FRACTURE

Peter’s career was never easy. Every morning, he had to wake up early to catch the bus to his office. Before he even got the job, he had spent years standing in endless lines under the scorching sun for interviews and government exams.

He was loyal to his job... and even more loyal to his boss. In fact, Peter was far more devoted to his job than he was to his wife. He would leave his whole family behind just to attend a simple half-hour meeting if it increased his chances of getting promoted.

He had just started earning three hundred dollars a month, yet he always wanted more. Not because he was greedy, but because he wanted to keep his family happy and secure—even after his death.

Peter’s boss was not a bad person, but he wasn’t especially kind either. Like most other bosses, he was strict when it came to work. Peter was a smart employee, and he was always willing to take on extra responsibilities if they brought him closer to another promotion. As a result, he remained busier than almost everyone else in the office.

For Peter, taking a few days off was the hardest part of his job. Peter had to ask his boss for permission, rearrange his responsibilities, or hand his work over to someone else before he could take a few days off. Most of the time, his requests were rejected.

Peter’s decisions were never truly in his own hands—they belonged to his boss. If he wanted to keep his job, he had to do whatever he was told.

One day, his boss called: “Peter, we’re pleased to inform you that you’ve been promoted. From now on, you’ll be working at another branch. You’ll have to move to a new house, but we’ll provide everything you need for the transfer.”

Peter’s eyes filled with tears. His eyelashes shimmered, and his voice trembled at the sound of a single word—“promotion.”

After hours of saying goodbye to his wife and the rest of his family, Peter was finally ready to leave the city, sacrificing the bond between them for the next six months.

Peter believed it was another test. Whatever his boss asked of him, he had to do it if he wanted to pass. Those tests were the only path to a secure career and a better future. Although, in my eyes, that future always remained a future. It never truly became the present.

But perhaps I should not share my opinions here. This is the story of a smart and successful man, and I am the complete opposite in every possible way.

Peter passed every test brilliantly, just as he had done throughout his academic life. Each sacrifice made him even more obedient to his boss and brought him one step closer to another promotion. He took pride in his willingness to sacrifice anything—his time, his sleep, and even months with his family—to become the most loyal, efficient, and respected employee in his institution.

Every promotion felt like another step toward freedom. Peter never noticed that every step also tied him a little tighter to the life he thought he had chosen.

Perfect Peter — 7