The Struggle of Women
Episode 22
Elma's body is back in the ready position, just like when she faced a guest or Zian this morning. The woman positioned herself as modestly as possible in the presence of the man who was still sitting in his place without moving much. Only her eyes seemed to be following every move Elma had made since entering the room, and that gaze was clearly a kind of intimidating look.
Raising her head slightly, Elma glanced at Zian who looked back at her then raised both eyebrows. The man instead added a gesture that seemed to allow Elma to speak without being disturbed by his existence. Consider itself just a sweetener.
The woman cleared her throat slowly, this time bending 90 degrees while closing her eyes tightly. “I'm sorry! Sorry for yesterday's incident and sorry for the misunderstanding I caused. I don't mean to act brashly on you, I'm just trying to keep the good name of this hotel because I love my job very much and this place.”
Silence was long, and Elma was still loyal in her position. Zian smiled faintly, while Liam's eyebrow tip was raised slightly as if to indicate that he was uncomfortable with the sentence he had just heard. “You want to apologize or just mince words? Your words seem to show no remorse at all.”
Elma's eyes opened, slowly returning to stand upright in a ready position. The woman's posture was perfect, looking elegant and graceful wrapped in the pride uniforms of their hotel employees. Zian covered his lips with his own mind, again trying to focus on the two people's chatter.
“Sa-I'm really sorry .. and I'm sorry, so please don't fire me Mr. Liam.”
Smirk belittles it then appears on the tip of Liam's lips, fully understanding why the woman is brazenly asking to face him at this moment. “So you apologized for the management's decision to fire you? Not because I really feel sorry?”
“Eh?”
“You won't feel the need to bother to see me if the decision to fire you doesn't come out, right? From your words alone have impressed you it does not feel guilty at all.”
“Sa-I feel guilty, really! That's why I'm here, right?”
That half smile re-appeared in the cold face slit of Liam, “Oh huh? Then I accept your apologies, but don't expect the firing decision to be changed. I will still ask the HRD Department to terminate the employment contract.”
This time Elma had unconsciously moved from her fixed position since earlier, the woman who had originally stood not far from the door was now walking until she faced Liam. The look on his face really looked serious, mixed tense, also firm at the same time. Although now Elma was in a position to turn her back to Zian, but the man had seen the expression of his face when walking closer to Liam earlier. And he thinks Elma's face is attractive.
“Not—I mean don't! I'm begging you not to fire me, I really need this job.”
“Indeed you think I care?”
“Pak Liam—”
“Listen,” cut Liam. “Did your manager not explain to you what mistakes you have made? Do I need to repeat it again so you understand?”
No he denied, part of his heart still considers that yesterday's incident was not entirely he who was wrong. However, the decision to call the police and take swift action was solely to maintain the good name of the hotel.
Because, if the real incident was as Elma assumed, the reputation of the hotel where she worked must have been damaged. Abduction in President Suit Room? That means this hotel facilitates and considers people who can rent such expensive rooms worth it and can do anything as they please, right? Even if it's against the law? Just be right!
“Zian, so you asked me here just to serve it? Do you underestimate my precious time, huh?” Liam looked at Zian who was still busy listening. The man stood up after finding his cousin just shrugged indifferently with a pinched smile. Liam doesn't like it. “Just a waste of time,” muttered Liam stepped about to leave from there.
Without Liam thinking, Elma followed him from behind, the woman was seen moving her lips despite seeming confused what to say. Attempting to withdraw Liam's attention so that the man would abandon his intention to leave.
“Wait, Sir. Mr. Liam... Mr. Liam wait!” anxious because the call was not understood, between consciously and not Elma pulled the man's arm, quite powerful even to make Liam turn his body back to face him.
Liam's eyes were directed at his arm which Elma tightly gripped. Elma followed that line of sight. Instead of letting go, his gaze instead returned to Liam's increasingly frowning eyes dislike. “You dare touch me?”
That's when Elma just realized Liam's sharp gaze meant to him, quickly he released his hand from Liam's elbow, “Sorry, I didn't mean. After I didn't hear my call.”
“Didn't hear you say? You think I'm deaf? I heard but chose not to listen! Wh why? Because you are wasting my time!”
“But I asked Father time to fight for my survival and my family!”
Finally, Elma's emotions were provoked. This guy thinks only he feels his time is wasted? He thinks only he is the busiest and has interests? Elma most dislikes people who like to underestimate others, let alone who consider her time valuable while others do not. And if the devil cares that now he will really lose his job, however, fighting or silence the result will be the same, then what Elma chooses is clearly retreating by resisting. At least he could be more honored even if he had to leave from there.
“You—”
“Bapak think in this world only the life of the Father is important then others do not? You think only Father's time is wasted while I'm not? I am here to fight for my rights. The right to defend myself because I do not feel completely guilty. As careless as anything and as good as I was yesterday, the only reason I did it was for the good name of this hotel. It's stupid against the background of why it could happen, but at such a time if I don't care about the good name of this hotel and the other people who caught it. Maybe now the sloping news about yesterday's events has been widely circulated on social media! Then do you think it will not damage the good image of the hotel Mr?” elma cried out loud and at length.
Whether the intention of his passionate speech was understandable or not, able to be understood or not with the arrogant figure that now loomed before him. Elma just wanted to convey what was in her head, Elma only wanted the thing that stuck in her heart to be released if she had to go from there.
“You dare yell at me?” Liam's facial expression hardened. Presumably the man not only felt arrogant again, but was already really angry. Instead of feeling the situation he saw emergency, Zian who had been sitting at his desk just now stood straight—not to break up, but because what he saw felt more interesting.
📽To be continue🎞