The Cost of Firing Me

1
Our company’s new head of HR was supposed to be a rockstar. A golden hire.
After my department pulled a month of brutal, round-the-clock overtime to land a massive project, he celebrated our success by presenting us with a bill. It was for the air conditioning, bottled water, and facility usage fees we’d incurred during our late nights.
To "strengthen management," he installed timers in the restrooms. Five minutes per person, per day. Total. If you wanted a single sheet of A4 paper, you needed to submit a 2,000-word written request in advance.
Then, in the name of "cost reduction and efficiency," he proposed to the CEO that I be laid off.
This was right after my father had emergency surgery. He was in the ICU, and the bills were piling up fast.
When I demanded my legally mandated severance package, Carter Price slammed his fist on the table.
“Severance? You’ve got to be kidding me! If you’re leaving, you should pay back every salary you've ever earned. Consider it tuition for the education this company gave you!”
…
The day we landed the Sterling account, a wave of relief washed over the entire department. We were just starting to plan how we’d spend our commission bonuses when Carter slapped a bill on my desk with a sharp crack.
“Liam,” he said, his voice slick with smug authority. “Here’s the tab for your team’s recent expenses. Settle it with finance as soon as possible.”
Confused, I took the sheet of paper from him.
? Utilities (HVAC): 0-05,000
? Bottled Water & Supplies: $5,000
? Facility Usage Fee (After Hours): $20,000
There were other miscellaneous charges, bringing the grand total to a staggering $40,000. Attached were meticulous records of our daily electricity usage and even photos of the water cooler, with the water level marked each day to calculate our consumption.
After factoring in our salaries and overtime pay, we were somehow expected to pay the company $20,000 out of our own pockets.
I stared at the numbers, convinced it had to be a joke.
“Carter, we were working overtime to secure the single biggest client this company has seen all year. This one deal accounts for more than half of the annual revenue target. And now you want us to pay the company for the privilege?” I demanded, my voice rising. “Do you have any idea what we sacrificed? My team practically lived here for a month. Mark missed his girlfriend’s birthday for this project. Does this seem reasonable to you?”
Carter shot me a condescending smirk.
“For all I know, you were just using ‘overtime’ as an excuse to waste company resources,” he sneered. “I’ve seen your type before. You slack off during the day and drag out your work into the evening just to rack up some extra overtime pay.”
He puffed out his chest. “Ms. Vance brought me in to instill discipline, and that's exactly what I'm going to do. I’m putting an end to these bad habits. This company is not a charity for you to take advantage of!”
Holly, the new intern, tugged at my sleeve, her eyes welling up with tears.
“Liam… I promised my grandma I’d buy her an air conditioner when I got paid,” she whispered, her voice trembling. “She’s not well, and this heat… she can’t take it. Now, not only is my paycheck gone, but I owe money? Where am I going to get that kind of money? What do I do?”
Carter jabbed a finger toward the young woman’s forehead, his expression dripping with disdain.
“This isn’t a non-profit. Don’t think we don’t know about you Gen Z kids, always looking for new ways to fleece the company. You probably fill up your water bottles to the brim before you leave every night. Well, let me tell you, as long as I’m here, those days are over. I will not tolerate it!”
My face was a cold mask. I took the bill from Holly’s shaking hands, looked Carter dead in the eye, and ripped it into tiny pieces.
“We’re not paying this,” I stated flatly. “If you have a problem with that, we can take it up with Ms. Vance.”
Carter was stunned. “Ms. Vance hired me at great expense to manage this company. Are you defying my authority?”
I met his gaze, my voice low and steady. “I said, we are not paying. We will receive every single cent of our salaries and our overtime. If you disagree, let’s go see Diana right now and clear this up, face to face.”
I had publicly humiliated him in front of the entire team.
His face flushed with rage. “Liam Foster,” he seethed, “you will regret this.”
He stormed off. Holly looked at me, her face pale with worry.
“Liam, Ms. Vance specifically headhunted Mr. Price. If she finds out about this… are we going to be in trouble?”
I put a reassuring hand on her shoulder. “Don’t worry. If the sky falls, I’ll hold it up for you. Besides, we just landed the Sterling account. Diana is thrilled. She’s not going to punish the team that made it happen.”
Holly let out a relieved breath.
Diana Vance was my girlfriend—or, she had been. We’d started this company together right out of college. After years of grinding, we finally made it. Once we were stable, she asked for the CEO title to give her a "sense of security." I agreed, stepping back to run the sales department, continuing to build the empire for her.
It wasn't long before we were both summoned to Diana’s office.
Carter was already there, standing beside her, his hair a mess, still breathing heavily from his tantrum.
Diana didn’t even look at me. She just launched in, gesturing at Carter.
“Liam, Carter was only thinking of the company's bottom line! How could you undermine him in front of everyone like that? How is he supposed to manage anyone now?” she scolded. “I paid a fortune to bring him in. You need to respect his authority. You can’t just do whatever you want in a company this size!”
I almost laughed. “Diana, have you lost your mind? Go ask around. Find one single company that charges its employees for working overtime. Are you trying to destroy the morale of the very people who built this place?”
She glared at me. “You need rules to have order! Carter must have his reasons. Besides, if everyone starts using overtime as an excuse to freeload, how am I supposed to run a business?”
I stared at her. It was like looking at a stranger.
“The contract with Sterling isn’t signed yet,” I said coolly. “I can always call the client and tell them there’s no rush.”
Diana panicked. “Are you threatening me? You don’t call the shots here anymore!”
I rolled my eyes. “You’ve known me for seven years. What do you think?”
Carter, seeing his chance, jumped in. “This is Ms. Vance’s company! How dare you speak to your boss like that?”
I gave him a lazy, dismissive glance. “This is between Diana and me. Stay out of it.”
He was so thoroughly shut down he couldn’t manage a single word in response.
Defeated, Diana finally backed down. “Fine, Liam. You win this time. But watch yourself from now on.”
I walked out of her office, a cold pit forming in my stomach.
Carter caught up to me in the hallway, bumping into me hard from behind.
“Oh, and Liam,” he said with a malicious grin, “I forgot to mention. To improve management, I’ve drafted a new set of regulations specifically for your department. Make sure you follow them diligently.”
He thrust a thick stack of papers into my hands. My team immediately gathered around to see.
“Rule #1: Clock in no later than 9:00 AM, clock out no earlier than 5:00 PM. No exceptions.”
“Rule #2: Total daily restroom time not to exceed five minutes. Use of more than two squares of toilet paper per visit is prohibited.”
“Rule #3: To receive any office supplies, a 2,000-word request form must be submitted for my personal approval.”
“Rule #4: All leave requests must be submitted three days in advance. No request will be approved without my signature.”
The list went on. Over one hundred new rules in total.
The team exploded.
“We’re in sales! We have client meetings all over the city. How can we possibly clock in and out at the exact same time every day?”
“Five minutes for the bathroom? What if you have an upset stomach? That’s inhuman!”
“And the leave policy is insane! What about emergencies? How can you plan for that three days in advance?”
Carter’s smile was triumphant. “I’ve always disliked you sales types, always using ‘client meetings’ as an excuse to show up late and leave early. It’s high time you were brought into line.”
He continued, savoring every word. “As for the restrooms, I’ve already had infrared timers installed on the stall doors. Every second is logged. Go over your five minutes, and you’ll be fined.”
“I’m not soft like Liam. Ms. Vance has given me her full support, and I am going to teach you all some discipline!”
I held up the stack of papers. “Carter, do these new rules apply to the entire company, or just to our department?”
He pursed his lips. “Oh, Ms. Vance and I discussed it. We both agreed that your department has the worst discipline, so we’re starting the pilot program with you.”
Just then, Holly returned from a client visit, flushed and sweating from the summer heat.
“Liam, good news! The client loves our proposal and is really interested in moving forward!” she chirped, beaming. “I had to wait outside his building for two hours, but I finally caught him. God, I’m so thirsty.”
She went to the water cooler and filled a large cup, downing it in one go.
Carter watched her, then made a sharp checkmark in his notebook.
“Holly, daily water consumption exceeding 500ml,” he announced loudly. “That’s a 0-050 fine.”
Holly choked, sputtering water. “Mr. Price, I just had some water from the cooler! Why is that a finable offense?”
Carter sneered. “It’s in the new company regulations. No employee may consume more than 500ml of company water per day. Violators will be fined.”
Mark, one of our veteran salesmen, finally snapped. “Why don’t you just admit you’re targeting our department? Who the hell is going to follow these bullshit rules? I’m not putting up with this!”
Carter didn’t get angry. He just smiled. “Violation of rule #35: insulting a manager. That’s another 0-050 fine, Mark.”
Mark was stunned into silence. He opened his mouth to curse again, but I grabbed his arm and shook my head, signaling him to stop.
I turned to Carter, my expression calm. “If these are the official company regulations, my department will, of course, comply with them.”
Carter nodded, satisfied. “Good. Glad to see you’re finally seeing reason.”
After he left, the team swarmed me.
“Liam, he’s openly bullying us! How can you just take that?”
“Everyone knows our department brings in most of the revenue! If he ties our hands like this, how are we supposed to close any deals?”
“Let’s go to Ms. Vance! She can’t possibly let him get away with this!”
I shook my head, the disappointment a bitter taste in my mouth. “It’s useless. You think Diana doesn’t know about this? She signed off on it.”
Mark was furious. “Then let’s just quit! I’m not going to be treated like this!”
“And then what?” I countered. “What good does quitting do right now? We all have families, mortgages, bills to pay. How are you going to support them if you can’t find another job right away?”
Holly nodded slowly. “Liam’s right. So, what’s the plan? I’ll do whatever you say.”
A grim smile touched my lips. “He made the rules. So, we’ll follow them. To the letter. And as for the consequences… well, that’s out of our control.”
The next day, every single person in my department arrived on time. We clocked in, sat at our desks, and proceeded to do our own thing. At exactly 5:00 PM, we all clocked out and went home.
Contacting clients? Impossible. What if we missed the clock-out time?
For two solid weeks, our entire department enjoyed the air conditioning, played on our phones, and had a wonderfully relaxing time.
Carter, however, was not relaxing.
He stormed into my office, his face red with fury.
“Liam! Your team is in sales! You can’t close deals sitting in the office all day! The entire company’s payroll depends on you!”
I casually adjusted my new haircut. “I’d love to be out there, Carter. But you set the rules. Punctual clock-ins and clock-outs. I can’t risk being a minute late. I’m just diligently following company policy.”
“You can’t go out, but you can still make calls, can’t you?” he retorted.
I shook my head with an expression of sincere regret. “All that talking would make me thirsty. And the company only allows me 500ml of water a day. It’s just not enough to stay hydrated.”
He ground his teeth. “You’re doing this on purpose, aren’t you, Liam? Do you really think this company can’t function without your department?”
I feigned shock. “I would never say such a thing. I’m simply abiding by the rules you put in place, Mr. Price. Isn’t this the disciplined environment you wanted to create?”
He shot me a look of pure hatred and stormed out.
Holly peeked in, trying to smother a laugh. “Seeing him so frustrated is the best thing ever. I bet Ms. Vance won’t be able to sit still for much longer, either.”
I flicked her gently on the forehead. “Maybe, but our paychecks this month are probably going to be nonexistent. Here.” I transferred her 0-0,000. “Go buy that air conditioner for your grandma. The elderly can’t handle this kind of heat.”
Her eyes turned red. “Liam… thank you.”
“Don’t mention it,” I said, ruffling her hair. “But listen, none of you can slack off completely. Keep in touch with your clients, maintain the relationships. Just drag out the actual contract signings. Let’s see who blinks first.”
Holly snapped to attention, giving me a mock salute and a playful grin. “Sir, yes sir! Mission accepted!”
A month later, the company’s revenue had plummeted. It was barely a third of what it was the previous month.
Diana slammed the performance report on my desk so hard it could have cracked the wood.
“Liam, what the hell happened with your department this month? Why did the numbers fall off a cliff? Am I paying you all to just sit around and do nothing?”
I sighed, putting on a show of helplessness. “Well, in order to comply with Mr. Price’s new regulations, my team had to strictly adhere to the clock-in and clock-out times. We couldn’t even work overtime. How are we supposed to generate revenue under those conditions?”
Diana was not satisfied. “Can’t you find other ways? Stop blaming everything on Carter! A true professional doesn't complain about their environment!”
Carter, standing beside her, chimed in smugly. “Exactly. I proposed these reforms for the good of the company. I never expected Liam to use them as an excuse to stop working entirely.”
I was done arguing with them. “My department followed the rules set by Mr. Price to the letter. As for the consequences, that was something I could not have predicted.”
Diana clenched her jaw. “Fine. From now on, your department is exempt from the company regulations. Just close the deals. Do whatever you have to do!”
Carter stomped his foot like a petulant child. “Diana, how can you just give in to him? Who runs this company, you or him? You can’t let him manipulate you like this!”
Diana whispered to him, “If we don’t close some deals soon, we won’t even be able to make payroll. We’ll stabilize things first, then deal with him.”
That night, I got a call from my mother.
She was sobbing so hard she could barely speak. “Liam… your father… he collapsed at home. The doctors say it’s a brain hemorrhage… he needs surgery… I don’t know what to do, I’m all alone.”
My heart leaped into my throat.
After calming her down, I arranged for my dad to be transferred from my small hometown to a major hospital in the city.
My mom’s hands trembled as she clutched mine. “Liam, this is going to cost so much money, isn’t it? The doctor said even if he pulls through, there could be permanent damage.” Her voice broke. “Maybe… maybe we should just take him home. We’ve never been able to help you with much, son. We can’t be a burden to you now.”
I looked through the glass into the ICU, at my father lying motionless, hooked up to a web of tubes and machines. My heart shattered.
“Mom, that’s my dad,” I said, my voice thick with emotion. “I will do everything in my power to save him, no matter what. Don’t worry about the money. I’ll figure it out.”
I gave her every penny of my savings.
To pay for my father’s medical bills, I threw myself into my work with a desperate ferocity.
After I closed several major deals in quick succession, the way Carter looked at me changed again.
One evening, after my team and I had just finalized yet another big contract after hours of work, Carter called me into his office.
He was practically glowing with self-satisfaction.
“Liam,” he began, “Ms. Vance and I have been discussing the current market downturn. We feel it’s time to… optimize your department.”
A cold dread settled in my stomach. “Optimize who?”
He walked over, standing uncomfortably close. “We think it would be best for the company if you were the one to leave.”
I thought I must have misheard him. “Are you out of your mind? I’m personally responsible for over half of this company’s revenue, and you want to fire me?”
Carter scoffed. “Do you really think you’re that special, Liam? Without the platform this company provides, who would even take your calls? We’ll just distribute your accounts to the other team members. I bet they’ll do just as well, if not better.”
He leaned in, his voice dripping with venom. “And think about it. How many times have you openly defied Ms. Vance? With a cancer like you in the office, how can we expect any other employee to respect authority?”
I forced myself to remain calm. “My father is sick. I need the money. If you’re firing me, I want to hear it from Diana herself.”
Carter slammed his hand on the desk. “Who do you think you are? So what if you co-founded the company? Big deal! If you can't afford your dad’s treatment, maybe he should just go home and die! Out of humanitarian consideration, the company can send a couple of wreaths for the funeral!”
I snapped. Before I even knew what I was doing, I lunged forward and struck him across the face. The sound of the slap echoed in the silent office.
“Shut your filthy mouth,” I snarled. “Say one more word, and I will rip it off your face.”
He was stunned for a second, then raised his hand to hit me back. I kicked his leg out from under him, sending him sprawling to the floor.
Just as he was struggling to get up, Diana burst into the room.
She rushed to Carter’s side, helping him up with a look of frantic concern before turning on me, her eyes blazing.
“Are you insane? You can’t just attack people! If anything happens to Carter, I’ll hold you responsible!”
In that moment, whatever was left of my heart turned to ice.
“My father is in the hospital, and you haven’t even bothered to visit once. Now this piece of trash wishes him dead, and you’re defending him?”
Diana shot back, “Your father is sick, but I’m not a doctor! What good would my visiting do? Carter is my hire. It’s my job to protect him!”
I stood there in silence for a long time, the weight of her betrayal crushing me. Finally, I made my decision.
“Fine. You can fire me. But I want my severance.”
Before the words were even out of my mouth, Carter shrieked from behind Diana.
“Impossible! You won’t get a single penny! Now get the hell out of this company!”
I leveled a cold glare at him. “On what grounds? The law entitles me to it. Who are you to deny me my legal rights?”
Carter’s face was contorted with rage.
“Not only will you get no severance,” he roared, “but you're going to pay back every salary you've ever earned! This company trained you! It's the tuition you owe for the privilege of working here!”

First, search for and download the MotoNovel app from Google. Then, open the app and use the code "252227" to read the entire book.