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(REVISED VERSION)
MICHELLE sat in the kitchen, still lost in thought about the events of the previous night. Sunlight streamed through the slits in the window blinds, casting a warm glow on the room. She absently stared at the cup of tea on the table in front of her, oblivious to the world around her.
Her mother, Martha, walked over to the table carrying a plate of bacon. "Michelle, why don't you call your brother? He's probably starving by now."
Michelle didn't respond, lost in her thoughts. Martha frowned and waved her hand in front of her daughter's face. "Hey, Michelle," she said, trying to get her attention.
Startled, Michelle looked up at her mother with wide eyes. "What, mom?"
"You're spacing out while I'm talking to you, sweetheart," Martha said, then walked over to the sink to wash her hands.
Michelle rubbed her palms on her face, feeling overwhelmed. She wanted to tell her mother about what had happened the night before, but she couldn't find the words to begin. What Zach had done was unforgettable, and it continued to play on her mind.
As she sipped her tea, her brother Kevin entered the kitchen, dressed in his school uniform. "Good morning, Kevin," Martha said as she walked over to him and kissed him on the head.
"Good morning, mom," he replied with a warm smile. He then turned to his sister and said, "Hey, I bet you're already late."
Michelle didn't respond, lost in thought. Martha tapped Kevin's shoulder and shook her head. "She's been like that since she got home last night. Just let her be."
Kevin shrugged and started eating his breakfast. When he finished, he left for school, and Martha went back to her room to attend to her affairs.
Michelle found herself alone in the room and quickly grabbed her phone to check for messages. As she scrolled through, she read a few messages from Mrs. Stewart and almost cursed under her breath at what she saw.
The woman accused Michelle of being an irresponsible employee for having too many absences from work. Michelle replied to apologize and explained her situation, but the woman only threatened to cut her salary if she didn't improve.
This was terrible news for Michelle, as she was the breadwinner of the family and responsible for her mother's care and her brother Kevin's school expenses. She couldn't afford to lose her job just because of Zach, and she refused to give up everything she worked hard for just because she feared being around him.
Determined to turn things around, Michelle told herself, "I can do this! Just be positive!" She took a deep breath and decided to work even harder to prove herself to Mrs. Stewart and keep her job.
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The next day, Michelle felt a mixture of emotions as she headed to work. She was anxious about facing Mrs. Stewart, but even more nervous about seeing Zach again. He had been acting strange lately, constantly watching her with intense stares that made her skin crawl. Michelle knew something was up, but she couldn't quite put her finger on what it was.
As she entered the office, she tried to shake off her negative thoughts and focus on her work. But she couldn't help feeling self-conscious when she saw Zach sitting at his desk, staring at her with a smirk on his face. She avoided eye contact and quickly made her way to her desk.
Just then, Mrs. Stewart's assistant approached her. "Michelle, Mrs. Stewart wants to see you in her office," the assistant said.
Michelle's heart sank. Was this about her lateness? She had been struggling to make it to work on time due to the harassment she had been experiencing from Zach.
As she made her way to Mrs. Stewart's office, her mind raced with all the possible scenarios. But she was cut off when Mrs. Stewart spoke up.
"Michelle, you've been slacking off lately. What's the problem?" Mrs. Stewart asked.
"I'm sorry, Mrs. Stewart. I've been going through some personal issues," Michelle replied, trying to explain herself. "I was even harassed by-"
"I don't want to hear excuses, Michelle. Your performance has been unacceptable. You need to step up or I'll have to let you go," Mrs. Stewart said sternly.
Michelle felt frustrated. She had been trying to tell Mrs. Stewart about the harassment she had been experiencing from Zach, but she had been cut off. It wasn't fair.
As she left Mrs. Stewart's office, she saw Zach standing by the water cooler, watching her with a smirk on his face.
"What's up, lazy bones? You look like you've seen a ghost," Zach teased.
Michelle glared at him. "You're the last person I want to talk to right now, Zach."
Zach laughed. "Ooh, touchy. I like it. You know, you really shouldn't take things so seriously, Michelle. Life's too short to be all work and no play."
Michelle rolled her eyes. She knew what Zach was up to. He had been acting like this ever since he found out she was single. It was getting old.
"I'm not in the mood for your games, Zach. Leave me alone," Michelle said, trying to sound firm.
Zach shrugged. "Suit yourself. But just so you know, I'm always here to lend a helping hand. If you ever need anything, just let me know."
Michelle ignored him and turned back to her work. She didn't need Zach's help or his harassment. All she needed was to keep her head down and get her job done, no matter how difficult it might be.
Michelle felt relieved as she walked out of the building after a long day at work. It was already six in the evening, and she couldn't wait to go home and relax. But as she was putting her belongings inside her car, she noticed Nathan, a familiar face from the night when Zach harassed her.
She waved at him, and he walked towards her with a smile. "Hi, Michelle. So nice to see you again," he said.
She scanned him from head to toe and noticed his suit. "Are you going to apply?" she asked, pointing towards the building.
"No, I work here, Michelle," he explained.
She widened her eyes with surprise. "Really? How come I've never seen you around?"
Nathan scratched the back of his neck. "My schedule is night-shift. That's why I saw you that night with the arrogant guy."
As she turned her eyes to the building's glass door, she saw Zach glaring at them. Without thinking, she grabbed Nathan's hand and pulled him inside her car.
"Hey, what's happening?" Nathan asked.
"Zach is standing right at the door! We should go somewhere," she whispered urgently, and they drove to a small café with a relaxed atmosphere. Michelle ordered two cups of coffee, and they sat near the glass wall.
As they sipped their coffee, Nathan noticed that Michelle seemed upset. "Michelle, is something wrong?" he asked, concern lacing his voice.
Michelle sighed. "Well, my manager gave me a warning today."
Nathan's eyebrows shot up. "What? Why?"
Michelle explained the situation to Mrs. Stewart and felt tears pricking at the corners of her eyes. Nathan offered his sympathy and support, promising to help in any way he could.
"I work as a part-timer for a company that's looking for a new marketing assistant," Nathan said. "If something happens to your job, just let me know, and I'll send you their email address."
Michelle was surprised and grateful. "You'd do that for me?"
Nathan nodded with a reassuring smile. "Of course. I want to help if I can."
Suddenly, Michelle's phone rang. She checked her messages and saw that her brother had sent her a message about being in the hospital. Concerned, Michelle stood up and hurriedly gathered her things.
"I'm sorry, Nathan, but I have to go. My family needs me right now," she said.
Nathan nodded, understanding the urgency. "Let me know if you need anything, okay?"
Michelle gave him a small smile. "Thanks, Nathan. I appreciate it."
As she rushed out of the café, Nathan watched her go with a heavy heart, wishing there was more he could do to help her through this difficult time.
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Author's Note:
Been revising the whole book and even removed unnecessary scenarios here.
So long!
-creepy_stalker199