Terrible Betrayal: I Shut Down My Startup Overnight

In my startup life, I was juggling multiple roles and working my fingers to the bone.

Before long, my mom introduced me to her bestie's daughters to join my company.

"Victoria," she said, "Isabel is my best friend. You can trust her daughters. I vouch for Morgan and Phoebe's character; they're as good as gold!"

As soon as I made them permanent, they pulled out pregnancy test results.

"Ms. Garcia, we've both had unexpected pregnancies and need to take leave to rest at home," they said.

"What if I don't agree?"

"Well, we'd have no choice but to take legal action."

Scared, I canceled my company and ran away overnight.

1

"Ms. Garcia, we've both had unexpected pregnancies and need to take leave to rest at home."

Morgan and Phoebe stood there fearlessly, each holding a pregnancy test report.

My goodness, I had just made them permanent yesterday, and they both said they were pregnant now.

Pregnant together? And unexpectedly?

Did they think I was a fool?

"What if I don't agree?" I asked, taken aback.

"Well, we'd have no choice but to take legal action," Morgan replied with a smirk.

"Don't blame us if the company suffers losses then."

No wonder they were fearless. It was a premeditated action.

I sent them packing, fuming and grinding my teeth. Those two were playing me for a fool, coming to my company to get paid and collect benefits while they took it easy during pregnancy!

I had only just set up my small company half a year ago, with a team including myself totaling just five people.

To attract customers, I kept our profits to a minimum. To cut company costs, I was working like a dog, juggling a hundred hats.

Seeing how exhausted I was, my mom felt bad and brought in Isabel's daughters to help out.

"Victoria, Isabel is my best friend. You can trust her daughters. I vouch for Morgan and Phoebe's character; they're as good as gold!

"Isabel and I go way back. I've seen those twins grow up. With them on board, you'll have more than a hand to lighten your load."

Thinking my company was indeed short-staffed and with my mom's glowing recommendation, I hired them on the spot.

I bypassed the usual health checks and interviews and just brought them on board.

Little did I know, I wasn't getting two employees; I was getting two masters.

The day after I refused their leave, Morgan and Phoebe called in sick. By the afternoon, they produced two medical notes stating their pregnancies were at risk and they needed to take time off.

"Ms. Garcia, you've seen the notes. If you don't grant us leave and something happens to us, can you afford the consequences?"

With that, Phoebe clutched her stomach and started her act.

"Oh no, my stomach hurts, and I'm feeling dizzy. If I collapse at the office, that's a workplace injury, right?"

Morgan, seeing this, laid down flat. "Help, I'm so dizzy. I think I need to be hospitalized."

I was so angry I could hardly speak, my hands shaking with rage, wishing I could send them to the hospital for real.

With acting skills like that, they should have been the best actresses.

I took several deep breaths, forcing myself to calm down. I had to handle this carefully. If they made a scene, it would only harm the company.

"Alright! Leave, you say? I'll grant you ten days off to start. We'll see how things go after that. You can't be on maternity leave forever, can you?"

I swallowed my anger, planning to get rid of them for now and figure out a plan later.

Morgan sprang up from the floor with the agility of a monkey.

"Thank you, Ms. Garcia!" she said, blowing me a kiss with a look full of defiance in her eyes.