My Mother Fired Me On My 35th Birthday For Being “Too Ugly” To Work At Our Family Company. She Replaced Me With My “Beautiful” Sister. Now Their Business Is Bankrupt And They’re Begging Me To Save Them.

The Breaking Point

It was during this time that I was called into the CEO’s office and informed,

“I’m handing the company over to Lucy. You, who are not as attractive, are fired.”

While I could understand the decision to pass the company to Lucy based on my mother’s past actions—given that Lucy was 32, the same age my mother was when she became the CEO—I couldn’t accept being terminated due to my appearance. Even if my salary was redirected to Lucy, I failed to see the merit in it.

Seeking guidance, I consulted my aunt, only to discover that news of Lucy becoming the CEO had already spread among the employees. However, the news of my termination was a surprise to my aunt as well. After pondering for a bit, my aunt revealed that Lucy had been expressing dissatisfaction behind the scenes.

Lucy didn’t like the fact that even if she declared she would handle something at the company, everyone assumed it was okay because they could always ask me for help. Perhaps, my aunt suggested, that was part of the reason. However, I argued that people only stopped asking Lucy because she consistently delivered sloppy work.

Lucy was notably incompetent, missing deadlines, making mistakes on the phone, and committing numerous typographical errors. Despite having some working experience, she seemed oblivious to her lack of ability, possibly because her beauty had always led men to cover up for her mistakes. Acknowledging this point, my aunt remarked,

“That’s true, but I think she sees you as a nuisance.”

Continuing, she lamented,

“I never thought they would fire you. Without you, the company won’t be able to function.”

Despite her evident concern, my aunt refrained from confronting my mother, knowing that it would be an unwinnable battle. I couldn’t shake off the disgust of being blood-related to such an utterly unreliable family.

“Basically, I’m hated by both my mother and my sister, right?”

I expressed in a dark voice, unsure of what to say. My aunt responded,

“Well, my sister is indeed terrible, but don’t you think you’d be better off working somewhere else? Given all the skills you have, it’s a waste to stay here.”

She suggested that I quit, and in her eyes, a faintly kind light of kinship glowed. Standing in the car bathed in the red glow of the summer twilight, I stared blankly at the distant mirage and felt a sense of release. Maybe it’s okay, I thought. Turning to my aunt, I said with a broad smile,

“You’re right.”

It was the first time since I joined the company that I’d smiled so refreshingly.

A New Beginning

My aunt, a little puzzled by my sudden change, returned a somewhat sorrowful smile. In the following days, I busied myself creating handover documents and sorting out files to ensure a smooth transition. The end of the month, the date of my resignation, came in the blink of an eye.

When I went to the CEO’s office on time, the sound of birds was no longer audible. My mother and sister were happily chatting about unrelated matters.

“That sales guy definitely has a thing for you,”

my sister remarked. Unnoticed, I cleared my throat, and when they finally turned around, my sister looked at me curiously, saying,

“What’s up? If it’s about dinner tonight, we don’t need it.”

With a sense of finality, I replied,

“I’m resigning today. Thank you for everything.”

My sister, seemingly unfazed, laughed again, and I felt refreshed knowing I wouldn’t have to see their faces anymore.

“I’m also moving out of the house, so please take care of yourselves,”

I told my mother as I closed the door of the company I had been at for so long. Her response was mechanical.

“Okay. Good work,”

she said with an emotionless face. From inside the office, I heard my sister’s voice saying,

“Now we won’t have to see that annoying face anymore.”

In my heart, I muttered,

“Just you watch,”

and left the premises.

Freedom from the Calls

A week later, after finishing paperwork for a certain school, I checked my phone and noticed 14 missed calls from my mother in just 2 hours. I didn’t return the call; I had a bad feeling about it and put my phone on silent as I went home. The missed calls from my mother kept increasing, reaching a total of 80 the next morning, with the last call placed after 2 a.m.

I didn’t consider calling her back. To me, she was now nothing more than a stranger. I had no desire whatsoever to hear her voice, fearing that I might find myself obeying her words as I had been under her control for 35 long years. Ignoring her persistent calls, I aimed to break free from her spell.

Though I could have blocked her calls, I thought they might serve as evidence of her actions if something happened. While I was receiving nearly a hundred calls daily, I initially hated even looking at the incoming calls. Gradually, I got used to it, feeling a sense of satisfaction imagining my mother’s face struggling with each unanswered call.

A year passed in this manner, and the calls from my mother eventually ceased. I was in a state where I had no clue about what was happening with her. Throughout this year, I worked part-time while attending an online school for tax professionals. I successfully passed the exams and recently secured a job at a leading tax consultancy firm.

Practical experience and various tasks at my mother’s company provided me with the ability to see the bigger picture, proving to be a great asset in my new role. I felt thankful for the hard work I had put in over the past decade. The people at my workplace were wonderful, and we collaborated to get the job done—a huge contrast from the isolation and mistreatment I experienced before.