The whole family was laid off

The HR manager told me to pack my things. I was being laid off. I smirked, looking him dead in the eye. "Does my dad know you're firing me?" HR slid a paper across the desk. "The layoff list for the Security department just came down. Your dad's on it." I laughed. "Well, does my mom know?" He glanced at me. "We're downsizing Janitorial, too. She's on the list." I leaned back in my chair, letting out a cold huff. "And I suppose my grandpa, the esteemed man at the front desk, has been informed of this momentous event?" HR tapped the last list. "Head of the chopping block for the Doorman staff. Your grandpa's name is first." … 1 There we were, three generations of my family, lined up like ducks in a row on termination day. The entire office was staring, their faces a mixture of pity and morbid curiosity. "They all got laid off? That's their whole family's income, gone in one day." "So tragic. But honestly, who does that? You'd think a normal family would know not to put all their eggs in one basket. Now the whole carton's smashed." "Wait, isn't that Mason guy dating Chloe, the VP? She's really firing her boyfriend's entire family?" A chubby guy with glasses chimed in, "Please. Mason had it coming. He's a total mooch, and not content with that, he brought his whole family to leech off the company too." "And on top of that," he added, lowering his voice, "he had the nerve to piss off Julian. And everyone knows Julian is the one Chloe *really* cares about. It was only a matter of time." Just then, Julian's voice cut through the whispers. "Oh, Mason, buddy. I tried to talk Chloe out of it. I really did. I told her your family was struggling and that this was a bit extreme." Julian, looking sharp in an expensive custom-tailored suit, shot me a look of pure triumph. "But what could I do? She insisted on defending my honor. Said she had to get rid of you all." He leaned in, his voice dripping with false sympathy. "You're not mad at me, are you?" I scoffed. "Cut the act, Julian. You know you threw yourself down those stairs to frame me." He stepped closer, his voice dropping to a whisper. "So what if I did? What does it matter if there's security footage? Chloe refuses to even look at it." "It's just how it is, Mason. She believes whatever I say. I'm the one she's always cared about. We've known each other for twenty years. You never stood a chance." 2 Julian's arrival only fueled the office gossip. The comments got louder, and meaner. The most vicious was Stacy, Chloe's best friend. She’d always hated me. "Mason, if you had any self-respect, you would have bowed out ages ago. Look at you. Your family, your education… what part of you can even compare to a man like Julian?" Her round-faced friend nodded eagerly. "Exactly. Julian and Chloe are childhood friends. He's an Ivy League grad from a family of academics. And your family is…?" She let out a derisive snort, scanning the four of us with utter contempt. My mom's face went rigid with anger. She was about to let loose when my dad put a hand on her arm. "Let it go," he murmured. "This is good for him. A little humiliation might finally knock some sense into him and stop him from being Chloe's doormat." My mom nodded, her lips pressed into a thin line. "You're right." Stacy wasn't done. "Mason, you should take a good long look in the mirror. Chloe is rich, she's beautiful. Did you really think she would ever be serious about a leech like you?" That was the last straw for my grandpa. "Hey! You watch your mouth, young lady! Who are you calling a leech?" Before Stacy could answer, a sharp voice cut in from behind me. "He's talking about your grandson, you useless old man." 3 I turned. It was Chloe. Julian arched an eyebrow at me, then smugly wrapped his arm around Chloe's waist, pulling her close in a clear display of victory. Chloe looked at my grandfather with her usual air of imperious disdain. "You've been fired. Don't you dare cause a scene in my company, you old fossil." My grandpa was so stunned by her vulgarity that he started wheezing. My parents rushed to his side, patting his back. "Dad, don't listen to her. She's not worth it." I stepped in front of my grandpa, shielding him. "You can say whatever you want about me, Chloe. But you don't talk to my grandfather like that." My dad's anger flared. "That's right! You can insult my son, but you will not insult my father!" My mom crossed her arms. "And you can't insult my son, either!" Chloe threw her head back and laughed, a high, sharp sound. "Oh, is that right? Did I hurt the beggars' feelings? Are you seriously going to stand there and tell me you're *not* mooches?" Her eyes swept over the four of us. "A janitor, a security guard, a doorman, and a 'Director' I appointed out of pity. You have the nerve to deny you're leeches? Your entire family should be on your knees, thanking me for my charity." "Now you listen here, young lady," my mom snapped back. "That's not right. If it weren't for my—for my son busting his ass in the project department, drumming up clients, this 'charity case' of a company would have gone bankrupt years ago!" Chloe doubled over with laughter. "Oh, ma'am, are you serious? You think this company runs because of *your son*?" "What kind of connections does Mason have? Do you really think he's the one who got Isabella Sterling, the heiress to Sterling Enterprises, to personally come in and sign that contract?" My mom snorted. "Why not? She happens to be very fond of—" My dad shot my mom a look, a silent signal to hold back. Seeing my mom fall silent, Chloe pounced. "What's the matter, cat got your tongue? Don't tell me you were actually going to say the great Isabella Sterling signed that deal because of your son?" 4 Looking at Chloe's face, it was like seeing a stranger. Julian was her childhood friend, and ever since he'd returned from overseas, he'd made it his mission to make my life a living hell. It started the day he arrived, when he walked into my office and declared, "I think I'd like this office." I knew then he was trouble. "If you want it, you have to earn it," I'd told him. "This is the Project Director's office. Can you bring in investors? Can you even manage a project?" Before he could respond, Chloe had stepped in, linking her arm with his. "Mason, don't you dare look down on him." "Julian isn't like you, from a family of uneducated blue-collar workers. He's a top graduate from a university abroad, from a highly respected family. He has connections and resources overseas you can't even dream of. He'll do a better job than you ever could." I’d raised an eyebrow. "You really think so?" "Of course!" she'd snapped. "Julian is the company's new good luck charm! He just got here and he already landed a massive deal with Sterling Enterprises. You know, only the biggest multinational corporation on the planet." I almost laughed. "A good luck charm? Him? That project was my—" "Oh, stop it, Mason," she interrupted. "Don't tell me that old story about how your department's 'all-nighters' landed the client. In the seven years I've been VP, Sterling Enterprises has never given us the time of day." At that, Julian had smirked. "Hey, isn't your dad one of the security guards here?" "And your grandpa's the doorman, your mom's a janitor—oh! Speaking of which, since your mom's on staff, why don't you call her up here to clean my new office?" Even Chloe hesitated. "Julian, that's Mason's mom. Maybe that's going too far—" He just ruffled her hair. "Sweetheart, you're too kind. That's how people take advantage of you. Fine. If making his mom clean is in poor taste, Mason can do it himself." Chloe didn't spare me a second thought, didn't care one bit about my dignity as her boyfriend. She and Julian flirted right in front of me while I was on my hands and knees cleaning. "Julian, look," she'd cooed, presenting him with a lavish gift box. "A little something to celebrate you joining the company." He opened it to reveal a Rolex. "Wow, Chloe. This is way too much." "You deserve it," she said. "You landed us a billion-dollar deal on your first week." Meanwhile, I was scrubbing the floor. Chloe shot me a glare. "Hurry it up. Don't hold up the transition." That was just the beginning. Even after I moved offices, Julian wouldn't let up. He'd intentionally "bump" into me during meetings, spilling scalding coffee on my hand and then playing the victim. Chloe never once asked if I was okay. She'd rush to his side in front of everyone. "Julian, are you hurt? Meeting's adjourned, I'm taking you to the hospital." He locked me in a supply closet overnight to "teach me a lesson" for his own manufactured slights. He made my grandpa park and wash his car every single day, treating him like a valet. He made my mom clean his office a dozen times a day, always finding some new speck of dust to complain about. He ordered my dad around like a personal servant. Every time I tried to talk to Chloe about it, she’d dismiss me. "Mason, you're being too sensitive. They're just doing their jobs. They get a paycheck, they should do the work." "You're only like this because you're poor. It's made you paranoid. You always assume the worst of Julian." Then came the annual company gala. Chloe gave a heartfelt speech about the man who had stood by her all these years, who helped her achieve her dreams. Everyone, including me, thought she was talking about me. I was getting ready to stand up. But the name she called was Julian's. I watched them embrace under the spotlight as the entire company laughed at me. From that day on, I was a joke. They called me "the clown" and "the simp" to my face. The last straw was a few days ago. Julian cornered me on the stairs. "If you don't break up with Chloe," he sneered, "I'll make her kick you to the curb." And then he just… threw himself down the flight of stairs. As always, Chloe didn't investigate. She didn't listen to my side of the story. She demanded I get on my knees and apologize to him. I refused. So she had HR fire my entire family. After so many humiliations, I was numb. The love I once felt for her had curdled into something else entirely. Pity, maybe. 5 Seeing us silent, Chloe continued her tirade. "What's the matter? Nothing to say? Finally realize what pathetic losers you are?" My grandpa couldn't take it anymore. "Of course not! It's because of my—" My dad stopped him. "Dad, not yet. Let's see how far she takes this." Chloe took our silence as agreement. She tapped her designer heel on the marble floor. "Your entire family eats my food, wears clothes paid for by my salary. You should have learned your place as my dogs." Stacy chimed in. "Exactly! Being Chloe's dogs is the best thing that ever happened to you." "Chloe," I said through gritted teeth. "Don't push it." *CRACK.* Her hand slapped across my face, the sound echoing in the silent office. "Who do you think you are," she hissed, "to speak to me like that?" That did it. My mom was fiercely protective. The second she saw me get hit, she lunged forward and grabbed a fistful of Chloe's hair. "You dare touch my son? I have had it with you!" My mom slapped Chloe right back, just as hard. Stacy tried to pull my mom off, but I shoved her away. Julian rushed forward. "Mason, you're such a mama's boy! You're just going to stand there and watch your mom attack Chloe?" My grandpa shot Julian a withering look. "And you, young man. Of all the things to be, you chose to be a homewrecker." Julian's face turned beet red. Chloe, reeling from the slap, looked at me in disbelief. "Mason! You're really going to let your mother do this to me?" She glared at my mom. "You're a fired janitor and you have the audacity to lay a hand on me? This isn't over." I stepped in front of my mom. "She did nothing wrong. If you have a problem, you take it up with me." A slow, cruel smile spread across Julian's face. "Mason, I told you. You can't win against me." Chloe’s face was a mask of hatred. "Don't you dare act tough now, you leech. Ganging up on me with this old hag." My dad and grandpa just stared, their eyes wide with a strange kind of awe. "Fine," Chloe said, regaining her composure. "I'll give you one last chance. I can forgive your mother. You can even stay. If you get on your knees, right now, apologize, and sign this document disowning your entire family. Then I'll consider letting you take over your mother's old job. You can stay and scrub the company toilets." 6 "That's—that's just inhuman!" my grandpa sputtered. Julian sneered. "Shut your mouth, old man. Your doorman job is gone. You keep barking, and I'll make sure you're blacklisted from every security firm in the city." My dad's eyes widened in mock horror. "Wow, you can do that?" Julian puffed out his chest. "I'm the man who landed the Sterling Enterprises deal. Even Isabella Sterling listens to what I have to say." I started clapping slowly. "Bravo. A truly masterful performance." "But I have to ask," I said, my voice dangerously calm. "You're firing us. Does Ms. Sterling know about that?" For a fraction of a second, Julian looked nervous, but he quickly recovered his swagger, adjusting his tie. "I don't need to report the firing of a few nobodies to Isabella Sterling." "That's right," Chloe said. "Julian is the Vice President of this company now, the hero who saved us with the Sterling deal. If he doesn't like you, he can fire you. Does he need to pick a special day?" "Who do you think you are, that we'd need to clear it with Ms. Sterling?" She looked at me. "Mason, kneel to Julian, sign these papers, and I might keep you around." "Yeah, Mason," Stacy added. "Don't be an idiot. Chloe's company is about to go public thanks to this deal. Don't throw away your meal ticket. Besides, you've knelt before. It's not like your knees have much value left." Chloe shoved a document into my hand. It was a legal form to formally sever all parental ties. "This is your last chance, Mason. Disown them, and I'll still consider marrying you." 7 I looked at the document. Then I looked at her. And I started to laugh. Under Chloe's expectant gaze, I took the papers and ripped them into a hundred tiny pieces. I looked at her stunned face and realized, with blinding clarity, that I had been a fool. I had been in love with a monster. "Chloe," I said, my voice steady and clear. "Remember this moment. Today is the day that I, Mason Hayes, am breaking up with you. And you will live to regret it." I turned my back on her. Behind me, my dad, mom, and grandpa all gave me a simultaneous, triumphant thumbs-up. For the first time ever, Chloe saw me fight back. For the first time, she looked… scared. "Mason!" she yelled after me. "If you walk out that door today, don't you ever think about coming back!" "None of you will ever work in this building again!" "Hilarious," I called back over my shoulder. "We quit." Julian rolled his eyes. "Go on then. Plenty of people are desperate for your jobs. Go eat out of a dumpster. It'll save you some money." As I walked out, I saw Chloe's confident mask crumble. She stumbled slightly, shocked that I had actually left. Stacy rushed to her side. "Don't worry, Chloe," I heard her say. "He's a total simp. He can't live without you. Besides, I did some digging. His family's broke. They don't even have a house, they were living in the staff dorms. Now that they're fired, where are they going to go? I guarantee you, he'll be back tonight, on his knees, begging for your forgiveness." "You're right," Chloe said, her voice regaining some of its strength. "He'll be back." 8 The second we were out of the building, my grandpa clapped me on the shoulder, his eyes shining. "Well done, grandson! You finally made all the crap we put up with these past few weeks worth it." My mom sighed in relief. "Your grandma was right. The only way to cure a simp is to let him get his heart broken. If we had tried to intervene, you would have just accused us of trying to ruin your life." My dad nodded. "Your grandmother is a wise woman. You see things clearly now? You're really over Chloe?" I looked at them, my family. "I'm so sorry. I dragged you all through hell because I was an idiot. But I see it now. I'm done. I'm never going back to being her doormat. Tonight, when we get home, I'm calling the Sterlings. It's time to move forward with the marriage arrangement." Tears welled up in my grandpa's eyes. "Oh, son. I'm so glad to hear you say that." We walked around the corner of the building. Lined up along the curb was a fleet of black Escalades. A row of men in sharp, black suits stood waiting. As we approached, they all bowed in perfect unison. "Mr. Hayes. Sir. Ma'am. Young Master Hayes. Welcome back."

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