Office humiliation

Isabella had barely recovered from her hospital stay when Alexander insisted she return to work. "You need to get back to reality," he said, his voice firm. "Lying around at home won't solve anything."

Isabella was taken aback. She had expected some time to rest and recover, but Alexander was having none of it. "But Alexander, I'm not feeling well," she protested.

"Don't be weak, Isabella," he snapped. "You need to start pulling your weight around here."

So, with a heavy heart, Isabella returned to the office. She was still fragile, both physically and emotionally, but Alexander didn't seem to care.

As she settled at her desk, her colleagues looked on with concern. "Isabella, are you sure you're ready to be back?" one of them asked.

But before she could respond, Alexander appeared at her side. "She's fine," he said brusquely. "She just needs to get back to work."

And with that, he turned to the rest of the team. "Alright, let's get started on this project. Isabella, I expect you to lead the presentation."

Isabella's heart sank. She was still trying to get her bearings, and now Alexander was expecting her to lead a presentation?

But she tried her best, despite her reservations. She stood up, trying to composed herself, and began to speak.

But Alexander was having none of it. "What is this, Isabella?" he sneered, interrupting her. "You call this a presentation? This is a joke."

Isabella felt her face burning with shame as her colleagues looked on. "I-I'm sorry," she stuttered.

But Alexander just kept going. "You're so incompetent, Isabella. I don't know how you manage to mess up every project you touch."

The room fell silent, with all eyes on Isabella. She felt like she was going to collapse.

And then, Alexander delivered the final blow. "Maybe you should just stick to what you're good at, Isabella. Looking pretty."

The room erupted into a mixture of gasps and snickers, and Isabella felt like she was going to die.

As Isabella tried to compose herself after Alexander's outburst, she noticed John, a male colleague, approaching her. He had a kind face and a gentle smile, and Isabella felt a surge of gratitude towards him.

"Hey, Isabella, I couldn't help but notice you're struggling," John said, his voice low and concerned. "Can I help you with some of the tasks Alexander assigned to you?"

Isabella hesitated for a moment, unsure if she should accept John's offer. But something about his kind eyes put her at ease. "Thank you, John. That would be a huge help."

Just as they were about to start working together, Alexander stormed over to their desks. His face was red with anger, and his eyes were blazing with fury.

"What is going on here?" he demanded, his voice loud and menacing.

John stood up to him, his eyes locked on Alexander's. "I'm just trying to help Isabella with her workload, Alexander. She's been given too much to handle."

But Alexander wouldn't listen. He was beyond reason. "You think you can undermine my authority, John? I'll show you what happens when you cross me."

And with that, he dumped even more work on Isabella's desk. The pile of papers and files seemed to grow exponentially, and Isabella felt like she was drowning.

"I expect this to be done by the end of the day," Alexander snarled, his eyes glinting with malice.

Isabella felt a wave of despair wash over her. She couldn't keep up with the workload, and Alexander seemed determined to break her.

John tried to reassure her. "We'll get through this, Isabella. We'll work together."

But Alexander's next words made her blood run cold. "And John, don't think for a second that I won't notice if you're helping her. You'll be punished just the same."

Isabella knew then that she was in grave danger. Alexander's cruelty knew no bounds, and she was his next target.

She felt a chill run down her spine as Alexander's eyes locked on hers. She knew she had to get out of there, before it was too late.

Isabella felt like she was trapped in a never-ending nightmare. Alexander's constant belittling and workload dumping was taking a toll on her mental health. She was starting to doubt her own abilities and wondered if she was indeed as incompetent as Alexander made her out to be.

John, sensing her distress, tried to reassure her. "Isabella, don't listen to him. You're an excellent employee, and I've seen your work. You're being unfairly targeted."

But Alexander wouldn't let up. He continued to pile on the work, making impossible deadlines and criticizing her every move.

One day, as Isabella was working late, trying to meet one of Alexander's impossible deadlines, he stormed into the office. "What are you doing, Isabella?" he demanded. "You're not even doing the task right."

Isabella felt tears prick at the corners of her eyes. She was exhausted, both physically and mentally. "I'm trying my best, Alexander," she said, her voice shaking.

But Alexander just sneered. "Your best is not good enough. You're a disappointment, Isabella. A complete failure."

Isabella felt like she had reached her breaking point.

Isabella trudged through the front door, exhausted from another grueling day at the office. Alexander's constant belittling and workload dumping had taken a toll on her mental health. She felt like a robot, just going through the motions.

"I'm home," she announced, dropping her bag on the floor.

Alexander looked up from his phone, a scowl on his face. "You're late. Again."

Isabella shrugged. "I had a lot of work to do."

"You're always making excuses," Alexander sneered. "You're so incompetent, Isabella."

Isabella felt a surge of anger, but she bit her tongue. She was too tired to argue.

"I'm going to bed," she said, turning away.

"You're not even going to eat dinner?" Alexander called after her.

Isabella didn't respond. She just went to bed, feeling defeated.

The next day, Isabella woke up feeling numb. She got dressed and went to work, not caring about anything anymore.

As she walked into the office, she saw her coworkers whispering and pointing at her. She knew they looked down on her, thanks to Alexander's constant criticism.

"Hey, stupid," someone whispered as she walked by.

Isabella ignored them. She didn't care what they thought anymore.

At lunchtime, she went out to buy a sandwich. That's when she saw her - a girl with a bright smile and sparkling eyes.

"Hi, I'm Ava," the girl said, striking up a conversation.

Isabella was taken aback. No one had been friendly to her in a long time.

"I'm Isabella," she replied, smiling back.

Ava and Isabella started talking, and Isabella found herself opening up to this stranger.

As they parted ways, Ava said, "Hey, let's hang out sometime."

Isabella's heart skipped a beat. She had made a new friend.

Over the next few weeks, Isabella and Ava grew closer. They would meet for lunch or coffee, and Isabella finally felt like she had someone who understood her.

As the days went by, Isabella and Ava's friendship continued to grow. They would meet every day, sharing stories and laughter. Isabella finally felt like she had found someone who truly understood her.

One day, as they were sipping coffee, Ava asked, "Isabella, can I ask you something?"

"Of course," Isabella replied.

"What's going on with you and your husband?" Ava asked, her brow furrowed with concern. "You seem really unhappy when you talk about him."

Isabella hesitated, unsure of how much to reveal. "We just...have our differences," she said vaguely.

Ava nodded sympathetically. "I'm here for you, no matter what. You deserve to be happy."

Isabella smiled, feeling grateful for Ava's support. But she couldn't shake off the feeling that she was hiding a dark secret. She hadn't told Ava about the contract, or the real nature of her relationship with Alexander. She wasn't sure if she was ready to share that part of her life with anyone yet.

Meanwhile, Alexander was growing increasingly suspicious of Isabella's friendship with Ava. He didn't like the idea of Isabella confiding in someone else, especially not about their relationship.

"Who is this Ava person?" Alexander demanded when Isabella got home from work. "You're spending an awful lot of time with her."

Isabella shrugged, trying to downplay the situation. "She's just a friend from work. We grab coffee sometimes."

Alexander's eyes narrowed. "I don't want you getting too close to her. You know our arrangement, Isabella. I won't have you jeopardizing it."

Isabella felt a surge of anger, but she bit her tongue. She knew better than to cross Alexander.

"I understand," she said meekly.

But Ava had already become an integral part of Isabella's life. She was the one person who made Isabella feel seen and heard.

As the days turned into weeks, Isabella found herself opening up to Ava more and more. She told her about her dreams, her fears, and her aspirations.

Ava listened with a sympathetic ear, offering words of encouragement and support.

"You deserve so much better than Alexander," Ava said one day. "You deserve someone who loves and appreciates you for who you are."

Isabella felt a lump form in her throat. No one had ever said anything like that to her before.

"Thanks, Ava," she said, her voice shaking. "Just talking to you makes me feel better."

Ava smiled and hugged her. "Anytime, friend. We're in this together."

But Alexander was not happy about their growing friendship. He saw Ava as a threat, someone who could potentially disrupt his control over Isabella.