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Nonchalantly, I paused at the water cooler, pouring myself a cup as my ears strained to catch any fragments of their conversations.
Their whispers were barely audible, making it challenging to decipher every detail, but I gleaned enough information to confirm my suspicions.
"...they were in his office all day…"
"I heard they've been spending an awful lot of time together outside of here, too."
“Someone said they only rented one room in Boston..”
"The way they look at each other—something's going on."
“…Funny, she’s got the good office..”
Their words hung in the air like a damning verdict. A wave of dread washed over me.
Someone had pieced together the evidence of our relationship and the secret we had fought tirelessly to protect, which now teetered on the brink of exposure, threatening Jill’s reputation.
Returning to my office, vulnerability gnawed at me as I realized the need to confront this issue head-on.
Upon entering my office, I shut the door behind me and took a deep breath—steel determination replacing any trace of trepidation. A problematic conversation lay ahead. I could not allow this situation to spiral out of control.
Grabbing my phone, I dialed Stacey's extension. “They know,” I said. “I just heard a bunch of people from the design department whispering about Jill and me.”
“Don’t worry,” she said. “I already figured this would come up eventually. I have a plan.”
She assured me she would discreetly inquire and promptly update me with her findings.
As I awaited her response, I reflected on the precarious position that Jill and I had now put ourselves in. Corporate politics was unforgiving, and our secret love affair posed a potential liability that we - especially she- could ill afford.
An hour later, my phone finally buzzed. It was Stacey. Her investigation had revealed that rumors likely originated from a group of younger employees who had watched Jill walk into my office earlier in the day and saw me shut the door behind her, then remarked to one another that they’d never seen her come back out. From there, they’d discussed other rumors that had long been circulating, including one employee saying she’d seen us out to dinner together and pieced it all together from there.
There was more, though. Their gossip spread throughout the office like wildfire, becoming increasingly difficult to contain.
Armed with this knowledge, it was clear that immediate action was necessary. I decided to call an impromptu team meeting—an opportunity to address the rumors head-on and set the record straight.
While I would have to maintain professionalism in doing so, my and Jill’s personal lives were not up for discussion- and everyone needed to know that there would be disciplinary action if any of the rumors affected the flow of the workplace.
The meeting was called, and Stacey met me in the conference room, where we prepared to discuss the situation candidly with the team. As the young design employees filed into the conference room, they all looked at me with knowing smirks as if they wanted me to see they knew.
“Where’s the Mrs.?” I heard one of them whisper as they walked past, setting loose a sea of muffled giggles.
By then, I was too irritated to ignore their behavior any longer.
"Unbelievable!” I said. “We're operating in a professional environment, and I expect all of you to behave like it,” I scolded, knowing my hypocrisy. After all, we were only there because I’d been hiding in my office with a woman.
The employees all hushed, lowering their eyes and listening.
“Jill and I have been seeing each other,” I said, knowing there was no point in hiding the truth anymore. “Our relationship outside of work has nothing to do with what goes on in the workplace, and she earned everything she’s got by being a stellar employee. She follows the guidelines, produces quality work, and is committed to her job. She does not spend her days gossiping about others. I want to think that none of you would do that, either. If I hear of it, disciplinary action will take place. Is this understood?”
Meekly, they all nodded, acknowledging what I’d said.
I excused them, and they scurried out of the conference room like hurried mice, trying to outrun a cat.
Then, Jill, standing silently near the door, caught my attention. Hearing there was a meeting, she’d joined late, and her presence had been overlooked amid my exasperation.
Her facial expression spoke volumes. She had overheard the entire exchange, and her eyes reflected my disappointment- though I could tell her disappointment was regarding how I handled the situation.
"Jeremy," she cautiously began. "You didn't need to be so harsh with them. They're young and bound to make mistakes. We all do. I appreciate that you came clean about us, but there’s no need to be that angry with the kids. We knew people would talk, right?"
