, and like clockwork, he returned to work very early on Monday.

Avoiding the people he preferred to have absolutely nothing to do with, he walked casually to his work cubicle.

Impeccably dressed in a dark suit, he sat on his seat, greeting Philip, the coworker closest to him.

"Good morning, Philip."

"Hey, Ben. You seem to be in a pretty good mood," Philip commented and was just about to say more when Huan, a young Asian woman, happily greeted him.

"Good morning, Philip!" Huan cheerfully greeted as she moved over to her cubicle, which was on Ben's left.

She completely ignored Ben like one would a ghost that didn't exist.

When she was done, she focused on the documents on her table without saying another word.

Anyone else would have felt a little uncomfortable at the treatment, but Ben had a satisfied look on his face, happy at the treatment he received.

"Really? How long are you going to—" Philip began to whisper to Ben, only to stop when he saw the sharp look Ben sent his way.

Philip instantly sighed and turned back to focus on his work for the day.

He quickly remembered when Huan first started working in the company and how warmly everyone had welcomed her.

Everyone but Ben.

He's a good man with a nasty personality. Philip thought to himself as he booted up his laptop, about to begin his work for the day.

Ben, just like his colleagues, focused on the work he had to do. He worked in the finance department of his company, and mistakes were never taken lightly.

He bowed his head, his eyes scouring through the document in his hands, when he suddenly heard a loud voice, one commanding enough to distract him and make him raise his head.

"May I have your attention!" The director's voice boomed across the floor, drawing the attention of everyone at their various workstations.

It was the director, and none dared to ignore him as they dropped whatever they were doing to pay attention to his next words.

"I'd like to introduce our new Finance Manager to you. We had to go through quite a lot to get him to join our team."

"I expect you all to do your best to ensure that he feels welcome here," the manager informed them, pointing at the man who slowly stepped out from behind him to show his face.

Ben was one of the few people who remained seated, but curious to see who the new manager was and what he looked like, he also got to his feet.

"Hello, everyone. My name is Ravi. I'm the new manager, and I can't wait to start working with everyone," Ravi, the new manager, announced.

Although everyone there was instantly excited to meet him, one person in particular was still frozen from the sudden shock he received.

"Welcome!" were the various shouts that rose from all corners of the floor, but not a single sound could be heard from Ben, who stood with a shell-shocked expression.

His memory wasn't bad, and the second he stood up to see who the new manager was, he instantly recognized the man he had seen at the ATM.

Instantly, Ben realized he was in big trouble.

Not only had he insulted Ravi, but he also embarrassed him greatly. Ben knew that if their roles were reversed and he was in Ravi's position, Ben wouldn't hesitate to get him fired.

"Okay, that's pretty much it. Everyone can get back to work," Fred, the director, instructed before leaving with Ravi, who said a final goodbye to everyone before leaving.

Everyone went back to their seat, and Ben also did the same, but unlike before, he couldn't bring himself to concentrate on a single word on the document he held in his hand.

How could he when he was about to lose the great job he had for years because of a stupid mistake?

How can someone like him possibly become a manager? I wonder how he worked his way up to the top, Ben thought as he got on his feet.

His mind wasn't at rest, and he knew exactly what to do.

Although he knew that Ravi couldn't outrightly fire him without giving Fred a good reason why, Ben still felt that the least he could do was do all he could to keep his job.

Walking out of his cubicle, he instantly went to the new office Ravi was settling into.

He gently knocked and entered when he heard a response from behind the door.

Ben ensured he had a remorseful expression as he walked through the door. In his mind, he was there to apologize and nothing more.

However, he had just walked in through the door when his gaze swayed from one corner of Ravi's office to the other.

The thought that not only could Ravi get a big and spacious office but that he was also his boss sparked another spark of anger inside him.

His mere presence is a plague. He came from his country to replace another in a country that isn't his.

"Please take a seat, Ben," Ravi told Ben, who had just entered his office with a polite smile.

His memory was excellent, and he remembered the altercation three days ago, but Ravi felt he wasn't petty enough to use it to cause problems for Ben at the workplace.

"I'd like to apologize for my behavior the other day. I hope that it won't affect our work together at the office," Ben apologized with both fists clenched tightly by his side.

He even went as far as to lower his face in a way that would ensure that Ravi wouldn't" be able to see the bitter expression on his face.

"I'm very sorry," Ben softly said through clenched teeth, knowing his job depended on it.

Ravi instantly nodded his head to accept Ravi's apology. He had decided not to bring up their argument but was delighted to see Ben still apologize for it.

"I accept your apology. Your behavior was wrong and uncalled for, but I'll let it go as long as it never happens again," Ravi said, getting on his feet with a vibrant and friendly look.

Right after, Ravi stretched out his hand to shake Ben's own as Ben raised his head, about to leave.

"To an amicable working partnership," he said with his hand stretched in the air as he offered a handshake that Ben completely ignored.

Instead, he pretended not to see it as he nodded and instantly turned around to leave.

I'd rather die than shake your dirty black hands, Ben thought to himself, barely managing to keep the disgust he felt off his face.

Quickly, he reached out to pull open the door of Ravi's office and had just done so when he saw Fred, the director, standing right behind it with his hands raised.

It was clear that he was about to knock on Ravi's door.

"Good morning, director," Ben greeted with a big smile, moving to the side to allow Fred to go in first.

"Good morning," Fred answered in a polite tone that had no enthusiasm whatsoever, but Ben didn't mind.

Instead, he smiled even more before stepping out of the office.

Fred was a middle-aged man who, like him, was white with roots embedded in the country they lived in.

Standing by the door, Ben was just about to walk away when he suddenly recalled Ravi's behavior to him.

Wasn't he smiling a little too much? Did he forgive me, or is he just pretending? Ben thought to himself as he continued to stand in front of the door instead of leaving.

Soon, he was glad not to have left as he listened in on the conversation between Fred and Ravi.

"Ravi, I know you're still settling in and getting to know the team, but I have a small task to give you," Fred calmly began.

"Of course, director. What is it? I'll be sure to do it well."

"I need you to fire some of the people in the finance department. We don't have enough resources to continue to accommodate all of them," Fred informed him.

Ravi instantly felt concerned, and the look on his face conveyed just how reluctant he was to do such a thing.

"Is it essential for me to do that? I just arrived, and it'll look bad if I start firing people," Ravi couldn't help but say to Fred, even though it was clear that it was more like an order than a topic for discussion.

"There's no other way," Fred responded, and Ravi quickly nodded to show that he understood what he had to do.

"Then I'll do exactly what you said," Ravi promised, watching Fred get on his feet to leave the second he had the response he wanted.

Ben stood outside the door with a grim expression, scrambling away as quickly as he could the moment he heard that the conversation was over.

If he's firing people, then I'm bound to be the first person on his list, Ben thought to himself as he slowly made his way to his cubicle.

He was apprehensive and even more pissed off that there was nothing he could do about the current situation he found himself in.

Ben didn't want to lose his job but realized that because of Ravi, the new manager who hated him just as much as he did, he might be jobless before the week was over.

"Ben, are you okay? You've been looking quite glum for a while," Philip asked, leaning over the partition between their workspaces to talk to him.

"You might as well tell me before you explode. It's funny how you look both sad and angry at the same time," Philip taunted, curious to know the reason for Ben's unusual behavior.

"It's the new manager. Is no one going to point out that he's from a completely different race and country? What right does he have to come to our country and boss us around?"

Ben spoke in a pretty low tone that held all the outrage he felt from watching everyone pretend that Ravi, being allowed to be the new manager, was the standard.

"Ben, I've told you before you can't think that way. He's just a normal guy trying to make a living. Does he not deserve to be treated as good as you treat me?" Philip curiously asked, shocked at Ben's instantaneous response.

"He doesn't. If he wants me to treat him better, he should return to his country and not strut around in mine using the resources our predecessors worked for," Ben responded.

"Maybe this is why his ancestors were slaves too—" but Philip didn't dare to allow Ben to finish his statement, as he hurriedly stopped him.

"Ben!" he snapped at him with a wide-eyed expression, staring at Ben like a stranger he was meeting for the first time.

Philip knew that Ben had unsavory views about people from other races but didn't think much about it until now.

"Don't be racist! So far, Ravi seems like a good manager," Philip sharply whispered at him in a low tone.

"Please tell me this isn't the only reason you've been so cold to Huan? I thought it was simply because both of you didn't get along."

"Oh, come on. Everyone should just stay in their respective countries. But everybody wants to freeload off of the superior race. If we weren't a superior race, then why are they rushing out of their states to live in ours?" Ben continued to speak without a care in the world.

The worst part was that he didn't even feel slightly uncomfortable saying it with his head held high.

By then, Philip realized that he had heard enough and turned his attention back to the work before him.

How many more nasty views does he have? Do I even really know this guy? Philip thought to himself.

He didn't think it was right to continue to be close to Ben if that were the case.

It simply means that even if I introduced him to my girlfriend, he'd treat her just as badly as he treats Huan, Philip concluded, thinking of Uzuri, his African girlfriend.

Just like that, Philip decided to tread lightly around Ben, ignoring the anxious and aggressive look he still had on his face.

By five in the evening, Ben had left work and immediately headed home.

Getting home, he quickly cooked something to eat and sat in front of the TV to watch something before going to sleep, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't concentrate on a single thing.

Is this really how I will lose my job? Because of someone who shouldn't be here?

Ben couldn't stop worrying even when he got to work the next day with black bags under his eyes.

He felt jittery as he waited for the exact moment when Ravi would call him to his office to inform him that he had been fired and needed to vacate the desk.

He was so anxious that he found it hard to focus on his daily tasks, and this made him make more mistakes, which in turn led him to become even more restless.

Finally, he could take it no longer and eventually spoke with Philip, who had been considerably quiet compared to his usual behavior towards him.

"Has anyone been fired recently in our department? I heard a strange rumor that he might start firing people," Ben leaned over to whisper to Philip, who instantly turned to glare at Ben.

"Don't dare to spread any rumors and ruin his reputation. He has only been here for a couple of days and has been nothing but a great manager," Philip snapped at him before focusing back on his work.

What did I say? It's not a rumor, and it's sure to happen. Ben thought, a little worried about Philip's strange behavior toward him.

It bothered Ben, but not as much as losing his job. He raised his head and peeked over his cubicle to stare in the direction of Ravi's office for the hundredth time that day.

He could tell that Ravi was in his office, but apart from that, he knew nothing more about what he was doing inside.

Relax Ben. Everything will be fine. Maybe he doesn't have the guts to fire you, He thought, trying to calm himself down only to suddenly hear a flurry of steps.

He lifted his head and turned around, surprised to see a small group of people walk out of the elevator dressed in dazzling executive suits.

Their outfits were great, and their overall appearance, coupled with how they carried themselves, was even more impressive as Ben watched them head straight into Ravi's office.

He could feel his heart threaten to leap out of his chest out of fear.

Is this it? Are they compiling names? Do the higher-ups need to be there to sign my resignation letter?

Ben could no longer remain seated as he slowly got to his feet and headed quickly to the restroom, trying to get back a resemblance of calm before going back to his seat.

But on his way there, he had just gotten to the corridor that led to it when he noticed someone he knew heading in the same direction.

"Martha!" his voice was slightly louder than usual from the instant excitement he felt from seeing her.

Martha was one of the finance secretaries, and Ben was sure she would at least have a slight idea about what was going on.

"I know what you want to ask, and yes, it's happening," Martha responded the moment she saw Ben and heard him call her name with such unusual excitement.

She knew Ben, and although she had never spoken to him, she had heard rumors of how aggressive and rude he could be.

She didn't want to have a conversation, and all she wanted to do was leave, but it quickly became apparent that Ben had no intention of letting her go until he got the answers he wanted.

As fast as he could, he moved to block her path with an alarmed expression.

"The layoff has begun?" Ben asked, and Martha could only narrow her brows in confusion when she heard Ben's question.

"Layoff, what layoff?"

"Didn't you say that it's happening?" Ben asked with an equally confused expression as he watched Martha shake her head and look at him with a worried look on her face.

"I meant the meeting with the investors is finally happening. I hope our new manager will be able to seal the deal. It's the main reason he was brought in," Martha explained.

"I've also heard the rumors, but you actually believe them?" she asked, shaking her head as she stepped aside to leave.

Martha saw no reason to continue to stand there and explain anything more to him. Huan was her friend, and she had heard enough stories from her about him to know he wasn't a nice person.

"But I'm sure it's not just—" Ben hurried to say, but Martha simply continued to walk away, and even if he called her back, he knew she wouldn't respond to his questions.

Instead of heading to the restroom as he intended, Ben went back to his work cubicle and sat in his seat with a severe expression on his face.

Previously, he had been terrified throughout the week, but after his conversation with Martha, he couldn't help but replay in his mind something she told him.

I hope our new manager will be able to seal the deal. It's the main reason he was brought in.

His laptop was placed on his desk, and although he stared intensely at it, his mind was in a completely different place.

I can't stop this guy from firing me. Unless...he stops working here, Ben concluded after thinking about it repeatedly in his mind.

Ben realized that If the meeting failed and Ravi was unable to get the investors to sign the contract, then he would be sent away, and his job would be safe.

That very second, he got on his feet, ignoring the weird looks the co-workers around him gave him when they saw him get up.

Some of them who had seen him walk toward the restroom were shocked to see him do it again, curious to know why.

Ben completely ignored the attention he attracted and headed first to the restroom, only to change his direction the next moment and disappear from sight.

He knew that Ravi was bound to take the investors to eat first, where they would first converse over a meal before the official signing would happen.

The first thing Ben did was run to his car, where he picked up a bottle of laxative pills he had previously used and abandoned before running back inside.

Ben needed to find out where Ravi was taking them, but no matter how much he wandered around and covertly asked people he thought might know, he didn't get a concrete answer.

He was getting his fifth bottle of water from the break room when he finally saw Ravi step out of his office with the three investors.

Together, they headed out to the elevator, and Ben, standing a few steps away, was on the brink of giving up all hope of finding a chance when he heard Ravi's voice.

"Let's head to the fifth floor. I've prepared some of my home dishes, which I'm sure you'll like," Ravi promised with a massive grin as he followed behind the investors.

It had taken him quite some time and energy to get someone to prepare the dishes, but he was sure they would enjoy it.

Ben, on the other hand, instantly ran in the direction of the stairs, climbing them as fast as he could while patting his left pocket.

In his pocket was the bottle of laxatives, powdered and ready to use.

On the fifth floor, he headed straight to Room 1, where he was sure the lunch meeting was bound to take place.

People were walking around, heading to various parts of the floor, but Ben moved straight to where he needed to go, swinging the door open when he got there.

He was over the moon to enter and see various foreign dishes, which showed that he was in the right room.

With lightning speed, Ben slowly began to pour the powdered laxatives over every single one of the dishes on the table.

It looked and smelled amazing, and the more he stared at it, the more he sprinkled.

I need them to be angry enough not only to refuse to sign the contract but also to ensure that he's fired. Ben thought to himself with a smirk on his face.

His hands were still hovering over the food, just about done sprinkling the powder over everything on the table, when he suddenly heard loud footsteps approaching the door of the room he was in.

Ben instantly knew he was in trouble.

He had assumed that if he worked quickly enough, he would have enough time to escape before they arrived, but he was utterly wrong to see that he didn't.

Not only was he unable to escape, but the moment they saw him in the room and realized what he had done, what they'd do to him might even be worse than firing him.

Ben didn't have enough time to think of anything at that moment. Terrified, he looked around the room and dove under the table the second he realized it was the only place he could hide.

A few seconds passed when the room door swung open as Ravi and the three investors stepped in.

Their heeled shoes clicked softly against the ground as they stepped in.

"I carefully prepared it, and I hope you all enjoy it," Ravi said as he led them to the table.

Before getting there, he had been slightly worried that something could go wrong, but seeing the food before him, he instantly breathed a sigh of relief.

Everything is fine, he thought, watching the investors take their seats first before he also sat down.

Under the table was Ben, whose sweat dripped heavily to the ground as he knelt there on all fours, doing his best to ensure that he took as little space as he could under the table.

He had barely spent a few minutes there, but the heat and the tension he felt made him feel like he had been there much longer.

All it would take was for one of them to move their legs and touch him, and it would be over.

Above the table, Ravi politely asked his guests to take a few bites, waiting to hear their reviews on the food since the whole essence of the lunch was to please them.

They took a few bites with approving smiles as he watched them take even more bites.

"Greta, what do you think of the food?" Ravi said, asking the only woman on the table first before asking the others.

"Henry and John, I hope you don't hate it." Ravi anxiously said, observing their actions to glimpse their inner thoughts.

"It's somewhat different from what we're used to, but it's tasty and scrumptious," Greta finally said, and Ravi couldn't be more delighted to see them enjoy the food he prepared.

"I agree with Greta. It tastes nice," Henry added as he took another bite from a dish he seemed to favor.

John, though, nodded his head without opening his mouth to speak.

His mouth was busy chewing the food in his mouth as Ravi watched him pick another plate to try a different soup from the one in his bowl.

Watching them enjoy the food, Ravi also began to fetch some onto his plate.

He was beyond delighted that they seemed to be enjoying themselves and hoped that nothing would go wrong until they left the company.

Under the table he was squished under, Ben impatiently waited for the medicine he poured into the food to start working.

He knelt there, panicking at the thought that he didn't put enough and the effects wouldn't start showing anytime soon.

But just as his chest was heaving frantically from fear, he heard Ravi say words that sounded extremely pleasing to his ears.

"Greta, what's wrong? Are you okay?" Ravi asked, extremely worried at her unexpected behavior.

Greta was not feeling well. She was about to take another bite when she suddenly stopped and bent her head towards the table.

"Are you—" John also opened his mouth only to stop as he got to his feet with one hand firmly placed on his belly.

"I'm sorry, but I suddenly need to use the toilet," he said before running out of the room.

Greta wasn't far behind as she also gave the same reason before running out.

"I also need to go. I'll be back," she excused herself before leaving.

Ravi and Henry were left staring at each other.

Henry smiled with a slight shrug, communicating that he had no idea what was happening and why they hurried to leave.

"I can promise you that it has nothing to do with the food," Ravi hurriedly said, picking up a spoon to put it in his mouth, trying to show Henry that the food was safe and good to eat.

But he had only just taken a spoon and swallowed when he watched Henry jump on his feet with an expression of discomfort on his face.

"I-I need to go," he quickly said before making his way towards the door.

In mere seconds, he had also left, and Ravi was a little stunned to look around the empty room he found himself in.

Is it the food? I made sure that everything was professionally cooked and tasted. Ravi thought to himself, picking up the spoon again to take another bite.

Just as he leaned forward, his legs also moved forward, and he couldn't help but be startled to feel a certain weight by his feet.

Quickly, he leaned down to look, sliding the table cover to the side.

He was dumbfounded to come face to face with Ben, who couldn't hide the guilty look on his face.

"You poisoned the food," Ravi instantly accused him as he watched him wiggle his way out from under the table.

"You can't fire me if you're already fired," Ben boldly said, walking away with more courage than he had felt before.

Without saying another word, he made his way out of the room and hurried back to his department and his cubicle.

For the rest of his work shift, Ben was on edge as he listened to the whispers around. Rumors began flying about how everyone saw the investors rushing out of the company, fuming as they left.

The second his work shift was over, Ben instantly headed home, only to be plagued by feelings of anxiety and unable to get a wink of sleep.

The next day, he had just gotten to his department when he saw his co-workers with cheerful expressions as they shook and congratulated each other.

Ravi stood confidently in their midst with a pleased expression as he continued speaking.

"From now on, none of you have to worry about any rumors about layoffs you might have heard," Ravi informed them, and Ben stood by the side, frozen to the spot.

Ben couldn't understand what was happening. The investors were gone, and he was the one who had single-handedly poisoned their food.

The least he expected was that Ravi had been fired, and he, too, had possibly been implicated.

Why is everyone so happy?

"Ravi was able to pull it off. The investors signed the contract," Philip, who noticed the confused expression on his face, informed him.

"That's impossible! I mean, the investors were pissed," Ben argued, finding it hard to believe what he had just been told.

"Yes, but they signed the contract before the incident with the food happened. Unfortunately, they got sick, but they refused to blame Ravi and let it affect the contract. They were impressed by how Ravi went out of his way to check on them. He might even get promoted," Philip added, and instantly, a gloomy expression appeared on Ben's face.

If getting fired was only a possibility before, after the stunt he pulled off, it instantly became something that was bound to happen.

After everyone returned to their workspace, Ben also did the same, but instead of focusing on his work, he typed out his resignation letter before walking over to Ravi's office to drop it off.

The second Ravi watched Ben enter with a letter in his hand; he instantly realized what Ben was planning to do.

"I'm sorry, what I did was—" Ben began apologizing, only to be interrupted midway through.

"You can keep the letter. I'm not going to fire you," Ravi informed him. He wasn't surprised to see Ben's overly shocked reaction to his words.

"Your behavior was abominable, but the fact that you willingly came to apologize means that you won't do something like that again."

"Also, like I said when you came, I never had any intention to fire you."

"Wh-why? You should fire me," Ben insisted, finding it hard to understand how Ravi could willingly choose to keep him in the company after what he did.

He knew that if he were in Ravi's place, he might have done even worse.

"I won't because I want you to watch me and see how amazing I am. I want you to realize that judging a person based on the color of their skin is a nasty thing to do."

Merely listening to Ravi's words, all Ben could do was lower his head to show how remorseful he felt.

"I was wrong. You're a better person than I am, and your skin color or the country you're from has nothing to do with it," Ben admitted, realizing that if everything hadn't worked out, he and his co-workers might have been laid off.

"I was stupid and selfish," he continued, raising his head after a few seconds of silence only to see Ravi stretch out his hands to shake him like he had done the last time he was in his office.

Without any hesitation on his part, Ben stretched out his hand to eagerly shake him.

"Thank you," he told Ravi, meaning every word from the depths of his heart.

"I look forward to working with you," Ravi responded with a smile as he firmly shook Ben's hand.

From that moment on, Ravi was convinced that Ben was on the path to becoming a changed man.

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