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I couldn’t bear to hear his response, so I jumped up from my chair and hurried from the room, tripping over someone’s laptop power cord on the way, stumbling forward, catching myself before I landed on my face. Then I was out in the hall, my office to the left and the exit to the right.
I turned right.
My life was crumbling around me. The humiliation was deep, bordering on horrifying. I had always known there was a possibility I would get caught. That someone would recognize me, or discover what I was doing in the privacy of my bedroom several times a week. But I never expected it to happen like this. I never imagined my unveiling would be so horrificallypublic.
It was a literal nightmare.
I hurried past my NMCF coworkers, ignoring their concerned looks and questions as to why I was running. All that mattered was gettingaway, anywhere but here. I got halfway to the elevator lobby when I realized I didn’t have my purse. My car keys were in my purse, and my purse was in my office. I had to go back.
When I turned around, I came face to face with Sandra Trout herself. She wore a smug smile, one which transformed into mock concern. “Ms. Hanover? What’s wrong?”
“Why?” I demanded, blinking away tears. I didn’t want this woman to see me crying. “Why would you do this?”
She let out a girlish giggle. “Don’t play the game if you can’t stand losing, dear.”
Game?I wanted to scream at her.This is my life. And it’s all some game to you?
Instead, I struck out with my palm, catching her across the cheek. The noise was sharp and loud and satisfying, but it only lasted a few seconds.
“That didn’t hurt,” she told me, reaching up to touch her skin where a red hand print was now visible. “In fact, it felt great. Like victory. And when I sue you for battery, it will feel even better.”
“Why?” I asked again. “What did I do to deserve this?”
Her humor disappeared, and was replaced by something icy cold. Calculating. Psychotic. “Last week. In your office. The way you treated me was unacceptable.”
I stared at her in disbelief. “You destroyed my life because I had the audacity to saynoto you?”
“It wasn’t only that. Plenty of people tell me no. I’m not so vindictive to strike out at every person who does so. But what you did…” She took a menacing step toward me, a demon in red heels. “You did it publicly. In front of my assistant. And in front of Michael Bauer, a man I am quite fond of.” She was close enough that I could see the lines of her puckered lips, the hint of wrinkles at the eyes where the botox was wearing off.
“You. Made. Me. Look.Difficult.”
“Difficult?” I repeated dumbly. My brain felt slow.
“There’s nothing this world abhors more than a difficult woman,” she explained coldly. “Men can be as demanding and difficult as they please. It’s their birthright. It makes them look strong, and assertive. But when a woman dares to act the same, the world rejects us like an unwanted pregnancy. They call us Karens. They ridicule us.Youmade me look like that. And for what? Because I asked you to do your fucking job.”
She bit off the words like a dog snapping at a bone. I took an instinctive step back, then immediately stopped myself. I would not back down. Not now. I didn’t have anything to lose by standing up to her.
“You aren’t just some Karen complaining about her Starbucks order,” I shot back. “You’re so much worse! You’ve been raising rents all around the city. Restaurants have closed downtown because of your influence on the city council. You’ve had human feces mailed to people who cross you! You’re the wicked witch of Fort Perth!”
She smiled as if I had complimented her. “All the greatest women in history were called witches by those who didn’t appreciate them. You should have learned that crossing a witch is a good way to get cursed. From this moment until the rest of your life, I want you to feel cursed by me. This is the moment it all happened.”
“Cursed?” I laughed in her face. “Am I supposed to be afraid of that?”
“Your father applied for a position at Joseph Carpenter Medical Center,” she said casually.
“I… what?”
“Oh, you didn’t know that? How interesting. I know it. I know a great many things, you will find. Your father applied for a job there two weeks ago. He is a strong candidate, and has already moved past the first interview. But I will ensure there isn’t a second.”
My gut twisted painfully. “No…”
“I will also make sure the New Mexico Department of General Assistance for Disabled Adults investigates him for welfare fraud. I’m sure they can digsomethingup, and even if not, the process will be quite time consuming, and his disability checks will be suspended pending the investigation.”
She raised an eyebrow at me. “You seem at a loss for words, so I will continue explaining how this works. Your mother cleans houses for a living. Some of these houses are owned by wealthy women. I will make sure these women know your mother is stealing from them. It will be quite difficult for her to find a job after that. It is, after all, a small town.
“And that pretty pink house you’re under contract with! Such a nice home for someone who has lived in apartments her whole life. You must be so excited. Unfortunately, the HOA for the neighborhood is going to soon learn that you are a sex worker. I’m certain they can find a bylaw that allows them to veto the sale. Wouldn’t want anyunsavory typesmoving into the neighborhood!”
She perked up like she had remembered something. “Oh! And back to your dear mother and father. As soon as we get back to my office, I’ll send them a copy of your work. Not the watered down version everyone saw in that conference room—one of your moregraphicperformances. The kind you’ve been filming with my dear personal assistant. I’ll be sure to deliver it by courier, with strict instructions that they play the video for your parents without delay. I want their reactions recorded. I’m sure it will bedelicious.”
