* We publish the reader’s letter sent to the Damosfera editorial office. The name of the heroine is known to the editors of Damosphere.
I come from a small town. I was born there and went to school there. I had no problems learning, even though it cost me a lot of effort. But I had a purpose for that. I will not be poor like everyone else around me. Our city did not offer any prospects. There were no big companies, banks, etc., so you could only count on working in one of the many supermarkets or doing well at school. I could not even count on the work of a clerk, because these positions had been filled for years by the same people or their children when they retired.
I was afraid to live with my parents until I died, or at least worry if I’d have enough until the first one after all the bills were paid. There were constant conversations about this in my house, so I knew what was in store for me. There was no other choice, I had to take matters into my own hands. I could not count on a rich husband: I was losing to my other girlfriends because of my appearance, and there were no such candidates in our city. I was crammed in all day, giving up on my social life. I became wildly slow, completely unfamiliar to people, not to mention my peers. Even though my friends had been seeing boys and dating etc for a long time, I was very new to this stuff.
In the end, I got into college and got out of the house. It was not easy, but I graduated with honors, thanks to which I also got this coveted and well-paid job. But I was still alone. When someone started to take an interest in me, I unconsciously but quickly put them off me. Such a person, having offered to meet several times in a row and once again hearing an unreliable excuse, naturally takes it as a refusal. After a while he just gave up. Nor can I accept and thank the compliments. It always seemed to me that there were impure intentions behind them. All because I was afraid of any close-ups. I still haven’t had any experience with this. Over time, it became more and more difficult for me.
I was doing great. I started with the lowest position, but within five years I was rapidly promoted. My career was developing surprisingly well and the work was interesting. I liked what I was doing, but when I got the chance to upgrade, I decided to take it. As they say, “appetite grows with eating.” However, the problem was that the other two were fellows, the so-called young wolves. As they said about themselves: we go “over the dead to the goal” and “the end justifies the means.” At the time, I didn’t take it literally and treated it as a joke. I was confident in my worth and convinced that I would win this battle.
An integration trip was organized on the occasion of the company’s 10th anniversary. Just senior management at a fancy spa somewhere in Poland. On the first day in the pool, one of my friends approached me. I knew him before but never cared for him. He worked in a different department and we had very little in common. He was nice to talk to and seemed likable. Charming place, good food and of course alcohol, all made for general relaxation.
I’ve never felt so good. Over the past few years, my work has been so interesting that I have not taken advantage of the holidays and other days off. All relaxation and rest were alien to me. I was surprised at how satisfied I felt after a few days. I didn’t recognize myself. My friend from the pool never left my side and surprisingly this time it wasn’t tiring for me. Gently, but gradually, we narrowed the distance between us.
One evening after supper, at the end of the trip, he proposed to me a walk, as he called it, under the stars. We walked along the beach and the dunes and were about to head back to our hotel when he suggested we sit on a bench on the balcony. He hugged and kissed me. I didn’t get away. So it was funnier. The work has become more dynamic. We kissed passionately, his hands wandering all over my body. When the situation came to a head, which probably needs no explanation, almost the entire Fusion Flight team invaded the balcony. She caught us at the right moment at least. They witnessed a very intimate scene.
They entered so quietly that I could not hear them at first. As it turns out later, they stood like this for some time before revealing themselves. They stood and photographed us in silence, and after a while they started screaming, laughing and screaming as if they were fans of some kind of game. I was paralyzed and silent. It may have taken a few seconds for me to recover and correct myself, but it felt like an eternity. I felt insulted like never before. I start yelling at them to stop and go, but they seem to be having a lot of fun with it all. They did not respond to my behavior at all. This is my current partner. To my surprise, he had a great time doing it, too.
I ran to my room and didn’t come out until I left.
When I went to work on Monday, I hoped everyone had forgotten about the accident. Unfortunately, the topic was the highlight of the day. The whole company talked about nothing else. The recording was passing from person to person, so that it was starting to take on a life of its own. When I entered the room, I saw those mocking looks and expressions of disdain. I was appalled, and I was absolutely appalled when it turned out that the alleged suitor was the closest friend of my competitor for the position. They both planned all this to discredit me, demote me in the eyes of others and force me to quit my job.
I don’t know what to do now. I have built my position in the company over the years. I don’t want to change my job and start over in a new place. But I don’t know if I will continue until the case is over and people forget. Not to mention losing faith in men at all. I can’t believe that some people can be so cruel in pursuit of their goals that they are ready to destroy the lives of others.
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