In front of the entire office, the rich girl splashed coffee on the new colleague — and just five minutes later, the director said one single sentence that shook her so much she had to call her parents and apologize…
Our company had recently hired a new employee — Rica Alonzo. Beautiful, from a wealthy family, and a distant relative of one of the company’s major shareholders. From the day she walked into the office, everyone’s eyes were drawn to her. Every morning, Rica entered with a branded handbag, sparkling heels, and the scent of expensive perfume. She looked at people with half disdain, half scrutiny — as though the whole office existed beneath her.
On the opposite side of that spectrum was Lia Santos, a colleague from the same department. Lia was quiet, polite, and dressed in simple clothes. She usually wore a plain blouse, basic trousers, and slightly worn-out flats. Hard-working and helpful — but perhaps her simplicity made her an “easy target.”
That morning, the office was calm when Rica walked in holding a large cup of iced coffee. She saw Lia gathering some files and smirked.
“Lia, you still come to work wearing these… probinsyana outfits? You look like someone’s house helper.”
Some employees forced a smile; others pretended not to hear.
Lia simply smiled softly.
“I’m fine like this. As long as the work gets done well, that’s what matters.”
Rica’s irritation grew.
“Hmm… maybe you don’t realize this is a big company. Not everyone gets to work here. You should be grateful I’m teaching you a little high-class lifestyle!”
Lia stayed quiet. She stepped aside to leave — but suddenly, SPLASH! Rica flicked her wrist and poured the entire cup of coffee onto her.
Cold coffee spread across Lia’s blouse.
The whole office froze.
Lia stopped moving, picked up a tissue with trembling hands, her eyes turning red.
“Oh, sorry!” Rica laughed.
“My hand slipped. Anyway, this coffee is probably more expensive than your entire outfit, right?”
Silence fell. One employee looked like he was about to intervene when the door of the director’s office opened.
Out came Director Adrian Mercado — known for his strict demeanor and calm authority. Everyone stood up.
His eyes landed on Lia — soaked blouse, coffee stains, and silently standing there.
Rica assumed the director would take her side because of her “connections.”
Adrian stepped forward, his voice cold as ice.
“What exactly have you done?”
Rica smiled awkwardly.
“Sir… it was just a small misunderstanding. I didn’t do it on purpose.”
Adrian looked at her for a moment, then unexpectedly walked toward Lia. His voice softened completely.
“Are you okay? Did you get hurt?”
The entire office gasped.
The word “you,” spoken so gently — coming from him — sent shockwaves across the floor.
With lowered eyes, Lia whispered,
“I’m fine… please don’t worry.”
No one had ever imagined…
That the simple-looking Lia was actually…
A strange tension spread across the office as Director Adrian Mercado gently guided Lia toward his office. People exchanged looks — confused, stunned, whispering behind hands.
Rica Alonzo stood frozen, her confidence evaporating for the first time since she joined the company.
Why is the director talking to her like that?
Why is he acting protective?
Who the hell is this Lia Santos?
Inside his office, Adrian offered Lia a clean towel and a spare corporate jacket hanging on the wall.
“Sit down, Lia. Take your time.” His voice was incredibly soft — something no employee had ever heard from him.
Lia nodded, wiping her blouse. “Thank you, sir… I’m sorry for causing a disturbance.”
Adrian paused, eyes narrowing slightly.
“Lia, you… never cause a disturbance.”
She didn’t understand what he meant. But before she could ask, he turned toward the glass wall — his gaze sharp as steel.
Outside, the employees continued stealing glances while pretending to work. Rica paced nervously, biting her nails. Her face had lost its usual arrogance.
Ten minutes later, Adrian stepped out of his office.
The entire floor stiffened.
His expression was calm, too calm — the kind of calm that warned everyone something explosive was about to happen.
“You,” he said, pointing directly at Rica. “My office. Now.”
Rica swallowed hard. “S-sir, I—”
“Now,” he repeated.
She stumbled inside.
The moment the door closed, he spoke, voice colder than the AC.
“What you did out there was bullying. Public humiliation. And it won’t be tolerated.”
Rica forced a laugh. “Sir, come on… it was just a joke. That girl? She’s nobody. I mean—”
Adrian slammed a folder on the table.
“She’s not nobody.”
Rica flinched.
“Sir, I’m related to Mr. Santos — the shareholder. I thought—”
Adrian leaned forward. “I don’t care if you’re related to the President himself.”
For the first time, tears gathered in Rica’s eyes.
“Sir… please don’t tell my parents. They’ll kill me.”
“You should have thought of that before acting like a spoiled child.”
She grabbed his desk, desperate.
“Sir, please…”
Adrian inhaled deeply — as if reconsidering — then said the sentence that shattered her completely.
“You will call your parents yourself and tell them exactly what you did.”
Her breath caught.
“No… no, sir, please—”
“Or I will call Mr. Santos personally.”
Rica’s knees buckled. Her parents were strict, powerful, and intolerant of disgrace. She knew what this meant.
Adrian stepped aside, pointing to the office landline.
“Call. Now.”
Hands shaking, Rica dialed the number, voice cracking as she confessed her behavior to her horrified father. Adrian stood silently, arms crossed.
By the end of the call, her face was streaked with tears.
Her punishment was immediate:
“Apologize. Publicly. And don’t embarrass the family again.”
She hung up, trembling.
Adrian didn’t even spare her a look.
“You may leave.”
Outside, the office pretended to work, though every ear strained to hear footsteps.
When Rica finally stepped out, her face was pale, mascara running, confidence demolished. She walked straight to Lia’s desk.
Everyone watched.
“L-Lia…” Rica stuttered, voice barely audible. “I’m… I’m sorry. For everything. I— I shouldn’t have…”
Lia stood slowly, calm as always.
“It’s okay.”
But it wasn’t okay. And everyone knew it.
Rica lowered her head and quickly left.
The office buzzed softly after she disappeared into the elevator.
But the real shock came the next morning.
Adrian arrived early, as always, but this time a group of board members came with him — including Mr. Damian Santos, the company’s majority shareholder.
Whispers flew instantly.
“Why is the board here?”
“What happened?”
“Is someone getting fired?”
Then a private meeting was held behind closed doors.
After twenty intense minutes, the door opened — and Adrian spoke loud enough for all to hear:
“Will Ms. Lia Santos please come in?”
The entire office froze.
Every head turned to Lia.
Why would the BOARD want her?
Lia, confused and nervous, stepped inside.
Rica was also in the room, eyes wide in horror.
The moment Lia entered, Mr. Santos — the richest man in the building — stood up.
“Good morning, hija.”
Lia blinked. “S-sir… you know me?”
He smiled, a warm, fatherly smile the office had never seen from him.
“I should. You are my goddaughter.”
A dozen jaws dropped.
Rica nearly fainted.
Mr. Santos continued, voice filled with pride.
“Your father and I were best friends. When he passed away, I promised I would always keep an eye on you. But you insisted on applying without using your name or connections. I respected that.”
Now the entire room stared at Lia with new eyes — shocked, speechless.
Adrian added softly, “She told no one who she was. She wanted to work her way up like everyone else.”
Rica’s face drained of all color.
Mr. Santos turned toward her with an expression that made even Adrian tense.
“And YOU,” he said firmly, “bullied her.”
Rica’s lips trembled. “Sir, I… I didn’t know…”
“That’s the point,” he snapped. “You treat people based on what you think they are worth, not who they truly are.”
Silence. Crushing silence.
Then he turned to Lia.
“Hija, do you want her terminated?”
Rica gasped, falling to her knees.
“Please! Lia, I’m begging you! I’m so sorry!”
Lia stepped back, overwhelmed.
She looked at Mr. Santos, then at Adrian, then at the trembling girl on the floor.
And she said the words that surprised everyone — even herself.
“No, sir. I don’t want her fired.”
Rica sobbed harder.
Lia continued softly, “I don’t want to become like her… using power to hurt others.”
A long silence.
Then Mr. Santos nodded approvingly.
“Very well. Rica will not be fired.”
Rica exhaled shakily.
“But,” he continued, turning to Adrian, “she will be demoted to intern level and required to attend professional behavior counseling. Effective immediately.”
Rica’s relief turned into despair.
She had gone from the top of the social pyramid to the absolute bottom.
Lia simply watched, expression unreadable.
After the meeting, Adrian walked with Lia toward the elevator.
“You handled it well,” he said gently.
“I tried,” she whispered.
“For the record…” he paused, “I knew who you were the first week you joined.”
She blinked fast. “You did?”
He nodded with a faint smile.
“Your father mentored me when I was young. I recognized you from an old photo in his study.”
Lia’s eyes softened.
“So… you were protecting me?”
“Not because of your last name,” he said. “Because you deserved it.”
The elevator doors opened.
“And, Lia…” He looked at her, sincere. “If anyone ever treats you unfairly again — I’ll stand by you. Always.”
Her cheeks warmed, heart skipping unexpectedly.
“Thank you, sir.”
He smiled. “Adrian. When we’re outside office hours… call me Adrian.”
The doors closed, leaving her breathless.
Across the floor, employees whispered excitedly — but with newfound respect.
As for Rica…
She sat at her new intern desk, silently clipping documents — a sharp reminder that arrogance, no matter how expensive, collapses under its own weight.
And Lia Santos — the girl everyone misjudged — walked forward with her head held a little higher.
Knowing now that she was never as alone as she thought.