I couldn't express any reaction. The nervousness that was already consuming me only increased when I saw Joshua there, standing in front of me, knowing that he had heard everything I had said about him. I tried to speak, but my words failed, it seemed like my mind had been blocked. I didn't know what to say to get out of that embarrassing situation.
Joshua, on the other hand, didn't seem angry, but rather indifferent to the situation. He commented on what I had said and showed displeasure with the fact that I had exposed something he had asked to keep private, and even added that if I had anything I wanted to know about him, I just had to ask.
I tried to justify myself, explaining that it wasn't easy to ask questions about someone's life who isn't close without seeming intrusive. But Joshua argued that if I preferred to deduce instead of knowing the truth, then I was simply trying to convince one person that another was of bad character just because I had observed them superficially.
"Honestly... I thought you were willing to get to know me first, but apparently, I was wrong," he said disappointedly, passing by me.
I let out a long sigh, realizing that I had really overreacted, but I was in a panic. I barely knew Joshua and hearing those supposed truths caused a certain unease in me. And what made me even more intrigued was that, even after hearing what I said, he didn't defend himself.
What should I really think, Scott?
I leave the bathroom area and make my way to my table. As I approach that area, the feeling of having done something wrong only increased when I heard a conversation between Joshua and Samantha. The air seemed tense, as I could hear Mr. Scott's son speaking in an altered tone, which made me very apprehensive, as maybe I was to blame for that discussion.
"Please, listen to me," the girl begged.
"I'm not sure I want to hear what you have to say," he replied coldly.
"I swear I had no idea she would believe it. It was just a joke."
He sighed, shaking his head in disagreement.
"What the hell made you want to make up a story like that?" he almost shouted. "Just because we were childhood friends doesn't mean you have the right to say things like that about me. You don't know how much that puts my image at risk. Alice could easily believe what you said and expose it to the world. And you know what would happen? It would fuck up all the hard work I've done!" His face was so red that I swore he was going to explode with anger. "And in the end, I'm your boss! You should respect me!"
Head down, Samantha responded: "I'm sorry, boss."
When I thought Joshua wouldn't say anything else, he surprised us by saying, "You're fired."
My eyes immediately widened in surprise.
"W-What?" Samantha said, surprised.
"Get your things and leave."
"B-But... Joshua!"
I shake my head and approach them. I couldn't let Mr. Scott's son make that decision. I understand that Samantha made a mistake by saying those things, but if I hadn't called Betty and told her what I had heard, Joshua wouldn't have known about Samantha's joke and wouldn't have ended up firing her. So, I decide to interfere.
"Please, Mr. Scott, don't you think you're being a bit harsh on her?" I asked, trying to ease the tension and prevent Samantha's firing.
Joshua immediately looks at me and says:
"Yes, maybe I'm being too hard, but that doesn't change the fact that she crossed the line. She had no right to play with my personal issues with anyone," Joshua replied, still indignant.
Anyway, I felt guilty about what had happened because, in a way, I had a share of the blame. He would never have known Samantha's words if I hadn't called Betty.
"It's my fault," I explained, my words eliciting a surprised look from Samantha. "I was the one who brought up the subject with Samantha. I was trying to understand you better, and I ended up letting my insecurities get the best of me." I spoke, feeling shame consume me. "And I shouldn't have believed in a joke and called Betty. But I realized it was a mistake. I didn't want to expose or harm you in any way. I'm sorry."
Joshua looked at me for a moment in silence, seeming to evaluate my words. After a few seconds, he sighed and shook his head.
"It's okay, I understand what you were trying to do. But next time, talk to me before jumping to conclusions. I don't want this to happen again. And this warning applies to both of you," said Joshua, still serious but now with a more amenable expression.
"Does this mean I won't lose my job?" the girl asked.
"Not today," he said briefly, turning to go to his office.
I closed my eyes, feeling the relief spread through my body. I had managed to stop Joshua from making a decision that could have bitterly affected someone, and despite the tension still hanging in the air, I knew things could improve from there on. At least for Samantha.
The experience taught me that, as much as I wanted to understand the people around me, I needed to be careful with my actions and always respect others' limits. After all, trust is something precious, and once broken, it can be difficult to regain.
"Gosh, girl," Samantha whispered. "I feel my heart coming out of my chest. If I lost this job, I don't know what I would do."
"I'm sorry for what I did," I said, lowering my head. "After this, I don't know if he still wants me to work here."
"Well, he reconsidered firing me, so I don't think he'll do that to you," she said.
"But did you see his face? I don't think he just forgave me."
"Relax, nothing bad is going to happen. Now, let's focus on our work because after this, I'll triple my proactivity," she said, starting to rearrange the papers on the desk.
I, on the other hand, was still hesitant.
***
The time to go home soon arrived. I packed my things and said goodbye to Samantha. And just thinking about having to face Mr. Scott's son at home sent shivers down my whole body in pure nervousness.
As I waited for the elevator, I felt a mixture of relief and regret. Relief that I could rest after I got home after such an intense day and regret for acting wrongly, especially knowing that as soon as I got home, I would have to share the same environment with Joshua.
The elevator arrives, and I enter, pressing the button for the ground floor. Unexpectedly, a dilemma hits my chest, making me confused about whether I should go home immediately or take a walk around London to clear my mind since there were still some places in the city that I recognized, and it might do me good to clear my mind.
As I walked through the huge lobby, I still thought about that feeling of guilt. I had no intention of tarnishing Joshua's reputation, much less of harming his career. But things got out of my control. I just wanted to know more about him, his life, his personality, but ended up exposing my suspicions in an inappropriate way.
And now, as I followed my steps out of the building, I wondered why I had reached this point. Upon reflection, why would someone so successful get involved in shady things? Do appearances deceive? Or is hasty judgment really what deceives? Or both?
As I reached the outside of the building, I was surprised to see Joshua leaning against his car, arms crossed, a serious look on his face, and looking in my direction towards the company's exit.
"I'm heading home, I can give you a ride."
I was immediately surprised by his words, but decided to refuse.
"Uh... thank you, but... Before going back to your house, I decided to take a walk around London. I missed my old city."
"I see," he nodded his head and leaned off the car. "But I think the London you knew is not the same as ten years ago. I'll take you to some places."
"No, it's not necessary... I don't want to bother," I said immediately.
"Okay, it won't bother me," he opened the car door for me. "Besides, it's a way to apologize."
I looked at him surprised.
"Apologize?" I asked, approaching him to get into the car.
"For what happened earlier. Samantha is a great friend of mine, but she had no right to joke about such serious matters."
"Would you really have fired her?" I couldn't help but ask, and Joshua nodded.
Mr. Scott's son closed the door as soon as I sat down and walked around the car to sit on the driver's side.
"I take the boss-employee relationship very seriously. Therefore, what Samantha did could not be ignored. I know I was a little harsh, I disregarded our friendship, but... She needed to behave like a professional. Professionals don't make up stories, especially about their own boss. In any other company, she would be fired," he explained before starting the car.
I looked down and stared at my fingers on my thighs.
"Look... I know I've already apologized, but... I still don't think it was enough. I also have a share of the blame."
"You don't need to apologize again," he said. "I understand that you didn't intend to harm me, which is why I said it shouldn't happen again." I felt his gaze focused on me. "And to clarify everything at once... I'm not the type of guy who gets involved in illegal things."
I lifted my head to look at him and saw a small, almost imperceptible smile on the corner of his lips. Despite everything, it seemed like he was reconsidering the whole mess as something funny.
"I'm not a criminal, nor am I involved with drugs or any other illegal activities. My life is normal, just like any other person's. Of course, there's a small difference that I'm considered one of London's most successful men, but... I'm still a simple person who would never get involved in shady things just to become a millionaire. I wouldn't bring that kind of disappointment to my family," he said, and I nodded my head. "Therefore, as I know Betty said you were a very creative girl... I'm willing to forget what happened today."
"Did Betty say that?" I widen my eyes a little. "Why... Why did she say that?"
Joshua shrugs.
"I have no idea, but I think I understand what she meant." He says with a grin.
"How embarrassing..." I murmur.
"Well, anyway... Where would you like to go?"
"Well... There's a café nearby that I used to love going to when I was younger. I don't know if it's still there."
"We can take a look." Joshua says and starts the car.
***
"No way!" I say with a huge smile on my face. "The café I used to love coming to still exists!" I say as I get out of the car.
I wait for Joshua to stand next to me, and without wasting any time, I head inside the café. It was a little different from what I remembered, but the smell of coffee was exactly the same.
Soon, memories of when I was just a child flooded my mind. Remembering when I came here with my parents brought me a feeling of comfort.
"Let's sit here," Joshua says and pulls out a chair for me to sit on.
"Thank you." I smile and thank him for his gentlemanly gesture.
Joshua sits in the chair opposite me.
"By the smile on your face, I assume this place really was your favorite."
"Yes! I always came here with my parents before they split up. They were good times." I say nostalgically.
Silence hung between us for a few seconds, but soon Joshua spoke again.
"Well... Since we're here, I think we have an opportunity to start over."
I looked at him, surprised. Joshua seemed to be calmer now, compared to earlier.
"I'm not much of a talker about myself, but... If you want to know anything, you can ask. I think it's better to forget today."
"Okay, then. What do you like to do in your free time?"
Joshua let out a light laugh, making it clear that he expected a different kind of question, maybe about his business or something else, but he kindly answered my question.
"Well, when I'm not working, I like to read."
I smiled, feeling more at ease.
"I like reading too. What's your favorite book?"
"Hm, hard to choose just one. But I'd say '1984' by George Orwell is one of the ones that left the most impact on me."
"No way! I love that book!" I was surprised by the connection that had arisen between us. Maybe I had judged Joshua unfairly.
"Really? That's cool!" Joshua smiled, and I realized he had a very nice smile. "Who would've thought we'd have that in common, right?"
"Yeah. Maybe I judged you wrongly. I'm sorry."
"No need to apologize. I understand you were afraid after hearing those things. But I hope we can put that behind us and start over."
"I hope so too."
I smiled, feeling a weight lifting off my shoulders. Maybe what had happened was necessary for me and Joshua to get to know each other better. And who knows, maybe we would even become real friends. I didn't know how long I would be with him, so I didn't want to have a turbulent relationship with my boss.