I worked my butt off at the company for three years. But my boss, to pave the way for his son, told me to pack my things and go home. My girlfriend of five years also got together with the boss’s son at that very time. They all thought I was just an ordinary guy grinding away. When I showed up in front of them again, I pulled out a rental contract: “Mr. Henderson, it’s time to pay next quarter’s rent. Otherwise, I’ll have to send someone to change the locks!” When I was delivering some documents to the boss, I accidentally caught my girlfriend of five years passionately kissing Brandon Henderson, the intern, in the stairwell. After work, I went home, intending to confront Chloe, but she never came back. I clicked on her SnapChat story, updated half an hour ago: In the video, she was wearing a sexy slip dress, dancing intimately with Brandon, her arms wrapped around him. They both wore matching couple rings on their index fingers. I stared at the video for a long time, a heavy feeling in my chest. Truth be told, Chloe’s change of heart had been brewing for a while. Three months ago, when the boss publicly announced that Brandon was his only son, the way she looked at Brandon had completely shifted. From then on, she became increasingly impatient with me. She, who used to love sleeping in, started waking up early every day, meticulously getting ready before heading out. At work, she’d always gravitate towards Brandon, chatting him up. Whatever Brandon said, it always left her cheeks flushed. Not only that, last week, when I had a high fever and was on an IV drip in the hospital, Chloe abandoned me there to go watch a movie with Brandon. It wasn’t that I hadn’t thought about breaking up. But the thought of our five years together always made me hesitant to let go. Yet, my repeated tolerance and concessions only made her even more blatant. This time, I felt completely fed up! She finally stumbled in at dawn, completely wasted. The moment she walked in, she, as usual, demanded I draw her a bath. I didn’t move, just stared at her with cold eyes. “I saw you kissing Brandon in the stairwell today.” She shrugged, completely unconcerned. “So what if you did? Not only did Brandon and I kiss, we booked a hotel room too!” “Brandon is our boss’s son! Look at you, three years at the company, and you’re still just a team leader. Your family isn’t well off, and you don’t even try hard. You’re such a loser!” I clenched my fist but quickly loosened it. Actually, I had planned to take her home to meet my parents after this busy period and casually tell her that I was a landlord with a massive portfolio, and even this very office building belonged to my family. But now, the last flicker of hope I had for her was extinguished! “Let’s break up,” I said flatly. Perhaps she hadn’t expected me to be the one to suggest breaking up, as her drunkenness seemed to fade a little. She shrieked, “How dare you break up with me? If anyone’s breaking up, it’s me!” “Hmph, people always strive for better opportunities, you know? If you’re not ambitious, you can’t blame me. Goodbye, loser!” With that, she grabbed her bag and stormed out, slamming the door behind her. The next day, as soon as I arrived at the company, I received a notice that my team leader position had been revoked. My colleagues around me looked at me with pity. Mark, a former team member, whispered, trying to stand up for me, “Alex, you’re so capable and responsible, why would the company demote you?” I frowned, a little puzzled myself. I had joined this company right after graduation, working diligently for three years, securing several major projects for them. You could say I contributed a significant part to the company’s current success. It wasn’t enough that they didn’t promote me or give me a raise; they were actively trying to suppress me. Others might tolerate it, but not me!
I went to HR. Ms. Jenkins, who handled personnel transfers, and I had a good relationship. She pulled me aside and whispered, “I only got the boss’s notice this morning, Alex. Tell me, did you offend someone…?” I narrowed my eyes. If I had offended anyone, it could only be… “Ms. Jenkins, who’s the new team leader?” She gave me a helpless look. “Brandon Henderson, officially promoted today.” I wasn’t surprised by this news at all. The boss was using me as a stepping stone for his son! The day Brandon started at the company, the boss himself brought him in, making a big fuss. The boss had said then that I was an excellent employee and he wanted me to mentor Brandon. Out of respect for the boss, I had no choice but to reluctantly agree. But I never expected this pampered heir to prop his legs on the desk, not only ordering other colleagues to run errands for him but also telling me to make him coffee. It would be one thing if he were capable. But the truth was, he couldn’t even get into college. His dad spent a fortune sending him overseas to get a fancy degree, turning him into a “returned overseas student.” These past three months, Brandon not only botched his own work but also loved passing the buck and making a mess, making my other team members suffer terribly. To reduce rework costs and overtime, I could only let him sit aside and watch shows or play games. Because of this, I figured this spoiled brat probably held a grudge against me. I refused to accept this “connections over competence” workplace principle. Ignoring Ms. Jenkins’s pleas, I strode towards the boss’s office. What’s the worst that could happen? I could just go back and help my dad collect rent! Robert Henderson, the boss, saw me barge in without knocking and had a knowing look. He smiled and told his secretary to pour me a glass of water, then began his routine of making grand promises and gaslighting. “Alex, you’ve been with the company for three years now, haven’t you? I’ve seen all your contributions to the company during these years.” I nodded and, without hesitation, listed every single contribution I’d made to the company over the past three years. Robert Henderson’s smile faded a bit. He took a sip of tea and said, “Young people should be more modest.” “It’s true these projects were under your responsibility, but for them to be successful, our partners looked at the company’s strength, not just you personally.” “Otherwise, why would they sign with you alone?” “The company decided to remove you from your team leader position because we hope you can take some time to reflect and grow. Once you make another outstanding contribution to the company, we will certainly promote you again.” “By then, you might not just be a mere team leader!” I chuckled sarcastically. “Boss, stop trying to sell me a pipe dream. I’m not an idiot!” “You can revoke my position, I have no problem with that. But why make Brandon the team leader? Is it just because he’s your own son?” Before, I thought even if Brandon’s work ability was poor, he had at least spent three years abroad, so his English should be decent. So I gave him a document and asked him to translate it. The rich kid, however, directly translated the document using Hanyu Pinyin, and even then, most of the pinyin was wrong. Robert Henderson sneered. “This is my company. It’s not a junior employee like you who gets to tell me what to do!” “Brandon is my son. If I don’t look out for him, should I look out for a broke person like you instead?” “Forget a team leader position; in the future, Brandon will be sitting in my chair. You’ll have to respectfully call him ‘Boss’ then!” Seeing him so unable to distinguish right from wrong and practicing such blatant nepotism, I only felt regret for the three wasted years and effort. “Boss, are you sure your son can handle being a team leader? Aren’t you afraid that the company you’ve worked so hard to build will be ruined in his hands?” Robert Henderson chuckled. “I’ve already thought about that. Brandon is the team leader, but until he’s fully competent, the day-to-day work of the team leader will still be your responsibility.” “Oh, and your salary, starting this month, will be paid at a regular employee’s rate.” “It’s good for young people to experience some hardship. There are only benefits, no downsides!” Oh, screw that! I suppressed my anger, barely stopping myself from cursing aloud. “Whoever wants this job can have it. I’m out!” Seeing me being so disrespectful, he slammed his teacup onto the table. “Alex Miller, you’d better think this through. Don’t make a decision you’ll regret in a moment of impulse.” “I’ve been in this business for decades. Though I’m not the best, I do wield some influence.” Facing Robert Henderson’s naked threat, I took off my ID badge and threw it in front of him. Then I slammed the door and left.
Back at my desk, most of my colleagues were sizing me up with a look of eager anticipation, like they were watching a show unfold. Only Mark and a few other team members gathered around me: “No way, Alex, you’re really abandoning us and leaving!” “It’s over, my future is looking bleak!” “Alex, what will I do without you!” I let out a soft laugh, telling them to relax. “Cheer up, guys. Greatness awaits you!” “But if you can’t stand it here, you’re welcome to come find me anytime. I’ve got your backs!” My dad’s little startup, which he started just for fun, should have no problem hiring a few more people. “Alex, could you be some kind of secret billionaire heir?!” Before I could answer, Chloe’s mocking voice came from behind me. “A secret billionaire heir? Is he daydreaming?!” “He better wake up fast. He’s about to be an unemployed bum. He should be thinking about how to feed himself!” I turned around and saw Chloe, arm-in-arm with Brandon, looking at me smugly. Brandon wore a fake smile. “Chloe, don’t say that. Alex must be feeling pretty down about losing his job. Besides, everyone needs dreams, right? What’s the difference between a person without dreams and a total slacker?” “A slacker? I think he’s a total noob, both pathetic and useless!” A burst of laughter erupted in the office. Mark couldn’t stand it and wanted to speak up for me, but I stopped him. My gaze was cold as I looked at Chloe. “Chloe, we were together for five years. I thought even if we broke up, we’d maintain some dignity. How can you be so sure Brandon will help you marry into wealth and become a socialite?” Chloe snorted. “Brandon can’t do it? And you can? I know my leaving makes you feel sour, but it’s your fault you can’t compare to Brandon in anything. You could work your whole life and still not afford one of Brandon’s cars!” Many colleagues eager to suck up to Brandon immediately chimed in. “Exactly! Young Master Brandon is the Crown Prince of our company. He’s not someone just anybody can compare to!” “These days, so many people resent the wealthy!” … Brandon, flattered, started getting a bit full of himself. “Crown Prince? Oh, no, just treat me like a regular colleague!” These people really just started spouting nonsense, not even caring if they made themselves sick. Seeing that I didn’t say anything more, Brandon thought I was speechless and became even more smug. Just then, Robert Henderson walked out. He glanced at me, then said, “Everyone, prepare for the meeting. As for non-essential personnel, please leave the company as soon as possible!” I rolled my eyes internally. He really thought I enjoyed staying here, listening to their meaningless meetings that only served to assert the boss’s dominance! I don’t know if it was intentional for me to hear, but Robert Henderson actually used a microphone. His booming voice carried through the glass doors of the conference room: “I know you young people today are ambitious and hot-headed. You achieve a little success and become arrogant, disrespecting your boss.” “Here, I advise such people to recognize their place. If you’re really so capable, go start your own company and be the boss. But if you don’t have that ability, no matter how big your temper, you’d better suppress it. Otherwise, like some people, pack your things and get out! The company doesn’t need such troublemakers!” “Regarding the removal of Alex Miller from his team leader position, it wasn’t nepotism on my part. I made this decision after extensive investigation. The investigation showed Alex Miller’s work attitude was lax, always leaving right at closing time!” “I run a company to make money, not to do charity. Right now, we’re only doing the infamous 996 (9 AM to 9 PM, 6 days a week). Do you know many companies out there have already started implementing the extreme 001 (midnight to midnight, one day off a week) work system?! You should be grateful how humane our company is!” Listening to Robert Henderson simultaneously attack me and gaslight everyone outside, I was so shocked I nearly dropped the cup of water in my hand. Chloe, of all people, was leading the applause. “The boss is so right!” Amidst the sparse applause, I gathered my things and walked out of the company. Before I left, I received a mocking SnapChat message from Chloe: [Brandon said if you really can’t find a job, you can come work as his driver!]
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