I got fired from my job, but after 49 cancellation calls,the CEO finally asked who I amThe truth is

Emily sneered at me after I announced my resignation, and I responded by maintaining a silent, steady gaze. Our conversation had revolved around the company’s decision to cut labor costs with particular disdain aimed at those supposedly exploiting overtime pay. Tom, too, seemed to relish the notion of trimming expenses.

A week later, my phone incessantly rang with calls from the company. Upon answering, the president inquired sharply, “Who exactly are you? I couldn’t help but scoff mockingly at the president’s question. In response, I introduced myself as Lily Johnson, a 59-year-old employee with 37 years of dedicated service. Since my college graduation, I explained our company’s role in providing administrative services, particularly catering to busy company presidents handling clerical work.

Specializing in tax related matters, I proudly managed 45 clients, a responsibility that had grown overwhelming despite the assistance of a part-timer. Despite the challenges, I couldn’t show any sign of weakness. Our clients were long-standing relationships, and their adversities fueled my determination. Today, as I sat in front of my computer, the relentless harassment from Tom and Emily weighed heavily on my mind.

Tom, seven years my junior and now the head of the tax department, had drastically changed his demeanor three months ago upon promotion. His once polite tone, was replaced with condescension and complaints, making every interaction a struggle. Even when I countered, he remained unfased, instructing me to consult the manual for guidance and warning against unnecessary actions.

Emily, Tom’s assistant, joined in the harassment, criticizing my efficiency and mocking my rank and file status. Despite being the first to decline a promotion to department head, a fact unknown to Tom and Emily, I committed to completing my regular duties. Their harassment persisted with Tom accusing me of increasing overtime, branding it a waste.

Emily echoed his sentiment, sighing as she claimed my constant overtime was dragging down the entire tax department’s performance. The recent cause of my overtime was Tom unexpectedly leaving a month’s worth of client files on my desk to be filed by the end of the month after work. My face drained of color as I glanced at the files before me.

“Wait, these all have deadlines this month, right?” I uttered in confusion. However, before I could grasp the gravity of the situation, Tom was already packing up his desk, completely uninterested in addressing my concerns. “I’m heading out. Take care with that,” he casually remarked as he swiftly left the office, leaving me with a pile of urgent tasks.

” Emily followed suit, adding insult to injury with a mocking laugh. The incredility of the situation weighed on me, and I sighed heavily as I opened the client files scattered on my desk. To my dismay, some of the files were originally Emily’s responsibility. The realization deepened my sigh. I understood why Tom had been subjecting me to relentless harassment.

They wanted me to retire quickly. My extensive experience and deeper knowledge in taxation made me a preferred resource for other members of the tax department over Tom. Tom’s unapproachable demeanor and unattractive appearance made everyone except Emily avoid him. It seemed Emily’s proximity to him was strategic, driven by Tom’s preference for younger female employees.

The shallow nature of their thinking sent a chill down my spine. Emily’s harassment was not just a personal vendetta. She aimed to curry favor with Tom, the one evaluating the tax department’s performance. Despite these challenges, I had to manage the declarations. Alongside preparing tax declarations for my assigned companies, it seemed today’s workload was far from over.

However, claiming overtime would only invite complaints from Tom and Emily, leaving me resigned to the prospect of unpaid extra hours. Then unexpectedly, I received a summon to the president’s office. Our company had recently undergone a change in leadership due to the former president’s sudden illness. The new president, the former president’s son, wasn’t fully acquainted with our company.

As I entered the office, I noticed Tom and Emily with unpleasant smirks on their faces. In a tense atmosphere, the president dropped a bombshell. Lily, we’ll need you to resign by the end of this month. My mind spun as I asked for clarification. Tom and Emily had apparently accused me of overbilling for overtime, citing that while others had around 15 hours, I had exceeded 80 hours.

The president, oblivious to the true circumstances, seemed impressed with Tom and Emily’s zero overtime. The reality of the situation hit me. The inflated overtime was a result of doing Tom and Emily’s work. However, revealing Tom’s instructions would risk portraying it as my own inability to manage time effectively. I presented the facts, asserting that I hadn’t overbuild for overtime, but struggled to finish my workload within regular hours.

The president sighed deeply, expressing doubt, but acknowledging the lack of evidence to pursue the matter further. Nevertheless, he insisted that they couldn’t retain someone working at such a slow pace. Resigned to the situation, the president suggested my resignation, and it seemed his mind was made up.

Told to leave the company I had devoted 37 years to, I felt a weariness settle in. Despite my dedication, the additional workload from Tom and Emily went unappreciated. I agreed to resign at the end of the month, acknowledging that I had already communicated my decision to the president. As I glanced at Tom and Emily, their vulgar smiles reflected satisfaction.

Leaving the president’s office, Emily taunted me with a sarcastic, “Thanks for quitting!” her sneer cutting through. I responded with a silent stare, facing similar disdain from Tom, who shared his approval of cutting labor costs and labeled me as someone exploiting overtime pay. Observing their cheerful conversation, I pondered the handover process.

Creating documents for all my clients, I ensured proper farewells and appointments with those I could meet personally. Unable to schedule a meeting with the president, I resorted to letters to inform them of my successor. A week post resignation, enjoying a moment of relaxation at home, my mobile phone rang.

Seeing the company’s call, I hesitated, having already completed social insurance procedures. However, persistent calls from both the company and Tom and Emily’s personal mobiles led me to answer reluctantly. As I picked up, the president urgently spoke, asking, “Who exactly are you?” I couldn’t help but mockingly reply, “Just an unemployed lady who resigned from the company, nothing else.

” In response, the president urgently explained the chaos since my departure. 49 calls to stop transactions with the company. He pleaded for my immediate return, revealing a sense of panic in his tone. Reluctantly, I rose from my seat and made my way back to the company. Upon my arrival, I found Tom and Emily waiting, their faces notably palid and dark circles underlining their weary eyes.

Surprised by their drastic change in appearance, I inquired about what was happening. Tom glared at me and revealed, “Since you left, we’ve been bombarded with calls to stop transactions, not just from your clients, but also from prospective companies we were planning to introduce. What did you do?” Emily echoed the suspicion, expressing disillusionment at the thought of me resorting to underhanded tactics.

Their haggarded appearance suggested the toll handling cancellations. While I had not manipulated the clients, I had a hunch about the reason behind the transaction halts. Considering the inevitability of cancellations, I mumbled my thoughts aloud. Tom, however, accused me outright, insisting I had orchestrated something.

He demanded I go to the president’s office immediately, forcefully escorting me there. Upon entering the president’s office with Tom and Emily, the president greeted me with a direct look in his eyes. Tom declared, “President, I brought her.” With an air of authority while Emily hurriedly followed suit, ignoring their accusatory tone, the president questioned me about the abrupt halt in transactions after my departure.

I took a deep breath and explained, “Our clients don’t need us to manage their taxes. There are tax account firms that offer cheaper services. They continue with us because of me.” Tom snapped back, questioning my selfworth. and Emily taunted me, both challenging my value to the company. Undeterred, I elaborated on my unique approach, offering tailored tax-saving strategies that resonated with our clients.

Tom dismissed it as inefficient, arguing that their manual-based operations were more practical. The president sighed deeply, recognizing the fundamental difference in our approaches. In a serious tone, he said, “Actually,” signaling a crucial revelation or decision to follow. I received a surprising call from my father, the former president.

It turns out that some clients who had stopped transactions went directly to dad to negotiate on my behalf. I hadn’t anticipated clients going to such links for me. Dad emphasized that the tax department thrived because of my contributions. Not only did I manage my clients efficiently, but I also supported my colleagues clients, possessing knowledge that even Tom couldn’t match.

Dad disclosed that if I hadn’t declined the promotion, I would have held a higher position than a department head by now. The current president expressed regret with a pained expression. Emily appeared shocked, probably grappling with the idea that I could have been her superior. The president apologized for making me resign initially and asked if I would consider revoking my resignation.

According to Dad, I was indispensable to the company. While I appreciated the change in the president’s perspective, I hesitated to accept. Tom interrupted our conversation visibly upset and protested the president’s decision, questioning why I was chosen over him. Emily echoed his sentiments, praising Tom’s leadership and expressing disbelief at the preference for me.

The president then sternly addressed them, revealing that since my resignation, numerous complaints had been received from the tax department, suggesting they had been shifting their workload onto others. Tom’s face turned pale as the president exposed the fact that he had been pushing the preparation of client declaration forms onto subordinates, including Emily’s work for multiple clients.

The president pointed out the irony. Considering Tom had accused me of being a salary thief, observing Tom and Emily’s pale expressions, the president continued by revealing an alleged leak about their romantic involvement. Tom struggled to defend himself, claiming he was merely mentoring Emily as her superior. However, the president produced receipts from the accounting department indicating dining expenses filed by Tom.

Confronted with evidence, Tom, sweating profusely, was unable to provide a convincing explanation. Emily, too, turned ghostly pale as the president accused them of neglecting their duties, inflating expense claims, and violating company policy by having an affair in the office while being married. In a calm and straightforward manner, the president declared the termination of their employment effective immediately.

Tom and Emily tried to resist, promising to retract the receipt claims and pleading for their jobs. “I have a family,” Tom desperately pleaded, attempting to reverse his termination. Emily echoed his sentiments, carefully expressing her fear of being fired. She promised to apologize to me and others for burdening them with work, realizing the gravity of the situation involving neglect of duties and an affair with a supervisor.

Concerned about her reputation, she implored for a second chance. Sensing their desperation, I offered advice. “Why don’t you stop resisting? It’s undignified,” I suggested. Tom glared at me, retorting, “Shut up. What would a single person like you understand?” I sighed, reminding him. Tom, you were the one who got me fired. It’s just karma.

What goes around comes around. Why don’t you take some responsibility and reflect a bit? Frustrated, Tom looked away while Emily bit her lip in distress. Aware of more details about their misconduct, I turned to the president, asking with a smile if I should share them. Tom and Emily frantically tried to stop me, fearing further exposure.

I issued an ultimatum, warning them that wrongdoings would eventually come to light, urging them to face reality before it worsened. At my words, both Tom and Emily collapsed to their knees, and the president decided to fire them on the spot. Later, I revealed more about their misdeeds, including Tom faking business trips to spend days with Emily and their insidious tactics of harassing disliked employees into quitting.

Despite my attempts to help those employees, Tom and Emily’s strategies were relentless. They repeatedly reprimanded and pressured employees out of my sight, often assigning sudden tasks with tight deadlines. The resigned employees had initially asked me to keep quiet, but since they were now happily working elsewhere, I decided it was time to speak up.

The president, furious at my revelations, expressed anger about cutting Tom and Emily’s final salary. He planned to thoroughly investigate past inflated expense claims. Tom with tears in his eyes begged the president not to cut his salary, fearing the impact on his family. As the truth unraveled, Tom’s affair with Emily came to light, leading to Tom’s divorce.

The two now face claims for compensation in the divorce lawsuit, marking the consequential aftermath of their actions. I became aware of the situation when Tom reached out to me, seeking assistance in persuading the president to reconsider their firing. Emily and Tom found themselves in dire straits. Despite their efforts, they struggled to secure new jobs in the tax industry.

The industry’s close-knit nature meant that word of their misdeeds spread rapidly, making potential employers hesitant to hire them. Desperate for income to cover divorce compensation and living expenses, they resorted to day labor at construction sites, a stark departure from their previous office roles.

Emily would often call me in tears, pleading for help. Lily, please help. I only wanted a better life, and I never truly liked Tom. She’d cry. However, I couldn’t ignore the fact that their predicament was a consequence of their own actions. Many, including myself, had been impacted by their behavior. I reminded Emily that the consequences were a result of her choices.

“You can’t unring a bell,” I told her firmly. Facing hardships was the consequence of her decisions. Emily’s despair echoed through her protests. Despite her regrets, the outcome remained unchanged. As for me, I chose to distance myself from the chaos of the corporate world. Despite the president’s please for my return, I declined.

Once told to resign, I had no desire to return. Instead, I found solace in assisting at a friend’s tax office, supplementing my income, and enjoying a more relaxed lifestyle. In the future, I entertained the idea of starting my own office where I could serve my clients without the constraints of corporate bureaucracy. In my own space, I could fully dedicate myself to my clients needs.

As a tax accountant, I aspired to be on equal footing with my clients, providing service without superiority. This marked the beginning of a new chapter in my life, one filled with excitement and opportunities to pursue what truly mattered to me. My second life had just begun, and I eagerly anticipated the journey ahead.