The Clerk Who Abuses Power for Personal Gain

The clerk tiptoed toward me, whispering that the shop was out of blueberries again and asking if I wanted to order more.

Id just put down my phone, the screen still showing a vlog about working at a cat caf.

In the video, the blogger was quite something. Whenever friends showed up, the blueberries on their cakes were piled up like little mountains. Not only that, but shed often make excuses about getting coffee orders wrong, giving her friends free drinks. The comment section was full of jokes about her getting fired for it, but she just shrugged it off, saying shed be back in school in a month anyway.

1.

With fewer customers in the shop, I slid the freshly made crepe cake into the display fridge and scrolled through my phone for a bit. Thats when I stumbled upon this vlog about working at a cat caf. Being in the same line of business, I started watching with genuine interest, but my brow soon furrowed. To treat her friends, the small slice of cake she brought over had so many blueberries they were spilling onto the plate. And don't even get me started on the intentionally mistaken drinks C it was practically a buy-one-get-one-free deal. After her friends had their fill of petting cats and left, she brazenly helped herself to the shops supplies. Not only did she hand them a lint roller, but she also picked out a large mango as a parting gift. I rolled my eyes, thinking it was probably just an act for views. After all, who in their right mind would genuinely exploit someone elses generosity and do something so unethical, then boast about it? I expected to see some criticism in the comments, but to my surprise, they were all supportive:

"LOL, I wish I could get my friends jobs like this too."

"If I had a pal like the streamer, Id be set for life."

Someone else, clearly loving the drama, posted:

"Are you a long-term employee? Arent you worried about getting fired?"

The bloggers reply was smug:

"Nah, just a summer gig. But I told the boss I was in it for the long haul."

"Im out when school starts; not my problem after that."

Then, she brazenly shared her wisdom in the comments:

"I told the boss I flunked my college entrance exams and my folks wouldnt fund my studies. They totally bought it and felt sorry for me."

"Closer to school starting, Ill just say Ive saved enough and need to go back to my studies."

Reading that, I suddenly remembered the day I interviewed Charlotte.

The cat caf I owned rarely featured purebred cats; most were strays with nowhere else to go. Initially, business was slow, but with a bit of word-of-mouth, my place gained some traction. Soon, I was swamped with customers daily and needed an extra pair of hands. The 'Help Wanted' sign had barely been up outside the caf when Charlotte showed up for an interview.

"Can you commit to this long-term?"

To keep the business running smoothly, I needed a steady employee, not someone whod ditch after a few days. Replacing them would mean more hiring, training, and a whole lot of hassle.

"A summer job is fine too. The pays the same as for a long-term position, just let me know in advance when you plan to leave."

Charlotte looked earnestly at me:

"Boss, I can definitely stay long-term!"

"I flunked my entrance exams, and my parents won't support my studies, so I really need this job."

At the time, her story tugged at my heartstrings.

But

I stared at that comment, a strange feeling of absurdity washing over me.

Could it really be that much of a coincidence?

2.

"Boss, were out of blueberries. Should we grab some more?"

My barista, Sarah, was doing inventory. A moment later, she added, "Strawberries and durian are running low too"

I put down my phone and headed to the back. Summer fruits dont last long, so to avoid waste, I usually restock every few days. This way, customers always get fresh fruit, and I save on costs. But I'd specifically bought enough blueberries for three days yesterday. How could they be gone already?

"Sarah, did we really have that many blueberry cake orders yesterday when I wasn't here?"

"Pull up the sales records for me, please."

Counting myself, there were three of us working in the shop. Sarah and I both handled pastries and coffee. If we were both in, I usually took care of the sweets while she managed coffee and tea. If one of us was off, the other would cover. Charlotte was responsible for delivering drinks to customers on the second floor petting cats, and she also handled the litter boxes.

Sarah looked at me, hesitating, as if she wanted to say something.

"Ms. Hayes!"

Charlotte came bounding down the stairs, cutting off our conversation.

She beamed: "Table 2 wants another order of fries; can you whip them up?"

She sauntered over and draped herself familiarly over my arm. "Ms. Hayes, I overheard you talking about the blueberries."

"Yesterday afternoon, a customer found a rotten piece of fruit and insisted on compensation. To smooth things over, I gave them the last of our blueberries."

"It was an emergency, and I didnt have time to ask you. Youre not mad I acted on my own, right?"

Blueberries Id personally picked out that morning, rotten by the afternoon? I remained noncommittal.

Charlotte, ever curious, continued, "Ms. Hayes, didn't you say you had to go back to your hometown for something? Why are you here today?"

I subtly pulled away from her, my expression cool. "I was worried you two might get swamped, so I rescheduled my plans."

After frying the fries, I reopened that vlog. The blogger hadn't shown her face, keeping her identity private. The video only displayed parts of the shops interior and the bloggers hands. Initially, I hadn't paid much attention to those minor details. But now, with the IP address, the identical dcor to our shop, and the ring on the blogger's hand, I could pretty much confirm that I was the unwitting boss in the video.

3.

All those overlooked details now flooded my mind. Just last week, an old customer had given me a strange look as they left, saying, "Ms. Hayes, do you think all shops treat their loyal customers poorly?"

"You pay the same money, but you get less than everyone else."

At the time, I was baffled; now, it all clicked. A surge of anger shot through me. I opened the second-floor surveillance feed, wanting to check yesterday's video. But I found that the movable snack rack, which usually sat in the corner, had been relocated right in front of the camera, completely blocking its view. I actually laughed, a bitter, humorless sound. During work hours, I was usually busy downstairs making desserts and rarely went upstairs. I only went up before closing each day to check the cleanliness and the cats well-being. Yet, the trust Id placed in her had become Charlottes license to do whatever she pleased. She'd even blocked the camera. Annoyed, I started heading upstairs to move the rack, but as soon as I reached the second floor, I heard a burst of laughter. Charlotte was lounging on the sofa, a cat in her lap, chatting away with customers. The scattered cat litter and the trash on the adjacent table were completely ignored.

"Ms. Hayes? What are you doing up here?"

She casually put down her chips and set the cat aside. Seeing my gaze linger on the trash, she sheepishly picked up a dustpan and brush. I didn't want to argue with her in front of customers, so I took a deep breath and subtly hinted, "Charlotte, once youre done with the upstairs tasks, come down and lend a hand."

She acted oblivious, countering in a stiff, unyielding tone, "Didn't you say initially that my job only covered the second floor?"

But the cat bowls were empty, and she hadnt refilled them. The litter was clumped, and she hadnt cleaned it. What exactly had she been doing? I ignored her. After moving the snack rack, I cut straight to the chase: "From now on, no moving the second-floor furniture without my permission."

Charlotte didn't say a word. But as she went downstairs, I faintly heard her talking to a customer: "Are all bosses like this? Can't stand seeing someone relax, always gotta grind you down."

"And she's spying on me with cameras Must be hitting menopause or something."

I waited and waited downstairs, and in the meantime, another wave of customers arrived. After finishing up, it was dinner time, and Charlotte finally ambled down.

"Im so drained. This job is killer."

"Sarah, can you whip me up a latte?"

4.

Sarah glanced at me, then pursed her lips and shook her head, refusing. Charlotte pouted, muttering, "Seriously? Its just a cup of coffee. Its not like itll break the bank."

"Shouldve just gone to a bubble tea shop instead." I scoffed inwardly, keeping my poker face. I wasnt about to let her know Id already seen her vlog.

"Then go for it. Ill pay you for these two weeks."

Her eyes widened, clearly caught off guard. Charlotte quickly forced a laugh. "Ms. Hayes, I was just kidding! Don't take it seriously."

"Oh, what are we having for dinner tonight?" She awkwardly changed the subject. "Im craving crayfish!" Three servings of crayfish would be at least three or four hundred bucks. She really had some nerve. I did provide two meals a day, but I wasnt about to dip into my savings for her extravagant tastes. Last week, she wanted barbecue, and I, thinking everyone had a tiring day, specially took them to a barbecue joint after closing. I might be the boss, but my wallet couldnt handle that kind of expense every day.

"Still fast food" Charlotte sighed in disappointment, poking at her rice with chopsticks. "Oh, by the way, Ms. Hayes, can I leave an hour early from now on?"

Sarah shot me a look, lips sealed, and I knew she probably had an opinion on it. If Charlotte left early, her tasks would fall to someone else. During the interview, she'd painted herself as a stellar employee, but now her true colors were showing.

"Why?"