Daddy's Best Friend

52

He chuckled, seemingly undeterred. "Come on, Sophia, don't be so uptight. We could take this outside the office."

I shot him a stern look. "Jake, I'm not interested. Let's keep things professional here."

Ignoring my clear disinterest, he took another step, attempting to close the gap between us. "You're playing hard to get, huh? I like a challenge."

I sighed, growing frustrated. "Jake, I mean it. This is not appropriate. I won't tolerate any inappropriate behavior in the workplace."

Undeterred, he reached out, attempting to pull me closer. I reacted on instinct, slapping him across the face. The sound echoed through the office, drawing the attention of nearby colleagues.

"Stay away from me, Jake. I won't hesitate to report this if it happens again," I warned, my voice firm.

He rubbed his cheek, a mixture of surprise and anger in his eyes. "You can't just slap me!"

I stood my ground. "Consider it a wake-up call. Respect boundaries, Jake."

His scowl deepened, but he retreated, giving me a disdainful look before disappearing down the corridor. I took a deep breath, trying to shake off the discomfort of the encounter.

***
I burst into the office, panting and trying to catch my breath. Henry, being his observant self, noticed my distress. "Sophia, what's wrong?" he asked, concern etched across his face.

I hesitated for a moment, contemplating whether to share the unsettling encounter I'd just had. But Henry's persistence got the better of me. "It's nothing, really," I said, trying to brush it off.

He furrowed his brows, not buying my attempt at nonchalance. "Sophia, you're not one to run into the office looking like you've just sprinted a marathon. What happened?"

With a sigh, I decided to spill the beans. "Okay, fine. I had an encounter with Jake."

His eyes narrowed, and a low growl escaped his lips. "What did he do?"

I raised my hands defensively. "Henry, please, don't overreact. I can handle it myself."

But he was having none of it. "Sophia, if someone harasses you, I won't just stand by. Tell me what happened."

Reluctantly, I began recounting the whole incident, from Jake's inappropriate comments to his attempt to cross a line that should never be crossed in a professional setting.

Henry's face darkened with each word, and by the time I finished, he looked like a storm ready to unleash its fury. "Where is he?" he asked, his voice low and dangerous.

"Henry, please," I pleaded, grabbing his arm to restrain him. "I've reported it to HR. They are handling it. I don't want any trouble."

He shook off my grip, his anger palpable. "Sophia, this is unacceptable. No one should make you feel unsafe at work."

I sighed, realizing my attempts to pacify him were futile. "I appreciate your concern, Henry. But let HR handle it. I want to resolve this without making a scene."

He sighed, clearly torn between wanting to protect me and respecting my wishes. "Sophia, I can't stand idly by when someone hurts you."

"Henry, trust me. I've got this," I reassured him. "I know how to handle it, and I don't want you getting into trouble."
I was still reeling from the incident with Jake when, to my surprise, Henry stormed into the office like a tornado. His eyes were ablaze with a mixture of anger and concern. "Where is he?" he demanded, not bothering with any pleasantries.

Before I could answer, he must have spotted Jake because he was charging towards him like a bull. "What the hell do you think you're doing, harassing Sophia?" he bellowed.