James’ boss is demanding, in all aspects and not just when it comes to work. She’s rude, condescending in her remarks and James puts up with her shit because of the pay. Then one day, he discovers some accounting documents which shows Sara has money coming into the company from questionable sources. She starts by raising her voice as usual, but the more James revealed, she soon realised the tables are turning.

I got retrenched from my job during Covid in June 2020. Luckily for me, i was single, no commitments, and staying in my parent’s place.

When the circuit breaker starts to loosen up, i applied for many jobs. Social distancing ambassador, helping out at community centre, hospital, even help to distribute masks and all. I tried it all, but most are contract roles. So i just cruised along and waited for opportunities until i went for those job paring initiatives.

Honestly, i also don’t know how the pairing works. I’m in the design industry, they paired me with a company that does import and export.

When they asked if i’m interested to go for the interview, i thought why not.

Office is a place in Ubi, one of those industrial cum storage spot. I got there, and when the door opened, i saw a beautiful woman wearing mask opening the door.

She spoke in accented English, i can tell she’s not local immediately.

Her name is Sara. She invited me into the office and i was surprised she was the only one in the large space.

Company was newly set up, actually she was unlucky. She had barely got everything up and running and the circuit breaker happened one week later.

Interview was straight forward, she liked the way i articulate myself and i could answer the questions she had. She asked if i have a driving license and i nodded.

From that first interview, it was clear Sara wasn’t a typical boss. She possessed an almost intimidating efficiency, a manner of speech that was totally businesslike.

The way she fold her arms, lean back on her chair to look at me,suggested she had no time for incompetence or wasted words. It was either that or in the JAV sense, she was looking for a gangbang and her attitude was just setting up the stage for it to happen.

Sara is a beautiful woman. At about 1.6m tall, she has the hourglass figure that pilates studio will pay just for her to wear leggings and sports bra to strut around the entrance. Her features are sharp, and her skin is super fair, like she’s immuned to Singapore’s sun.

In her presence, I found myself sitting up straighter, speaking in full sentences, recalibrating my usual Singlish into something more proper.

Her English might be accented, but they have standard.

First time meeting, people will reasonably try to present their kindest, most approachable self. Not for Sara, she asked direct questions, about my weaknesses, about how I handled confrontation, about whether I could deal with her sometimes “very loud” working style.

Sara : You have to know, I don’t tolerate mistakes. I’m an impatient person.

She said, her voice muffled behind a mask, but her dark, heavily lined eyes communicated every ounce of seriousness.

Sara : Do you like to work alone, can you work with people you don’t know? i have no time to babysit…

I told her I’d done both, and she nodded, as if already picturing how I’d fit into the empty warehouse space behind her desk.

The topic of salary came up. I braced myself for the usual Asian employer dance. Like buying fish at a market. I say one amount, she counter a lower one, the usual shit.

Instead, when I said i was looking at 3.8k a month, Sara just nodded briskly

Sara : Okay, that’s about the range. Three months probation, but if you do well, I will increase. If not, i think we will part ways.

I was a little shocked.

She didn’t haggle, didn’t blink.

Just like that,the job was mine.

I was relieved, but also slightly wary.

People with strong character like her, are hard to deal with.

They are intense, volatile, like a volcano that will explode anytime.

Still, a job was a job. I agreed to start the next day.

That was when i was in for a shock.

My first task was not even ‘work related’.

Sara : James…today you help me move house.

James: huh?

Sara : move house…

James: oh ok…

She handed me the keys to a rented van and minutes later, we were at her condo in Eunos.

Upon stepping in, and looking at the mess in the bedroom, i was in shock.

There were lingerie and worn clothes all over the place, some were on the floor, some were on her desk. There’s even worn pantyhose lying around. Files, documents lined her bed, and about half a dozen of half filled boxes.

James: wah…

Then she dropped another bomb in my face.

Sara : i need to vacate by 1pm, the agent coming for inspection.

James: Huh?

Sara : everything, i mean everything in this room, i want it over to my new place. pack it all, label, then we unpack. I need to be somewhere else, i see you at the new place later.

Then she dumped me in the condo and left.

I took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. A job is a job. As long as i get paid, fuck it.

Coming soon.