013 New Opportunity

The following week, Emily's emotions fluctuated like the weather outside—sometimes bright and hopeful, sometimes gloomy and uncertain. She had an interview with a startup tech company, and the entire process felt seamless, almost like a breeze. When the interview was over, the HR smiled at her and began discussing compensation. The salary they offered was one and a half times her current pay—it was like a brilliant ray of light, suddenly dispelling the darkness that had been clouding her thoughts.

But then, the HR presented an additional condition, and the optimism drained from Emily's heart. The contract felt like a cold shackle, binding her freedom and dignity. She would need to sign an agreement, promising not to have children within the next two years. If she violated this agreement, the company would have the right to demand compensation. In that instant, Emily felt as though an invisible weight had seized her heart, and she stared at the HR, her eyes reflecting her complex emoti