All Chapters of Lay Me Off To Collapse the Company: Chapter 1 - Chapter 9

On my way home, my phone buzzed endlessly.Opening the main office group chat, a tidal wave of notifications flooded my screen. Scrolling up, I saw Catherine serving a heavy dose of corporate delusion to the team with an arrogant pitch.“I firmly believe a new era requires fresh thinking. We are young, dynamic, and full of potential. The old ways are obsolete and rigid!“Starting today, we strictly leave on time! Under my leadership, things are only going to get bigger and better for everyone!”Below her pitch, a chorus of praise poured in, punctuated by cheap, thinly veiled digs aimed at me.Seconds later, a notification popped up. I had been added to a new chat group.The ringleader was Brandon, the office’s resident brown-noser.“Our new director is a hundred times better than Gina! At least she doesn't slave-drive us with overtime!”Others immediately jumped on the bandwagon.“Finally! She’s gone. Besides squeezing the life out of us, what did Gina ever actually contribu

The second I stepped into the building, I noticed something was off.Inside the elevator lobby, I froze for a beat.Standing right in front of me was the CEO, Gabriel, alongside a delegation of senior executives.I gave them a polite nod."Ah, Gina!" dynamic senior VP, Mr. Brown, smiled and asked. "I hear Catherine has been doing a fantastic job running the sales floor lately?"Before I could answer, I felt Gabriel’s sharp glare drilling into the back of my head."My apologies, Mr. Brown," I replied smoothly. "I haven't been in the office, so I wouldn't know. “If you want to know how well she’s doing, you might want to see it for yourself."He nodded thoughtfully."Catherine is a sharp kid," Gabriel cut in quickly, trying to control the narrative. "With Gina out of the office these past few days, the sales department was a bit chaotic. “Thank goodness Catherine stepped up and turned things around. In fact, she’s finalizing a major contract with Mr.Klaus from Alpha Tech toda

Hearing this, Gabriel seemed to suddenly regain his footing. "One thing I can guarantee since Catherine took over, performance has been fantastic! The team loves her. “They’ve been posting rave reviews about her management on social media, and our company image is going viral!"Isn't that right, Catherine?"Catherine forced a smile so stiff her cheeks practically twitched.Standing in my quiet corner, I was having a hard time holding back a laugh.The VP’s expression softened slightly. "Fine. Let's head down to the sales floor and take a look."Catherine reached out to stop him, but Gabriel pushed her hand down."You did the work, Catherine! Let the executive board see it," he encouraged her. "Stop hiding your achievements!""Actually, it’s really not that great yet," she muttered weakly under her breath.But Gabriel was as stubborn as a mule. Desperate to cover up the HR disaster, he refused to listen. "My dear niece, stop being so modest! Lead the way!""You've been

Three days ago, Ms. James from Beta Corp had called me again.She offered a sincere, direct invitation."Gina, I won't pretend work here will always be easy," she said. "But I can promise you one thing.“My company has no internal politics, no backroom favors, and no toxic workplace drama."Here, you can put your expertise to work and keep growing. Whenever you're ready, my door is open."Standing outside Beta Corp’s office building, a wave of familiar ambition washed over me, the same drive I felt ten years ago.Back then, I was young and wide-eyed. Today, I was seasoned and battle-tested.I had changed, yet stayed true to who I was.My experience and age had evolved, but my core drive remained untouched. From day one, my goal had always been simple: level up, clear every hurdle, and carve out my own path.Ms. James' face lit up when she saw me in the lobby.After completing the formal interview process, I officially joined Beta Corp.It was a deliberate choice. Ms. J