Unexpected Confrontation
**Rachel**
The tasks I performed as Susan's assistant were quite simple. I had no trouble executing them, yet I always felt awkward due to the way she made me feel like I was constantly making mistakes. So, when the workday at Mitchell finally ended the next day, I felt a profound sense of relief and a strong urge to get out of there as quickly as possible. In short, I didn't feel comfortable in Susan's presence, and she didn't appreciate mine.
"Before you leave, you need to file all these folders in the archive room at the end of the hallway," she ordered. Susan already had her bag over her shoulder, ready to leave, when she gave this command, and it was hard to resist the urge to refuse, especially since regular office hours had already ended. However, I simply nodded in agreement and did as she asked, albeit grumbling and muttering unfriendly words the entire time. Luckily, there was no one around to hear.
"Why are you so upset?" Thompson's voice came from somewhere.
The door to the archive room was closed, and I found myself alone in the spacious room. So, where was that voice coming from? Was I going crazy, I thought, utterly horrified.
"I can see you through the cameras, Rachel," Thompson explained.
I couldn't help but let out a sarcastic, almost psychotic laugh, remembering that just a few minutes ago I had tried to adjust my underwear, and he must have seen that embarrassing scene.
Why hadn't I considered that a company of that size would have cameras everywhere? The fact that they had audio was just a detail.
"Were you really watching me the whole time through the cameras?" I asked incredulously.
"I wouldn't use the word 'watching,'" Thompson corrected. "I noticed you were in the archive room for less than two minutes, and aside from the curses that would make any laborer jealous, I didn't see anything out of the ordinary."
I sighed with relief. At least he hadn't seen me trying to adjust my underwear. It wasn't that small, but apparently, I was gaining a few extra pounds, which translated into a significant increase in that part of my body.
"Okay," I agreed, not wanting to dwell on the subject.
"Can I offer you a ride if you get out of that room soon?"
"I'm already on my way out!"
Going home by car was much better than using public transportation, and I wasted no time in the archive room. I returned to my spot in the office waiting area of Thompson's office, where he was already waiting beside the desk that had been set up in one of the corners.
"Can we go?" he asked.
"Yes, I'm ready," I agreed, grabbing my bag from the locker.
Just like the day before, Thompson bombarded me with questions about everything I had done since my father's death, as well as about Sarah. Despite finding him very curious, I saw no reason to lie, so except for a few omissions, I calmly answered all his questions.
Due to rush hour traffic, we took considerably longer on some parts of the journey. Spending so much time in a car, moving at a slow pace, revived my nausea. This time, I didn't even have a bag in my purse that I could use, so I fought hard against the sickness.
"We're here," Thompson announced, stopping in front of Joseph's mansion.
I would have thanked him if I hadn't been busy trying to hold back vomit. I opened the door quickly and got out of the car, but I could barely make it to the residence's wall. There, I leaned against it to support myself because my legs seemed unable to bear my weight. I ended up vomiting right there in front of my boss.
"Oh my God!" he exclaimed, clearly startled and not understanding what was happening.
Thompson also got out of the car and approached me, trying to help in some way. With no other options, he held my hair, which was about to get soiled by the vomit.
"I'm so sorry," I said, there was nothing more to say. "I wasn't feeling well."
"That's quite evident," Thompson tried to joke. "I deduced that you... are pregnant, is that right?"
He was quick, I thought with irony.
"Yes," I replied, now feeling a bit better and managing to step away from the wall. "And now you're going to fire me, aren't you?"
My question was posed with the same attitude he used when questioning me, a silly attempt to pretend he knew how to handle the situation when tears seemed ready to burst from my eyes like a waterfall.
"No... that's not it," he denied seriously. "The fact that you're pregnant only makes me believe you need this job even more. Am I right?"
I stared at him in astonishment, unable to believe that even knowing I was pregnant, he would still allow me to continue at Mitchell.
"Thank you, Thompson," I said, not even responding to his question. "Thank you so much. Really."
Instinctively, I hugged him to show how grateful I was for his gesture, and he returned it by gently holding me around my still-slim waist.
"What's going on here?" Enrico's unmistakable voice asked. "Has the front of my father's house turned into a lovers' meeting point now!?"
"Enrico!?"
I immediately pulled away from Thompson's arms, a wave of guilt washing over me. Yet, I scolded myself for it—after all, I hadn't done anything wrong. Even if the scene before Enrico was exactly what he suspected, he had no right to question or demand anything from me.
"What are you doing here?" It was the foolish question I asked.
"Visiting my father, which is my right as his son," he said arrogantly, then added, "Unlike you, who are just an employee of my father's house and here in front of his house, cavorting with anyone who walks by."
Before I could react, before I could even think of how to respond, Thompson took charge of the situation.
"Watch your tone with Rachel," Thompson said, glaring at Enrico, his finger pointed. "It doesn't matter if she's a house employee or not, you need to learn some lessons about respect, you big idiot!"
Enrico's response was to take a few steps toward Thompson, and I panicked, imagining they might come to blows. I wasn't in any condition to witness something so violent.
"Stop both of you!" I shouted, almost hysterical. "This is completely ridiculous! I... I..."
I couldn't finish what I intended to say because the tears I had held back for so long finally flooded my eyes. The discomfort I felt was overwhelming, my legs weakened, and my eyes closed before I could find something to lean on, and my body collapsed onto the ground.
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