Chapter 656 The Troublesome Courier!
Ryder dragged himself back to the delivery station, looking like he'd been through hell. His body was battered, and the packages he was supposed to deliver were destroyed. This was a disaster for a courier. But Ryder knew he'd make the same choice again if he had to. He had to live with a clear conscience.
As he pushed the wrecked delivery van to the station entrance, he heard the manager, Calista, yelling at the top of her lungs.
"Ryder! Do you have any idea how many complaint calls we've gotten? The phone hasn't stopped ringing! I've never had such an unreliable courier like you!"
Calista stormed over, her anger radiating off her. She took one look at the trashed van and nearly exploded.
"Damn it! You wrecked the van too? Do you think these things are cheap? Let me tell you, our company policy is clear: if you damage company property, you pay for it, ten times over!"
Ryder tried to get a word in, "Can I explain?"
Calista cut him off, "Explain what? I'm not even talking about the van right now! The packages are gone! Do you know how much we're going to have to pay out because of this?"
She took a breath and then continued, "No, scratch that. Not 'we'—you, Ryder! You're paying for this!"
Ryder scratched his head, looking defeated. "Is compensation really necessary?"
Calista sneered, "Of course it is! Do you think the company is going to cover for you? This isn't a charity!"
Ryder sighed, feeling cornered. "Can you just take it out of my paycheck?"
Calista laughed harshly, "Your paycheck? Your salary doesn't even come close! Let me break it down for you: the van cost three thousand dollars, so tenfold means thirty thousand. Plus the lost packages and the hit to our reputation, let's add another ten thousand. That's forty thousand dollars. That's ten times your monthly salary!"
Ryder was speechless.
Calista wasn't done. She pulled out two forms: a compensation form and a termination form.
"You've got two choices. Pay up and we settle this. I can even report your injury as a workplace accident and get you a new van. Or you pay and leave. If it weren't for Rex's recommendation, you'd never have been hired! We don't need couriers who bring us trouble!"
Ryder looked at Calista. She was shameless.
A few of his colleagues, always eager to suck up to Calista, chimed in with sarcastic comments:
"Ryder must have some connections at Passion Logistics! He got hired last month, took a week off right away, and does the least work around here. Now he's caused this mess and still hasn't been fired."
"Yeah, if we weren't short-staffed, he'd have been kicked out during the interview!"
"So Ryder, you should be grateful to our manager for giving you this job, or you'd be sleeping on the streets!"
Calista lifted her chin higher in arrogance.
"Ryder, did you hear that? If it were anyone else, they'd be thanking me for not firing them!"
She slapped the table for emphasis. Ryder knew she'd always disliked him.
The compensation wasn't really that much; she said forty thousand to take advantage of the situation! And she could save on Ryder's salary this month, too, saving even more money! It was perfect!
Ryder knew exactly what Calista was thinking. But being fired by a greedy manager like her, especially from Passion Logistics Management Company under Maple Group, was humiliating. If this reached the Maple Group board, how could he, as chairman, face them?
Moreover, his time working on the front lines wasn't enough to fully understand the conditions and situations of frontline couriers, requiring further investigation. Most importantly, the corruption between Passion Logistics Management Company and the delivery station needed to be exposed and dealt with!
Ryder made a decision. He would admit defeat for now and pay the compensation.
Calista saw Ryder reaching for the pen to sign. Her eyes narrowed to slits, almost disappearing. However, at that moment, a Mercedes roared up and stopped at the delivery station entrance. A man in a suit and tie stepped out from the driver's seat.
"Calista—Ryder? You're here at this delivery station too!"
Ryder put down the pen he hadn't signed with yet and looked over. "Zane?"
Calista hurriedly approached Zane, "Mr. Martin, I can't believe you're here! Please, come in!"
Zane shook Calista's hand politely, "Calista, you're looking better and better!"
"Haha, it's thanks to the imported face masks you recommended. They're expensive but worth it."
Zane chuckled, "Well, a five hundred-dollar mask is nothing. When we make big money, we'll use the thousand-dollar ones like the wealthy ladies!"
"Haha, that sounds great!"
Calista then pointed to Ryder, "Mr. Martin, you called Ryder right away, do you know him?"
"Of course! He was my college roommate. We were close back then! Now he's working at our delivery station, Calista, you have to take good care of him for me!"
Zane had specifically inquired about Ryder's delivery station from the HR department at Passion Logistics Management Company. He remembered the HR colleague mentioning the name Ryder, which was also the name of Maple Group's chairman. But Zane assumed it was just a coincidence.
After all, they were college roommates for four years, and Ryder came from a rural background like him. Ryder's father had fallen ill with no money for treatment, his girlfriend had left, and he had returned to Houston to marry into another family. Now Ryder was working hard as a courier. Zane naturally wouldn't associate Ryder with the chairman of Maple Group.
Calista's face turned awkward hearing Zane and Ryder's connection.
Zane sensed something was off, "Calista, is there a problem with Ryder's work?"
"Actually, it's not a big deal. Today, Ryder went out for deliveries but returned with many undelivered packages and a damaged van. We were just discussing compensation."
Calista explained weakly.
"I see." Zane frowned and then offered a solution, "Calista, don't make it hard for my old friend. Finding a job isn't easy! How much is it? I'll cover it!"
"F-four... four thousand!"
"Four thousand, that's a lot! Well, it's just a meal's worth for me. Also, get him a good delivery van!"
"Okay, no problem!"
Ryder saw a glimmer of hope for his compensation issue. But, was Zane really this kind-hearted?
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