Fired the Day After I Got Pregnant

Charlotte Parker, the company has decided to negotiate the termination of your employment contract.

HR Director Rebecca Hayes's voice was calm.

What's the reason? I asked.

Department restructuring, she replied.

I laughed.

Three months ago, when my colleague Jessica Morgan got pregnant, the company gave her a year of paid leave.

The day after I got pregnant, I was laid off.

"Don't worry, the company will give you $20,000 in severance."

I'd worked at this company for six years, and she was only offering $20,000?!

"Fine," I stood up. "But I should remind youStellar Group is renewing their contract next week, and I haven't handed over the files yet."

Rebecca's face froze.

I turned and walked out.

An 0-08 million annual contracthow were they going to close that deal without me?

The conference room door closed behind me.

I leaned against the wall and took a deep breath. My palms were sweaty.

At the end of the hallway, Miranda stood at the break room entrance. When she saw me come out, she walked over slowly, cup in hand.

"Charlotte, all done?"

Her tone was casual, like she was asking what I had for lunch.

"Miranda," I looked at her, "I want to know why."

"Why what?"

"Three months ago, when Jessica got pregnant, you gave her paid leave." I stared into her eyes. "But the day after I got pregnant, I got called in for termination talks."

Miranda smiled.

"Charlotte, you make it sound like the company is targeting you."

She took a sip of coffee, then continued: "Jessica's situation is different from yours."

"How is it different?"

"She had a high-risk pregnancy and needed rest. You don't."

"That still doesn't justify calling me in for termination the very next day, does it?" I suppressed my anger. "I've been here for six years. I've handled the Stellar Group project from start to finish, all by myself."

A flicker passed through Miranda's eyes.

"So?"

She put down her cup and leaned closer. "Charlotte, let me be honest with you. The company can't afford dead weight."

"If you're pregnant, you'll need at least six months off, right? Who's going to handle the project?"

"I can work remotely while on leave"

"Will the client agree to that?" She cut me off.

"Don't get emotional. This is the company's decision, not something I can control alone."

I clenched my fists.

"What about Jessica? She's taking leave too. Why does she get to stay?"

Miranda's expression changedsomething subtle, an uncomfortable look of being called out.

"Her situation..."

"How is her situation different?" I pressed. "She's only been here a year, hasn't run a single project. Why does she get leave when she's pregnant, while I get fired?"

Miranda was silent for a few seconds, then smiled.

"Charlotte Parker, you're competent, but you think too highly of yourself."

She turned to leave, leaving me with one sentence:

"The company can function without anyone."

I stood in the hallway, watching her walk away.

My phone vibrated. A message from my husband: How did it go?

I didn't reply, because I saw someone else.

Jessica emerged from Miranda's office, holding a document. When she saw me, she hesitated, then walked over with a smile.

"Charlotte, I heard you're not feeling well and need to take some time off?"

Her belly was already slightly rounded.

And the document in her handI could see the header: Stellar Group 2024 Annual Contract Renewal Proposal.

That was my proposal. I'd worked on it for three months and just finalized it last week.

Except my name had been crossed out and replaced with hers.

I said nothing.

Seeing me stare at the document, Jessica instinctively hid it behind her back.

"Charlotte, what's wrong?"

"That's my proposal." I pointed behind her. "I worked on it for three months. Just finalized it last week."

She blinked.

"Oh, this."

"Miranda said you were leaving, so she asked me to familiarize myself with the project."

"When did I say I was leaving?"

Jessica's expression stiffened for a moment, then she smiled again.

"Charlotte, you'll have to ask Miranda about that. I'm just following management's instructions."

She tried to step around me. I blocked her path.

"Jessica, tell me the truth. How much do you know about this?"

She looked up at me, her eyes evasive.

"Charlotte, I don't know what you're talking about. I'm just taking over the work normally."

She went around me and walked away quickly.

I stood there as pieces started connecting in my mind.

Three months ago, Jessica joined the company.

Miranda said she was a distant cousin and asked me to "mentor her."

I did.

Client data, coordination processes, email correspondenceI taught her everything hands-on.

I thought I was training a successor. Now I realizedI was training my replacement.

My phone vibrated again.

My husband sent three messages in a row: How's the baby? What did the company say? Don't worry, come home and we'll talk about it.

I shoved the phone in my pocket and headed to my desk.

When I pushed open the department's glass door, twenty pairs of eyes looked up at me, then quickly looked away.

The office was eerily quiet.

Lisa, who usually loved gossip, kept her head down, staring motionless at her screen. When intern Amy saw me, her lips moved but she said nothing.

I walked to my desk.

A cardboard box sat on top, with a document beside itResignation Handover Checklist.

They'd even prepared the box.

I picked up the checklist.

First item: Stellar Group project materials and client contact information.

Second item: Shared department folder access permissions.

Third item: Company-issued computer and access card.

The last line had a space for my signature, dated today.

I set down the checklist and opened my computer.

Before I could enter my password, a line appeared on screen: Your account has been disabled. For questions, please contact IT.

They'd already locked my account. They weren't even giving me time to react.

"Charlotte."

A soft voice came from behind me.

I turned. It was intern Amy.

"What is it?"

She bit her lip, glancing toward Miranda's office.

"During this morning's meeting..."

"What meeting?"

"The morning meeting. Before you went into the conference room, Miranda already told us."

Her voice grew quieter.

"Told you what?"

"That you'd voluntarily resigned because of... family reasons."

"She also said we should understand and not pressure you."

I froze.

"I voluntarily resigned?"

Amy nodded.

"She also said Jessica would temporarily take over the Stellar project. Her exact words were... 'Charlotte's recommendation.'"

She glanced at me.

"Charlotte, I just thought..."

"Thought what?"

"It seemed strange. You always work so hard, why would you suddenly quit?"

I didn't answer.

Miranda's office door opened.

She stood in the doorway and beckoned to me.

"Charlotte, come in for a moment."

I walked in.

Miranda sat behind her desk and gestured for me to close the door.

"Sit."

I didn't sit.

"Miranda, I have a few questions."

"Go ahead."

"First, what grounds is the company using to fire me?"

"Restructuring. Didn't HR tell you?" She flipped through documents on her desk without looking up.

"Second, why tell my colleagues I resigned voluntarily?"

Miranda's hand paused.

"Charlotte, you're a veteran employee. Can't we leave each other some dignity?"

"I don't need dignity." I stared at her. "I need a reasonable explanation."

She finally looked up.

"What explanation do you want?"

"Is there a problem with my work performance?"

"No."

"Have I caused the company any losses?"

"No."

"Then why fire me?"

Miranda sighed.

"Charlotte, you're a smart person. I don't want to be too blunt."

"I'm not afraid of blunt."

She looked at me with a complicated expression.

"Fine, I'll be direct. You're pregnant, right?"

"Yes."

"Pregnancy leave plus maternity leave plus nursing leavethat's at least a year. Can you work normally during that time?"

"I can"

"You can what? Work remotely? Part-time?" She smilednot kindly. "Charlotte, clients aren't stupid."

"Stellar Group pays us 0-08 million a year. Why would they wait for you to have your baby before discussing business?"

"Then let me finish the handover before I leave"

"There's no time." She cut me off. "Next week is the renewal window."

"And..." She paused.

"And what?"

"And Francis Reed at Stellar already knows you're leaving."

I froze.

"What?"

"I spoke with him on the phone this morning." Miranda's expression was calm. "I told him you were resigning for family reasons and that Jessica would handle coordination going forward. He said okay."

My head was buzzing.

She'd notified the client before my termination meeting. This wasn't negotiationit was notification.

"So," Miranda stood up, walked around her desk to face me, "you sign, and we part on good terms."

"If you don't sign..." Her voice lowered. "Charlotte, after six years, you should know my style."

"If you don't sign, I have a hundred ways to make you sign."

She patted my shoulder.

"Don't burn your bridges."

I stood motionless.

She walked past me and opened the door.

"Oh, right." She turned back. "Finish the handover before end of day. Don't come in tomorrow. I'll have reception mail your things home."

The door closed.

I stood alone in the office.

Outside the window was the city's business districttowering buildings, flowing traffic.

I'd worked here for six years, from a fresh graduate assistant to Marketing Department Manager.

I'd secured the Stellar Group partnership single-handedly.

Now they were kicking me out, not even giving me 24 hours.

My phone rang.

I pulled it out. Francis ReedStellar Group's Marketing Director, and my college classmate.

He'd introduced me to this project, because he was my contact.

I answered.

"Charlotte, what's going on?" Francis sounded urgent. "Your Miranda called and said you're leaving?"

"I didn't agree to it," I said.

"What do you mean you didn't agree?"

"Francis, I'll explain everything. But right now I just need to ask you one thing."

"What?"

"Can you delay next week's renewal a bit?"

Silence on the other end for two seconds.

"Charlotte, what are you planning?"

"What am I planning?" I looked at the Stellar Group Renewal Proposal on Miranda's desk.

Three months of my hard work, with the cover now bearing Jessica's name instead of mine.

"Francis," I said, "I want certain people to knowthey can't swallow this 0-08 million."

At 3 PM, I ran into Jessica in the break room.

She was making coffee. When she saw me enter, her hand shook.

"Charlotte."

"Mm."

I walked to the water dispenser and filled a cup.

She stood there, looking uncomfortable.

"Charlotte, Miranda asked me to coordinate with you this afternoon about the Stellar project materials. Is that convenient?"

"Convenient."

I turned to look at her.

"Jessica, can I ask you something? When you got pregnant, what did Miranda tell you?"

She hesitated.

"Tell me what?"

"How she arranged your leave."

Jessica looked down, stirring the coffee in her cup.

"Miranda said I should focus on the pregnancy, not worry about work, and that when I came back after giving birth, she'd give me a raise."

"How much?"

"Twenty percent."

I laughed.

I'd been here six years and only got a 5% raise last year. She'd been here one year, was pregnant, and was getting 20%.

"Charlotte, what are you laughing at?"

"Nothing."

I set down my water cup.

"Come on, let's go to my desk. I'll transfer everything to you."

She followed me, her steps hesitant.

At my desk, I pulled a USB drive from the drawer.

"All the Stellar project materials are on here. Client contacts, email correspondence, quotes, contract draftseverything packaged."

She took it, looking surprised.

"That fast?"

"I always keep backups."

I looked at her.

"There are some other things I need to tell you verbally."

"Okay."

She opened her phone's notepad, ready to take notes.

"Francis Reed is the main project contact. He's pretty casual, prefers discussing business in informal settings. Last time we signed the contract at a dinner meeting."

Jessica nodded seriously.

"Also, he doesn't like corporate speak. The more direct, the better."

"Got it."

"Last thing." I paused. "Francis values relationships. He's worked with me for three years because we've known each other since college."

Jessica's note-taking hand stopped.

She looked up.

"Charlotte, you and Francis are classmates?"

"Yeah." I looked into her eyes. "He introduced this project to me."

The break room suddenly went quiet.

I could see it in her eyespanic, calculation, and a trace of barely concealed guilt.

"Charlotte..."

"I don't mean anything by it." I smiled. "Just reminding yousome things can't be handled just by swapping people."

I picked up my bag.

"The materials are yours. I'm leaving."

"Charlotte!"

She called after me.

"What?"

"Are you... really resigning?"

I didn't answer. I just turned and left.

As I reached the elevator, I heard hurried footsteps behind me.

Miranda's voice: "Jessica, how did it go? Did she hand everything over?"

"She did."

"Are the materials complete?"

"Complete, but..."

"But what?"

"Miranda, Charlotte is Francis's college classmate."

Silence for a few seconds.

"I know."

"Then..."

"It's fine." Miranda's voice remained composed. "Francis is a businessman. He cares about profit, not personal relationships. As long as the contract terms are good enough, it doesn't matter who handles coordination."

The elevator arrived.

I stepped in and pressed the button for the first floor.

Miranda was rightFrancis was a businessman.

But she'd miscalculated one thing: what businessmen value most isn't contract terms. It's trust.