Was it him?

All the male employees at Global TechKicker Company were lined up at the front of Conrad's office. Beside Conrad stood Olivia, Mandy, Cindy, and other female employees. The atmosphere was tense; quiet and tense, heavy and hollow. It was almost as if no one was breathing. Not a whisper. Even the melodious morning birds that sang the morning away with their innocent chirping tunes were silent that particular morning. Everyone stared at each other; they exchanged the inquisitive kind of looks but each of them knew just as much as the other. No one dared to utter a word. There stood another person; at the center of the two adjacent lines formed. She was tall and slim, but sweat trickled down her face though the weather was chilly that morning. Her hand was trembling as she pointed it up at Arnold. 

"Is he the one?" Mr. Huddlings asked her.

"N... no, no" she stammered.

"It's him." Her beautiful brown face was a mask of fright that bore embarrassed hatred. A hate that was intense, neutral, and at the same time; general.

"Ha! Ha!" Everyone gasped in horror. They now seemed to get a hold of the matter.

"You can't trust her sir!" Oliva was shaking like a leaf.

"You shouldn't even be talking! I knew it from the very moment..."

"Hannah, why are you doing this? You know it's not me darling?" Oliva's heart was palpitating and his palms were sweating.

Hannah retreated when Oliva advanced towards her. "Don't call me that. You asked me to get you the data from Ma'am Lopez's office in return for $10,000. How do you dare to say it isn't you?" She retorted with agitation in her voice.

"Darling indeed!" Olivia scoffed.

"I can choose to hand you over to the cops Oliver... but you know what? That won't be of any good to me." Conrad stared grouchily at Oliva. His temper would have given way for him to beat Oliva up, but he wouldn't do that in front of everybody.

"Thank you, sir, Thank you." He fell on his knees. 

"Don't thank me yet. I forgave you last time but not again!" No one spoke for a moment; it would even be possible to hear a pin falling to the ground. The outcome was not going to be good. Oliva looked at Conrad with sympathetic eyes. "YOU ARE FIRED." Conrad didn't wait any longer after saying those three words. He said those words as though he'd been waiting for eternity to say them; anyone could tell they were from the bottom of his heart. No compromise could alter his decision. There was finality in his tone. Everyone dispersed to their various stations immediately after Conrad left. They didn't want to face his wrath.

"Cindy, design posters. We'll hire a more grateful and worthy IT personnel. Post the position on our web page too. I want this done before the end of the day! We cannot have ways of behaving that are a vice on the personal level and a virtue in the business (money-nexus) world. The cruelty that comes with, "It's just business" is a strong example." Conrad roared.

"Gladwell, slot in an hour in my schedule before lunch; we'll be having a meeting. Olivia, get me the statistics from this ungrateful man's office and come up with other better strategies, they'll be discussed during the meeting."

The time between Conrad's speaking and the time everyone left could not have been more than ten seconds. Everything happened so fast. Only Olivia and Hannah remained rooted to the ground, they didn't move an inch. Hannah was sobbing.

"You can leave Hannah," Oliva told her.

"Oliva, at least you know I'm innocent."

She walked majestically up to Oliva. "You really are something. You know that Oliva?"

"Do you know the extent to which a broken heart burns for revenge? Only it can put out the raging fire! You asked for it yourself. She did what she had to do. I can't help you now." She walked away; a grin appeared on her visage.

Oliva was now raving words and cursing at Conrad. He was sweating like someone who had just completed a difficult menial task. He had become a fearless cursing madman; no longer afraid.