Untitled Part 8
"And we can't even say for certain whether this was really harassment."
"How about we let it go for now? If you really want to make it up to your young wife, just throw a few good projects her way."
In the few seconds Ethan stayed silent, I already knew what he was going to choose.
I wasn't exactly disappointed.
I'd never expected him to stand up for me in the first place.
Even knowing full well that Manager Brooks had put his hands on me, he still chose the company's interests over my humiliation.
When Ethan spoke again, his voice had gone noticeably colder.
"Leaving the harassment issue aside for the moment, you spread baseless rumors about a coworker's private life. Forget about your year-end bonus."
Then he looked at me, his lips parting slightly.
"I'll keep investigating the harassment claim."
"I'll give you an explanation as soon as possible."
His eyes flicked to the large coffee stain across the front of my blouse.
He took off his jacket and started toward me.
I stepped back.
"Thank you, Mr. Sterling. I'm going to change first."
He stopped where he was.
His hand dropped back to his side, and after a beat, he gave a low, quiet, "Okay."
The basement level of the company was set up as an employee recreation area.
There was a pool, along with locker rooms and showers.
I grabbed the change of clothes I kept at the office and went downstairs to wash up and change out of my dirty things.
I had just finished dressing and was about to step out to blow-dry my hair when I saw a small figure sneaking inside.
I only cracked the locker room door open a little, and Daisy didn't notice me.
She was holding her pale yellow insulated tumbler in both hands, her eyes darting around as if searching for something.
In the end, she rose onto her tiptoes and set the tumbler on the counter nearest the hair dryers.
I pulled the door open and walked over.
"Daisy?"
She jumped, startled.
Then she turned, saw me looking at the cup, and awkwardly nudged it toward me.
In a tiny voice, she said,
"Nana Ruth said if your clothes get wet, you'll catch a cold."
"You should drink some hot milk."
Nana Ruth was the housekeeper.
The second she finished speaking, she ran out.
I was still standing there in a daze when the little girl quietly pushed the door open again.
She edged back inside, rubbing against the frame, her head lowered.
"Do you... hate me now?"
The toe of her little leather shoe scraped against the floor.
"Even if I say I didn't mean to push you, you wouldn't believe me, right...?"
The room went silent.
Softly, I said,
"But I heard you asking Nana Ruth how you could make me lose the baby."
"That's true..."
Her chubby little hands clenched tight at her sides.