I walk back to my office with a look of shock and disgust plastered on my face. I briefly contemplate marching straight to the HR department to report Nicholas but know he's way too popular and no one will believe me over him. With an exasperated sigh I sit back down at my desk and get to work writing the reports on the huge pile of cases I'm working on, just in case I do decide to take him up on his stupid offer. I feel so angry and powerless at his proposal since I know, and he knows, how badly I want that job.
Despite how great my desire is for the job, I'm leaning towards declining as the day drags on. That is until I see my nemesis walk in. Natalie Turner. She's the dictionary definition of a slut, and definitely slept her way into the position she's at now. In fact if the rumors around the building are true, she's given blow jobs to everyone in the accounting department, so it's no wonder she gets the largest bonuses of anyone else at her position in the company. She flashes me a falsely sweet smile as she closes my door behind her with her oh so perfectly manicured nails.
"Hey, Katie, how's your day going?" She asks me patronizingly using the nickname I always hated. I glare at her up from the form I'm filling out.
"What do you want Natalie?" I ask tersely without even bothering to answer her question, knowing full well she's only here cause she either wants something or to gloat about some good fortune of hers. In response she just shakes her head and tuts at me.
"Now, now, Kate, hun. That's no way to talk to your soon-to-be superior. Didn't you hear that Nick has me as the frontrunner for the head of the patent department?" Natalie asks with a superior smile. My eyes narrow and I slam my pen down.
"Is that so? Well I guess it does pay to sell out your dignity and gender," I throw back in a nasty tone. Natalie just laughs humorlessly and whisks back her long brown hair.
"Oh Katie, I like you, it'll be a shame I have to fire you as my first act in the new role," she says casually while idly straightening out her far too tight white blouse. My face goes white and my eyes widen in horror.
"B-but you can't do that, that's not fair..."
"What's not fair is you constantly belittling me for using my, ahem, god-given gifts to the best of my ability. It's your own fault for not capitalizing on that power yourself," She cuts me off with a haughty smirk as she turns on her heels to leave my office.
"This was just a courtesy call to let you know you're screwed, toodles" Natalie chuckles as she exits my office and leaves me fuming in my chair. A feeling of hopelessness settles in as I can't bear the thought of losing this job, and there's no way in hell I'll get a recommendation from this place for another job so I'm doubly screwed. Then I remember suddenly that I still have a way out. I just have to give up my body for a few measly hours and I keep my life on track. It won't be that bad, right? I tell myself this as I try and convince myself over the next couple hours that I can go through with this.
With my mind as distracted as it is, it takes a long time to finally finish all my reports, and it's just past 5:30 by the time I finish. I scramble down the stairs to the parking lot and speed all the way to Nicholas' house. As fast my high heels will carry me, I clamber up his front porch and knock on the door, wondering with a vague sense of unease how late I am. Merely a second later Nicholas opens the door wearing faded jeans and a grey t-shirt.