The intern secretly submitted a voluntary pay-cut application on my behalf.

As a result, my salary dropped from 3333-77770,000 to $2,000.

When I found out and confronted him, my boss and colleagues all defended him.

The company is not doing great right now. Oscar was just trying to save costs for us. Do you have to nickel-and-dime over this?

With my salary so low, I couldn't afford the special medication for my chronic migraines, and one day I passed out at my desk during an attack.

But the intern snuck a video of me unconscious and posted it on the company's website. He even whipped up a detailed 100-page slideshow breaking down how I was slacking off on the clock and dumping all my work on him.

Overnight, I was labeled a workplace bully. My boss gave me the cold shoulder, and my colleagues whispered about me.

Even worse, some extreme "anti-workplace-bullying" activists tracked me down to my home, showed up with two cans of gasoline, and burned me and my parents alive.

When I opened my eyes again, I was back on that very day when the intern had submitted my pay-cut form.

In this second chance at life, I would make sure everyone saw the intern for who he truly was.
Chapter 1
...
"Casper, got a form here that needs your signature."
That familiar voice of the intern rang in my ears, and I snapped my eyes open.
I froze for a second, then realized that I had been reborn. The sight of Oscar Kaufman's phony grin made rage boil up inside me.
My face fell, and I refused flatly, "I'm not signing it."
In my previous life, while I was buried under a mountain of work, he had shoved this form at me just like this. I had scribbled my name without looking closely.
Little did I know it was a voluntary pay-cut request! My salary had plummeted from 3333-77770,000 to $2,000 as a result.
When I blew up and went after him to settle the score, my boss and colleagues all rallied around him.
"The economy is shaky these days, and the company is taking a hit. Oscar was just looking out for the bottom line. Do you have to be such a tightwad about it?"
With my paycheck slashed so drastically, I couldn't swing the cost of my ongoing migraine treatment medication.
During one bad episode, the pain knocked me out cold at my desk. Taking his chance, Oscar filmed me unconscious, uploaded the video to the company's website, and created a detailed 100-page slideshow accusing me of sleeping on the job and shoving all my responsibilities onto him.
In no time flat, I was branded a workplace bully. My boss iced me out, my colleagues gossiped about me, and I faced relentless online harassment.
Even worse, some radical "anti-bullying" activists hunted me down to my home, armed with two gallons of gasoline, and burned me and my parents alive.
God pitied me, giving me a second chance to change my fate. This time, I would not let the tragedy repeat itself.
I'd tear off Oscar's mask and reveal his true colors to everyone.
Oscar was stunned, clutching the form behind his back. He looked all wounded. "I'm just doing my job. Why are you so mean, picking on a new guy?"
I snatched the application right out of his grip. "What the hell is this? Why don't you apply for it yourself? Did I ever say I wanted a pay cut? How many times have I told you not to assume things? Are you really that dumb, or are you just pretending?"
The grown man pouted like a kid. "I'm doing it for the company. The economy is in the tank. We need to cut costs. Your salary's so high anyway. Why can't you make a sacrifice for the team?"
"Well said!" Our boss's voice cut in from behind us.

Chapter 2
...
Judy Bianchi continued, "Times are tough right now, and the company is feeling the pinch. I hope everyone can be like Oscar and always think about the company's best interests."
She shot me a chilly glance, and my colleagues, seeing which way the wind was blowing, piled on.
"Ms. Bianchi is spot on. We should all take a page out of Oscar's book."
"Honestly, for the company's sake, a little sacrifice is the least we can do."
"Some people have no sense of dedication at all! They forget that without the company supporting them, they'd be starving on the streets!"
I scoffed. It was easy for them to talk when the knife wasn't cutting into their own flesh.
These people all assumed Oscar and Judy had some special connection. In my previous life, they'd sided with him, piling the blame on me.
"If we're talking about costs, I suggest a 30% pay cut across the board for every employee," I countered.
The words were barely out of my mouth before everyone shot me resentful glares.
Judy frowned. "I'll have to think that one over."
"I've got another idea," I said. "These days, it's all about developing well-rounded talent. We could rotate Oscar through every department for internships. That way, we won't be limited to specialists in single roles."
Everyone jumped in with enthusiastic nods.
"We're all for it! Welcome aboard!"
"Start in our department!"
"Come to ours first!"
Oscar's eyes lit up with smug satisfaction, and I smirked because that was exactly what I wanted things to go on like.
A few days later, the HR Director suddenly blasted the work group chat with dozens of photos, tagging everyone: [Half the desks empty after 9 AM. Sloppy attendance, $500 fine!]