Rich Man Humiliates Waterman, Then Learns Valuable Lesson – Story of the Day

Fred, a waterboy, clashes with his company's CEO, who turns out to be his girlfriend's dad. Despite initial disapproval, the CEO offers Fred a job. However, when money goes missing, Fred is the first suspect.

"Something's wrong! I can't do this!" James said, yelling at the person he spoke to on the phone.

"I've been on it for days now, and there's something wrong with the code," he continues with palpable frustration.

He was one of the programmers at the tech company, but from how hard he stared at his computer screen, he was clearly on the verge of losing his job.

"Please, I need you to send someone down from the second tech team. I need help," James continued to speak on the phone, beckoning to Fred, the water boy, at the same time to fill the small dispenser tank on the side of his cubicle.

"I need help! Tell Colton. I'll pay you if I have to," James whispered, lowering his tone to the lowest he could manage.

The last thing he wanted was for anyone to know what he was doing.

Asking for help was fine, but paying for it within the company was grounds for firing.

"I—" he said, opening his mouth to continue when he suddenly paused the moment he felt a weird presence behind him.

James instantly jerked his head back to look behind him, stunned to see Fred standing behind him with a huge dispenser bottle around his left arm.

"Fr-Fred," he stuttered a little. He had been convinced he was alone and had no idea when Fred arrived.

"Are you done filling—"

"Do you need help?" Fred interrupted, shocking James, who forgot the person he spoke to on the phone.

"Wha-what?"

"I saw you struggling with the code on the computer, and I think I know what's wrong with it," Fred replied with an excited look on his face, one that James found hard to believe.

Fred was the water boy in charge of filling the dispenser tanks in the entire building.

What could you possibly know about code? James thought, with a skeptical look on his face.

"I can show you," Fred told him while carrying the big water bottle.

James instantly looked around before shifting to the side when he was sure no one was paying attention to him.

He couldn't figure it out and was curious to see Fred try, seeing the confident aura around him.

Free didn't hesitate to drop the bottle and move closer to the computer.

He stared at the screen for a few seconds, and just when James was sure that he was just as clueless as he was, Fred slowly began to hit the keys.

James' eyes were glued to the screen, noting his actions.

Fred had only typed for a couple of seconds when James opened his mouth to yell and disapprove when he saw him change something he was sure shouldn't be changed.

"DON'T—" James yelled, only to shut his mouth that exact second when he watched him go ahead to run the program he was having trouble with.

"I can't believe it! You're great!" James exclaimed, staring wide-eyed at the screen with a shocked look.

"Why then are you—"

"Waterboy! Waterboy!" A loud voice suddenly erupted from behind them.

Loud, thundering footsteps followed as James' jaw dropped to the floor. When he turned around, he saw Ben, the company's CEO, standing behind him.

He wasn't speaking to him, but he could still feel himself tremble slightly from the domineering aura he exhumed.

"Sir! I'm here, Sir," Fred calmly responded the moment he turned around.

"What are you doing here? Why are you standing so close to the computers!" Ben uttered in a calm voice with a frightening undertone.

"Your job is to change the water bottles in the dispensers, and you can't even do that correctly," He continued in a harsher tone, pointing at the empty cup in his hand and the empty tank that hadn't been replaced.

His voice wasn't loud, but his presence alone on the tech floor was enough to demand the attention of everyone on the floor as they all watched to see what was going on.

"Sir, I—"

"No excuses! I'm asking you to do your job if you'd still like to keep it," Ben seriously told him.

He didn't know the young man's name, but the look he gave him was unfavorable.

He had been moving through the floors like he usually did when he suddenly got thirsty, shocked to have to walk down two floors only to find the water boy where he wasn't supposed to be.

"Sir, my shift just started, and I just—"

"Are you going to continue talking, or will you do the job you were hired for?" Ben interrupted him again, pointing at the empty tank beside him that was yet to be filled.

Instead of trying to plead his case this time, Fred silently nodded and headed straight to the tank.

"Make sure to clean that puddle on the ground, too," he heard from behind him as he began to change the tanks.

Isn't that the job of the cleaners? Why do I have to clean a puddle I didn't make? Fred thought to himself, not daring to open his mouth and kick against it like he wanted to.

"Yes, sir!" Fred responded, doing his job a little faster as he ignored the intense gaze fixed on the back of his head.

James, who sat a few feet behind him, quickly bent his head towards the stable, not daring to draw any attention to himself.

Fred helped him, but at the same time, he shouldn't have. Pointing out his talent would only end up getting them in trouble.

When he was done, Fred packed up all the empty bottles he could carry and hurried off the floor.

"Today's not a good day," he sighed, slightly sad. Regardless, in the depths of his eyes was an excited glint he couldn't hide.

It was three thirty in the afternoon, and he was due to meet his girlfriend in thirty minutes.

He hurriedly packed the bottles in their proper place before heading back upstairs.

This time, he worked exceptionally quickly, going back and forth until he was sure no bottles needed replacement.

The second he was done, Fred jumped into a taxi and instantly went home.

"They're paying well enough to do my job but nothing more," he mumbled as he sat in the backseat.

He was in his final year in college and only worked as a water boy to support his mom in paying some of his bills.

"I have no idea why Men like that act so high and mighty. I can still imagine the despicable way he looked down at me," Fred continued, mumbling to himself in the back seat with his face scrunched up in annoyance.

"Are you okay?" To his surprise, the taxi driver suddenly asked him, jerking him back from where his mind had wandered.

"Wha— oh, I'm fine," Fred hurriedly replied with a reassuring smile that didn't reach his eyes.

All he wanted to do was get home, change, look nice, and prepare for his girlfriend's arrival.

"I can't wait to see her, " Fred sighed, his lips unconsciously moving as he stared out the window, imagining how happy she'd be to see him.

If he had been paying attention, he would have noticed the weird gaze the driver sent him through the rearview mirror of the taxi, but he didn't.

Fred paid the driver and got out of the car the second he reached his destination, which was in front of his house.

"Welcome!" Fred's Mum happily called out from the kitchen when he got in. "Are you hungry?"

"Thanks, but Lora's coming soon. We're going out together," Fred told her, running straight to his room, knowing the questions that were bound to follow if he stayed.

The second he got to his room, he jumped in the shower, stepping out barely a few minutes later to see Lora sitting on his bed waiting for him.

"You're late," Lora said with a smile as she watched him leave the shower, dripping wet.

"You're here!" Fred responded with a slightly alarmed expression, moving straight to his wardrobe to dry off and dress up.

"Where else would I be?" Lora immediately responded with a huge smile that got brighter the more she stared at Fred, who looked a little embarrassed not to be ready.

"We're already late, so you might as well take your time," Lora told him, not surprised to see Fred seriously shake his head.

"They're your parents, and it's my first time meeting them. I don't want to make a bad impression on them," Fred replied, getting dressed at the speed of light.

"I'm sure they'll like you, so there's nothing to worry about," Lora reassured him, moving closer to kiss his cheek when she noticed he was ready to go.

They took a taxi there, and Fred was a little glad that the distance wasn't bad enough to make him later than he already was.

"I'm always going to your house, so I'm pretty glad you're finally here," Lora told him the second they got out of the taxi and approached the mansion's stairs.

"You told me you were rich but not this rich," Fred muttered as they walked in, shocked to see the mansion his girlfriend lived in for the first time.

"My parents are pretty chill; you have nothing to worry about," Lora replied, grabbing his hand and pulling him in before he could rethink his decision.

They had been dating for over half a year, and Lora felt it was time her parents met her boyfriend since they'd been bugging her about it.

"I already told them you were coming, and they're already expecting you," Lora continued as she led him through a long passageway that made Fred slightly concerned.

I shouldn't have listened to her. I should have worn my best suit, Fred thought, adjusting his jacket as he followed behind Lora, who was visibly excited.

"Good evening, Mrs. Johnson. It's nice to meet you finally," Fred hurriedly greeted when he finally arrived at the vast living room where Lora's mum was seated.

"Fred, right? It's nice also to meet you. I've heard so much about you," Sarah, Lora's mother, responded with a welcoming smile.

"Your father should be out soon. He got back from work only a few minutes ago, and he's washing up for dinner," Sarah informed them, moving closer to shake Fred's hand and hug Lora, who practically leaped on her.

"You should come by more often," She told Lora as she gently stroked her dark hair, staring at her daughter, who she hadn't seen in a while.

"I'm sure even Fred gets to see you more often than we do."

"I'm here, right? I plan to stay for at least a week this time around," Lora promised, sitting by her mother's side when she heard her dad's voice from behind her as he slowly walked into the room.

"Lora! How long has it been?"

"Daddy!" Lora yelled, jumping off her seat and running towards him with a big smile.

"It's been a while. What about your boyfriend?" Ben, her father, asked, looking around the room only to freeze when his eyes met Fred's.

"Come on!" Lora turned to gesture towards Fred, who kept a distance instead of stepping closer to where Lora stood beside her father.

"Good evening, Mr Johnson," Fred greeted with a highly shocked expression.

The last person he expected to see was the same CEO he had met, and he had been rude to him that same afternoon.

"Waterboy!"

"Lora, what kind of joke is this?" Ben asked his daughter, shocked to see her grab the hand of the water boy he met that afternoon.

She told them she would be bringing her boyfriend to meet them, but the last thing he expected was her boyfriend to be the water boy at his company.

"Please tell me I'm mistaken, and this isn't your boyfriend," Ben said to her, annoyed to watch her turn around and say the words he dreaded to hear.

"Dad? Is something wrong? Fred's my boyfriend."

Lora was barely done speaking when Ben grabbed her hand and pulled her towards him.

"Sarah, please get our guest some more water; I need to have a word with our daughter," Ben said, glancing at Fred again with an annoyed look as he dragged Lora off towards the inner rooms.

"Dad! Is something wrong?"

"Don't you know what he does? He's a water boy at my company!"

"Yes, but that's only his side job because he's a —"

"A waterboy, Lora! Of all the side jobs, he couldn't have gotten a better one. What makes you think he'll do any better when he's done with school," Ben whispered to her, doing his best not to raise his tone, only to fail miserably when he heard his daughter's following words.

"Trust me, Dad! Fred is wonderful and very talented."

"He's not right for you! You can do so much better. Do you know how much you and your mother have invested in you?" Ben asked, raising his voice without care.

Lora was his only daughter, and anyone trying to get to him would likely think to use her first.

Angry, Ben was just about to continue when he unexpectedly heard her start to plead with him with tears in her eyes.

"Please, Daddy! Give him one chance, and I promise he won't disappoint you," Lora begged.

"You don't know what young men nowadays are capable of."

"Fred is different. I'm sure of it," she responded, trying to convince Ben, her father, who quickly mellowed down.

The last thing he wanted to see was his daughter bursting into full-blown tears over a man he was sure didn't deserve her.

"Fine!"

The words were barely out of his mouth when Lora jumped to hug him with a thousand thank you on her lips.

They soon went back outside, and Ben did his best to fulfill his promise to Lora until they were halfway into dinner when that animosity he held towards Fred began to slip out.

"Try some oysters. They taste so much better than any you've ever had," Ben urged him, to which Fred shook his head, doing his best to ignore the thinly veiled insult.

"I don't like oysters."

"Really? They're 70% water!" Ben pointed out, with a smile, as he watched the one on Fred's face disappear entirely.

"Try it. As a waterboy, you have an affinity with it."

Sarah, who had been quietly sitting at the table, sensing the tension in the air, finally opened her mouth to speak.

"Ben!" she whispered in a low tone, using her legs to gently tap him underneath the table to stop him from saying anything more.

"Fred, tell me. What's your dream?" Sarah gently asked, trying to turn Fred's attention to her.

Besieged by the sincere look on Sarah's face, with Lora sitting beside him, he didn't dare to ignore her.

"I want to lead a cutting-edge IT company," Fred sincerely replied, ignoring the glare he got from Ben.

"How do you plan to go about that?" Sarah asked with genuine curiosity, trying to ignore Ben, who scoffed at her question.

The look on his face made it clear that he wasn't interested in listening to whatever Fred wanted to say.

"I'm studying on the side. I got a job at the best IT company in the state," Fred explained.

"I don't care much about the position as long as it's the best company. At some point, they will notice me because I'm doing everything I can right now," Fred continued with a smile, feeling Lora slide her palm into his from under the table.

"Right now! I'm programming water coolers, but who knows the future," Fred went ahead to joke, knowing that everyone at the table already knew what he did.

Lora and Sarah were still chuckling when Ben interrupted whatever joy was slowly forming in the air.

"Hold your horses' boy! Let's step out from the world of delusion for a moment and admit the truth," Ben said, raising his voice, no longer seeing a reason to hold back the anger he felt.

"Which IT company are you talking about? My beautiful daughter, my good income and success are not for you!"

"You'll marry a small silent mouse and only give her flowers on big holidays while you endlessly wait for a promotion!" Ben continued surprising everyone there as his tone got harsher as he spoke.

"Dad!" Lora shouted, no longer content to stay silent when she heard her father's insulting words towards her boyfriend.

"Ben!" Sarah yelled, trying to interject and stop him from saying more, only for Fred to be the one to open his mouth to speak.

"I completely disagree with you. I determine my future through my efforts!" Fred said, getting on his feet, ignoring Lora, who was trying to talk to him.

He had never been that insulted in his life. Although he had no money, he knew his potential and wasn't content listening to someone try to put him down.

"I hope you enjoyed humiliating me. I want to take my leave now, Mrs Johnson," Fred said, speaking to Sarah, Lora's mother.

"Fred, please wait—"

"Lora, please! Your dad already made his decision known!" Fred told her gently, sliding his hands out of her grip and walking out the way he came in.

"Dad! You promised to give him a chance," Lora screamed at Ben when Fred left the house.

Ben kept quiet without saying a word in response, which only agitated Lora even more.

"I love Fred!" she screamed again, but Ben didn't flinch as he ignored her.

"If you don't give him a chance, I don't want to see you!" Lora finally announced, walking out that same minute without giving her mother any time to try and change her mind.

"Ben! Are you seriously going to let her go?"

"She's young. She'll be back," Ben replied with a stubborn expression.

He was sure that Fred wasn't good for her and was just as certain that Lora would see it in time, even if it took a while for her to do so.

Sarah looked like she wanted to say more, but she didn't. The only thing she did was shake her head as she watched Ben leave the dining table.

Ben was sure Lora would be back, but even a week later, she wasn't answering his calls.

"Did you get hold of her now?" Sarah asked with a voice laced with concern as she moved closer to sit beside him in the living room.

Ben had his phone in his hand, still calling her number, but he couldn't get through no matter how many times he did.

"No, but it'll pass. She'll soon realize I'm right," Ben sighed, putting his phone down on the table, unwilling to take another look at it.

He wanted to keep calling it, but it was clear that Lora was serious about not picking up any of his calls.

"Do you remember yourself when we met?" Sarah suddenly asked a question that made Ben turn to give her his full attention.

"What has that got to do with anything?"

"Do you remember how stubborn and determined you were? I thought you had enough ambition to conquer the world, even when others said otherwise," Sarah began to speak as she recalled the past.

"My father said you were a loser with no future since you were only an errand boy, right?"

"My father didn't even want you on the doorstep, and my mother spent every weekend introducing me to sons of her rich girlfriends, hoping one day I'll forget about you."

"Sarah, what exactly are you trying to say?" Ben impatiently asked, not wanting to think of the past.

"You delivered mail for three years and were paid so little, but you worked there among professionals, learned, and waited for your chance because you knew what you wanted and how to get it!"

"What I'm trying to say is that I believed in you even when you doubted yourself," Sarah continued with a determined look as she slowly tried to make her point.

"Are you comparing me to that boy?"

"Yes. He has the same fiery passion in his eyes when he talks about his dreams. He loves our daughter. He'll do anything so that they have everything," Sarah instantly responded, slowly pouring out everything that had been on her mind for the past week.

"It was obvious from the way they looked at each other. It's the same way we used to look at each other. Lora also loves him!

"I don't even recognize you anymore. You got one when you needed a chance and became who you are today. You have everything this guy needs to follow in your footsteps; I want you to consider it seriously!"

Sarah said a lot, and by the time she was done, Ben couldn't pretend like what she said wasn't true.

Ben spent the whole night thinking about it, and by morning the next day, he decided.

Almost like fate was working with him, Ben had just arrived at the foot of the stairs leading to the second-floor office when he spotted Fred at the top with sweat littering across his face.

"Looks like the first-floor elevator broke down again," Ben commented as he walked closer to help him with the last bottle he was struggling with.

"Thanks, Mr Johnson," Fred said, glad for the help but confused that he had gotten it, considering their animosity.

Fred was just about to pick up the heavy water bottles again, wanting to avoid being caught slacking by his boss, when he suddenly heard Ben start speaking.

"I was wrong. You're a nice guy going after your dreams that deserve respect. I'm happy Lora chose you," Ben told him.

Fred was stunned at the admission and even more astonished to hear Ben, the CEO, continue to speak words he never thought he would listen to.

"Would you like to try your hand at a new position at the company?"

"Wha-what?"

"I'm serious. Lora asked me to give you a chance, and I've decided to. Lora once mentioned that you have experience as a freelance programmer, if I'm not mistaken!"

"You're not mistaken!" Fred hurriedly responded, altogether abandoning the water bottle he had been about to pick up.

"I can assure you that this won't affect your studies. You can come in when you can, and you'll be able to work from home," Ben told him.

Fred couldn't control the huge smile as he instantly began to thank him repeatedly.

"I promise to make you proud, Sir. You won't regret this!" Fred told him with a grin as he watched Ben nod back before leaving.

Whatever tiredness he felt suddenly disappeared as he quickly picked up the two bottles, carrying them up the stairs with lightning speed.

All he wanted to do was finish his work for the day and report to Ben for his new job before he changed his mind.

Two hours later, Ben introduced him to the tech team and the tech leader Colton, whom Fred had never met.

As a water boy, he knew some of the workers on the floors he worked on, and some of them also knew him, and most of them were shocked to hear that he would be joining the team as a staff.

"Congratulations!" They told him one after the other, shaking his hand.

James, whom Fred had once helped with his code, was the most enthusiastic amongst them as he quickly moved to Fred's side.

"I'm glad you're on the team. You're a very talented young man, and I can't wait to work with you," he said, shaking his hand and welcoming him with a huge smile.

Fred was delighted by his simple welcome, mostly glad to be in a new position he never imagined.

When he got home that day, Lora was the first person he called to inform him about it, and she came running over to his house half an hour later.

"I can't believe it! Are you serious?" Lora asked him the moment she saw him and entered his house.

"My dad can be very stubborn, so it's a little hard to believe," Lora confessed.

"I was very shocked, too, but he came to speak to me this morning. I guess you convinced him to give me a chance," Fred told her, with Lora shaking her head, still finding it hard to process.

"What if he's just testing you? That's the kind of person my father is. He didn't become CEO by folding his hands," Lora sighed, staring at Fred's face with a glint of anxiety in her eyes.

"Even if he is, I'll be sure to ace the test and make your parents proud," Fred confidently responded with a smile, dragging Lora to the kitchen.

While his mother went to work, in her evening shift, Fred had cooked and was willing to share it all with Lora, who looked just as excited to eat it.

That night, instead of returning to her dorm like usual, Lora headed home.

"Daddy!" she shouted with a huge smile, running straight to him when she got home.

"Now you know to come home?" Ben responded with a grumpy expression on his face without hugging Lora back.

"I'm sorry! I was wrong," Lora pleaded, but Ben continued to stare at his phone without responding.

"Come on now, Ben, honey. She came back! Give up your anger!" said Sarah from where she stood, watching it all happen.

Ben continued being stubborn, and Lora clung tightly to him until he finally gave in.

"I'm sorry, I won't do that ever again. I promise Fred will be the best worker you've ever hired!" Lora grinned at him, the two dimples at the sides of her mouth visible from miles away.

Fred, true to his promise, did everything he could to impress Ben at his new place of work.

He arrived early at his cubicle and greeted his co-workers with a massive smile.

He was given work to do, and even though he noticed it was a little more than he was supposed to get, Fred didn't utter a single complaint.

Colton was the team leader, and Fred was prepared to do every word he said, even if it required him to do extra work that wasn't his.

According to Ben's instructions, he was allowed to go to his classes whenever he needed to, which meant that he could not only study but also get twice the pay for the same hours he previously worked.

Fred was beyond excited about how things turned out, convinced that nothing could go wrong. However, all that changed when Fred caught sight of something he was convinced wasn't right and was happening without Ben's knowledge.

"Gosh, I've been stuck on this for hours now. It shouldn't even be something I should be working on if not for Colton. The man doesn't deserve to be a manager!" Harry grumbled, and Philip, who sat beside him, joined in.

"You're not the only one. Colton's making lives miserable for other teams as well. There's no way we can figure out the code since it's outside of our expertise. He's messed up as a manager, but he'll get away with it like always!" Philip sighed, staring at his screen with red eyes on the verge of spilling tears.

"It's just not fair! We're expected to figure out this new mess with zero help," Harry hissed, with evident frustration plastered on his face.

"You know how it is! If we don't do what he's asked, Colton will report us for incompetency, and we'll be out of jobs. He has done it before, and nothing is stopping him from doing it again," Philip responded in a lower tone, gesturing for Harry to do the same.

"Can't we just report him?" Harry asked, lowering his tone as he looked around warily, knowing that if they were caught, Colton would do something much worse to them.

"We can't! There's a rumor that he's even on his way to being promoted as director of all the tech department," Philip responded, shaking his head vehemently to show that it wasn't an option.

"If he's only a manager and he's like this, I wonder what he'll be when he becomes director," Harry sighed.

Fred, who had been listening to the conversation, was finally too curious to resist the temptation of asking questions.

"Eehm—what exactly seems to be the problem Mr. Colton caused?" Fred turned around to ask in a low whisper.

Harry and Philip exchanged knowing grins before Philip responded to Fred, "Oh, you're just a newbie!"

"And I'm sure you'll experience it soon," Harry snappishly responded, not wanting to be caught gossiping about the manager to the newbie by any of the co-workers hoping to get him in trouble.

Philip also nodded, turning his full attention to the computer in front of him when Fred, to their complete shock, opened his mouth to speak again.

"I can help you fix that programming code if you need help with it," Fred offered, watching them hang their mouths open from how stunned they instantly became.

"Are you joking? Do you know how many hours we've been going through it?" Harry arrogantly asked the second he recovered.

He didn't believe that Fred could fix it, and a huge expression of doubt was plastered on Philip's face.

"I can help you!" Fred seriously spoke again, trying to convey just how much he meant what he said.

Harry continued to shake his head while Philip merely sighed vigorously.

"Sure, it's not like we have anything to lose!" he sighed, turning his computer towards Fred, who quickly got on his feet and started typing on his keyboard a few seconds later.

At first, Philip looked disinterested until his eyes began to shine a few moments later. Even Harry, annoyed, couldn't hide how shocked he was as he watched Fred.

"You're a genius or something?" he asked, instantly turning his computer towards Fred when he was done with Philip's own.

Philip couldn't stop himself from grinning ear to ear. He also watched with excitement as Fred went ahead to solve the code and whatever problems they'd been having with it.

"Where have you been all my life?" Harry asked with a huge smile on his face.

"With you around, we'll never have to worry about any of Colton's problems again," Philip mentioned, tapping Fred on his shoulder like one would to a long-lost friend.

"As long as I'm able to help. I don't mind helping," Fred responded, returning to continue his work.

A few days barely passed when everyone knew who to go to for help when they needed help with a task they couldn't complete. Unfortunately, this meant that Colton also found out about it and wasn't pleased about it.

One day, right after work hours, he confronted Fred with it, perambulating around what he was trying to say.

"You need to stop helping your co-workers with their jobs. If they need help, then they can always come to me!" Colton squarely told Fred, who thought nothing of it, responding with a smile.

"Mr. Colton, I don't mind helping my coworkers. I enjoy it very much, so it's alright," Fred replied, moving to leave the moment he was done speaking.

He knew precisely why Colton had a problem with it, but he didn't care, as he immediately made his way home.

The last thing he expected was to get to the office the following day and hear rumors of a large amount of money missing.

The worst part was that all the investigations they had done before he arrived showed that it came from his laptop.

Fred was instantly scared and called Lora, trying to explain everything before she heard about it.

Lora rushed to the company, planning to explain things to her father. This only worsened things as everyone instantly realized that Lora, the CEO's daughter, was his girlfriend.

"Fred would never steal such a huge amount of money. You guys must be mistaken!" Lora said, her voice getting louder and louder as she heard Colton speak.

"Yes, I know you trust your boyfriend, but the police have been called, and they'll be the ones to find out whether or not it's true," Colton confidently said, terrifying everyone there.

It had barely been thirty minutes since it was discovered, and the CEO himself hadn't been informed, yet Colton had instantly involved the police.

Everyone felt something weird about it, but none could open their mouths to speak against him.

"Lora, it's okay! I just wanted to inform you about it. I didn't do it, so there's nothing to worry about!" Fred said, trying to calm her down.

Seconds later, Lora was on the phone with her dad, and he arrived a few minutes later.

"What's going on here?" He demanded, entering through the main doors of the company to see a huge crowd gathered in the lobby.

Lora had called and told him to come to the company without telling him why he was there.

"Did something—he began, only for Colton to interrupt him before he could finish.

"I discovered that Fred has been stealing money from the company since he entered. He's great with computers but better at burglary," Colton confidently said.

Ben was instantly stunned, turning to face Fred, who could only shake his head, not knowing how to prove his innocence.

He had checked the evidence against him, and the money had disappeared from his company laptop, which he had the password to.

"I didn't do—"

"He's the thief, and I've already called the cops!" Colton announced, pointing outside at the sirens that were slowly getting closer to the building.

"Daddy!" Lora shouted, grabbing Fred's hand without knowing what she could do to help him.

It didn't help as she watched her dad slowly call a number and begin speaking on the phone.

"Can you bring all the tapes from yesterday to me? Yes. The one on floor 2, tech team," Ben calmly said into the phone to the bafflement of everyone there.

There were cameras in the company, but it was common knowledge that most of them weren't in use, which was why it was astounding to hear the CEO mention a set of tapes.

What was even more shocking was Colton, who slowly began to tremble in a way that barely anyone there could notice, but Ben did.

The tapes were brought and played one after the other, and it wasn't long before the truth came out.

"Check the time! I was using his laptop for something I needed it for. What evidence is there that I was the one that sent the money?" Colton proudly demanded, with believable tears in his eyes as the police walked in.

Most people there had worked with Colton for many years, and although they didn't like him, they felt they could trust him a little compared to Fred, who was new there.

Surprisingly, his tech team didn't agree, and they began speaking against him.

"Colton is a thief. He's one greedy and abusive manager, and I'm sure he's the one who committed the crime," Harry spoke up with a bold look.

Philip also refused to be left behind, so he decided to speak for Fred, who had been terrified to see the huge frown on Ben's face.

"Fred is a good person. I can assure you that he didn't," Philip added, trying to convince the CEO before it was too late.

The last thing they expected to hear from Ben were the words he said next.

"I know Colton is the culprit. Why do you think I placed Fred on his team? I found out about his antics, and I was convinced he would do anything to get Fred kicked out," Ben explained, to the astonishment of everyone there.

"Moreover, I have enough evidence of the little amounts he's stolen over the years to put him in prison," Ben continued, pointing at Carlton and urging the police to take him away.

"It's not me! Mr Johnson, I promise you I would never do such a thing. The money! You'll never get the money back if you catch the wrong person!" Colton screamed as he was dragged away.

"Thank you for your trust in me," Fred immediately told Ben when the police were gone and everyone had dispersed.

"I was watching. I guess in your way, you didn't allow his tyranny to continue, and that's good enough," Ben told him indirectly, informing him of the hidden cameras he had around.

"You should get ready to move into Colton's office tomorrow," Ben said as he left.

Even Lora stood beside him and found it hard to believe what she heard her father say.

By the time they had processed the information, he was already far gone.

"I'm going to be the manager?" Fred asked, his mouth hanging open from the shock he had received.

"You were patient and determined. You deserve it!" Lora replied, wrapping her arms around him, not seeing any reason to hide their relationship.

Fred's talents were enough to speak for him, and it didn't matter that she was the CEO's daughter.

I'm the one who's lucky to have him, Lora thought to herself, hugging him tighter than before.

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College kid Alex is used to getting by on his daddy's dime, but his father forces him to work to earn his new car when he is rude to a server at a cafe. But could Alex rise to the challenge? Here is the full story.

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