Precious was hired in 2019 as a housekeeping staff at a small inn near Avado. She was immediately hired because of the recommendation of Anje the inn’s officer -in- charge. Anje, gave Raven a heads – up about Precious – her attitude toward work, her flaws and others things. Anje, had only asked her to apply because Precious current employer was about to close the company anytime soon.

Raven, had been with company for almost 20 years. Her hardwork had paid off despite of many trials she faced with her former OIC. Raven was a hardworking, perfectionist, and a strategic thinker. She was warm, observant, honest, generous. She might let you get away with a mistake once, but if you repeated it, she would burst with sulfuric fire in the air – like a dormant volcano turned active. And she would set a boundary.

Though she valued patience and quietly observed those around her, Raven wasn’t one to tolerate nonsense forever. When things crossed the line, she didn’t hesitate to speak up or let her frustration show. It was balanced -calm and controlled mixed with a fiery resolve that earned her respect and kept the inn running smoothly.

Raven, welcomed Precious warmly, happy to have her join the team. With her arrival, the inn finally had a complete staff to keep things running smoothly. As time went on, Raven noticed that Precious was determined to finish her assigned tasks and often showed initiative. This gave Raven a sense of relief.

However, one day, Raven witnessed something troubling. Leon, one of the bellboys, had left his cellphone on the table and stepped out for a moment. Precious picked it up and, noticing it didn’t have a passcode, began browsing through his Facebook account. The moment she realized Raven had seen her, she quickly put the phone down. Raven took a quiet mental note of the incident.

Later, in the cafeteria, Raven was quietly enjoying her comfort food when Precious began gossiping about Anje’s wealth – wondering aloud who would inherit it. Precious said ” Hey Raven, do you know who Anje is going to leave her wealth to? Raven said firmly: “That’s none of your business, Precious. It’s not something we should be gossiping about. And it’s definitely not going to be you. Anje has children and grandchildren. Are you expecting her to give her wealth to you? What are you up to?”

Precious fell silent, a flicker of surprise crossing her face. Raven took a mental note.

One of the VIP clients had just checked in and generously brought food for the entire staff at the inn. Precious handed down Raven a bowl filled mostly with chopped turkey bones, with very little meat.

Raven looked at the bowl and politely asked, “Excuse me, Precious, is there any leftover turkey? I’m afraid I can’t eat this- it’s mostly bones.”

Precious shrugged and said, “There’s nothing left.”

“Alright, thank you,” Raven replied quietly, making a mental note.

Later, Raven went to Anje’s office to submit some documents for approval.

As she handed them over, Anje looked up with a kind smile. ” Raven, make sure to keep some turkey for yourself, one of the clients brought it, and there’s still plenty left in the kitchen.”

Raven looked surprised.” Oh – Precious told me it was all gone.

Anje frowned slightly. “No, it’s still there. You should eat some.

Raven nodded slowly. “It’s fine, Anje. They probably need the food more than I do. They have mouths to feed.”

But the unease lingered. Another mental note was taken.

The next morning, Raven approached Precious.

” Precious,” she began gently, ” about the turkey yesterday- next time, could you please give me a decent portion ? Two slices will do. I’m not a big eater, and since I’m single, I don’t usually pack food to take home.

Precious nodded without saying much, and Raven made another mental note.

Febe had a smile that could deceive anyone -warm and inviting on the surface, But Raven sensed it hid a sharper edge beneath. Whenever new ideas or changes were introduced. Febe was quick to contradict Raven, always needing to claim credit as if the idea was her. Her subtle undermining made Raven’s job even tougher.

Precious, meanwhile, seemed eager to please, But Raven couldn’t shake the feeling that there was more to her than met the eye.

Then there was Lily, who played both sides. When she was upset with Raven, she’d whisper complaints to Febe, but the moment she was annoyed with Febe, she’d turn to Raven and went just as easily. It was like a constant game of shifting alliances, keeping Raven cautious.

Together, these three often ganged up on Raven in quiet ways. But Raven stood strong. She kept a low profile – dressing smartly, spending only on what truly mattered. Still single, She save carefully, focused on her future rather then distractions. While the drama swirled around her, Raven’s character and strength kept her grounded.

Raven began to notice a pattern. Everytime she wore something new-be it clothes, a pair of earrings, or even a brand new accessories – Precious always noticed.

‘Ooh, is that new? She’d ask. “Where ‘d you get it? Must’ve been expensive.”

Raven would smile calmly and reply, ” It was a gift from a friend,” or ” I picked it up from the market, nothing fancy.”

But the question kept coming. And so did the mental notes.

Then one morning, Leon approached Raven, clearly upset.

“Miss Raven, ” he said, ” I lost some money. I think it went missing in the kitchen.” Raven looked concerned. “Where exactly did you leave your bag, Leon?And how much are we talking about.?

“I left it near the table, he replied. ” There was around P 1,000.00 inside.”

Raven said, “We can’t point fingers since this place is an open area. Next time, please secure your belongings, we never know people’s intentions. Let me know if you need extra money- I can lend you and you can pay me back when you have the chance.”

Afterwards, Raven went straight to Anje’s office to report the incident.

This wasn’t the first time Raven had experienced something like this- she had also lost money inside her cubicle. She took another mental note.

One day, all the senior staff were in deep conversation when Precious suddenly butted in with some off – topic remarks. Lily quickly blurted out,” We’re talking about something serious here. Don’t interrupt us, especially if you don’t know what we’re discussing.”

Precious talks a lot – like a parrot- and acts as if she knows everything, though she often doesn’t. Lily frequently corrects her blunt comments, not out of dislike, but her to improve. Yet, Precious rarely learns. She tends to do things her own way, ignoring instructions because she believes she was always right. She seldom admits her mistakes or never will you heard her apologies.

Raven once overheard Precious whispering ” Serves you right ” after Lily and Febe, had a fight.

Precious also likes to take on tasks outside her role. Anje, Raven, and others often ask her favors, and Raven frequently gives her money for errands. But many times there’s no receipt. Precious usually claim there’s no change due to rising prices, yet Raven still pays her extra for her efforts.

Leon, However is different. When Raven asks him for favors, he returns the change down to the last cent. Raven and Leon started working on the same day, and Raven’s rise from rank-and-file to branch manager was witnessed by Leon, whom she trusted.

Over time, Raven saw both good and bad sides of Precious. To Raven, Precious was kind, hardworking but pretentious- a goody around Anje, not just because Anje recommended but because Anje is wealthy. Raven understood that Precious came from a humble background and longed for a life of luxury- nice clothes, branded shoes, designer bags, fancy restaurants. Though Precious claims she isn’t materialistic, her actions tell a different story revealing an inner conflict between her words and her desires.

As long as Precious, does her part and doesn’t mess up the operation, it’s fine. Raven keep things professional, she sees everyone as just colleagues. She’s not the type to get close to anyone with a messed – up character.

Raven was often disliked for telling the truth. She didn’t sugarcoat things. Though Anje held a high position, she had her flaws and sometimes clashed with Raven’s straightforwardness. But Raven didn’t mind. She cared more about her character than popularity, and was willing to face criticism if it meant protecting the inn and keeping things honest.

Raven become more observant letting Precious play her part while watching for her dramatic act to come to an end.

” You know Febe and Lily get really jealous, ” Precious said with a smirk one day. ” Anje always asks me or Leon to go get something from the nearest fast food place. I think I’m her favorite.”

Raven smiled, unfazed. ” Don’t get too full of yourself, Precious. That’s just part of your job. Focus on doing it well- that’s what really matters.”

Nearby, Febe exchanged a glance with Lily. Lily smirked and whispered under her breath. ” Good thing Raven corrected her. Someone had to slap some sense into her.” Precious caught the remark but said nothing, her confident mask flickering for a moment.

Moral story: Be consistent and be humble. Some people may perform, others work. Over time, no act can hide the truth. In the end character speaks louder than pretentious charm, and consistency wins over noise.