My Boss Fired Me For Being Late To A $100m Deal After I Saved A Kid In Danger. Then, He Turned Pale.
The Family Connection
I was the first to react. Catching my gaze, Emily gave a wry smile.
“I’m sorry for keeping it a secret, Alex.”
“No, really.”
It then clicked. The president’s last name was also Smith. Emily had mentioned she was divorced, so she must have been using her maiden name.
“Yes. I contacted you because you were an employee of my father’s company. You saved my son’s life and then were forced out by your boss. So I…”
“After 10 years, you finally reached out.”
“10 years?”
I remembered she had said she was out of touch with her parents, considering them as good as gone.
“I couldn’t ignore such a story, so I had my employees investigate. They confirmed that you pressured Alex to resign and that you’ve been imposing unreasonable quotas on everyone, revealing one problem after another.”
“This is preposterous! You can’t just take action without hearing my side!”
Tomkins still tried to resist, but Ray approached and showed his cell phone.
“Look, sir.”
“What’s this?”
“You’ve got 5 minutes to get here or you’re fired, no matter the reason. I don’t need incompetence who can’t keep time.”
Tomkins’ angry voice filled the room.
“That voice… It’s from that time!”
“I always told Ray to record everything for safety.”
Ray had realized the seriousness of the accident and had been recording. Ray returned his phone.
“It seems undeniable that you said he was fired, Tomkins. You’re saying it yourself.”
Cornered by the president’s glare, Tomkins finally ran out of excuses.
“I’ll report on the detailed investigation and the appropriate action to be taken later. Leave now.”
The president instructed Tomkins. He exited the room. After he left, the president apologized to me for not being aware of the situation.
“Also, Alex, if you’re willing, I’d like you to continue working here. Don’t worry about Tomkins. Please share your thoughts with me.”
“Um…”
“Emily scolded me too. She said, ‘It’s hard to find someone who cares about the company as much as you do and who’s also a person of character. You regret losing him,’ she said.”
“That’s… I just really like our company’s beds.”
Should I say it? I was planning to leave the company anyway. If there’s anything I can say now that I couldn’t before, I should say it.
“But to be honest, I’m not very fond of the company’s current direction. It feels like we’re throwing away our previous experiences and our customers’ sentiments in pursuit of profit alone. I don’t want to be part of that.”
“I understand, Alex, but running a company isn’t just about ideals.”
“I wish we could continue with the old ways too, but it’s not just an ideal. Emily’s home has one of our beds. She bought it, right?”
The president’s eyes widened.
“Is that true, Emily?”
“Yes. Ray sleeps so well in it. President, you developed that brand with the hope that your daughter would grow up healthy. That sentiment has been passed down to her.”
“So that’s how it was.”
“It was expensive, especially for a single mother like me, but it was worth it if it helped Ray sleep better.”
“I want to provide a better life for those who need our beds. Of course, profit is important, but there are people who need our beds. If there’s a way to preserve our approach and protect the company, I would like to work on it.”
