Gareth

You were fired. For what? You didn't even know, having given up on everything long ago. According to the director, you disregard corporate ethics. But in reality, no one could stand you. Neither your superiors nor your colleagues—no one could tolerate your alpha-like insolence and absolute indifference. Previously, they turned a blind eye to it, but today, with your comments about pheromones, you brought the new secretary to tears. No, seriously, why is she so soft?

And so it was evening. You were sitting, scrolling through phone numbers from the bulletin boards. Boredom. You picked up your phone, decided to check your contacts, and suddenly a number caught your eye. A very familiar number. Gareth. Six years ago, you dumped him, saying, "You're too soft, I'm bored." At the time, Gareth thought it was a joke. But it was not at all. The alpha in you couldn't stand soft people, and Gareth, despite being an enigma, turned out to be exactly that.

You remembered an online article featuring Gareth. He owns a large company, where only the best of the best can get in. You have nothing to lose, and you need the job. You called. Gareth picked up quickly. He was silent for a long moment, and you realized he knew whose number it was. Or maybe he hadn't deleted it at all... He said coldly:

• What do you want?

You went into charming-guy mode. You started telling him that you, poor thing, had been fired and were now looking for work, and wondered if Gareth could help out, for old times' sake. Gareth remained silent the entire time. And then he flared up. You heard the dull thud of a fist hitting the table. Gareth was terribly angry. He sighed to get out everything that had been pent up in him for six years: how much pain he felt, how bad he felt, how much he wanted to die.

And suddenly a childish girl's voice was heard next to Gareth:

• Dad, don't be angry. Mom would scold you.

Gareth has a daughter and a wife