Chapter 4 — Uncovering the Forced Overtime
The audio system in the security room amplified every spoken word.
Bianca’s voice came through the speakers with absolute clarity.
“You are not leaving until every single tray on that upper rack is sanitized and stacked,” Bianca said on the recording.
Liam stood frozen in front of her on the screen.
His shoulders slumped forward in visible defeat.
He looked down at the concrete floor before raising his head to meet her gaze.
“My shift ended ten minutes ago,” Liam said on the video.
“Will I be getting overtime pay for this?”
Bianca crossed her arms tightly over her chest.
A dismissive sneer formed on her face as captured by the wide-angle lens.
“Overtime is for people who miss their quotas during regular hours,” Bianca replied sharply on the recording.
“You are just finishing what you failed to complete.”
“You agreed to stay late and help the team, Liam.”
“Don’t start complaining about hours now.”
“I never agreed to anything,” Liam pushed back on the audio track.
“You told me I had no choice if I wanted my schedule kept intact for next week.”
Bianca leaned in closer to Liam on the monitor.
Her expression was cold and uncompromising.
“Consider it professional development,” she snapped.
“Now get to work.”
Aiden watched the screen in complete silence.
The ambient hum of the security console seemed to grow louder in the quiet room.
The recorded exchange left no room for interpretation.
Bianca had not asked Liam for a favor.
She had commanded him to stay under veiled threats of scheduling retaliation.
Her earlier claim to Aiden in the kitchen that Liam had volunteered of his own free will was completely false.
Aiden reached out and paused the playback.
The frozen image showed Bianca looming over Liam with an expression of strict authority.
Aiden slowly turned his head away from the glowing monitor.
He looked directly at Bianca, who stood waiting behind them in the narrow hallway.
“Care to explain this discrepancy, Bianca?” Aiden asked, his voice entirely devoid of warmth.