Chapter 1

I invested millions to build a complimentary, state-of-the-art preschool for my company. But instead of gratitude, a newly hired management associate put me on blast online.

"What kind of garbage corporate benefit is this? This is literally reproductive coercion! It’s blatant discrimination against those of us who choose to stay single!"

What she didn't mention was that this preschool was funded entirely out of my own pocket. I hired the city's top early-childhood educators, and even the cafeteria served 100% organic meals.

Tuition was completely free. My only goal was to take some pressure off the working mothers in my company who were constantly tearing themselves apart trying to balance their careers and families.

But as the video went viral, I became the target of a massive online witch hunt. Overnight, I was labeled an "inhumane, toxic boss."

Yet, not a single person in the entire company stood up to speak for me. Facing a tidal wave of internet hate, I calmly issued an official company announcement.

[To ensure the principle of absolute equality, the complimentary corporate preschool will close permanently today. It will be replaced by a flat $10 monthly stipend for all employees.]

The second the notification went out, those same employees lost their minds. They stormed my office and fell to their knees, begging for mercy...

Our complimentary preschool had only been open for a month before one of my employees dragged me on TikTok.

"My boss is using a free preschool to gaslight me into having babies. Would you want this kind of 'benefit'?"

The girl sobbing in the video was Amber Bennett, our newly hired management associate.

As I watched the video, my heart sank.

The clip she used was from my speech at the preschool’s grand opening.

It had been a beautiful, sunny day. Watching the innocent smiles on those kids' faces and the sheer relief in the eyes of their working parents, I had felt incredibly moved.

During my speech, I said from the bottom of my heart:

"I’ve always viewed this company as a big family. This preschool is my gift to all of our 'family members'!"

That specific line was cut and highlighted in Amber's video with a giant red circle around the words "family members."

"Hear that?" Amber sniffled on camera, her voice shaking with mock vulnerability. "In our company, only employees with kids get free preschool benefits."

"Sounds amazing, right?"

"But is this fair to those of us who choose to remain single and child-free?"

Her tone suddenly turned fierce and righteous.

"In our boss’s eyes, only employees with kids are worthy of being called 'family' and receiving benefits! What are we single people to her? Just unpaid labor? Outsiders?"

"We work our butts off, but she takes our sweat and blood to pay for other people's kids? How is that fair?"

"This is nothing but reproductive coercion disguised as a benefit!"

"I literally feel like I can’t breathe."

Frowning, I scrolled down to the comments section. It was a complete echo chamber of rage.

[WTF, what kind of twisted company is this? Drop the name, sis, we’ll shut them down!]

[Reproductive coercion and workplace discrimination! I’m reporting this to the Department of Labor right now.]

[Not having kids is the smartest choice a woman can make today. Why are single people being punished?]

A tight, suffocating anger bloomed in my chest.

This preschool was entirely funded by my personal investments. It had absolutely nothing to do with the company's operating budget or employee compensation packages.

Making it tuition-free was simply my way of giving working mothers—who, like me, had to juggle career and home—a tiny room to breathe.

Just as I put my phone down, my assistant banged on the door and rushed in, looking pale.

"Chloe, the PR department's phones are ringing off the hook!"

Before I could even answer, my office door swung open.

Amber walked in, holding a cup of iced boba tea. There wasn’t a single trace of tears on her face.

"Chloe, did you see my video?"

She made herself right at home, sinking into the armchair across from my desk.

"I’m sure you get it now. This whole setup is fundamentally unfair."

"Our generation is all about self-love and personal boundaries. The company shouldn't use benefits to morally hijack us."

Looking at her young, arrogant face, my throat tightened.

"Corporate benefits are incentives for employees who drive results, Amber. They are not welfare checks meant to be divided equally among everyone."