My Father Fired Me Because His Biological Son Wanted My Job — Karma Didn’t Let It Slide

After years of being groomed in his stepfather’s construction company, Sheldon is discarded when David, his stepbrother returns. Instead of retaliating, Sheldon walks out gracefully, only to be head-hunted by a rival company. But a few months in, his stepfather calls him, desperate…

You know things sometimes come full circle? Well, that’s been the story of my life.

I’ve been working at my dad’s construction company since I was 15. At first, it was simple tasks like filing and cleaning out his office, and then more responsibility was placed onto my shoulders as I got through school. And this wasn’t because I wanted to, but because I had to.

A teenage boy | Source: Midjourney

A teenage boy | Source: Midjourney

My dad, or technically my stepdad, didn’t let anyone skate by for free. He had one rule and he swore by it. If I wanted to live in his house, I had to earn my keep.

“It is what it is, Sheldon. Take it or leave it,” he said.

Obviously, I had no choice but to take it. Where else was I going to go?

He married my mom when I was 10, and from then on, he always said that I was his “responsibility.”

A couple at their wedding | Source: Midjourney

A couple at their wedding | Source: Midjourney

It never felt that way, because when I turned 16, I had to pay rent, which meant that I had to work at his company after school and work at the local ice cream place during weekends.

But it was fine, I didn’t complain once. I figured that it was all part of his version of tough love.

Over time, I worked my way up in the company. When I graduated from high school, my stepdad gave me no choice but to join the company full-time.

A boy at his high school graduation | Source: Midjourney

A boy at his high school graduation | Source: Midjourney

“Sorry, Sheldon,” he said one evening over dinner. “But there’s no room for you to go to college or whatever. Now that you have the time and capacity, you need to join the company properly.”

“That’s fine with me,” I said, feeling an odd sense of contentment.

To me, it felt like my stepdad wanted me there, and that was a big deal.

So, I started with the dirty jobs. I cleaned up sites, hauled materials until my muscles were defined, and just did whatever needed to be done. I worked hard, wanting to take pride in the company; it was a family legacy after all.

A man working in construction | Source: Midjourney

A man working in construction | Source: Midjourney

And by my mid-20s, I was foreman. I thought I had proven myself, not just as an employee, but as his son, too.

Then everything changed. David came back. His biological son.

David hadn’t been around in years. After my dad’s divorce, he sided with his mom and blamed Dad for everything.

A smiling man | Source: Midjourney

A smiling man | Source: Midjourney

“He said some pretty horrible things to Dad,” my mom told me once when I asked why we didn’t see David.

“So, that’s it? It’s like how I don’t see my biological father?” I asked.

“Pretty much, honey,” she said. “But your father was a cruel man, cruel to the bone.”

An angry man with a clenched fist | Source: Midjourney

An angry man with a clenched fist | Source: Midjourney

While David was gone, I stepped in as the son. I did everything, I put in the work, but when David decided to resurface, all of that seemed to vanish.

“I don’t get it,” I said to my mom one night. “David hasn’t spoken to Dad in over a decade. And now he’s back, acting like nothing happened between them?”

My mother sighed and cut a piece of banana bread for me.

A loaf of banana bread | Source: Midjourney

A loaf of banana bread | Source: Midjourney

“Your father misses him, honey,” she replied quietly. “He’s just trying to make things right.”

I sighed. I could understand that, but it still didn’t sit well with me.

A few days later, I was called into my dad’s office. He didn’t even look up from his desk. He just cleared his throat.

“We need to let you go, Sheldon,” he said.

A man sitting in his office | Source: Midjourney

A man sitting in his office | Source: Midjourney

“What?” I blinked, trying to process. “You’re firing me? Really, Dad?”

He finally glanced up but refused to make eye contact with me.

“David’s coming on board, and, well, we don’t have room for both of you in management. He’s got the degree, you know? Construction management?”

An older man | Source: Midjourney

An older man | Source: Midjourney

“So?” I asked, struggling to keep my voice calm. “I’ve been here for over a decade. I’ve earned this.”

“It’s time I help David get on his feet,” he muttered. “He’s my son, after all. And I lost so many years with him.”

I sat there for a second, stunned.

“I thought I was your son, too.”

“You are, but you’re not blood,” he said.

An upset man | Source: Midjourney

An upset man | Source: Midjourney

Just like that, it was over. No severance, no handshake, not even a thank you for my years of hard work. I felt the anger building, but I kept my cool.

“All right,” I said, standing up. “Cool. Good luck.”

I walked out not knowing what would happen next.

“Just move in with me,” my girlfriend, Bea, said when I told her what had happened. “You don’t need to see him every day after this. Take some time away.”

A smiling young woman | Source: Midjourney

A smiling young woman | Source: Midjourney

I listened, and within a few hours, I was out of our home and into her apartment.

Within a week, I landed a new job at a rival construction company. I’d made some solid connections over the years, and they jumped at the chance to hire me.

“It’s for a project manager role, Sheldon,” the owner said. “I know it’s not what you’re used to, but I’ve followed the projects that you’ve overseen. You’re ready for this.”

A smiling man in a suit | Source: Midjourney

A smiling man in a suit | Source: Midjourney

I accepted without hesitation. This new role meant more pay, and best of all? More respect.

“You’re going to love it here,” my new boss said when he took me around, showing me my new office. “We take care of our people, Sheldon. None of that cutthroat stuff that I’ve heard your father does. And don’t worry, we cover dental, medical, and everything else.”

I smiled. I could already tell that this was going to be an entirely different experience from what I was used to.

A smiling man | Source: Midjourney

A smiling man | Source: Midjourney

It didn’t take me long to settle into my new job, and I loved every second of it. I had projects that ranged from movie theater construction, to malls, to even theme parks. It was only going to get better from there.

“I miss you at home, darling,” my mother said when we met at a coffee shop for breakfast one weekend.

“I know, Mom,” I said. “I miss you too. But you understand why I had to move, right?”

A woman sitting in a coffee shop | Source: Midjourney

A woman sitting in a coffee shop | Source: Midjourney

“Of course I do, Sheldon,” she said gently. “And it was time to spread your wings, too. But if I’m being honest with you, there seems to be something big going on with Dad’s company. He’s been very stressed. He and David are not really on speaking terms now. They’re just polite to each other.”

“Trouble in paradise?” I asked sarcastically.

“I think so,” my mother said, buttering a slice of toast.

Toast on a board | Source: Midjourney

Toast on a board | Source: Midjourney

It wasn’t long before whispers started to flood our industry, talk of my dad’s company going under seemed to be the biggest news. Apparently, things really weren’t going well since David had taken over.

My stepbrother had been losing clients, mismanaging projects, and making mistake after mistake. Some of the same clients I had built relationships with left my dad’s company and signed with me instead.

Then, one day, I was sitting in my office, flipping through a stack of resumes when I came across David’s.

A stack of paper | Source: Midjourney

A stack of paper | Source: Midjourney

“No way,” I muttered, staring at the paper. It was surreal. The same David who replaced me at my dad’s company was now applying for a job at my new one.

I couldn’t resist. I called him in for an interview.

When David walked in, he looked worn, like life had knocked him around. He didn’t even recognize me at first, but when he did, the color drained from his face.

A shocked man | Source: Midjourney

A shocked man | Source: Midjourney

“Have a seat,” I said.

He sat down, clearly uncomfortable. The confidence he once had was gone.

“So,” I began, flipping through his resume. “Why are you looking for a job here?”

He gulped.

“I need something new. Things didn’t work out at my dad’s company.”

A man holding his head | Source: Midjourney

A man holding his head | Source: Midjourney

“What happened?” I asked.

“Just… I made some mistakes. I lost us some clients.”

“I see,” I replied, leaning back in my chair. “You do realize that this is the same industry, right? We’re not going to make it easy for you.”

David nodded.

“I’m ready to work,” he said.

“We’ll let you know,” I said.

A man sitting at his desk | Source: Midjourney

A man sitting at his desk | Source: Midjourney

As he left, I couldn’t help but feel a mix of satisfaction and pity. Karma had done her job. Still, it felt good to know that I’d landed on my feet while David struggled.

A few weeks later, my phone rang. It was my dad.

“Sheldon, come back,” he said simply. “The company is failing. David walked out after he messed up again. We’re in trouble. I need you to come back. Help me out, maybe take over.”

I let the silence hang in the air for a moment.

An older man using his phone | Source: Midjourney

An older man using his phone | Source: Midjourney

“I’m sorry, Dad,” I said quietly. “But I’ve moved on. I’m happy where I am.”

He sighed heavily.

“I understand, son. I’m… I’m proud of you, you know?”

“Thanks. I wish you the best,” I said.

“Come over for dinner soon?” he asked hopefully.

A man talking on the phone | Source: Midjourney

A man talking on the phone | Source: Midjourney

“Yeah, maybe,” I said.

When I hung up, I felt a weight lift off my shoulders. Years of trying to prove myself to him were over.

What would you have done?

A smiling man | Source: Midjourney

A smiling man | Source: Midjourney

If you enjoyed this story, here’s another one for you |

Woman Goes on Labor Mid-flight, Pilot Reroutes but Not to the Airport — Story of the Day

A pregnant woman went into labor while aboard a commercial airplane which forced the pilot to reroute the plane, but not to the airport.

Rose hated flying. She was a young woman who never had the opportunity to be on a plane for most of her life. Indeed she only started riding one when she started making visits from her town in Omaha to the city of Texas where her husband, Bill, worked as a miner.

The job brought in decent pay which was why he did it, but it separated them for a long long time. Bill was always gone all year long and he only got a break between Christmas and the New Year.

Rose went into labor on a plane during a flight back from visiting her husband | Source: Shutterstock

Rose went into labor on a plane during a flight back from visiting her husband | Source: Shutterstock

When she got tired of having to live without seeing her husband for long periods, she got Bill to agree to her making a monthly trip to see him.

Bill was initially not enthused about the idea, but in the end, the weekends he spent with her at the small apartment he stayed in were some of the best in their marriage.

It was one of those long romantic nights that brought about the pregnancy Rose now carried in her belly. Bill was aware of the child and could not wait to meet his youngster.

He had even promised to retire from mining and start a farm where they could grow crops to sell. Everyone knew farmers made a lot of profit in Omaha if they had the know-how, and Bill descended from a long line of farmers.

One day, Rose, heavy with child, was flying to Texas to see Bill even though he had asked her to remain in their Omaha home. Flying to him for their weekend getaways had become a habit and she could not stand not seeing him that weekend.

Rose got pregnant after several visits to Bill | Source: Pexels

Rose got pregnant after several visits to Bill | Source: Pexels

“You are nine months pregnant Rose,” he told her the last time they spoke.

“Oh, thank you for pointing that out, I had no idea my stomach started swelling nine months ago,” Rose replied drily.

“You shouldn’t be moving around so much now that you’re this close to giving birth but you want to make a whole journey? That’s absurd my dear.”

“I need to see you, be with you, I’ve missed you,” Rose cooed. She had let him convince her to remain at home for two months before she put her foot down.

“I know baby,” he said. “Hey, it’s September and I get to come home in December and never leave again, just be patient hon.”

Rose let him believe he had gotten through to her again but as soon as it was Friday, she got on a flight headed to Texas. She surprised him, and even though he claimed to be angered by it, they enjoyed their time together.

As soon as it was Friday, Rose got on a flight headed to Texas | Source: Pexels

As soon as it was Friday, Rose got on a flight headed to Texas | Source: Pexels

By Sunday evening, when Rose got on a plane bound for Omaha, she was glowing — she really did enjoy her husband’s refreshing company.

It wasn’t until the plane hit turbulence as it gained altitude that she was reminded how much she did not enjoy flying — it was nothing personal, she just preferred to have feet on solid ground where her fall to the ground, if it ever happened, would be a short distance.

Another rattle shook the plane and sent her overactive imagination into overdrive. She thought of everything from a hijacking to a plane crash and it got her stressed out. And it was as she mentally listed things that could go wrong that her water broke.

Caught up in her head, Rose wasn’t even aware that her water already broke. When she noticed the wetness, she turned red in the face, embarrassed thinking she could not control her bladder. It never occurred to her that her water had broken because it was not supposed to for another three weeks. Then the contractions began.

Rose got on a plane bound for Omaha by Sunday | Source: Pexels

Rose got on a plane bound for Omaha by Sunday | Source: Pexels

Rose started to scream, catching the attention of the flight attendant who rushed over to find out what was wrong. “I’m having a baby!!” Rose yelled.

The attendant quickly let the pilot know and he immediately connected with the nearest airport to request permission to land. Meanwhile, the flight attendant tried to calm Rose down by talking to her in between each contraction.

“Why are you traveling alone pregnant?” the kind-looking woman asked Rose.

“I was with my husband and I’m returning home,” Rose answered.

“He let you travel like this, how irresponsible!” the flight attendant exclaimed. “Okay, do you have family we can call? Besides your husband?”

“No, I’m an orphan,” Rose said. The flight attendant noticed that she had a temperature and was getting spent from enduring the contractions so she informed the pilot that the labor could get dangerous for Rose without a professional doctor to help.

The attendant informed the pilot and he immediately connected with the nearest airport to request permission to land | Source: Pexels

The attendant informed the pilot and he immediately connected with the nearest airport to request permission to land | Source: Pexels

A dispatcher informed the pilot, a man named Drew, that the nearest airport was not ready to receive their plane due to weather conditions.

Time was running out and in her feverish state, all Rose could manage was call out her husband’s name. That’s when Drew decided to turn the plane around to return to Texas.

“Keep her stable for thirty more minutes,” he told the attendant. Unfortunately, the weather in Texas was also terrible so their plane was denied access to land at the airport.

Luckily, Drew knew the area so he was aware of an abandoned airfield not far from the airport. The only problem was the runway was too short to land their large plane. Still, it was the closest town to where Rose could get medical help.

“Let’s land at the abandoned airstrip,” Drew told his co-pilot, a rookie who went by the name Stan.

“Sir with all due respect, landing there is against the rules,” Stan said.

“Sometimes to save a human being, you need to act according to your conscience, not the rules!” Drew replied.

Rose caught the attention of the flight attendant telling her she was having a baby.| Source: Pexels

Rose caught the attention of the flight attendant telling her she was having a baby.| Source: Pexels

He got the attendant to call Rose’s husband as they circled the abandoned airstrip getting ready to land. Drew knew every move had to be planned down to the last degree.

They circled once, twice, each time steadily getting closer to the ground. Meanwhile Rose was starting to lose consciousness because of her contractions.

The plane got closer to the ground and with a leap of faith, because there was no control tower to navigate their path, Drew took the plane down.

His co-pilot who was still a rookie was just one step away from panicking but he followed Drew’s lead and several tense minutes later, the aircraft touched the ground.

As they opened the hatch to get Rose out, an ambulance carrying EMTs and Rose’s husband sped through the clearing. It was followed by media vans and some civilians who feared there would be a crash and had come to help.

When the plane finally landed in the airfield, Bill and the ambulance crew were waiting | Source: Pexels

When the plane finally landed in the airfield, Bill and the ambulance crew were waiting | Source: Pexels

Bill carried his wife, pregnant as she was to the ambulance and they raced to the hospital. All the shocked man could do was pray that his wife, who did not look very good, would be alright.

At the hospital, the doctors got her a private room and a quick check of her vitals revealed that she was already too weak to push her baby out. It would have to be done via a C–section.

Bill was not allowed to remain in the room but after long moments of waiting, he was ushered in to see his new child and his recuperating wife. He could not believe how close he had gotten to losing them.

He quit his job that day so that when they returned to Omaha, it was to stay. Bill found out the name of the thoughtful pilot who took the risks to get his wife help and named their child after him. Rose was all in favour.

Still, she did not get on another airplane for years.

Rose was too weak to push in the hospital, so they did a C-section on her and their child was born | Source: Pexels

Rose was too weak to push in the hospital, so they did a C-section on her and their child was born | Source: Pexels

What did we learn from this story?

  • Human life is very precious. Drew was right when he decided to land the plane at the abandoned airstrip so as to save not just Rose’s life but the baby’s as well. That’s because human life is very precious and should be guarded well.
  • Overthinking is not your friend. Rose may have made the flight back to Omaha easily had she not started to overthink things because the plane shook from turbulence. However, once she got herself worked up enough, her body went into hyperdrive, and her water broke. It only goes to show that most times, overthinking does not help.

Share this story with your friends. It might brighten their day and inspire them.

If you enjoyed this story, you might like this one about a pregnant woman who went into labor in a traffic jam and couldn’t get access to an ambulance.

This account is inspired by our reader’s story but written by a professional writer. All names have been changed to protect identities and ensure privacy. Share your story with us; maybe it will change someone’s life. If you would like to share your story, please send it to

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