An Unusual Colleague
Anna was intrigued by the new colleague immediately. However, the girl kept her distance from the other coworkers, never joining them for a coffee at the office cafe and dashing off to the parking lot with her bag and cap as soon as the workday ended, avoiding any conversation. She was seated next to Anna and Anna could hear her answering calls. She had a pleasant voice.
“Anna, have you not had a chat with the new girl yet?” asked Olivia, the senior shift manager, one day. “She seems fine, quite impressive even according to her metrics. But she’s extremely reserved. She’s been with us for over a month now and hasn’t made any friends. Nobody seems to remember her face well.”
Anna shrugged, “No, I haven’t. I once asked her to pass a pencil and she just tossed it over without looking. It was a little off-putting.”
“Maybe she’ll warm up eventually…” Olivia suggested.
Anna soon discovered that the newcomer’s education didn’t align with her current position. It turned out Victoria, as the girl was called, had graduated in biology and even held a PhD. How did she end up in an ordinary call center, where most employees were students or recent graduates looking for better opportunities? Curiosity pushed Anna to approach Victoria during a break and ask her a work-related question. Victoria replied quietly, keeping her head down and her hair covering her face.
“Do you think she’s sick?” the call center team whispered among themselves.
“Nah, she’s just hiding acne,” joked Oliver, the system administrator, renowned for his wit.
One day, Anna had to stay late to finish a report on outgoing calls. The call center emptied, leaving her alone to complete her work. After sending the report to her manager’s email, she checked the time. Nearly nine in the evening with an hour’s commute home. She wished she’d managed her time better.
Anna sighed, powered down her computer, grabbed her coat, locked up, and headed out. As she stepped outside, she realized it was raining. She’d left her umbrella at home, much to her frustration.
“I can give you a lift if you’d like,” came a familiar voice beside her.
Anna turned to see a tall girl in a cap and hoodie standing by the building entrance. It was Victoria!
“Victoria, is that you?” Anna asked, surprised.
The girl nodded. “Yeah, I left my phone in the office. Had to come back for it. Saw you leaving—if you wait a bit, I’ll drive you. There’s going to be a downpour, and I’ve got my car.”
“Thank you, I’d appreciate that,” Anna replied with a smile.
Ten minutes later, they were in Victoria’s car. For the first time, Anna could see Victoria’s face clearly and was taken aback. A scar adorned her cheek, her nose appeared sunken, and one eye was partially hooded.
Sensing Anna’s gaze, Victoria smirked, “Go ahead, ask if you’re curious.”
Anna shook her head, “No, it’s fine.”
“Come on, it’s not fine and we both know it,” Victoria sighed. “I’ve been hiding for too long. Yes, I have some problems. Serious ones. I wasn’t always like this. By the way, where are you headed?”
Anna gave her address.
“Do you want to hear how it happened? We have a long drive ahead. I feel like sharing. It’s exhausting keeping it all inside…”
“Alright. If you want to talk, I’ll listen. I won’t spread it around—promise,” Anna assured her with a warm smile.
And so, Victoria began her tale.
Victoria was a late child. Her mother, a botany professor, was over forty, and her father had just turned fifty. They had almost given up on having children when a miracle happened, filling their lives with joy.
“We’ve beaten nature,” Victoria’s mother would say with a smile.
“This is why she’ll be named Victoria,” her father joked, suggesting the name meant victory.
It quickly became clear that Victoria was exceptionally intelligent. At three, she was flipping through encyclopedias on wildlife, and by six, she’d excelled at school. She later enrolled in the university’s biology program, much to her parents’ delight, who anticipated great things for her.
However, they hadn’t considered one crucial aspect while planning Victoria’s future. Immersed in her studies, she rarely interacted with peers. Her room was adorned with portraits of great scientists instead of trendy band posters. This isolation deeply influenced her personality. She was introverted and wasn’t bothered by this until her teenage years brought a longing for connection.
The natural order of things kicked in. Besides scientific papers, Victoria found herself drawn to romance novels, which she hid under her mattress to avoid her mother’s disappointment.
Victoria had another secret. She was painfully aware of her perceived unattractiveness. Standing tall and slender with long, thin legs, a plain face, a button nose, and broad cheekbones, Victoria thought she was graceless, capable only of evoking sympathy.
Over time, Victoria completed her thesis and became a lecturer at the genetics department. Her students adored her engaging lectures, as she effortlessly demystified complex concepts. From the outside, everything seemed perfect. Still, she yearned for love with someone who would accept her flaws. She believed she had many.
Soon, she met HIM. They crossed paths at a pricey gym, which she could afford thanks to her decent salary. Daniel was the wealthy son of affluent parents, used to getting whatever he wanted with no effort. Noticing Victoria hard at work on the exercise bike, he decided to approach her, keen on testing his charm. Unaccustomed to attention, Victoria was taken aback by his charisma.
Daniel called her the next day. She was a novelty to him, unlike anyone he’d ever encountered. To Victoria, though, he represented true love, a man for whom she’d do anything. Daniel quickly realized she was under his complete control.
Initially, he asked her to skip university duties for their meetings. Later, he insisted she change her wardrobe. Once content in jeans and hoodies, Victoria switched to minis, crop tops, and heels. Daniel relished directing someone he deemed so smart and unique. He always wanted more.
“Kitten, you’re gorgeous,” he’d say. “But, you know, I like girls with more up top. You’d be perfect if you had a larger bust.”
After weighing the risks, Victoria decided on her first cosmetic procedure. Daniel boasted about his “scientist” girlfriend who “got a boob job” for him.
And Daniel didn’t stop there. Victoria plumped her lips, enhanced her cheekbones, even had her eyelids reshaped… Her work suffered; colleagues noticed her distraction from what once was her sole passion. She missed classes more often, annoying colleagues who had to cover for her.
Victoria believed she was rightly sacrificing for her beloved. She envisioned an engagement, a seaside home, a large family, and a peaceful retirement. Her mind painted perfect pictures while Daniel continued to pursue more drastic changes. Lacking friends to guide her, and with a mother oblivious for her peace of mind, Victoria found herself alone.
Tragedy eventually struck. Aiming to slightly raise her brows, she went to a budget surgeon due to her limited funds… and faced complications. Six months in hospital, more surgeries, and her appearance radically transformed.
Daniel visited once but decided she didn’t fit into his life anymore. He ignored her calls, left her messages unanswered, then flaunted a new fiancée online. Victoria was crushed but resolved to push through, aiming to resettle into her academic life, her passion and refuge.
Half a year later, she left the hospital needing more surgery to restore her appearance before returning to teaching, ashamed of her looks. This required a significant sum.
“So now I’m here, and somewhere else too, writing papers for others,” Victoria concluded.
The car had long stopped outside Anna’s building. Tears glistened in Anna’s eyes as she gazed at Victoria.
“How could he treat you that way? What kind of person does that?” she asked, voice wavering.
Victoria ran her hands over her face and stared thoughtfully at the rain-drenched window.
“You know, I’ve learned an important lesson: change for yourself—not for anyone or anything else, neither for love nor for friendship.”
