After I was Laid Off, I Acquired the Company

The game I built from scratch was just starting to turn heads in the market.

When I came back for the launch at the end of the year, the company wouldn't even let me in. They just fired me.

A partner was fired? That was ridiculous. Even the HR, Hunter, ripped into me like I was a sham.

Later, when the game crashed big time, they were pretty desperate for my help.

"Mr. Foster, you can't go in," someone called out to me.

I had just hurried back from an international tech hub to attend the Cloud Land launch, only to find myself locked out. Everyone gave me weird looks, but nobody spoke up.

"Brandon Foster, you're fired. This launch is none of your business," Ivy Lovell, the CEO's girlfriend, told me.

Stunned, I asked, "Who let me know?"

Ivy, acting all high and mighty, shoved her phone in my face to show me the termination email. It was sent while I was probably flying back home. Naturally, I missed it.

"No need to show your face here after being fired," Ivy said with a sneer, as if I was trash.

Cloud Land was a game I started with Matthew Brown right after college. I was in charge of the game design and coding, and Matthew handled the investments and networking.

The past few years, it was tough getting a game license, and the economy wasn't helping. I kept my head down and worked, and Matthew never gave up. Finally, we launched Cloud Land.

I once believed Matthew barely touched anything else at the company, just focused on testing.

The company got bigger, and Matthew brought his girlfriend Ivy on board. I stayed out of it until recently, when Matthew handed me a labor contract to sign.

"Brandon, now that the company's big, we need to do things by the book. Signing this contract will help us manage our finances legally," Matthew explained emotionlessly.

Holding that contract, I felt cold inside looking at this stranger Matthew had become.

I was a behind-the-scenes guy, but I was not stupid.

Besides, I wasn't Matthew's employee. I was his partner. It wasn't his place to ask me to sign some service contract. We should have stuck to our original partnership agreement.

I didn't make a scene, just took the contract and said I'd sign it later. That contract was probably still in my office drawer, untouched.

Ivy's smug face now was almost funny to me. They needed loads of cash for the launch, even talked about layoffs. But I never thought they'd try to get rid of me first.

I cooled down and told Ivy, "You're not in a position to fire me. Bring Matthew out here."

Ivy stood there, still all high and mighty. "Today's the launch. Are you here to cause trouble, Brandon?"

They all knew no one was more invested in Cloud Land's success than me. The game was my baby for years. I wouldn't wreck it myself. That was why Ivy dared to push me today.

Soon, a few tough-looking security guards closed in on me, as if ready to toss me out at any sign of trouble.

Watching Matthew schmooze with VIPs inside the glass room, I hoped he could keep that smile going.