For a second, Liz looked at the receptionist while the words and their meaning sunk into her.
Unsavory…. background?
Oh…. So you're gonna be like that?
Growing up in an environment where people would only kick her harder if she showed a weakness, Liz had a different side to her which only came out based on the situation.
She might swallow her anger and be cold if it were the case like before, where there had at least been a measure of doubt about the action of the CEO.
Now, with such a blatant provocation, there was no way that she was going to take it silently.
"Yes, I did have a question. Can I ask what the salary range is for, say, a receptionist?"
As far as Liz knew, receptionists usually weren't privy to exact details such as salaries offered for other posts. So, although the CEO had told the receptionist to 'finalize the second package', she doubted that the woman in front of her knew exactly what the second package.
"$50-60,000. Salary is based on personal qualifications."
Seeing the receptionist answer in a tone which clearly showed that she was used to seeing people from 'proper' backgrounds with Ivy League education as opposed to her, who grew up in one of the poorest neighborhoods in the city, Liz smiled knowing that her guess had been correct.
This woman had no idea just what was being offered to her.
Without saying a word in response, she removed the stylus from the cover of the tablet and signed her full name with a flourish before giving her fingerprint as the final confirmation and getting up with a plan in mind.
…..
As Jenny watched this happen, an expression of revulsion came on her face.
She had chatted with the receptionist at the entrance of the complex, who had told her that Liz had written the name of one of the most low-class areas in New York as the location from which she was coming.
This was a place where finding someone without a prior police case on them would be a marvel.
As someone from a respectable middle-class family who had grown up abhorring such people, she felt a natural aversion towards Liz who represented this class of the society.
Later, when she had gotten the message from the CEO to ask the question about the reason behind her rejecting Harvard and to tell him the answer, a tinge of jealousy had been added to that negative image.
If she had gotten the same offer, she wouldn't have hesitated to leave everything to run towards a chance to enter a higher class of society.
Then, seeing Liz actually get the job, everything had conjoined into a desire to step down on this woman.
This was the reason behind her saying what she said before.
The fact that it had had no impact on this woman only led her to believe that shamelessness was also something that could be added to her evaluation of Liz.
Well, there would be many more opportunities later.
Not even bothering to hide the distasteful expression to hide on her face, Jenny reached forward to take the tablet from Liz who had gotten up.
Usually, the tablet would have been blank if all the formalities were done.
Yet, the contract was still visible, but Jenny couldn't read the details from where she stood.
Suddenly, Liz stumbled, dropping the tablet at Jenny's feet.
As Jenny bent down to pick it up, she finally saw the number at the bottom which was three times her own salary.
Her eyes opening wide and her jaw dropping perceptibly, she could only gawk at the number while Liz said, "Oops! I must have forgotten to sign somewhere."
Feeling the tablet snatched from her hand, Jenny finally came back to her sense, but the sense of shock still didn't leave her mind.
What the hell was going on?
Wasn't this woman from just a second rate university?
Wasn't the usual salary just around $70k?
What could be so special about her?
Even as these questions revolved in her mind, Liz signed at the spot which she had left on the contract and gave the tablet back.
With a fake smile exactly like Jenny's on her face, she said, "I can't tell you exactly how much I've been offered, but I guess they do fix salary based on personal qualifications."
As Jenny comprehended the words, embarrassment passed across her face, making her get an expression that looked like she had eaten something rotten.
Her fake smile turning into a real one on seeing this, Liz joyfully walked out of the room with a spring in her step, leaving Jenny who still couldn't understand how the tables had turned in such a short time.