Signed by Fate

Chapter 4: Welcome To Hell

Lena stepped out of the elevator with a dark expression.

She was still thinking about Adrian Knight.

"That arrogant CEO..."

"One day..."

She stopped herself and took a deep breath.

"No, Lena. Calm down."

She forced a smile.

"You'll survive this."

With that, she pushed open the door to the Forgotten Department.

The familiar smell of old paper, dusty shelves, and ancient furniture greeted her.

The office was as quiet as ever.

Sitting closest to the window was Mr. George, the elderly head of the department. His gray hair and gentle smile made him look more like everyone's grandfather than a department head. Despite being the boss of the department, he never ordered anyone around. Instead, he was always the first person willing to help.

Next to him sat Maya, the department's finance officer and the trusted keeper of the department's company credit card. She was cheerful, kind-hearted, and always worried whether everyone had eaten. If anyone looked upset, Maya was usually the first to notice.

Across the room sat Toby.

Toby was the department's computer genius. Whenever a computer crashed or a printer refused to work, he could fix it in minutes. Unfortunately, outside computers... Toby's brain seemed to stop working completely. He was so innocent and clueless that sometimes nobody could tell whether he was joking or being serious.

Near the filing cabinets sat Daniel, the married administrative officer.

Daniel was the definition of nonchalant.

Whether someone laughed, cried, screamed, or fainted, Daniel would simply look up once, blink, and quietly return to his paperwork as though nothing had happened.

At the far corner sat Olivia.

Her fingers moved across her keyboard without stopping.

She barely spoke.

She barely smiled.

Sometimes Lena wondered whether Olivia even realized other people existed.

Lena sighed.

"What a strange department..."

RIIIIING!

The sudden ringing of an old-fashioned telephone made Lena jump.

"What the—"

She looked around before spotting an ancient cream-colored desk phone sitting on a dusty table.

"...People still use these?"

The phone rang again.

RIIIIING!

Lena slowly picked up the receiver.

"Hello?"

A furious female voice exploded through the speaker.

"Someone used the ladies' restroom on the third floor without flushing!"

Lena blinked.

"...Excuse me?"

"And there are tissues scattered everywhere! Do you people even do your jobs?"

Lena rubbed her forehead.

"Ma'am... you've called the wrong department."

"What?"

"We're not responsible for cleaning."

"You aren't?"

"No."

"You should call the cleaning department."

Click.

Lena hung up.

She sighed.

"...People are unbelievable."

RIIIIING!

She stared at the phone.

"...Seriously?"

She answered.

"Hello?"

"I WASN'T FINISHED TALKING!"

Lena closed her eyes.

"Ma'am."

"Our department doesn't clean restrooms."

"Then who does?"

"The cleaners."

Click.

She hung up again.

Five seconds later...

RIIIIING!

"The cleaners."

Click.

RIIIIING!

"The cleaners!"

Click.

Fourth call.

Fifth call.

Sixth call.

Seventh call.

Eighth call.

By the ninth call...

Lena finally lost her patience.

"ADRIAN KNIGHT!!"

The entire department became silent.

Lena slowly turned around.

Everyone was staring at her.

Even Olivia had stopped typing.

Mr. George adjusted his glasses.

"My dear..."

"Are you alright?"

Lena laughed awkwardly.

"Haha..."

"I'm fine."

Everyone continued staring.

"I was only..."

"...praising our CEO."

Toby suddenly nodded.

"I agree."

Lena looked at him hopefully.

"You do?"

Toby smiled.

"Mr. Knight has very nice suits."

The office became silent again.

Lena blinked.

"...That's what you noticed?"

Toby scratched his head.

"...Was I supposed to notice something else?"

Maya quickly covered her mouth to stop herself from laughing.

Daniel lazily looked up.

"Hmm."

Then calmly continued sorting his files.

Olivia resumed typing.

Click.

Click.

Lena sighed.

"I've entered the land of weird people."

BANG!

The department door suddenly flew open.

The same angry woman from the telephone stormed inside carrying a large waste bin overflowing with paper.

"There you are!"

She pointed

You kept hanging up on me!"

Before Lena could explain—

WHOOSH!

The woman flipped the waste bin over Lena.

Paper.

Receipts.

Dust.

Used tissues.

Everything landed on Lena's head.

The entire office froze.

Lena slowly picked a crumpled paper from her hair.

"...Did you..."

"...just throw trash at me?"

"You refused to clean the restroom!"

"We are NOT cleaners!"

"I'll report you to your CEO!"

Lena froze.

"...The CEO?"

"Didn't he transfer you here?"

The woman folded her arms proudly.

"Let's see whether he keeps you after this."

She turned around and marched out.

Silence.

Lena looked at the floor.

The rubbish surrounded her feet.

She wanted to cry.

Mr. George quietly stood up.

Without saying a word, he picked up a broom.

"Come."

"I'll help you."

Lena looked at him in surprise.

He smiled warmly.

"Everyone deserves help on their first day."

Lena smiled.

"...Thank you, Mr. George."

As the two of them swept the rubbish together...

Maya quietly walked over carrying a steaming cup of coffee.

She placed it gently on Lena's desk.

"You look exhausted."

Lena looked at the cup.

"...For me?"

Maya smiled.

"Drink it before it gets cold."

"You're an angel."

Maya giggled.

"I hear that a lot."

Meanwhile...

Daniel remained seated.

Olivia continued typing.

Neither of them moved an inch.

Toby stared at the pile of rubbish.

"...Wow."

Lena looked at him.

"...What?"

"That's a lot of paper."

Lena closed her eyes.

"I can't believe this is my life."

Mr. George chuckled softly.

After several minutes...

The floor was finally clean.

Mr. George wiped the sweat from his forehead.

"I've already gathered everything into one large trash bag."

He pointed toward the heavy black bag near the door.

"You only need to throw it away."

Inside her mind, Lena screamed.

"I still have to clean that disgusting restroom!"

She forced a smile.

"Thank you..."

Mr. George patted her shoulder.

"You'll get through today."

Lena wasn't so sure.

Lena stared at the huge black trash bag.

Then she looked toward the restroom.

Then back at the trash bag.

"...Why do I feel like this department is trying to kill me?"

Taking a deep breath, she searched the storage cabinet until she found a pair of rubber gloves, a face mask, and an old plastic apron.

She wore all three.

Toby blinked.

"Are you going to war?"

Lena glared at him.

"I'm going into the ladies' restroom."

Toby nodded seriously.

"...That's even worse."

Lena sighed.

"I don't even have the energy to argue with you anymore."

She slowly pushed open the restroom door.

Immediately—

A horrible smell hit her.

Lena froze.

"...Dear Lord."

She covered her nose.

"What kind of human being does this?"

She looked at the toilet.

"Oh..."

"My..."

"God..."

She quickly turned away.

"No."

"I refuse."

She turned toward the door.

"...Maybe if I leave now nobody will notice."

Just as she reached for the handle...

She remembered the woman's words.

"I'll report you to the CEO."

Lena slowly lowered her hand.

"...I hate my life."

She turned back.

Half an hour later...

Lena was still scrubbing.

She scrubbed while complaining.

"If you know how to use a toilet..."

"...you know how to flush it!"

She scrubbed harder.

"What were you people raised by?"

She poured disinfectant everywhere.

"If I ever find the person responsible..."

"I'll make them clean every restroom in this company!"

She finally flushed one last time.

"There!"

She threw the brush into the bucket.

"I'm done."

She washed her hands.

Then washed them again.

Then one more time.

"I still don't feel clean."

After cleaning herself, she walked back toward the department.

Mr. George smiled.

"I've already swept the remaining rubbish together."

Lena looked toward the heavy trash bag.

"...It's still there."

Mr. George nodded.

"I'm afraid so."

Lena sighed.

"Fine."

Before she could lift it...

Toby suddenly jumped from his chair.

"I'll help!"

Lena smiled gratefully.

"Really?"

"Of course!"

Together they dragged the heavy trash bag through the hallway.

Lena was breathing heavily.

"Why..."

"...is this..."

"...so heavy?"

Toby answered happily.

"Because it's full of trash."

Lena stopped walking.

"...Thank you, Toby."

"For stating the obvious."

"I try my best."

Lena couldn't even tell whether he was joking.

Finally, they reached the disposal area outside the building.

Lena smiled.

"Thank you so much."

Toby gave her a thumbs-up.

"No problem."

Then...

He turned around.

And started walking back.

Lena blinked.

"...Toby?"

He looked back.

"Yes?"

"Aren't you going to help me throw it away?"

Toby frowned.

"But..."

"...we already brought it here."

"...Yes."

"So..."

"Now all you have to do..."

"...is throw it inside."

He smiled proudly.

"I've completed my mission."

Before Lena could stop him...

He happily walked away.

Lena stared after him.

"...He's unbelievable."

She grabbed the trash bag.

"One last job..."

She lifted it.

RRRRIP!!

The bottom suddenly tore apart.

The rubbish exploded.

Dust covered her face.

Paper flew into the air.

The wind blew directly toward her.

Her hair flew across her face.

"Pffft!"

She blew it away.

It came right back.

She blew harder.

The strand slipped into her mouth.

"Ow!"

She accidentally bit her own lip.

She looked up at the sky.

"What have I done to deserve this?!"

Nearby birds flew away in fright.

By the time Lena returned to the department, her thirty-minute break was already over.

She looked at the mountain of documents on her desk.

Mr. George walked over.

"I'm sorry, Lena."

"The reports still have to be completed today."

Lena looked at the stack.

"...Today?"

Mr. George nodded apologetically.

"I'm afraid so."

She sat down.

"...Fine."

Hour after hour...

She worked.

Daniel quietly continued his paperwork.

Olivia never looked away from her computer.

Maya occasionally walked over to check whether Lena needed more coffee.

Toby accidentally asked her three times if she was "having fun."

By the third time...

Lena simply stared at him.

"...Do I look like I'm having fun?"

Toby thought carefully.

"...A little?"

Lena slowly picked up a file.

Toby immediately ran away.

Even Maya burst into laughter.

By the time Lena finished...

She looked at the clock.

10:00 p.m.

"...I'm alive."

Barely.

After getting home...

Lena took a long shower.

She scrubbed herself twice.

Then a third time.

"I still smell like garbage."

She changed into comfortable clothes and collapsed onto the couch.

The television was already showing a sports competition.

One athlete trained harder than everyone.

Another hardly trained at all.

When the winner was announced...

The lazy athlete won.

Lena sat upright.

"What?!"

She grabbed a box of tissues and threw it across the room.

"Why?!"

"Why do hardworking people always lose?"

"The lazy ones always win!"

The tissue box landed on the sofa.

Lena looked at it.

Suddenly...

The image of the exploding trash bag flashed through her mind.

The dust.

Her hair blowing into her mouth.

Biting her own lip.

She covered her face.

"Oh, God..."

"Today was absolute hell."

Ding-dong!

The doorbell rang.

Lena frowned.

"Who is it?"

She opened the door.

Standing outside was a beautiful young woman pulling a suitcase.

Long dark hair.

Bright eyes.

A gentle smile.

Lena's expression froze.

"...Rain?"

Rain smiled.

"Can I come in before you start asking questions?"

Without waiting for permission, she walked inside.

Lena shut the door.

She folded her arms.

"So..."

"You disappeared for years..."

"And now you've suddenly appeared at my house with luggage?"

Rain looked around the apartment.

"You still keep everything clean."

Lena frowned.

✦ ✦ ✦

End of Chapter 4