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Chapter One
Emily
“Good morning, John!” I called to the man behind the coffee stand.
He tipped his head to me and motioned for me to grab a drink.
“Can’t! I have a meeting this morning and I don’t want to be late.” I waved to him and strolled across the foyer. “See you on my lunch break.”
“See you then,” he hollered over the rising din of people rushing to their jobs.
I checked my watch as I got on the elevator. Ten minutes to spare. I allowed myself a moment of deep breathing to still my nerves and sagged against the cool metal walls.
My job at Blue Visor Tech had felt so out of my league two years ago, but now this place was like a second home to me. As the elevator doors opened, Manny, the building’s security guard, greeted me and I walked into office 319 with a bounce in my step.
The night before, the manager sent an email requesting my presence in the main meeting room at seven. My workday normally started at eight, so I set several alarms, ensuring I would get there on time.
And I had done it.
The clock read 6:54 when I walked through the door. They would see I took this job seriously and be impressed by my commitment.
Molly greeted me at the front desk. Her normally bright eyes were downcast, and she didn’t have her usual smile. I thought about asking her if she wanted a hug, but we weren’t that close. Instead, I patted the reception desk and beamed at her. “I’ll grab coffees for us on my break. Sound good?”
But she didn’t answer.
The clock read 6:56, and I didn’t see anyone else in the office. I made my way to the conference room, but Molly got to her feet. Before I could walk farther, she stepped in my path and handed me a box.
“You’ll find all your items in here. I cleaned out your desk myself to be sure they didn’t miss anything.”
“My items? You cleaned my desk?” I stumbled backward, refusing the box she held out. “No, there’s a mistake. I got an email saying the managers wanted to meet with me.”
Molly’s mouth twisted sympathetically. “That’s their go-to line when they’re firing someone.”
“Firing? Me?”
Molly nodded and pushed the box into my arms. “Go now, honey. Before the rest of the staff arrives.”
I grasped the box and looked through it. Pictures of me with my boyfriend, Bryce. Pictures of me with my brother, Rob.
A tear slipped down my cheek. Holding the box was too cumbersome and I couldn’t wipe my face.
I glanced at Molly one last time, letting my eyes graze over the place I had grown to love—okay, maybe love was a strong word. But I had at least grown to like the place.
I had a tendency to make things bigger than they were—something my exes had been more than happy to tell me. And they were right. I guess I had done it with this job, too. It had been a means to an end, but when I discovered I was good at data analysis, I committed fully to becoming the best I could be.
I was dedicated to their stupid programs and morning meetings and frivolous busy work. And they were firing me?
“Are you sure there isn’t some mistake?”
Molly sighed and shook her head. “No, Emily. There’s no mistake.”
“Did they give a reason?” Now that the initial shock had subsided, I wanted answers.
“No, they never do.”
“That’s horrible business practice. Tell them I said so.”
Molly sighed sympathetically, but I knew she wouldn’t say anything. If I, a worker that stayed steady and never spoke up, could be so unceremoniously dumped out into the street, what chance would Molly have if she spoke out against these injustices?
