Work Text:
As soon as I entered the office cafeteria, I noticed the intoxicating aroma of caffeine freshly brewed by the coffee maker, a recurring sound every morning. A small sip was all I needed to wake up in the corporate office of the most distinguished brand in the entire place.
My boss is addicted to work and perfection, sometimes I think it's an obsessive-compulsive disorder that she has developed throughout her working life all these years.
The boss is not someone you want to mess with because at any opportunity she'll look for ways not only to fire you but to make your life miserable before your professional expulsion, which is not well received by other companies.
I walk through the endless corridors with the same decor and realize that they seem like a labyrinth without end, the carpets cushion my steps, although firm and silent to my colleagues around me.
My fate, though privileged, is hellish. My sole purpose in this company is to provide the official image for its entertainment products. That's all I am now, but there was a time when I was just an ordinary employee.
My only mistake? It was proving my worth to my department supervisor, who then gave me an interview with the boss, who offered me the best job opportunity.
I know it sounds like it was the best thing that ever happened to me, but the truth is that the contract I signed was for my entire life and they don't allow me to leave the company, I have to stay here for the rest of my life.
In some ways it's an advantage: I don't have to pay debts, rent, or food, and nobody's waiting for me at home, so there was no reason to refuse the job offer. So what's the problem? The messed up work environment and my coworkers.
They make my life impossible just because I'm privileged. When they speak to me, they use passive aggressive language, and I'm just trying to be kind. They judge me without knowing anything about my life. The atmosphere is suffocating, like a giant concrete cage. I'm not allowed to see sunlight or breathe fresh air. I want to escape this office, but it's impossible.
The place is a fortress, the staff are always attentive to my every step, and unfortunately for me, the person assigned to my lifestyle and responsibilities there is the workaholic boss who suffocates me with responsibilities every second I have my eyes open.
I continue on my way to my room to enjoy my coffee, which is my only way to escape reality thanks to the tasty caffeine, but before I do, I hear some shouting coming from the boss's office. Seeing her angry is very amusing, so I decide to listen to the conversation from behind the closed door.
“You can’t keep doing this, boss. She has rights too, you know? She’s alive like us” my former department supervisor says, agitated.
“I know that, but I can’t allow the suggestion you’re making, as it would damage the company’s assets and profits, as well as the investment we’ve made in this very valuable asset,” the boss replied elegantly.
I wonder what they're talking about that's making Supervisor V so upset. She's usually a very calm person, and I've always been one of her best employees, which is why she took me to that interview with the boss.
“I should never have offered her that job! If I had known what you were planning, I would never have put her at risk like that!” the supervisor shouts loudly. I never would have imagined this.
“You did it and there’s no going back. Profits since she became the face of the company have increased by 350 percent more than when we became the number one company in the world. We can’t afford luxuries like that or it would ruin the whole company,” she says with intensity in her voice. It seems the boss is angry, oh no.
“When did you become so apathetic, J? Before, you were bursting with energy and always looked out for the best interests of all your employees” the supervisor said one last time before I heard her footsteps toward the door, at which point I ran to my room.
That was so exciting. It's been months since I've experienced anything so crazy. After years of not going out, anything is interesting. I turn around and stand there for a second. Why am I stopping? I feel like there's something more, something tells me so.
“Understand that I won’t let her go. She’s my favorite, and I’m going to do everything I can to make sure she doesn’t leave her place by my side. Besides, we’ll both benefit from this contract. I hope you can understand that someday, V” the boss reveals as I hear the sound of the chair reclining.
I see Supervisor V leave the room with a stressed look on her face, lines of tiredness overflowing her eyes, I see her walk away from the place until her figure fades away down the long dark corridor.
What could they have been talking about to make them both so worked up?
I feel a large firm hand grip my shoulder. This is the end, I think. I slowly turn around, only to see the boss looking tired, staring at me as if I were just another piece of prey to be caught.
“How long have you been here, Uzi?” she asks me, her tone enveloping the entire hallway in darkness visible only to me.
"N-no boss, I just got here. I was practically just going to my room to have breakfast with a coffee" I say nervously. I don't want to get in trouble with the boss, or who knows what might happen to me.
She looks at me like she knows I'm lying, her body covering any hope of running away, that just means I'm screwed.
“Uzi, I know you sometimes feel trapped here, but I want you to understand that brilliant minds like yours don’t belong just anywhere. You and I are meant to sustain this company. If you left, this place would collapse and we’d all be ruined” the boss explained, placing her hand behind my back as we walked toward her large office.
“You are the key to us. I need you to understand that your work here is the greatest I have ever seen. Out there, they will leave you alone and exploit you. I demand the best from you because I know your worth. I will always protect you.” As she speaks, we continue walking slowly toward the large window of his office, from which the entire city can be seen.
“Look at all this, Uzi, all those people depend on what we work so hard for. If we falter, everyone loses. That’s why we need to be strong. I can’t carry all of this alone…” We looked out the window, the tone in her voice becoming increasingly captivating.
The view is beautiful, it's been a long time since I've seen anything like it outside. The bright lights bathing the tall corporate buildings and the cars driving through the city are breathtaking. We remained silent for a moment until it was interrupted by the boss.
“I need you by my side, Uzi. The benefits I give you and the care I take with your tasks aren't just because you're an exceptional employee. It's because you matter to me in a way you can't even begin to understand” she says, with a hint of need in his voice.
I can't believe the boss's words, she's never treated anyone this way before, not even her friends. It's a little scary, but exciting.
I see her turn towards me and his lazy eyes, which had been looking around, fix on mine and take on an attentive tone, her hands move towards my neck, I feel the fear in my heart that beats a thousand times a second
I instinctively close my eyes out of fear and stop breathing, but being unable to move I just stand there
Her cold fingers brushed against my neck as she gently adjusted my shirt. I opened my eyes only to see the boss carefully adjusting my collar, as if it were something very important.
“The presentation is everything, little Uzi. I’ll see you at ten o’clock sharp in the main meeting room. I’m giving a very important meeting, and I want you there to see the direction of your future in our company. Then you’ll understand everything and leave your limitations behind.” She says, returning to her frivolous, businesslike tone.
I watch as she returns to her previous position, her gaze fixed on the large window, her back to me. I feel my strength returning; I can leave now, I think.
“I’ll be there, boss,” I say firmly before leaving through the door and going to my room to have a quiet breakfast.
When Uzi leaves the room, there's something she doesn't notice, the wide smile on J's face as he utters those words. One might think it's because of the power she holds over Uzi, but the truth is, it's because of the obsession with her.
The employees are right when they say she's the boss's favorite, because she really is, but in a very compulsive way.
Time keeps ticking and the plan to win her fragile heart is going wonderfully, the only problem is making her realize how interested she is and how willing she is to hurt anyone who gets in her way.
J looks at her watch
The moment of truth is getting closer and closer
"I'm sorry for what is about to happen Uzi, but I can't keep doing this alone, and you're the one meant to reign by my side. We'll see each other soon."