I could see all the signs, and yet I trusted, falling into the unknown
I saw angel numbers and thought this shall be the beginning of me. Story of an abused worker ensnared in the tangled web of deceit.
Angel numbers whispered promises of new beginnings, but little did I know they were merely a mirage masking the impending storm.
My life is a tapestry of missteps, woven not solely by my own hands but also by the deceptive allure of false hope. Time and again, I encountered angel numbers, those purported symbols of opportunity and fortune. Yet, what I mistook for a beacon of light was nothing more than a trap cloaked in shimmering promises. What posed itself as a shiny present was in reality a scam wrapped in glitter. Perhaps, the reason for me not noticing, what was actually happening was a scene out of a fraud movie.
Late February brought a glimmer of hope — an interview invitation after months of fruitless job applications and rejections. As I arrived at the interview location, a sense of unease settled over me. The venue resembled more of a construction site than a professional setting. Ignoring my instincts, and although befuddled I sought shelter at a cafe right across and proceeded to call the interviewer.
I am indeed to meet up with him at the construction site. I go there without any preconceived notions. A guy probably in his early to mid forties, in a crispy white shirt, is looking back at me through his black thick rimed glasses. He sits across from me on one of the mismatched chairs at what is a small white table with two chairs cramped up against one side of the room. And a room that’s clearly sheathed in wood dust. He is the CEO and the owner of this place.
With assurances of an imminent launch and opportunities abound, I eagerly accepted the offer. Little did I realize; this decision would mark the beginning of a descent into disillusionment. I felt as though I had discovered a treasure for myself. I was to work at the hospital. It’ll be a 6-floor hospital, with a restaurant and a coffee shop covering buildings first and the second floor. Sounds perfectly normal right?
I’m to start in two weeks. I feel elated to be employed finally!
This is probably where it all began...
What’s supposed to be in two weeks turns into four weeks. What’s supposed to be an orientation day turned out to be one made-up room filled with men in suits masquerading as investors amidst the unfinished construction.
Amidst the chaos, I found solace in the camaraderie of a fellow newcomer — a beacon of genuine enthusiasm amidst the deceit. His optimism was infectious, clouding my judgment and blinding me to the reality unfolding around me. He will work as the cafe manager. With fresh outlook towards this new journey, desire to work and starting his first job in life he seemed very excited. It caught over my initial reservations, and I like I’d found a friend at work. This is his native country surely; he must know better! I was filled with 9gratitude and to be surrounded by these people who gave me chance to show my worth.
I wanted to show I was worthy and that I could do more than their average worker, and that, that is what blinded me of all the stupidity which was about to enfold.
We were told it should start officially in a week. I helped out with setup, that included cleaning, arrangement and more cleaning. What was supposed to be an inauguration in a week had already turned into 3 weeks, and still not much of a progress. Now a 6-floor building, clean empty rooms, two new hires and a bunch of men calling themselves investors of this so-called lifechanging project. I am starting to think I’d been hired as a cleaner.
It had officially been over a month since I’d started. According to new updates, the director of hospital had issues with his license and thus there were no doctors to run the hospital. This information seemed very unbelievable. This meant I was to wait out some more…however the cafe is ready to launch they say. The CEO relays this message to me and presents to me an opportunity “for my continued presence during the whole construction process” (Trust me I’m trying to make this sound funny). I am now part of the cafe team! I was to work at the cafe instead of the hospital until everything was ready for the hospital to launch…
Looking back, it was all too visible, but I still continued with hopes of God knows what for I was seeing angel numbers every day and everywhere. 333, 444, 333...1212
The cafe was a franchise, and these people yet hadn’t received permission from the franchise for the launch! Here again was a sign for me to stop and leave. But I was seeing angel numbers, or perhaps that was a lame excuse, or overwhelmed with feeling of going through job search again made me believe... thus I stayed.
I got paid for the number of days I’d been there. Although the amount too little it made me happy. I felt my faith in this scam grow stronger, as for them to pay me while officially work hadn’t even started was a promise of a brighter future. Right…?
Fixing the issue with the franchise in fact took over a month. Week after week I’d been told everything will be solved and ready by next week. Start from next week not this week... not this week the next week... While I’m at home waiting, applying, I desperately hope that something would work out. In reality 2 months had passed since I’d first started, with a month of me clinging on to this job, and a month waiting at home. I finally muster up the courage and call up to talk with the guy who was hired as the cafe manager. Once and for all kill this misery for me.
When I call to give him this update, he is silent for one long moment. He then starts begging me to not leave. He confuses me. He gives me confidence that things are finally starting to set in motion and most probably I’ll be called to start working within a week. After this incident I was called to work within a day and signed the contract.
(The first month I got paid without any contract as I was supposed to work at the hospital, but with issues of licensing at the hospital my contract was eventually prepared as that of a cafe worker…)
The CEO talks with me personally, he genuinely seems like a nice person. He earnestly asked me to wait until things were sorted out. I’m taken aback by his words and go home in confidence of his words. Fast forward into a week and the sweet guy who had begged for me to stay had quit all of a sudden, without much of a notice. While he pleaded for me to wait and not quit, he quit first leaving me with a contract. And I like the foolish person believed and trusted in the emptiness of my delusional thoughts.
20 more hires, new faces, 2 more weeks, and the cafe officially has no hope of opening in the near future. I am now asked to work at the restaurant and help out over there until there’s any news for cafe to open.
I’m surprised at my stupidity… I have no words even as I look back.
Much bigger of a slap on my whole mind and body was that the hospital had launched. I had been lied to, and I was now serving them. Why I’m not transferred to work there is a reason I’m not provided. A month had passed while I worked laboriously in an extremely busy restaurant.
I was working overtime, out of 20 new hires 18 had already quit, new people kept joining and leaving every single day.
In this busy restaurant, I’d heard a loud crack. While sprinting back and forth, overworking to compensate for staff who’d quit, my toe was in splintering pain.
A month had passed while working at this restaurant. AND I still hadn’t been paid.
To the readers, I definitely saw angel numbers randomly throughout this ordeal. Then what do these angel numbers signify? Is it all in our head?
To be continued…
