Chapter 2

Our free daycare had only been open for a month when an employee dragged it onto social media.

[My boss is using a daycare to gaslight me into having babies. No thanks!]

The thumbnail featured Chloe Miller, our newest Management Associate, with tears streaming down her face.

Looking at the thumbnail, my heart sank.

The video started with a clip of my speech at the grand opening.

I remembered that day clearly. The sun was shining, and the kids had the brightest, most innocent smiles.

Looking at the parents behind them, their faces full of gratitude, I got emotional.

To show my support, I said from the bottom of my heart:

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

The video editor had captured that exact sentence, drawing a thick red circle around the words "family members."

[Boss-certified: Single dogs don't deserve to be 'family members.']

The screen cut back to Chloe, her voice cracking in front of the camera.

"Did you hear that?"

"Our company offers a free daycare, but only for employees with kids."

"Sounds amazing, right?"

"But is that fair to those of us who choose to be child-free?"

"So in our boss’s eyes, only those who breed are worthy of being called 'family' and receiving 'gifts'?"

"What about us single people? Are we just corporate outcasts?"

"We work our asses off. Why should our hard-earned labor fund other people's kids?"

"This is literally reproductive coercion."

"And if you don't agree with it, you're labeled as 'not a team player' or 'ungrateful.'"

"I literally cannot breathe in this toxic environment."

The comment section blew up.

"What kind of messed-up company is this? Name and shame, sis! We’ll cancel them!"

"Reproductive coercion and workplace discrimination! Someone report them to the Department of Labor!"

"I feel so bad for the creator. Is breathing while single a crime now?"

Anger flared in my chest, making it hard to breathe.

Nobody knew that this daycare was funded entirely by my private trust.

I had hired the best educational team in the state, and the food standards were premium organic.

Tuition, meals, everything—free.

It was meant to give working mothers, who struggled just like I did, a moment of peace.

My assistant panicked as she pushed the door open.

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

Before I could reply, my office door was thrown open.

Chloe walked in holding a Starbucks cup, her face showing no trace of the tears from her video.

"Eleanor, I assume you saw the video?"

She sat down on the sofa opposite me without waiting to be asked.

"It’s nothing personal. I just think this whole setup is unfair."

"My generation cares about self-prioritization and personal wellness."

"The company shouldn't turn benefits into a moral guilt trip."

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

"Company perks are incentives for those who contribute, Chloe. They aren't welfare to be distributed equally."