Chapter 53


    53. Reputation


    Lemon is right. The next day, the bruises be nasty, purple swellings, and everyone stares.


    It’s horrible and I feel like a show pony. But hey, I made this bed, so I am going to have to lle on it.


    Peoplee up to me to ask what the hell happened to me, but in more polite terms, and leave me with


    their sympathetic remarks after I lie to them that I got mugged the night before. That is what Gerald


    ordered me to say because he did not want any potential clients of ourpany to get the wrong idea


    that the COO of Zelt Tech was an adrenaline junkie who went out of his way to get involved in barfights


    with frat.


    boys.


    “Whatever you do, do not let them know that you actually hit someone else. Make yourself to be the


    victim, they dig things like that.” Gerald had told me, and I had stared at him because a.) he said ‘dig’


    and b.) that made no sense.


    “I was under the impression that strength and endurance are important assets for an executing officer,”


    I’d pointed out, and Gerald had scoffed.


    “Young master, people already think that the only reason you are the COO of thepany is because of


    nepotism. Thest thing we want them to think is that you are someone who picks fights at low-level


    establishments like bars. If you give them that impression for even a moment, they will have it fixed in


    their brain for the rest of your career. No matter what you do, you will be the nepotistic, adrenaline-driven


    lowlife in their eyes.”


    He had a point, I would give him that, but “Aren’t I the COO of Zelt Tech exactly because of Nepotism,


    though? I mean you guys didn’t even hire Coraline because her CV didn’t have enough talent. I got this


    job right after I came home to my estranged father.” I pointed out, amused.


    Gerald huffed, “When ites to the sons and daughters of owners, founders, and CEOs, nepotism is a


    given. Everyone expects the higher position to go to their next-of-kin, and so it’s overlooked in a way.


    However, getting the job is easy, but holding on to it is difficult. No matter how closely rted to the


    higher-ups you are, in order to keep the job, you have to work hard as the next worker does. Otherwise,


    you will have to be reced with someone who is capable of actually doing the job.” He’d looked


    straight. at me, “you can get a job out of nepotism, yes. But in order to excel in it, and keep doing it, you


    need to have considerable talent. And those talents should include making others see the abilities


    beyond your


    I am not going to lie Gerald gave me a lot to think about. So, when everyone questions about the


    bruises. the next day, I lie to them easily.


    I have a reputation to create, after all.


    ***


    Thanks to our lucky stars, we do not meet Carlton Collins again. Neither do we visit any bars at night or


    get into fights. The rest of the forum sails smoothly, and thus our mini vacation from all the chaos at


    home ends.


    The g is a nice event, if not a bit nd. But the food is great, and I even get to dance with Coraline for


    a ssic waltz number. Of course, my dancing is abysmal, and I try my hardest not to step on her feet,


    which is a task that monopolizes my attention for the most part, but in the end, Coraline isughing her


    head off at my antics, and Gerald is shaking his head at the sidelines.


    All in all, it is a rather enjoyable evening.


    The day the forum ends, we decide to visit the Lowdown bar again to say goodbye to Lemon. Of course,


    Lemon had been visiting us every night after his shift because, to quote his words, “you people are so


    damn interesting! And trust me, I’m in New York! This ce is brimming with interesting people! So, tell


    me how people are getting shot in your city.”


    Lemon had the most morbid interest in the criminal activities of ndestine city.


    He is also obviously saddened by the news of us leaving.


    “Well, damn, thought you were going to stay longer,” he says, pouting, “you didn’t even go sightseeing


    anywhere, did you? How could youe to New York and not visit the Central part? Or even the Empire


    state building, I mean, even the very thought is sacrilegious!” (


    Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    I have to say that I wished we could stay a bit longer and do all those things. Ever since we got here, we


    had been busy attending the conference. That night at the bar was the only thing that broke the


    monotony of the three-day-long stay. And as much as we would love to stay for longer, ndestine city


    and our jobs there were calling.


    “Well, we wish we could stay,” Coraline replies with a sad smile, “but well, can’t stay away from home


    any longer.”


    Lemon’s pout disappears into an expression of contemtion, “hmm. ndestine city, right?”


    “Yeah. Besides, I for one am feeling homesick.” Coraline announces. I raise a brow at her. “What? I’m


    not that good with long-term travel.”


    “I thought you were dying to get out of there because of all the danger and criminal activities.” I retort.


    “That city of yours sounds really interesting,” Lemon muses, “who knows, when my stint in New York


    ends, maybe I will move there.”


    “Your stint?” I question.


    Lemon nods, “yeah, I am what you call a nomad. Staying in one ce gives me the creeps, and as soon


    as I start to itch, I move towns.”


    “Wow. You must’ve been to so many ces, then!” Coralinements and Lemon nods again, even


    more enthusiastically than before.


    “I think it’s safe to say that I had covered most of the East coast by now. I saved the best, New York for


    last.”


    “How long have you been doing this?”


    “For a while. Ever since I got out of high school when I was fifteen.”


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