“Mr. Akopov.” My voice comes out higher than I intended. I clear my throat and try again, though round two isn’t much better. “Thank you for seeing me.”
“Did I have a choice?” The corner of his mouth twitches. “I didn’t get much of one last time we crossed paths.”
My face burns. So we’re jumping right into it. Copy that.
“About that—I’m so sorry. I should have knocked. I didn’t realize—”
He holds up a hand, silencing me instantly. “What’s done is done.”
I swallow hard. Here it comes. The firing. The humiliation. The end of my livelihood.
It was nice knowing you, steady paycheck. It was a pleasure to have met, gainful employment. Next up is the welfare line. I hope I can get used to the taste of Instant Cup ramen noodles every meal for the rest of my life.
“Do you know why I asked y
