The Grand Duelist

"You bitch!"

Being an experienced man in this line of work. Bryan Lacaba swiftly caught on what Joseph was hinting at. His hand flew fast and a resounding slap rang out. Five bright red finger marks could be seen on the salesgirl's face as she staggered backward and fell onto the ground on her butt.

"How dare you go and offend a VIP Customer of this establishment?! Go back to the staff room and take your salary for this month, then get out! Don't you dare show yourself to me ever again!"

"M-M-Manager..."

All the people watching outside were astounded by the sudden turn of events. Both Joseph and Lily couldn't believe what they were seeing as the former felt a shiver down his spine.

This man... How decisive... He just fired an employee, just like that?

But Lily had different thoughts.

She turned to look at the teary-eyed salesgirl and revealed a mocking look on her face.

Who's looking down at whom now?

Lily felt elated.

The salesgirl had a pale look on her face.

She realized at this moment that she really did bark at the wrong tree. 

Insulting a VIP Customer of the store was tantamount to a death sentence. Not only she would be fired, but she would also be blacklisted from the retail industry.

Unfortunately, the salesgirl only had work experience in the retail industry.

She reckoned that once everything was over and she was blacklisted.

There was no way for her to find any job in this industry anymore.

She'd probably be forced to sell herself into the red-light district and live a life more miserable than a beggar.

That cannot be!

The salesgirl leaped into the air and under everyone's shocked gazes.

She kneeled onto the ground and started begging.

"Sir... I'm sorry! I'm very sorry! It's my fault! All of this is my fault!"

"I failed to realize who you were and looked down on you!" 

She started slapping herself repeatedly and when her left cheek bled. She moved over to her right cheek before slapping both of her cheeks continuously. She even spat several teeth from her bloodied mouth.

An indication that her slaps weren't just for show...

They were fierce and filled with strength!

"I hope you can forgive me, please forgive me!"

The salesgirl even crawled to where Lily was standing and she started kowtowing to her.

Her forehead almost instantly bled from the force that she was using.

"Big sister... All of this is my fault! I'm very sorry, you can hit me or scold me, but please let me off! Please give me one last chance!"

Lily momentarily revealed a look of disgust from her desperate pleas and begging, but that look quickly disappeared and replaced with worry. She glanced at Joseph, indicating that she didn't know what to do nor how she should proceed.

"Big sister... Please let me off. I have a family to take care of, both of my parents have illnesses and I can't afford to lose this job! I really can't get into trouble! I will bear all responsibility otherwise, but please... I beg you to let me off."

Joseph was moved.

His anger miraculously dissipated as he let out a sigh.

"I see... So you are working here to help your parents?" Joseph said in a gentle tone.

The salesgirl raised her head and her beauty couldn't be seen anymore. It was replaced with a bloodied and swollen mess, yet her eyes radiated with the light of hope as she stared at Joseph.

She nodded her head and added, "Yes... That's right, sir... I can't afford to lose this job since I will not be able to afford their medicine anymore. If I lost this job... I'll be forced to disappoint both of my parents and sell my own body in the red-light district so that I could afford their medicines"

The salesgirl displayed such strong filial piety that the customers who were previously gloating at her changed their minds.

At this moment, they were hoping that the VIP customers that she offended would let her keep this job, despite her offense.

Joseph glanced at Bryan Lacaba and found that there was an indifferent, yet urging look on his face.

It was clear that he was letting Joseph decide the fate of the salesgirl.

Joseph let out a sigh and said, "Fine... I won't cause you trouble this time seeing that you're so filial. But I hope that you are not doing this for show and your circumstances are true, or else..." Joseph's eyes narrowed into slits. 

The salesgirl's figure visibly trembled but she didn't say anything, afraid that she may further offend this VIP Customer.

"What she's saying is true, Sir Entrada... That is really her true circumstances. In fact, I don't remember her being such a tactless employee. She used to be more obedient and caring to the customers..."

"I wonder what changed her attitude like this? Could it be because she's now too arrogant due to the high wages that she's earning right now?"

Bryan Lacaba made a sidelong glance at the salesgirl and she once again felt a shiver down her spine. However, she kept her silence and just hung her head low in shame.

It was because she knew deep inside that General Manager Bryan Lacaba was right, she truly got too arrogant due to the fact that she was earning five times more than the minimum wage.

Unfortunately, there was no medicine for regrets in this world and it was impossible to turn back time.

Otherwise, she would definitely not offend both Joseph and Lily today nor in the future!

Joseph slightly nodded his head and said, "All right, I won't make it too hard on you. However, failure needs punishment and so does rewards..."

"You know, that carrot and stick, right? In that case, your punishment is that you must donate fifty percent of your salary this month to a charity of your choice. That's all that I want you to do."

The salesgirl sobbed.

Despite not saying anything...

It was clear that she was agreeable to the terms that Joseph proposed.

General Manager Bryan Lacaba helped her up and ordered her to clean herself up. 

A few minutes later, instead of going to rest.

She returned and stood in front of Joseph while staring onto the ground.

Lily's eyebrows furrowed.

Just what is this bitch trying to do? 

Lily felt that everything that happened was quite anti-climatic.

Joseph should've not let her off so lightly! If I was the one that made the decision, then I would've already made the manager fire this vixen!

Lily could only shake her head inwardly. But on the outside, a slight smile could be seen on her face.

Joseph glanced at the salesgirl and found that her cheeks were indeed swollen.

But before he could say anything, Lily suddenly spoke up.

"Are we still going to buy clothes in this store, Joseph?" 

Joseph awakened from his trance, and so did General Manager Lacaba.

General Manager Lacaba bowed his head and said, "I'm really sorry for the unwanted disturbance, sir Entrada..."

"As an apology, I would like to increase your membership category from VIP to VVIP. From now on, instead of receiving thirty-percent discounts for our products. You will now receive a fifty-percent discount, without any monetary limits like before."

"Really?"

Both Joseph and Lily exclaimed at the same time.

They looked quite excited, particularly Joseph who felt that the clothing in this store didn't look so expensive anymore. 

After all, with a fifty-percent discount...

Buying these clothes were now worth it, so Joseph didn't delay anymore.

He turned to look at the salesgirl who still had her head hung low in shame.

"You... Come here and help us wrap these clothes."

The salesgirl raised her head and revealed a look of shock, "Me?"

"Yes, you! What...? You don't want these sales anymore? Okay, I'll give them to sir Lacaba..." Joseph lightly chuckled and even teased the salesgirl in an attempt to soften the tense atmosphere.

The salesgirl stood there as if a bomb had exploded near her ears.

It was until General Manager Lacaba gave her a slight push did she move and run towards Joseph's direction.

She took the clothes from Joseph's hands and meticulously wrapped them as if they were her family's heirloom.

Visible on her face, despite her swollen cheeks, was her excitement as she wrapped these clothes. It was because of the fact that the value of the clothes that Joseph wanted to buy when combined reached at least two hundred thousand dollars!

In other words, her commission could be at least twenty thousand or even thirty thousand dollars!

Even if her commission was halved due to her promise to donate half of her month's salary to a charity.

She'd still earn ten to fifteen thousand dollars in just a single transaction.

This was really worth it!

She couldn't care less about the mocking gazes of the people outside anymore.

Even if they thought that she was a materialistic girl, so what?

As long as she could get money in a clean way, she would do anything!

Especially at this point in time when his parents needed her money the most for their medicine.

The transaction was swiftly done.

Joseph received a VVIP Membership card from General Manager Lacaba and so did Lily who managed to successfully ride on Joseph's coattails and receive a VVIP Membership card for herself.

The excitement and joy on her face were impossible to hide which made Joseph feel incredibly satisfied.

The salesgirl then handed over everything to Joseph along with the receipts. 

Joseph received the items with a smile and turned around to leave the store.

But the salesgirl suddenly opened spoke, "S-Sir...!"

Joseph turned his head to look at her, but he didn't say anything.

"May I know..." 

The salesgirl hung her head low in apparent embarrassment, but she quickly found some courage as she asked, "May I know your name?"

Lily's eyes dangerously narrowed.

The salesgirl noticed Lily's gaze and she flailed her hands in a panic.

"Forget about it, sir! Forget about it! I didn't say anything!"

Joseph furrowed his eyebrows and was quite confused.

But since the salesgirl had already retreated back to the staff room...

Joseph could only turn to look at Lily and ask.

"What's going on?"

Lily smiled before shaking her head, "It's nothing. She's still probably in shock due to what happened. Let's not think about her for now. We only have about three hours left before the flight so we can't possibly think about something else..."

She quickly changed the topic and placed a crucial detail inside the new topic.

She successfully distracted Joseph's attention away from the salesgirl as Joseph exclaimed.

"Holy! You're right! Let's go! Goddamned it, I hope we're not too late, yet."

Joseph then dragged Lily by the wrist, afraid that she may find another interesting store for them to shop for goods.

After all, the two of them really didn't have that much time.

With how much land and air traffic the City of Sibu received...

Two hours was barely enough for them to catch the upcoming flight.

Lily made a final glance at the staff room of the store before she turned around and focused on Joseph.

Back inside the store, within the staff room.

General Manager Lacaba stared at the salesgirl with a frown on her face.

"Don't be too happy, yet..."

"That VIP Customer may have forgiven you, but that doesn't mean that I will forgive you so easily for offending him."

The salesgirl gulped a mouthful of saliva.

Fear flashed across her face as she subconsciously took a step backward when she saw Lacaba's menacing gaze.

"What... General Manager... Are you saying that..."

"Yes..." 

"The VIP Customer may have spared you from his wrath, but I won't let you off. I'll be firing you. Take half of your month's salary this month then get out. Never show yourself in front of me once again." General Manager Lacaba coldly said before he reclined on his chair.

The salesgirl instantly collapsed on her knees and started begging.

"No, please... Sir... You know my circumstances, please sir... Please find it in your heart to spare me!"

"Find it in my heart to spare you? What a joke! Every action that you do in this world has its own consequences! I am sure that you know about that, right?"

"But well, if you really don't want to get fired, then I guess..."

General Manager Lacaba licked his lips and stared lustfully at the salesgirl. 

"I can help you forget what happened today but in exchange..."

The salesgirl's expression paled. She could feel General Manager Lacaba's desire for her, but in the end, she steeled herself and nodded her head, "I'll... I'll do anything! I'll do anything, just don't fire me from this work!" 

"Is that so? Hahaha..." General Manager Lacaba lightly chuckled. He then took off his belt and placed both of his hands on the back of his head before spreading his legs in front of the salesgirl.

"Since you said that you're going to do anything. Then, I'm sure that you know what you must do right now, right?" 

The salesgirl gulped a mouthful of saliva.

Tears dripped down her cheeks as her trembling body scooted over in front of General Manager Lacaba's legs and slowly opened his zippers. Afterwards, not any sound lingered within the staff room anymore except some sucking sounds and a male's faint panting.