Just then, a sudden message buzzed into her phone, vibrating against her thigh and disrupting the isolation that was slowly engulfing her. She looked down at the screen and noticed it was just a routine notification from her music app.
But her attention was piqued when she saw a message from Martin. She picked up her phone, unlocked it, and tapped into his messages.
[He paid for your absence for only last night, not a whole day. I'll deduct your salary for being late.] This message was from the day after she attended Zane's welcoming banquet.
Two days later, another message read: [How could you be so heartless? If you have a clear conscience, don't come near my pub again.]
[The customers don't want you around anymore. Don't come for your paycheck.]
[You're fired!]
The harsh, baseless messages tightened Selina's chest. Her palms grew clammy despite the cold night air as she clenched her fingers around the phone, trembling.
She had lost her only source of income.
