I was midway through my third set of bench presses when I noticed her walking in — Stacy Star. The moment she stepped onto the gym floor, the energy shifted. People moved out of her way without thinking. Conversations fell to a hush. That’s the kind of presence she had now.

I remembered when she was just a trainee instructor — assigned to shadow me, asking a hundred questions a day. She barely knew how to spot a bench press correctly. I trained her, taught her everything — how to build strength, how to coach, how to lead. She was eager, determined… and now, completely transformed.

Now she was massive, both in physique and status. Her long platinum blonde hair flowed behind her like a flag of dominance. Her black strapless top clung to a torso built like armor, and the tight black sleeves around her forearms only made her arms look even more imposing. Her shorts revealed legs that looked like they could break concrete.

She walked straight up to me. Calm. Direct. Powerful.

“Hey,” she said. “We need to talk.”

I racked the barbell and sat up, grabbing a towel. She stayed standing — posture strong, gaze steady.

“I’m letting you go,” she said flatly.

I blinked. “What?”

“You’re fired,” she repeated, voice calm but final. “Effective immediately.”

I stared at her in disbelief. “You're managing this gym now?”

She smiled — cool and confident. “No,” she said. “I’m the CEO of the entire chain. And I’ve decided it’s time to move on from you.”

The words landed harder than any weight I’d ever lifted. Stacy Star — once the rookie I trained — was now in charge. Of everything. And she was cutting me loose without hesitation.

Then she leaned in just slightly, her voice steady.

“Tell me something,” she asked. “Did you ever think… I’d be the one firing you?”