Page 20 of Own Me

BlacqQueen333:Your boss needs to wake up and smell the black coffee, @Bl@q1sh! You work too fucking hard for him to ignore you. Have you emailed him your requests? Put that shit in writing to cover your ass (CYA).

BBW69:Every damn day, my boss uses the nastiest tone I’ve ever heard. He talks to me like I’m less than human. Today, he said, “Oy, you, where’s my coffee?” Asshole probably forgot my name. #SickAndTired #IsItFridayYet

BlacqQueen333:@BBW69 What an asshat! I do my best to kill ‘em with kindness in those situations, but DAMN, it’s hard.

BlacqQueen333:My boss, I will call him Mister Bossy Pants, is an unreasonable douchebag. He expects more from me than is possible for the time I have to do the job. I’m not a machine. He went as far as hiring another assistant to do the work he claims I’m slacking on. He has gone too far.

Moments after I hit send on my own rant, a reply comes from someone named Firefly28.

Firefly28:Gurl, tell me about it. My boss, Mr. Venom, had me working overtime every night this week. Then, he had the nerve to complain when I needed to take an extra thirty minutes for lunch for a doctor’s appointment.

BlacqQueen333:That’s a damn shame, but I feel where you’re coming from @Firefly28. My Mister Bossy Pants is the most self-righteous, pompous prick I know. He supposedly enforces a rule about no office romance, but I think he’s fooling around with the new assistant he hired. Fucking asshole!

Chatting with people going through similar office turmoil fills me with a sense of catharsis. Anger courses through me. The tightness gripping my chest for months loosens. I need this site and community even more than I realize. So many of us are up Shit’s Creek without a paddle. At least we’re all in the same godforsaken boat.

Two notifications pop onto my screen, one after the other. I immediately reply.

Bl@q1sh:Thanks for the suggestion @BlacqQueen333 I’m going to email his ass and CC HR.

BlacqQueen333:You go @Bl@q1sh! Let me know if you need a second set of eyes on the email text.

TestyTesty:Let me know if you need a rider. I’m down with taking down all bad bosses.

ImBossy26:I’m with @TestyTesty…lol. It may be time to stop playing nice.

BBW69:Lol. Thanks ladies, but I’ll do the kill ‘em with kindness technique @BlacqQueen333 suggested for now. Today, I said, “Sir, if it wouldn’t be too much trouble, can you please address me as Miss {name redacted}?”. You should’ve seen the look on his stupid face. LMAO!

BlacqQueen333:Slay him with kindness. I love it @BBW69.

I sit back and release a long breath. As bitter as we all feel, I’m glad I have found some small comfort in my new online friends. Whether I’m venting or giving a word of advice I feel freedom to express myself without judgment. What’s more, I feel heard in this community. What a difference between this digital space and my office space.

Vanessa has been someone I can lean on, but she seems as baffled by what I'm going through as I am.Maybe I should send her an invitation to join.I shake my head, rethinking the idea. As much as I want to, I better not tell Vanessa about my forum and risk Sterling finding out. As much as I hate the way he’s treating me, I still want my job.

I close my eyes blocking out the bright screen. Sterling’s nude physique fills my mind. It’s getting harder to resist the desire I have for him.

CHAPTER 12

Ayana

Isit behind my desk working on a file when an email pops up. I click on it and see it’s an email from Sterling.

Hmm, I wonder what this is about.

I scan the email:

At NexGen West, we believe that employees should be rewarded for a job well done. The employees at NexGen West Software Inc. are invited along with a plus one to the Golden Palace Event Center. Gift cards, cash rewards, and other valuable incentives will be given away. This is a new way to recognize the top talent and a way to thank you for your hardwork and dedication. Here’s to a night of relaxation and fun for all. The date is next Saturday beginning at 8p.m. sharp.

I’m looking forward to seeing you all.

Sterling West,

CEO, NexGen West Software Inc.

Maybe I won’t show up. Then again, that would give my boss a reason to be shittier than he already has. So, I will suck it up, do my job to the best of my abilities, and show up to the company party as if unbothered by the antics my boss has been pulling in the office. I won’t lose—I’m made from strong stock like my grandma, Mae.

I make it through the rest of the day without encountering Sterling or his Little Miss Perfect assistant. They have been offsite for meetings all day. Just like the NexGen party at the Golden Palace Sterling didn’t tell me about, I have no idea what those meetings are about or if they are off spending the day in a hotel making love.

Lux has never warranted me disliking her. But I’m starting to despise her, and she has done nothing to me, except get close to Sterling. He hired her to get under my skin and it’s working, but I need to put my emotions toward the person who deserves it. Sterling himself.

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