Rita entered the office with a sense of trepidation, still reeling from the morning's awkwardness. The buzz of the workplace surrounded her, a comforting reminder of normalcy. As she settled at her desk, Emma, one of her colleagues, approached with a knowing look.
"Jefferson was just here looking for you," Emma said, her voice low and tinged with a hint of gossip.
Rita's heart skipped a beat. "He was?" she managed to reply, trying to sound nonchalant.
"Yeah, and he seemed pretty serious. You might want to head to his office," Emma suggested, her eyes scanning the room as if the walls could listen.
Rita nodded, feeling the weight of the morning's encounter even heavier now. She stood up, smoothing out her attire, preparing herself for whatever might come next.
"Be careful, though," Emma added, leaning in closer. "Keep it lowkey. The president might be in the mood to pick on someone today, and you know how he can be."
Rita forced a smile. "Thanks for the heads-up, Emma. I'll watch my step."
With her colleague's warning echoing in her ears, Rita made her way to Jefferson's office. Each step felt like moving against a current, her mind filled with conflicting emotions and the uncertainty of Jefferson's intentions. She reached his door, took a deep breath to steady herself, and knocked softly, ready to face whatever awaited her on the other side.
Jefferson was deep in conversation when Rita timidly pushed open the door to his office. His voice was low and authoritative, the hallmark of a man accustomed to being in charge. As his eyes met hers, he abruptly ended the call, placing the phone down with a click that resonated in the suddenly silent room.
Rita hesitated at the threshold, unsure of her next move. "I was wondering... in the office, should you... act mean to me?" Her voice was barely above a whisper, betraying her anxiety. "So that no one suspects anything about us?"
To her surprise, Jefferson's lips curved into a smile, a rare sight that seemed to brighten the entire office. "There's no need to be overly concerned about our colleagues' opinions," he said, his tone light and almost teasing. "We shouldn't shape our relationship based on what others might think."
Rita felt a warmth creep into her cheeks at the sight of his smile. She was about to respond when the door burst open. Linda, Jefferson's secretary, strode in with an air of urgency, clutching a stack of documents.
"Sorry to interrupt, but these need your signature," Linda said, not even glancing Rita's way as she made a beeline for Jefferson's desk.
Jefferson's attention shifted seamlessly from Rita to Linda. "Of course," he replied, his CEO persona snapping back into place.
He then turned to Rita, his expression business-like once again. "You should go back to your work," he instructed, and Rita, still a little flushed from their interaction, nodded and slipped out of the office.
--
By lunchtime, the office was abuzz with whispers and side glances directed Rita's way. The rumor mill had churned out a spicy piece of gossip: Rita had tried to seduce the new president but was coldly thrown out of his office...
When Emma and Rita made their way to the canteen for lunch, they expected a normal break from their work routine. However, Emma was taken aback when she overheard someone deliberately spreading rumors right in front of them.
It was clear that the person was trying to tarnish Rita's reputation by suggesting that she had seduced the company president.
Surprised, Emma whispered to Rita, "Did you hear what that person just said? I can't believe they're spreading such malicious rumors about you seducing the president."
Rita was also shocked by the audacity of the rumors. She hadn't expected her colleagues to stoop so low and fabricate such baseless stories.
"I can't believe this. But whatever, I will never be affected by those things I haven't done."
Emma wanted to tell her colleagues to do something to change their opinions, yet she didn't have any clue about it, so she remained silent.
Despite Rita's determination to rise above the rumors, the hostile environment at the company became increasingly difficult for her. Her colleagues, influenced by the gossip, turned cold and unfriendly towards her. Even her team leader, Ms. Anderson, seemed to be influenced by the rumors and started treating her differently.
"Rita, we have a tight deadline approaching, and I need you to work overtime to meet it. I don't want any distractions or excuses from you." Right before Rita got off work, Ms. Anderson said to her coldly.
Rita felt a sinking feeling in her chest as she realized the unfair treatment she was now subjected to. She knew that refusing to work overtime could potentially worsen the situation and cause further trouble.
"Alright, Ms. Anderson. I understand. I'll do my best to meet the deadline and work overtime if necessary."
With a heavy heart, Rita stayed at the office, working tirelessly to fulfill her duties. The clock ticked on, and the evening turned into night, but Rita remained dedicated to her work, striving to prove her worth and professionalism.
Hours passed, and it was already 11:00 pm when Rita finally completed her tasks. Exhausted and emotionally drained, she gathered her belongings and prepared to leave.
--
When Rita finally arrived home, her exhaustion was palpable. Seeing her fatigued state, Jefferson approached her with concern etched on his face.
"Rita, are you alright? It seems like you've had a tough day at work. Does the rumor cause it?"
Rita, mustering a small smile, tried to downplay the situation, believing that the rumors would eventually die down.
"It was a challenging day, but I think in a few days, everyone will stop being like that. It's just a matter of time."
However, Jefferson's reaction surprised her. His face hardened, and his voice carried a hint of anger.
"Rita, I can't believe they're treating you this way. You shouldn't have to endure such unfair treatment. I won't stand for it."