Forced Out
Vivian adopted an overly cheerful tone as she said, “Consider this a one-time warning, alright? We don’t want to see you go. You’re welcome to get back to your work now.” Alex found it difficult to accept being addressed in such a manner, especially since he held a senior position within the organization. However, he began to piece together the situation.
It became evident that this was just one stage in a process that would eventually lead to his departure. Other senior engineers had inexplicably chosen early retirement, and he could only surmise that they, too, had encountered similar interactions with Vivian. Alex felt utterly demoralized.
Despair
Alex trudged back to his desk, eyes passing over the familiar corners. He gave 25 years to this place, always backing up the company’s goals. Yet, they wanted him gone, and they didn’t even say thank you.
Later, Alex didn’t stop at Matryoshka, his usual place. He went right home. Avoiding everyone was his plan because he didn’t want to share his feelings. After years of effort and loyalty, he felt he deserved more. His vision of retirement was not clear yet.
