Man Fires Single Mother on Maternity Leave Not Knowing Her Oldest Son Is Top Lawyer – Story of the Day

Trying to save his company from bankruptcy, Adam fires a woman on maternity leave, not knowing her adult son will show up at his office the very next day and change Adam’s life forever.

Adam sat behind his mahogany desk in an office adorned with accolades, but the awards only added to his worries. He had faced many challenges before, but his struggling logistics company presented a particularly tough problem.

For ten minutes, Adam and Kieran, his manager, considered what to do in silence. Kieran had delivered a report indicating record losses, signaling more trouble ahead.

The office was tense, filled only with the hum of air conditioning and distant corporate chatter. Several solutions had been proposed: attracting investors, securing loans, or considering a merger.

But Adam suggested looking inward to optimize their resources before seeking external help.

Pulling out an employee list, Adam began marking names for dismissal, focusing on the financial imperative despite the personal implications.

"Mrs. Warren, to fire," he stated, starting to rattle off people's names, although each decision weighed heavily on him.

When he mentioned firing Amanda, who was on maternity leave, Kieran protested, citing ethical and legal concerns.

Adam pursed his lips and agreed to reconsider to avoid issues, but later, he instructed the dismissal of 14 employees, including Amanda.

The following day, another meeting was held in place with key members of the team in the conference room of their office space.

Maria, the CFO, detailed the financial woes with precise graphs, indicating sinking profits and rising debts.

James, head of operations, and Sophia, the marketing head, proposed strategies and a rebranding campaign to salvage the company's standing.

The meeting concluded with Adam's rallying words, "We're at the edge, but not over yet. Together, we'll find a way!”

However, the sudden entrance of a tall, imposing figure interrupted the proceedings. A handsome man announced he was Amanda’s son, Michael, and one of the best attorneys in the city.

Everyone, including Adam, sensed the sudden tension, confused by this man’s presence in their office.

Michael seemed unfazed by the stares and frowns. "Mr. Collins, my mother's dismissal on maternity leave is legally questionable. As a private attorney, I'm here to address that,” he declared, his voice full of authority.

"Mr. Greenwood, I understand the legal landscape. Amanda's dismissal was purely a business decision,” Adam said, shaking his head.

Michael didn’t back down. "I've uncovered evidence of financial fraud and tax evasion in your operations," he stated.

Taken aback, Adam made everyone leave. Once they were alone, he asked, "What's your angle, Mr. Greenwood?"

Smirking, Michael leaned closer to his mother’s former boss. "$300,000 to make this go away, or face legal and financial ruin,” he said.

“Blackmail?” Adam asked, appalled. “I could call the police!”

“And then, I’ll tell them and the IRS all about your creative accounting,” Michael shrugged, undeterred.

Adam shut his mouth as a vein on his forehead pulsed. He swayed for a second, feeling his blood pressure rising.

Michael straightened his body. “You have three days to get the money or else…” he trailed off and walked away, ignoring the stares of the rest of the office employees.

***

"Adam, you seem distracted tonight. Is everything alright?" Adam’s wife, Emma, inquired with evident concern. They were having dinner at home, and normally, he would be delighted by her food. But not tonight.

It was hours after Michael’s threat, and Adam had yet to come up with a plan. However, he confessed everything to his wife.

"He's given me three days to pay $300,000, or he'll go public with allegations of financial fraud and tax evasion," Adam added after telling her everything he would.

Emma considered the matter for a second before suggesting calling the police. Adam shook his head. He couldn't. It would mean complete ruin for him. She didn't know just how true the allegations against him were.

Still, his wife held his hand and told him to do the right thing, face the consequences of what he had done, and get legal advice.

Adam only nodded to appease her. He spent the rest of that sleepless night thinking hard and reminiscing about a different time in his life.

His wilder days included a high-stakes poker club where fortunes changed hands amidst danger and excitement.

He remembered both the triumphs and defeats, and suddenly, that was the answer. By morning, Adam had made a decision: go to the poker club and earn Michael’s money.

***

The entrance to the club was unassuming as always, but as Adam neared, the door swung open to reveal a burly bodyguard who scrutinized him.

“Weapons, prohibited substances, anything I should know about?” the guard asked in a deep voice.

“No,” Adam responded, showing his empty hands. “Just here for a game.”

After a thorough check, the guard allowed him entry into the club's opulent interior. The air smelled of velvet, smoke, bourbon, and old money.

Many men were already deep into their high-stakes games, and one of them, Arnold, the wealthiest person in town, recognized Adam.

“My old friend, it's been too long. What brings you here tonight?” he asked, coming over and shaking Adam’s hand.

Adam smiled, but his nervousness was too obvious. He paused before admitting his need to join the game. “I don’t have the money right now, though. I was hoping to play on credit,” he added.

Arnold frowned, and a buzz filled the room. Others had heard their conversation. “If things don’t go your way, how will you settle your debts?” his friend asked, pursing his lips.

Adam offered his house as collateral. “It’s worth around 400,000 dollars,” he claimed, swallowing thickly.

After thinking about it for a moment, Arnold countered his offer. “We’ll appraise it at 300,000. Does that work for you?”

It wasn’t ideal, but Adam had no other option. He accepted, stepping into the game that could either save or destroy him.

***

After hours at the poker table, Adam's early success swayed to despair as his fortunes reversed. His initial winnings turned to losses, and the room's atmosphere grew heavy with his mounting desperation.

In a decisive moment, he went all in, driven by a fleeting hope, only to face a crushing defeat. Adam stared at his opponent and screamed, "You cheated!" The sound echoed across the room.

But his rival had played fair and square, so Adam was met with the silent judgment of the crowd and the intimidating presence of a guard's gun. Defeated and with no money left, he exited the club, worrying about telling his wife he had lost their house.

Upon returning home, Adam found Emma cooking something that smelled delicious, but she quickly turned off the stove after seeing his expression.

"Did you go to the police? Did you tell them about Michael's threats?" she asked.

“No,” Adam confessed, overwhelmed with guilt. "I lost everything. Our house, our sanctuary...it's all gone.” He explained exactly what happened, and Emma's soothing words turned to shock.

"How could you gamble away our life, our home?" she asked, anger and disbelief mixing into her words.

Adam tried another excuse, but Emma cut him off decisively. "I can't do this anymore," she stated, her voice trembling as she decided something. "I trusted you, and you’ve risked everything. I'm filing for divorce and suing for my share!"

***

Hours later, Adam was still swimming in guilt. The glass of whiskey in his hand was his only companion. But the liquor wasn’t good for him, as a heinous plan surfaced among other dangerous thoughts.

"What if Michael and Emma just disappeared?" he asked into the nothingness of his ceiling. As he descended further into this dark contemplation, Adam convinced himself that eliminating them could simplify all his problems.

***

It was still dark and silent when Adam entered a 24-hour pyrotechnics store he had found online. He needed equipment for his plan.

He asked the shopkeeper for a blasting fuse, claiming it was for an art project. Frowning, the shopkeeper showed him their selection, asking only a little more about the “project.”

Adam remained vague but chose something. He paid for the fuse and left quickly, sweating as he thought of what he was about to do. Only two minutes later, he was at a nearby gas station.

As swiftly as possible, Adam set the fuse into a gas reservoir. Afterward, he took a few breaths before making a call.

"Emma, can we meet at the gas station on 5th Street? Park next to the third pump," he said. “I want to talk about us.” Fortunately, his wife agreed.

Next, he called Michael. "I've got your money. Let's settle this at the gas station on the 5th, park beside the third pump," he proposed. The attorney agreed as well, despite the early hour.

After ensuring both would arrive, Adam lit the fuse and quickly drove away to a distant vantage point. As he watched, his thoughts and emotions warred with each other.

A sharp knock made Adam’s body jolt. He turned to the window and saw the barrel of a gun pointed right at him, and the cop holding the arm shouted, "Come out of the vehicle NOW! You are under arrest for attempting to cause an explosion at the gas station!"

For a second, Adam thought about revving the engine and driving off, but that would only make things worse. Closing his eyes, he reached for the door and surrendered, stepping out with his arms in the air.

***

In a sterile interrogation room that smelled like chlorine and old paper, Detective Martinez questioned Adam about his motives.

The businessman's face crumbled as he confessed to his financial frauds, his dealings, and his desperate, destructive actions.

"Based on your testimony, we'll be bringing Mr. Greenwood in for questioning as well," Martinez concluded after Adam’s confession. “But you’re the one in most trouble. You’ll need a lawyer as good as that man for your case.”

Adam hung his head as the detective stepped out of the room. Who could he call? He had no one anymore.

Sometime later, he learned that the pyrotechnics store's seller had alerted the police, which was how he was caught. He also found out that Michael had been arrested. It gave him a fleeting delight that he wasn’t the only one going down for this.

But, sitting alone in his cell, Adam thought about his ruined life and career. This was a much greater challenge than trying to save a struggling company.

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