Suddenly, I Am Rich

After that calm Thursday, Gray was back in his office early Friday morning. He was greeted by a few lobby staff members with a nod that he happily returned to as he walked passed them.

By now, he was already getting used to what he was doing.

In the morning, he checked the internal reports that were sent to his office. There were sales figures for the last week, inventory updates, and shipment schedules.

With a mug of coffee cooling beside him, he read through the numbers, cross-checked them against the previous week, and marked a few entries that he wanted to focus on.

Nothing bad stood out; instead, there was even an increase in sales after what happened last Saturday.

It seemed like the people appreciated how Gray fought for Rome as a customer.

The increase wasn’t massive, but it was nice. Some of the customers who answered the feedback forms also mentioned a better atmosphere after the manager was out. They couldn’t explain how, but they said that the workers around looked happier and livelier.

Gray was happy to know about that

It seemed like his stress over the week was worth it since it was enough to make the staff feel safer about their workplace.

He flipped another page on the report and leaned back in his chair.

Still, he wasn’t going to relax just because the numbers looked good. There was always something happening beneath the surface.

Will was the proof of that.

Gray let out a small sigh and reached for his pen again, scribbling a few notes to follow up on later. Then he glanced at the time.

He didn’t want to spend the entire day behind a desk.

So before lunchtime struck, he stood up, rolled down his sleeves, and grabbed the notepad on his way out.

He wanted to be more hands-on now with the store and interact with the workers. It wasn’t just about finishing the mission, but he also wanted to know more about the employees under him.

It was time to make the grocery store better. And he would start at the people behind it.

The workers.

After a short ride, Gray arrived at the grocery store without any warning. The guard on the front door looked visibly surprised but still greeted Gray after he recovered.

”Good morning, Sir Gray.”

Gray gave him a nod in return.

”Good morning,” he said, offering a small smile. ”Hope it’s been good today.”

”Yes, sir. Everything’s been smooth so far.”

”That’s good.” Gray gave him a brief pat on the shoulder and moved forward, walking through the sliding glass doors and stepping into the store.

The moment Gray entered, a subtle shift in the mood moved through the space. Some of the employees turned their heads instinctively when they heard the door. A few double-glanced when they saw it was him.

Their expressions weren’t tense or guarded this time.

They were surprised, yes—but not afraid.

And more importantly... they looked visibly happy.

Gray scanned the store quietly as he walked down the main aisle. The lighting was the same, there was still a soft music playing on the in the background, but the people...

The people looked different.

They were more relaxed. More open.

There were smiles on the faces of the staff. Not forced smiles but genuine ones.

Two stock boys in the snacks aisle were talking softly with each other while organizing bags of chips. They stopped when they saw Gray walking by. However, they didn’t flinch or stiffen up like they do with Will.

Instead, they looked at Gray, smiled at him, and offered a polite greeting.

”Good morning, sir.”

”Good morning,” Gray replied, tipping his chin up slightly.

He kept walking. A woman in a fresh produce apron was laughing quietly with a customer who looked like a regular. They were talking about different kinds of cabbage.

Gray slowed his pace just a little.

She didn’t notice him at first—not until she turned to restock the crate and spotted him standing nearby.

Her eyes widened slightly, but her smile didn’t fade.

”Good morning, sir!” she said, slightly startled but cheerful.

”Good morning,” Gray said again. ”You seem busy.”

”Ah, just a few regulars asking about lettuce,” she chuckled.

Gray offered a nod and moved along. He didn’t want to disturb the employees since there were some customers walking around.

But still... it was nice.

The place felt different.

He stopped near the end of one aisle and glanced around once more, letting the image settle in his mind.

So, this was the difference one person could make.

Not by him, but the absence of someone.

It was amusing how one person could have an effect this big. Now that Will was gone, the employees were breathing and blooming.

Gray took a quiet breath himself and checked his watch.

It was still an hour before lunch.

He thought of something to cheer up everyone. And what’s the better way other than food?

He reached into his pocket, pulled out his phone, and stepped discreetly to the side. With a few taps on his phone, he opened a food delivery app and placed an order. He ordered several large boxes of pizza, a few platters of fried chicken, and a mix of sodas.

He ordered enough for everyone to have a decent lunch.

He left a note for the delivery driver to bring it directly to the employee entrance.

As he hid his phone away, a quiet smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.

It wasn’t much, but he hoped it would be enough to let everyone know he appreciated everyone.

While waiting, Gray made his way deeper into the building, past the front aisles, until he reached the back hall that led to the staff room.

He paused briefly at the door before pushing it open.

The space inside wasn’t anything fancy. It was the same as he remembered. It was bare with just enough furniture to function.

A small group of employees was inside, lounging during their break. Two were seated at the table, eating packed lunches, while one rested with her head on folded arms. Another one was scrolling on her phone while seated on the floor.

Still, whatever they’re doing, they all looked up when the door clicked open

There was a second of silence as they registered who had just stepped in.

”Sir Gray?”