Betrayal at the Counter

Name: Betrayal at the Counter
Rating: 5.0 (1 reviews)

Clark Coontz

Modern | Completed

5.0

Comment(s)

1.5K

View

Chapters

The apprentice I personally brought up wants to replace me. Since you are not being benevolent, I will also not act justly.

Modern Gold digging Betrayal Workplace Kickass Heroine

Chapter 8 The Reckoning

12-10 16:15

Chapter 1 A Sure Bet

I worked as an ordinary bank teller. After seven or eight years on the job, I took on a trainee named Jenna Wheeler. From her very first day, she'd pull up a chair behind me, watching as I processed transactions for customers and practicing her counting skills alongside me.

Jenna, like me, came from a modest local background. She was short, slightly chubby, and sported dyed blonde hair. She greeted me cheerfully every time with, "Julia," her voice full of warmth.

Jenna was also a fantastic cook. Whenever we brought our lunches, she always included a share of her homemade roasted chicken or creamy pasta for me. Her thoughtfulness made me feel she was worth mentoring.

Though hardworking, Jenna wasn't the sharpest. She learned slowly and made frequent mistakes when she first started at the counter. She ended up covering customer losses from her own pocket before even getting her paycheck. I couldn't bear to see her struggle and used my own money to make up for her errors.

Moved by my support, Jenna wept with gratitude. From then on, our bond deepened, and she even confided in me about her personal life.

I quickly noticed Jenna was impulsive, especially in relationships. She fell for people quickly and pursued them fiercely. She'd had several short-lived romances, including one where she even moved in with the guy and his mom. She bought them a fridge, replaced their air conditioner, and even sacrificed her virginity for him-only to be dumped anyway.

When I asked her what kind of boyfriend she wanted, she replied simply, "Someone who'll marry me. That's all I want."

As a married woman with some life experience, I advised her, "When it comes to love, it's okay for women to take the initiative, but don't be too eager. It attracts the wrong kind of men. And trust me, you'll never know just how bad they can be until you're already stuck with them."

I was not sure if my words sank in. Our days behind the counter seemed endless yet passed by in a blur. Under my guidance, Jenna gradually became competent enough to handle tasks on her own.

I was considered the branch's top performer-fast and precise with the lowest error rates. Naturally, Jenna, trained by me, quickly rose to a similar level of expertise.

I thought I had groomed a capable ally for the branch, but little did I know, I'd actually been cultivating my own competition.

Both Jenna and I were contract tellers, not official bank employees. We were hired through a staffing agency, which meant limited prospects. We couldn't get promoted and would be the first to go if there were layoffs.

Our ultimate goal was "permanent employment."

After over a decade of service, I assumed I'd be next in line for a full-time position. However, the rules changed. The branch manager informed us that to qualify for permanency, one had to earn an "Outstanding Employee" rating for two consecutive years. Moreover, with corporate tightening its quotas, each branch could only recommend one candidate for a full-time spot.

There was, of course, a faster way: passing the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) exam. But let's face it-even accounting graduates from top universities struggle to pass. For vocational school grads like us, the CPA might as well be a pipe dream.

That said, I was confident. My performance had always been stellar, and I had a solid reputation within the branch. Last year, I was already recognized as an "Outstanding Employee". With another round of voting coming up, I was certain I had it in the bag.