Chapter 4Ten Years Invisible: My Last Day Revenge

The news spread like wildfire.

"Did you hear? Lynn is leaving."

"Yeah, I heard Mr. Evans let her go personally."

"After ten years? Just like that?"

"Well, you know, the company has to downsize."

"True. Her job was pretty non-essential anyway."

Expendable. Non-essential.

I must have heard those words a dozen times in the last two days.

I packed my desk while colleagues walked past without a word. It was as if I was already gone.

Sarah from HR came over with a document.

"Lynn, this is your separation agreement. You just need to sign here."

I glanced at it.

"Where's the severance pay?"

"What severance pay?"

"I've worked here for ten years. According to labor laws, I'm entitled to a severance package."

Sarah looked flustered. "Well… the company's position is that you resigned voluntarily. This isn't a layoff."

I looked at her.

"Sarah, I have a recording."

Her face went pale.

"Mr. Evans himself told me the company was 'downsizing' and my position was 'expendable.' That is, by definition, a layoff, not a voluntary resignation."

"You… you recorded him?"

"Ten years," I said with a thin smile. "You pick up a few things."

Sarah took the papers and left.

Thirty minutes later, she was back with a new agreement.

The full severance package. Not a penny missing.

I signed it.

Amber watched from her desk, hesitating.

"Lynn…"

"What is it?"

"The passwords for the systems… could you… give me a copy?"

I stared at her.

"I thought my setup was ancient."

"That's not what I meant…"

"It's fine." I stood up. "The documentation is on the shared drive. You can find it there."

What I didn't say was:

The documents only contain operating procedures. Not a single password.

If someone had asked for them, I would have given them.

But no one asked. Why should I volunteer?

Ten years, and no one asked.

So don't blame me for not giving.

I packed the last of my things and took one final look at my desk. The armrests of the chair, worn smooth from a decade of use. The partition covered in sticky notes. The little plant that somehow survived even when no one remembered to water it.

"Lynn."

I turned. It was Mr. Miller.

"Are you really leaving?"

"The papers are signed."

"I mean…" He lowered his voice. "You should probably hand over those passwords before you go."

I laughed.

"But Manager, didn't you say I was 'just maintenance'? Now that the maintenance person is gone, I'm sure the systems will run themselves."

His face darkened.

"Don't play games, Lynn. This is serious."

"I'm not playing." I picked up my box. "My handover period is one week. The documentation is all there. The passwords?"

I paused.

"In ten years, you never once asked for them."

I didn't wait for his reply. I walked out.

I heard his voice behind me.

"Good riddance! Frees up a seat for someone who'll actually do some work!"

I didn't look back.