The New Colleague
From the start, Anna found the new colleague intriguing. But the woman kept her distance from others, never joined them at the office cafe, and dashed to the parking lot the moment work ended, clutching her handbag and pulling a cap over her head, avoiding any conversation. Her desk was right next to Anna’s, so she often overheard her phone calls—her voice was quite pleasant.
“Anna, have you had a chat with the new girl yet?” asked Olivia, the shift supervisor, one day. “She seems alright, and her performance is excellent. Still, she’s extremely withdrawn. She’s been here over a month and hasn’t made a single friend. Hardly anyone even remembers what she looks like.”
Anna shrugged. “No, I haven’t. I once asked her to pass a pencil, and she tossed it my way without even looking at me… It was a bit disappointing.”
“Well, maybe she’ll open up eventually…”
Soon enough, Anna learned that the new colleague’s background didn’t quite match her current role. It turned out that Victoria—yes, that was her name—had graduated from the biology department and even held a PhD. How did she end up in a basic call center, mostly filled with students and recent graduates still finding their career paths?
Her curiosity piqued, Anna approached Victoria during a break, asking a work-related question. Victoria kept her head low, answering in a quiet voice, seemingly hiding behind her hair.
“Do you think she might be unwell?” the others in the call center speculated.
“No, she’s probably just hiding a breakout,” joked Oliver, the sysadmin known for his wit.
One evening, Anna had to stay late at work. The call center was empty, and she was the last one there, finishing a report on outbound calls. After emailing it to her manager, she checked the time. Almost nine o’clock—what a nightmare, especially with a long commute ahead. She really needed to stay on top of things better.
With a sigh, Anna shut down her computer, took her coat, locked up, and left. As she stepped outside, she realized it was raining, and of course, she’d forgotten her umbrella at home. She was bound to get soaked before reaching the underground. What a day!
“Want a lift?” asked a familiar voice nearby.
Anna turned and spotted a tall woman in a cap and a hoodie by the entrance. It was Victoria.
“Victoria, is that you?” Anna asked, surprised.
Victoria nodded. “Yes, I forgot my phone in the office and came back for it. I saw you leaving. If you wait a moment, I can give you a ride. It’s pouring, and I have my car.”
“Thanks, I’d appreciate that,” Anna smiled.
Ten minutes later, they both settled into Victoria’s car. For the first time, Anna got a good look at Victoria’s face—and was shocked. A scar marked her cheek, her nose seemed sunken, and one eyelid drooped partially over an eye.
Sensing her colleague’s gaze, Victoria smirked. “Go ahead, ask if you’re curious.”
Anna shook her head. “No, it’s all okay.”
“Come on, it’s obviously not,” Victoria sighed. “How long can I keep hiding? Yes, I have some issues. Serious ones. I wasn’t always like this. Where do you live, by the way?”
Anna gave her address.
“If you’d like, I can tell you how it happened. It’s a long drive; I’ll have time. You know, I really need to share this with someone. It’s hard keeping everything to myself.”
“Alright, if you want to. Otherwise, no pressure,” Anna smiled warmly. “I’m not very nosy, and I won’t tell anyone if that’s important.”
And so, Victoria began her story.
Victoria was a late child. Her mother, a lecturer in botany, was over forty, and her father had hit fifty. They’d long given up on having children but welcomed the miracle when it happened. It brought immense joy to the family.
“We conquered nature, it seems,” her mother joyfully remarked.
“Then we should name her Victoria, after victory,” her father jested.
It soon became evident that Victoria was exceptionally gifted in academic pursuits. By age three, she was flipping through nature encyclopedias with interest, and at six, she started school, graduating with honors. She then enrolled in university’s biology department.
Her parents couldn’t have been prouder of her achievements. Great success seemed inevitable. However, in planning Victoria’s future, they overlooked something crucial. Dedicating herself to academics, she hardly mingled with peers. Books surrounded her, her room adorned with portraits of great scientists rather than pop icons.
This undoubtedly shaped Victoria’s character. She grew reserved and introverted, intimidated by her peers while they found her bewildering. Too smart to talk about anything but science, she didn’t mind solitude until adolescence hit.
Nature took its course, and Victoria yearned for stories beyond genetics and cytology articles—romantic novels found a secret place under her mattress, hidden from a mother who would surely disapprove.
Victoria carried another secret: dissatisfaction with her appearance. Tall, with a small chest, disproportionately long legs, a plain face, a button nose, and wide cheekbones—she deemed herself unappealing and unworthy of affection.
Time passed. Victoria completed her PhD and began teaching genetics. Students flocked to her engaging lectures, captivated by her clear, compelling explanations. It seemed everything was falling into place. But Victoria longed for love and dreamed of someone who would accept her as she was.
Then she met him—or rather, HIM—and fell head over heels. He was her polar opposite.
Victoria attended a high-end gym, earning enough to afford it. In the gym, she met Daniel, a man born into wealth and privilege, always getting what he desired without effort. Seeing Victoria on the exercise bike, he approached her to test his charm. Victoria, unaccustomed to such attention, was captivated by his charisma.
Daniel took her number and called the next day. To him, she was an amusing oddity; to her, he was the love she’d been waiting for, the man she’d do anything for. Sensing her devotion, Daniel knew he had her firmly under his influence.
Initially, he asked her to skip university commitments to see him. Then he demanded a wardrobe change. Victoria, once known for her jeans and hoodies, now donned skirts, short tops, and heels. Daniel relished the control over such an intelligent, extraordinary woman and wanted more.
“You’re beautiful, kitten,” he’d say, “but I’ve always liked women with a fuller figure. If you were a bit bigger up top, you’d be perfect.”
After weighing the risks, Victoria opted for her first cosmetic surgery. Daniel was thrilled, bragging about the “scholar” enhancing her chest for him.
But Daniel wasn’t satisfied. Victoria plumped her lips, reshaped her cheeks, even altered her eyelids—but her work suffered. Colleagues couldn’t understand what had changed in her once-driven demeanor. Her frequent absences frustrated other lecturers who had to cover for her.
Victoria believed it was all necessary for Daniel’s happiness, anticipating a proposal and dreams of seaside cottages and a large family. Her mind painted idyllic futures while Daniel continued pushing for more drastic changes, uncaring of the consequences on Victoria.
Without friends to warn her of the dangerous path, and a mother choosing ignorant bliss over confronting reality, the situation spiraled into tragedy. Victoria sought yet another procedure, wanting a brow lift. With limited funds, she resorted to a budget surgeon, leading to an infection…
Half a year in the hospital ensued, undergoing corrective surgeries. Her appearance changed dramatically.
Daniel visited her only once in the hospital. Seeing her swollen face and stitches, he chose to vanish from her life. He ignored her calls and messages, eventually posting photos with someone new he called his fiancée.
For Victoria, it was a devastating blow, yet she persevered. Driven by a love of science and the desire to reclaim her career, she resolved to live and teach again, even if it meant leaving the university temporarily.
Six months after discharge, Victoria set out to rebuild both her appearance and her life. Teaching with her current looks felt unbearable; she was too self-conscious. To fund an expensive corrective surgery, she needed to earn more.
“So, now I’m working here and at another place, and I write papers for hire,” Victoria concluded her story.
The car had been parked outside Anna’s building for a while now. With tears in her eyes, Anna gazed at Victoria.
“How could he do that? What kind of person…?” Anna’s voice trembled.
Victoria wiped her face with her hands, gazing thoughtfully out the window as rain dribbled down the glass. “You know, I learned something crucial. Change only for yourself, and never sacrifice yourself for others. Not for love, nor friendship.”
