She flicks her hand at me. “I’m sure you will think of something, Thea. You always do.”
A hand touches my shoulder. “You are a gem, Thea. What would we do without you?”
Die.
That’s what I scream at him in my head, but then I remember I’m a nice girl, and nice girls don’t talk shit to their bosses.
“I guess we will never know.” I smile.
“I’ll be in tomorrow to make sure you do it.”
“You can, you know. If it’s urgent. Fire them, I mean?”
Chloe looks out my office to all the girls on the floor. There are at least thirty of them, each one doing their own part to make the business run successfully. From marketing, packing, checking orders, and returns, to the concierge part of the online business. Who to fire will not be an easy decision, and it’s not something I want to do, considering I personally hired each of these girls. Each one chosen for their strengths and work ethics. Not once have I had to let someone go, because when I hire them I do it right. Not haphazardly, like Chloe did when we first started. Because she had no idea and couldn’t have given the first fuck about any of them. She paid me half the wage I should have been earning at the time, which I never complained about, even though it’s illegal. And when she made her first million—thanks to me—I asked for a pay rise, which she actually agreed to. I’m sure I could take my skills and go get what I’m rightfully meant to be paid. But that would mean leaving something I’ve built, something that gives me joy. And that scares the hell out of me.
“You no longer want to do your job?” Jesse asks.
I turn to look at him. His hair, which has way too much product in it, and his high-end shirt, which is mustard in color, mixed with gray slacks… honestly, he looks like a dick. A man with money who’s supported by his wife.
My cell starts ringing, allowing me to dodge answering his question, and we all turn to look at it.
“You take personal calls while at work now?” Chloe asks.
“Considering I work more than the required hours, I need to have my phone on me in case of an emergency,” I answer with a smile.
She doesn’t reply, she knows I work more than I should, and even weekends, which she doesn’t pay me for, when we have a big drop or sale. Yet, I don’t complain, because when it’s just the girls and me, I do love my job.
“Nice flowers,” Jesse says, walking over and touching them.
“You can have them.” I smile, walking around my desk.
“I will fire two girls at your request. I can simply not let go more than that, or else I will need a pay raise for the number of extra hours I will need to work to cover their department, and up to the correct amount I’m owed.”
Both of them stand still and stare at me.
Chloe then looks over at her husband, and he nods. Then he offers me his goodbye as he walks out, leaving Chloe and me in the office alone.
“Will you tell me the real reason I have to let go of my girls?”
Chloe looks down to the floor with a slightly guilty expression. “I have to do what’s best for him… and this is what’s best for him right now.”
“Okay.” I know that’s all she will give me. She loves that idiot of a man, and he uses her for all she’s worth. We all know he sleeps around on her, and she just doesn’t seem to care. It’s quite sad really.
“You aren’t replaceable, Thea. I do value you. It’s just been a lot lately.”
I nod. I know I’m not replaceable. If there was no me, I don’t know what would happen to this place. When I take holidays, which is exceedingly rare, it has to be when things are slow, and Marissa usually helps me out.
“I’ll do it, okay? I may not be happy about it, but I will do it.”
Chloe nods, then walks to the door and looks back.
“When should I expect to see you again?” I ask.
She shrugs. “When another cut is needed.”
Goddamn! I cringe at her words as she walks out.
Fuck.
I fired two girls the next day, as I was told, and I despised it. I dislike Chloe for making me do it. They did nothing wrong, and they all show up and do their work without problems.
Arriving home that weekend after the week I had, I pour myself a wine, and when a knock on the door comes, I ignore it. I know it’s going to be him wanting me to do some stupid bullshit task to help pay back my sister’s money.