The company director fired me in front of everyone. Two hours later, he called and said, “Dress nicely and meet me by the lake. Don’t tell anyone we’re meeting.” When I arrived, he asked me to take a photo with him… and the next morning, that photo was hanging on the door of his office

Those words hurt more than if he had simply told me I was a terrible employee.

Everyone was staring at me.

My direct supervisor, Mark, lowered his head.

Karen, who had been trying to get my position for years, couldn’t even hide her smile.

I packed my bag, my notebooks, and the small framed photo from my desk, then walked out of the building.

The moment the elevator doors closed, I started crying.

I had worked for that company for almost five years.

For the past two years, I had stayed late week after week. When the company was going through financial difficulties, I had barely even taken vacation days.

And now they had simply thrown me out.