Catherine bounced into the office on a wave of enthusiasm and anticipation. Her promotion interview was just after lunch. She had waited months for this day to come; hours of preparations and hard work, dozens of mock interviews with her loving and supportive husband John. Now it had arrived and she was ready. This was going to be a big day for her, she could feel it.
After a light lunch spent mostly revising her supporting materials, Catherine sat in the foyer outside Dario's office, a little early for her appointment. She was relieved it was Dario and not Jane who was interviewing her. Jane was opaque and hard to read. She was a precise, cold woman, who ruled her department with an iron fist. Her outward coolness was frequently punctured by volcanic rants directed at Finance employees, though she had always been pleasant to Catherine. She'd never have put Jane and Dario together as a couple; even at work socials they rarely talked, but she guessed it worked for them.
With no Jane to negotiate with, she felt she had a pretty good read Dario. She been in the industry for 5 years and was used to self-centred, arrogant men. He was flash, deeply image conscious and money obsessed. In advertising she had to deal with clients like him all the time, and a sprinkling of flattery and fawning always saw you through - you just needed to know how to handle them, and how best to stroke their egos. Dario was no different, and she knew she had the measure of him.
Dario's secretary, Natasha, beckoned her through into his office. The first thing she noticed was that Louisa, the head of HR, was not there. This was unusual as HR always had a rep attending for promotion interviews, and Louisa always insisted on it. Dario swept into the room, hair slicked back, talking quietly into his phone. "I'm about to get started with Cat now, so I need to go." Dario hung up and sat across the table from Catherine. Motioning to the empty chair, "Louisa's been called away on something urgent, and HR don't have anyone else available for this afternoon. Are you happy to keep going or do you want to reschedule?"
Catherine had prepared exhaustively for this moment. She couldn't bear to delay it any longer, especially not over something as trivial as an HR rep being present. "Let's go for it!" she said confidently. Dario smiled. "Ok then, show me what you've got."
They discussed Catherine's many achievements over the past five years in great detail, and Dario asked a number of more-general, competency based questions, something Catherine handled effortlessly, having role-played for hours with John. They'd been talking for almost an hour, and everything was going to plan when Dario let out a deep sigh.
"You're a great candidate Cat, and I can see you've put a lot of effort into this, but i'm not sure this is the right role for you."
Catherine's heart plummeted. "I don't understand. I exceeded all the necessary targets. What more do you need from me?" she sounded exasperated and slightly desperate. It suddenly felt like everything she had worked towards was slipping away, and she didn't understand why.
"The problem, Cat, is that being a Senior Accounts Manager in this firm requires duties that, for all your hard work, I don't think you are capable of. For that reason, I'm leaning towards another candidate for the position."
"Do you mind telling me who you are considering?" Catherine asked.
"Well, for instance I think Rebecca has a strong case." Dario ventured.
Catherine despised Rebecca, as Dario knew only too well. She was barely out of university, didn't know her arse from her elbow as far as marketing was concerned, but she was young, thin and pretty, and that had carried her far. She also played the office game, socialised with the right directors, and was always rolled out as eye candy for public events The prospect of answering to Rebecca, after everything she had worked for, was completely unpalatable.
"What? Rebecca? I don't understand." Catherine said incredulously. "My accounts bring in four times the revenue of hers, and I have far more experience dealing with big clients. Can Rebecca produce the kind of profit I have over the last few years? You know the hours I work. How could I offer more."
Dario smiled like a crocodile as he revealed his intent. "Quite simply Cat, I want you to take me to your house, this afternoon, and you're going to let me fuck you in your bed."
It wasn't just the proposal that took Catherine aback, it was the cold, merciless tone it was delivered in. The warm nature of the rest of the interview evaporated in an instant.
"And what if I say no?" stammered Catherine, her confidence suddenly draining away. "What if I walk out of here, and go to HR?" She said, trying to sound forceful, but was barely masking her panic.
"Well, that's up to you, but it will be your word against mine, and this is my company, so who do you think they'll believe. It sounds like the kind of accusation a bitter employee would throw around after being rejected for a promotion."