After My Boyfriend Fired Me, He Knelt Down

Chapter 1

Barely a month into the job, and the CEO wanted me gone.

I stormed into his office.

“Does Dad know you’re firing me?”

The CEO looked up slowly, his eyes holding a mix of cold amusement and pure indifference.

“Your dad knew before you did.”

“He’s part of the security team layoffs.”

That night, the CEO was down on his knees begging my dad.

“Pops, I messed up, please just let Maya come home!”

I’d only been working there a month when HR called me in.

“Maya Shen, the company’s downsizing, and your position has been eliminated.”

I was like, what?

“Did I mess up? Make a mistake on a project? Did I break any rules?”

HR just shrugged. “The order came directly from the CEO; I’m just the messenger.”

I immediately got up and marched straight to the CEO’s office.

The CEO, Ethan Ji—also my childhood friend and fiancé—was sitting there in his big leather chair, looking annoyingly sharp in his suit.

“HR told me there are layoffs, and you’re firing me?”

I didn’t wait for an invitation to start grilling him.

“Is your company going bankrupt? Are you suddenly broke? Can’t afford an intern anymore?”

Ethan slowly looked up at me, pressing his lips together without saying a word.

That’s the look the jerk gets when he’s plotting something sneaky.

We grew up together; I know all his tells.

“Okay, fine. Does Dad know you’re firing me?”

My dad, after handing over the family business to my brother, claimed he was bored and decided to work security at Ethan’s company.

Dad’s logic was, why pay a stranger when he could pay family?

Plus, he said he could keep an eye out and stop any vultures trying to sink their claws into Ethan.

Ethan finally spoke, his gaze sweeping over me with that infuriatingly cool, mocking, and utterly careless expression.

“Your dad knew before you did.”

“He’s part of the security team layoffs.”

I was speechless.

Wow, the jerk really plays dirty.

I walked out of Ethan’s office, grabbed my stuff without another word, and left.

He dared to fire me today; I’d make him kneel and beg me to come back tomorrow.

“Ethan Ji, you bastard, just you wait!”

I muttered under my breath as I carried my box out of the cubicle area, making a detour to the security office to find my dad.

My dad, over fifty but still looking sharp in his security uniform, was packing his own box.

He saw me and immediately started whining.

“Sweetheart, your boyfriend has lost his damn mind! He fired me!”

I looked down at my own box of belongings, feeling just as pathetic.

“Dad, that jerk Ethan fired me too.”

“I went to confront him, Dad, and you know what he said?”

My dad looked at me curiously. “What did he say?”

“He said, ‘Your dad knew before you did. He’s part of the security team layoffs.’”

Dad looked like he was about to explode.

My dad was furious and wanted to storm Ethan’s office right then and there to demand answers.

I barely managed to hold him back, telling him to calm down.

My dad, despite his current gig, used to run a major company; he calmed down pretty quickly once he took a breath.

“Maya, honey, I bet Ethan’s got someone else on the side.”

“I think he doesn’t just want a new fiancée; he wants a new father-in-law too.”

“That sweet Head of Security position? He probably wants to give it to his new fling’s dad.”

I nodded grimly. “Exactly!”

“Ethan, you are so done for! Just wait, you messed with the wrong father-daughter duo!” my dad growled through gritted teeth.

“Firing my daughter is one thing, but how dare he fire me?”

“She’s just an intern, maybe lacking experience, fine! But me? A retired CEO of a publicly traded company! You think I can’t handle being Head of Security at your little operation?”

I just blinked.

Okay, so Dad loves me, but maybe not that much right now.

His main beef was losing his cushy Head of Security job.

But there wasn’t much we could do about it; it was Ethan’s company, he could fire whoever he wanted.

We couldn’t exactly sue him or report him—not without blowing up the whole engagement thing over this petty move.

Besides, there are plenty of ways to torture your fiancé.

Once Dad and I got home, I ditched the business casual attire.

I changed into a slinky black slip dress that screamed trouble.

I did my makeup, aiming for stunning, and let my hair down in loose, beachy waves.

I blew a kiss at my reflection in the mirror.

This face, this waist, these legs… who wouldn’t be hooked?

Ethan dared to fire me? Fine. I’d go work for his biggest rival.

Before leaving, I snapped a few selfies and posted them to my Instagram story.

“A girl’s gotta be strong! New job, new mood. Sterling Corp, here I come!”

I made sure that post was only visible to Ethan.

Caleb Sterling, the CEO of Sterling Corp, heard I was coming in for an interview and decided to handle it personally.

He and Ethan had been rivals since kindergarten, competing over everything.

Back then, they were constantly fighting over me, their designated future wife.

Fistfights were a regular occurrence, bloody noses and all, neither willing to back down.

It finally ended when my dad staged a fake kidnapping, telling them whoever found me first would be my fiancé.

Caleb was just a step too slow, and Ethan found me first, sealing his fate—and Caleb’s missed chance.

Now, Caleb was staring at me, his eyes wide.

“That bastard Ethan actually fired you?”

I nodded. Gotta say, gossip travels fast between enemies.

Caleb looked genuinely regretful. “Damn, why didn’t he just dump you instead?”

“Then I could actually ask you out.”

I shot him a glare. “In your dreams.”

“So, are you going to help me or not?”

Caleb dropped the playful act. “Help? Of course, I’ll help! You were my childhood princess, my dream girl!”

“An opportunity like this, dropped right in my lap? I have to take it.”

“Ethan doesn’t know how to appreciate you, but I do! Maya, seriously, consider me. I’m way more reliable than that jerk.”

If I didn’t know Caleb was currently chasing my best friend, Sophia, I might have actually believed his smooth talk.

But knowing he was already smitten elsewhere made it safe for me to ask for this favor.

“In return, I’ll put in a good word for you with Sophia.”

Caleb’s eyes lit up. “Deal.”

News that I’d started working at Sterling Corp quickly reached Ethan’s ears, but he didn’t react.

According to his secretary, he was sticking to his usual routine: work, gym, home. Perfectly disciplined.

So, that evening, I dragged Caleb out to a trendy bar.

Before we went, I intentionally posted another story, this time making it visible to both Ethan and my dad.

My dad, still salty about losing his security job, commented immediately.

Dad: “My girl’s got great taste! This new guy looks way better. Ask Caleb if Sterling Corp needs security!”

Me: “Already asked! They aren’t hiring, but for my amazing dad? He said the door’s always open.”

Dad: “Excellent! I’ll start tomorrow. Tell Caleb I won’t take anything less than Head of Security.”

Me: “Okkk, consider it done.”

My dad and I basically had a whole conversation in the comments section.

Less than five minutes later, my phone rang. It was Ethan.

“Maya Shen, what the hell do you think you’re doing? Am I dead to you?”

I smirked. So, the jerk wasn’t quite as cool and collected as he pretended.

“Hello? Who is this? Sorry, the music’s too loud, I can’t hear you! Gotta go, bye!”

I hung up and clinked glasses with Caleb.

“Ethan’s going to be pissed, right?” Caleb looked a little worried.

“I couldn’t beat him up when we were kids, and I definitely still can’t now. What if he messes up my face?”

I was about to tell him Ethan wouldn’t dare, when I saw Ethan himself stalking through the bar entrance, his face thunderous.

Well, speak of the devil. He got here fast.

I reached out and playfully touched Caleb’s cheek.

Caleb jumped back. “Whoa! We agreed I’d help you act, but that doesn’t include selling my body! I gotta stay pure for my Sophia! Don’t get any ideas.”

Caleb paused. “Although… if you offer hazard pay, maybe we can talk.”

I rolled my eyes.

Caleb had his back to the entrance, but I was facing it.

From Ethan’s perspective, my hand reaching out probably looked incredibly intimate.

Ethan closed the distance in a few long strides, yanked me up by the arm, pulled a sanitizing wipe from his pocket, and started scrubbing my hand furiously.

“Maya, you really enjoy playing these games, don’t you!”

I could practically hear his teeth grinding.

“You are quitting Sterling Corp right now.”

“Why should I?” I shoved him away.

“You fired me, remember? Plenty of other places want me. You kicked me out, so I went to Sterling.”

Ethan’s handsome face got even darker.

He’d always been good-looking, with those deep-set, intense eyes and perfectly sculpted features.

I’d loved looking at his face since we were kids, and honestly, I still did.

Working at his company was partly just an excuse to see him every day.

And then the jerk fired me after only a month.

The more I thought about it, the more hurt I felt.

Why did I have to like him so much when he clearly couldn’t even stand the sight of me?