One and Only

The Reason: Part 1

I had been working at my current company for about three years, but before that, I worked at a pyramid scheme company that eventually got me to the top of my position. That was until one of my coworkers decided ‌they attracted me to him and thought sexual harassment was going to fly with me. It did not. At that company, they considered me a whore or slut, even though I had yet to go on a date with anyone. Anyway, he cornered me in the copier room and locked the door. To get to the door, I tried to switch places with him. I was extremely unsuccessful and ended up being shoved against the table, then the wall. I used all my power to push him off and eventually did. I bolted for the door and walked right into the office.

"I fucking quit!"

"Why?" my boss at the time responded in a calm tone compared to my frustration.

"Because I was just harassed, and I know for sure that I do not deserve to be treated that way. And I know they will do nothing about it." 

I became enraged and disappointed. This wasn't the first time, and I had to report it two other times and there wasn't a chance.

"You know, this was not the first time, and I am sick and tired of it. I am leaving and if you try to involve the police, I will report the fact that your company does nothing on the account of sexual harassment." 

She finally looked up at me. My boss stood up from her desk and walked to the door. She gestured for me to leave.

"I guess we will not be in contact with each other, and I hope ‌you can move on from this with forgiveness."

I looked at her in disbelief and walked out the door.

"If you don't want a lawsuit, fire him as well."

She looked at me, and her eyes grew wide. She stepped closer to me and raised her hand. I squeezed my eyes closed, trying not to squeeze or tense another part of my body.

"You will not lay a hand on her. I will come for you."

I was waiting for the impact on my face to burn, but there was no impact. I opened my eyes and saw her hand just inches away from my face. She stood there in shock, her mouth hung ajar. I turned around and saw some man standing there with a phone blasting full volume on face-time with my father.

"Dad? Why are you here on the phone?"

"Shut it, you fat ass bitch." I stood there, shocked. My father had never spoken to me like that.

"Excuse me?"

"Shut up, you whore!" 

That time, he shouted. I jumped back, a little confused and shocked. The rage and frustration left my mind.

"Sir, why are you here‌?" 

My boss behind me had lowered her hand and stepped back and bowed slightly forward. (In this company, you bow to your superiors). What was my father doing here‌?

"Attila, take my daughter to your office and sit her in a chair. I will come in a minute." 

My boss stepped in front of me and motioned me to go back into the office. I looked at my dad in disbelief and turned for her door. I walked in and sat in one of the few chairs in her office and I could hear another person come off the elevator as she closed the door behind her.

"Why is my father here?"

"Listen here, you little bitch. I am your older sister. You are supposed to look up to me but you don't. And he is about to come in here and call you a failure."

"Excuse me. You do not get to speak to me like that. I hold..." 

The sound of the door opening had interrupted me. My dad was no longer on the screen and there was a man following him in. It wasn't his usual bodyguard. This one was tall. He towered over my dad and had dark hair. His chest was rather muscular from what I could tell through his shirt.

"Why must you act like this, daughter? Get off of your high horse and respect your sister."

"Dad! Since when do I have a sister? Why are you telling me to get off my high horse?"

He came over to my chair and slapped my face. The person who walked in didn't even flinch. My supposed sister jumped a few inches back. There was a red mark on my face and tears streamed down my face and my eyes got wet with anger and pain. I looked at him in disbelief and stood up.

"Sit your ass back down!" 

My sister yelled at me and my dad turned towards her and raised his hand. She cowered back, bringing her arms closer to her chest like a little child being bullied in the playground. I watched her flinch and looked at my dad and headed for the door. My father rotated towards me and lunged for my arm. He had a hold of me and yanked me onto the ground.

"Get up!"

I scrambled from the ground now with more bruises than before. I looked at everyone in the room, wondering why this was happening to me and what had I done wrong. Did I deserve to be treated this way? No. I stood up, looked at my sister, then my father, then the man behind me standing at the door.

"My apologies, sir, for wasting your time." 

With that said, I walked out the office room door and did not look back. I walked to my desk and grabbed the essentials that I needed. I finally get to the elevator and go to the lobby and walked out the doors to ‌catch the afternoon bus. No one tried to stop me, not one attempt. As soon as I got out of the building, I darted toward the bus.