Chapter 6

Brenda, whose kids were already in college and couldn't benefit from the daycare anyway, stood up to support Chloe.

"Exactly! Eleanor, we aren't ungrateful, we just want equality!"

"Why do they get over twenty thousand dollars in benefits while we get nothing?"

"If you're sincere about fairness, pay that twenty thousand directly to us in cash!"

"Yes! Cash! Give us the money!"

The crowd grew restless. Greed quickly swallowed any lingering guilt.

Their masks were completely off.

Looking at their ugly, demanding faces, I nodded.

"Fine."

"I’ll give you what you want."

"I will give you your 'fairness'."

The room erupted into cheers.

On Chloe's live stream, the chat was flooded with "We won!"

I waited for the cheers to die down before continuing.

"To return absolute choice and fairness to everyone,"

"After careful consideration, I have made a decision."

Everyone held their breath, staring at me with greedy expectation.

"Effective immediately, the on-site daycare is permanently closed."

The parents in the room gasped, instantly whispering in panic.

On the other side, Chloe's group was barely holding back cheers and high-fives.

I ignored them and announced the second decision.

"To compensate all employees, the company will transition to a universal stipend."

"Every employee will receive a monthly stipend of fifty dollars."

The room went dead silent again.

Chloe’s phone slipped from her hand and clattered onto the carpet.

The sheer drop from twenty thousand to fifty dollars left everyone stunned.

A few seconds later, Chloe was the first to shriek.

"Fifty dollars? Eleanor! Are you kidding us?"

"You just said it costs twenty-three thousand per child! Why do we only get fifty?"

"You liar! You greedy capitalist!"

I looked at her coldly.

"The daycare’s investment and operating costs came from my personal trust, not corporate funds."

"My willingness to spend my personal wealth on my employees was my choice, not my obligation."

"You chose to destroy that goodwill."

"So, I am withdrawing my personal funds."

"As for the fifty dollars, that is the maximum 'fair' stipend our corporate budget can afford for everyone under our current financial framework."

"This is the equality you fought so hard for, even at the cost of the company's reputation."

"Now, everyone is perfectly equal."

The blood drained from everyone's faces.

The single employees who had been celebrating looked horrified.

For a non-existent "cash bonus," they had just destroyed a world-class benefit they might have used in the future.

And all they got was fifty measly dollars a month.

Meanwhile, the parents completely broke down.

Maya sobbed loudly and rushed to the stage, grabbing my arm.

"Eleanor, I’m sorry! We were wrong!"

"Please don't close the daycare! My child has nowhere else to go!"

"The local daycares are either ridiculously expensive or completely unsafe!"

"We were wrong, please!"

Dozens of parents rushed forward, crying and begging.

The room fell into absolute chaos.

Brenda’s face turned white.

She tried to slip out the back door, but several angry parents blocked her path.

"Brenda! This is all your fault! You and Chloe ruined this for everyone!"

Brenda stumbled backward. "Why are you blaming me? I did this for equality!"

Chloe was terrified, hiding behind a chair and trembling.

She never expected that the colleagues who had praised her as a hero yesterday would look at her with such pure hatred today.

Watching this farce play out, I felt nothing but exhaustion.

I pulled myself away from the crowd and turned to face them one last time.

"The decision is final."

"As of tomorrow, the daycare is closed. All teachers and staff are dismissed with severance."

"Good luck to you all."