𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐬 & 𝐂𝐨. [HangexFemReader]

Chapter 24: Everything Goes Wrong

Warning: Mentions of domestic/physical abuse 

(Y/N) had tried delaying the inevitable as long as she could. After the decision had been made, she had hightailed it home, not wanting to be confronted by Magath. The only person who had talked to her after Hange had been decided the sole inventor of the drone had been Pieck. She had wrapped an arm around (Y/N), had said words of encouragement. Her kind voice would have brought comfort, if it hadn't been for the overwhelming dread that (Y/N) was feeling. The blow of having her invention being taken away from her was enough, she didn't need to be fired the same day too.

But she had avoided it as long as she could, she couldn't avoid Magath forever. The next day, (Y/N) trudged slowly up the steps of Marley Tech. She knew what was coming. She knew what lay in wait a few feet away. (Y/N) had failed the task that Magath had assigned to her. She had failed to bring down Paradis, she had failed to secure the patent. She was a failure. Everything she had worked up to...all of those nights studying in high school to get into a good college, all of those nights sacrificing her health and happiness to get good grades in college so she can get a good job, all of those nights she worked until her head felt like exploding...it was all for nothing? 

(Y/N) knocked slowly on Magath's door, remembering months ago when she had practically begged Magath to give her a second chance. What was to become of all of her student loans now? How was she going to be able to live a comfortable life? No one would want to hire someone who was once a double agent. No one would want to hire a failure. She'd have to resort to a retail job or something.

Be an engineer, they had said. Your life will be set for you, they had said. Lies. It was all lies.

"(Y/N)," Magath's icy tone welcomed her inside the desolate office. "I was expecting you."

"Sir," (Y/N) greeted as she slinked into the room, her voice sounding dejected.

"I had such high hopes from you," Magath let out a long sigh. "You had been quite promising. I had truly thought that you were capable enough of restoring Marley back to its former glory."

"I'm sorry, sir," her words fell flat, absolutely no emotion in them. She was tired of caring. 

"But your stupidity had gotten you caught early," Magath said, disdainfully. "I still can't believe you fell for Hange's trap. They had cornered you and observed you like a lab rat. You should have been more careful, more discrete."

You already told me that, (Y/N) wanted to shoot back. She wanted to be snide and return Magath's attitude, she wanted to yell at his face that he had been the worst boss in the history of the world and that maybe Marley's failures were because of him and not Paradis. But (Y/N) was too tired, her heart hanging heavy in her chest. All she wanted was to go home and sleep. And then maybe search for another job because she would desperately need one.

"I can't believe I had hoped that you would win the patent. How did you even manage to lose rights for something that you created?" Magath scoffed. "That's pathetic. Really, pathetic, (Y/N)."

(Y/N) dug her fingernails into her palm, trying to contain the rage that was beginning to bubble in the pit of her stomach. Magath didn't get to say those words. Magath didn't get to point fingers when he was one of the most incompetent bosses in the entire field of business. (Y/N) had tried her best. She had done things her heart wasn't into, she had done things that were deemed unethical, she had toiled away for days at Magath's expense, and he still only had complaints.

She deserved better. Oh god, did she deserve much better. 

"And you know what we do with pathetic employees?" Magath hummed as he reached for something in his drawer. "We fire them."