“Ummm..e-excuse me Mr. Harris,” came a soft-spoken, almost meek voice from the doorway that you recognized instantly.
Jenny.
You lost count of how many conniving little cunts have tried to keep you down over the years, but you could always count on Jenny to watch your back. She was, and will always be your best friend. Through all of the workplace politics and HR bullshit Denise and her lapdog put you through she stood by you through the thick of it.
She looked out for you; you looked out for her. It was no doubt the best decision you ever made bumping into her when you were running late for a meeting. All it took was stain remover on her clothes to finally get her to open up, and everyday since you and her were damn near inseparable.
You two were also an odd couple in how different your personalities and goals were. She was the mild-mannered, meek and courteous receptionist who knew her place and always tried to make friends with everyone whom she worked with. You were the young and hungry novice, always trying to move up while she was satisfied remaining stationery. In the end, your ambition and drive landed you the esteemed position of Junior Manager while she’s remained by her secretarial role.
You’ve told her time and time again that she’s better than that, that she deserves more than constantly being at her superior’s beck and call. But Jenny, ever the humble one, insists that being an office assistant is where she feels more comfortable at. Her “true calling,” she calls it. But that’s just the kind of woman she is.
And more importantly than all that, she was the only woman in this whole damned office who you found attractive.
Well, besides other woman for more...superficial reasons of course. But Jenny was genuine, definitely more likeable than those artificial bimbos in business professional. You always wanted to ask her out for a coffee, maybe see where the conversation goes and if she feels the same.
Fraternization amongst co workers had always been frowned upon by the company, but now with this extra boost of confidence you saw no reason why not.
After all, you’re your own boss now.
Jenny was dressed to impress, as always. Her fashion sense has always been conservative and inoffensive and today was no different.
Wearing a ruffled grey cardigan sweater with a white top and a pencil thin skirt that ended at her knees, her usually flowing red hair was tied in a secretarial bun.
Never one to exaggerate her height or impose her towering presence like some women you knew with high heels, her dainty bare feet were confined in a pair of noticeably tight leopard skin ballet flats with pointed toes.
Your eyes involuntarily wandered for a bit downward toward her petite feet almost popping out of the rather worn footwear, lingering on that for a moment before meeting her friendly gaze.
“Jenny, I told you last week to keep calling me James," you scolded her playfully, "Guess you heard the good news, huh?”
Entering your office with her eyes lit up with slight awe, she eventually stopped behind one of your leather chairs.
“I can’t think of a better guy for the job. You totally deserve it!” she beamed right back at you.
“Not as much I deserve this little bundle of cuteness standing before me!” you grinned coyly, smirking at just how squeamish and adorable her body language was becoming.
“James, stop it! You know we’re not supposed to talking like this in the office,” she finally giggled in her trademark girlish delirium, before closing the door. “You know who might be listening.”
“Who, Denise?” you scoffed, waving your hand dismissively. “She’s probably crying in some cubicle and blowing her nose on Candace’s blouse right now anyways.”
“Yes, well speaking of…” Faltering slightly, she began shifting her feet nervously.
Sighing, you knew what that meant.
“Jenny?” you finally prompted her.
“Well…” Finding solace in your eyes, she reluctantly came clean, “When I was in the break room, earlier this morning, Denise was talking about you and how like, unfair your promotion was. She was...really, really mad. But before you could mad, James, I didn’t mean to snoop or anything.”
“I know you’re not that kind of person, Jenny,” you assured her, before nodding, “What else did you hear?”
“Well….” Choosing her next words very carefully, she locked eyes with you, and proceeded to freeze your heart mid-beat. “She was talking about how she’s going to expose your secret in front of the office.”
Your calming smile quickly vanished right off your face, replaced by a very worrying frown.
Retreating into your own mind, your paranoia instantly shot into overdrive at the mere mention of that word.
Secret? That fucking bitch knows nothing about me. Nothing! But what about that one time-
“No,” you told yourself adamantly, quickly convincing yourself that there was no possible way Denise could know about that.
And even if she did, noone would believe her. Without any proof, without any tangible evidence, it’s just hearsay. And the story of the jealous subordinate trying to get back at the new manager who ‘stole’ her position is one that you could masterfully spin to H.R. should it come to that.
Looking up at her, you scratched your chin in brief contemplation, before asking one last followup just to be sure. “She go into any specifics about what that secret might be, just out of curiosity?”
Jenny gave a halfhearted shrug. “Unfortunately no James. She just kept going on and on about how it’s going to utterly destroy you, and how you’ll be groveling at her feet for this not to come out in public-” You instinctively cringed a little at the mention of Denise’s feet, but held your tongue as she finished, “But besides that, she was sounding like some kind of Saturday morning cartoon villain.”
“Well, she is pretty delusional so that wouldn’t surprise me,” you agreed with her, still wrestling with your suspicions.
Basic instinct told you that Denise did know something (she certainly wouldn't be flaunting it in such a public area if she was just bluffing), but then again, she’s also one of, if not the biggest liars you’ve ever met in your life.
Both ends of the argument wore away at your decision making process like a mental tug-of-war, forcing you to come to a compromise.
“Well, I guess there’s only way to find out if Denise isn’t totally full of crap,” you sighed, voicing your decision out loud to the redhead.
“Um sir?” she nervously stepped to the side as you cracked your knuckles eagerly, a weary yet determined king ready to publicly humiliate his greatest nemesis one last time.
“I’m going to pay Denise a little visit down to her office, and get to the bottom of this once and for all,” you told her matter-of-factly, no hesitation in your voice.
This was your kingdom now, and it’s time that dear ol’ Denise realized that she’s no longer facing off with her equal.
Now, you were the alpha, and she’s about to find out what being on the receiving end of getting royally fucked over feels like.
“You coming?” you offered the still startled woman, walking around your desk.
“If you want me to James, I will but I don’t see why I need-”
Holding up a hand, you pointed out, “Whatever happens in her office, I need a third party to witness it. And if Denise tries to pull something and make me out to be the bad guy, I’m gonna need your eyes and ears wide open. Right?"
Thinking for a moment, Jenny nodded her head in agreement.
“Cool. Let’s go put the big bad witch in her place once and for all!” you smiled at Jenny confidently, leaving the office with the receptionist right on your heels.
View Portfolio
Visit Notebook
Send Gift Points
Awards
Badges
Send Email
Community Newsfeed
General Discussion
Sponsored Items
Book of Trinkets
Static Items
Books
Groups
Interactive Stories
Audio
Campfire Creatives
Community Notes
Crossword Puzzles
Documents
Folders
Images
In & Outs
Madlibs
Photo Albums
Polls
Product Reviews
Quizzes
Survey Forms
Web Pages
Word Searches
More by this author
