An Unusual Colleague
The new colleague at the office piqued Anna’s curiosity immediately. However, the girl seemed to avoid everyone, never joining her coworkers at the office café. As soon as the workday ended, she would grab her bag, pull a cap over her head, and dash to the parking lot without exchanging a word with anyone. Her desk was adjacent to Anna’s, so Anna could hear her handling calls, and she had a pleasant voice.
“Annie, have you had a chat with the new girl yet?” asked Holly, the shift lead, one day. “She seems fine, and her performance is great… Yet she’s a bit too reserved. She’s been with us for over a month and hasn’t made a single friend. Hardly anyone remembers her face.”
Anna shrugged. “No, haven’t talked to her. Once I asked her to pass a pencil, she just tossed it over without even looking at me… It was a bit off-putting.”
“Well, maybe she’ll open up eventually…”
It wasn’t long before Anna discovered that the new girl’s background didn’t quite match her current job. It turned out Victoria—her actual name—had completed a degree in biology and even earned a PhD. How did she end up at this regular call center, mainly populated by students and recent graduates still looking for better opportunities?
Driven by curiosity, Anna approached Victoria during a break to ask her a work-related question. Victoria kept her head down, avoiding eye contact, and responded in a soft voice. Anna thought Victoria deliberately kept her hair over her face.
“Do you think she’s sick?” the others at the call center speculated among themselves.
“Nah, probably just hiding a bad skin day,” joked Oliver, the IT guy who fancied himself the office comedian.
One evening, Anna had to stay back later than usual. The call center was deserted, and she remained to finish a report on outgoing calls. Upon completion, she emailed it to the manager and glanced at the clock. Gosh, it was nearly nine, and her commute home would take an hour. She regretted not being more timely with her work.
Sighing, Anna shut down her computer, retrieved her coat, locked the office, and headed home. When she stepped out of the building, she noticed it was raining, and she had, annoyingly enough, left her umbrella at home. By the time she reached the tube, she’d be soaked. What a day!
“You’d like a lift?” came a familiar voice.
Anna turned to see the tall girl with the cap and hoodie standing by the building entrance. It was Victoria.
“Victoria, is that you?” Anna asked, surprised.
Victoria nodded. “Yeah, I forgot my phone at the office and had to come back. I saw you leaving. I can give you a ride if you wait a bit. It’s pouring, and I have my car.”
“Thanks, I’d really appreciate that,” Anna smiled.
Ten minutes later, they were in Victoria’s car. For the first time, Anna managed to get a good look at her face and was taken aback. Victoria had a scar on her cheek, a nose that looked somewhat flattened, and one eye partially covered by a drooping eyelid.
Noticing Anna’s gaze, Victoria smirked. “Go ahead, ask if you’re curious.”
Anna shook her head. “No, it’s nothing.”
“Oh, come on, it’s far from nothing,” Victoria sighed. “How long can I keep hiding this? Yes, I’ve faced some serious issues. I wasn’t always like this. By the way, where to?”
Anna gave her address.
“Want to hear the story? It’s quite a drive; I can tell you what happened. I really would like to talk about it with someone. It’s been so hard keeping it all inside…”
“Okay, if you want to share. If not, that’s alright too. Honestly,” Anna reassured her. “I’m not particularly nosy. And I won’t tell anyone if it helps.”
Victoria began her tale.
Victoria was born late to her parents. Her mom, a botany professor, was already over forty, and her dad had hit fifty. They had long given up on having children. But then the miracle happened, and the whole family was overjoyed.
“We beat nature, it seems,” her mom would say with a smile.
“Which is why she’ll be called Victoria, meaning victory,” her father would joke.
It quickly became evident that Victoria had an exceptional knack for learning. At three, she was eagerly flipping through nature encyclopedias, went to school at six, and graduated with top grades. Then she entered university, majoring in biology.
Her parents couldn’t have been prouder of her achievements. Victoria seemed set for great things. However, when dreaming about their daughter’s future, her parents overlooked one thing. Dedicating all her time to studies, Victoria had little social interaction with her peers. Her world was filled with books, scientific theories, and she idolized famous scientists rather than pop stars or actors.
These influences shaped Victoria’s character. She grew up introverted and reserved. Peers found her intimidating, while she couldn’t relate to them, given her vast interests in science. She remained unfazed by solitude until she started maturing into a young woman. Nature took its course.
Victoria realized she wanted to read more than just monographs on genetics and cytology—she longed for romance novels. She hid them under her mattress; her mother would likely disapprove of such frivolous literature.
Victoria had another secret. She was insecure about her looks—or convinced of her perceived unattractiveness. Tall stature, small bust, disproportionately long and slender legs, a plain face, a stubby nose, and broad cheekbones—all these seemed to her unappealing, incapable of sparking anything but pity.
Time passed, and Victoria completed her PhD studies, becoming a candidate of sciences. She began teaching genetics, where students loved her engaging lectures that broke down complex topics into understandable terms. Everything seemed promising. But Victoria yearned for love and dreamed of finding a man who would accept her as she was, flaws and all. She saw plenty of them in herself.
And then she met HIM. Practically fell head over heels.
At the gym, a fairly upscale choice given her decent earnings, Victoria met Daniel. Dan was the child of wealthy parents, a real “posh lad.” Since childhood, he got everything he wanted without effort. Seeing Victoria sweating away on a bike, he decided to meet her, curious if his charm would, as usual, work.
Victoria, never having been approached by someone like Dan, was overwhelmed by his smile, presence, and confidence. Dan took her number and called the next day. To him, she was a refreshing novelty. Victoria, however, saw him as her great love, someone she was eager to give everything to. He quickly realized the extent of control he had over her.
First, he asked her to skip university classes for their meetups. Then, he demanded a change in her style. Once dressed in jeans and hoodies, Victoria now wore skirts, short tops, and heels. Dan enjoyed manipulating such an intelligent, unique girl and wanted even more.
“Sweetie, you’re beautiful,” he’d say. “But I’ve always liked girls with bigger chests. If you were a bit fuller, you’d be perfect.”
After careful consideration, Victoria agreed to her first plastic surgery. Dan was thrilled, bragging about the “scholar” who got “enhanced” just for him.
And he wasn’t finished there. Victoria plumped her lips, accentuated her cheekbones, even altered her eyelids a bit… Her work suffered, and colleagues couldn’t understand what was happening to the previously research-driven Victoria. Increasingly, she missed her classes, causing grumbling among fellow faculty filling in for her.
Victoria believed this was how things were meant to be. Sacrificing herself for her beloved’s happiness, expecting an imminent proposal. A house by the sea, three or four little ones, a blissful old age… Her daydreams were idyllic, while Dan continued pushing her towards more painful “upgrades.” Lacking friends who would warn of the unfolding nightmare, and with a mother more concerned about peace than her daughter’s well-being, Victoria was insulated.
Finally, things turned tragic. Victoria went in for another procedure, wanting a slight eyebrow lift. Money was tight, so she chose a surgeon offering cheaper rates… An infection set in… She spent six months in hospital, undergoing multiple surgeries. Her appearance changed drastically afterward.
Dan visited once. Seeing Victoria’s swollen face and stitches, he vanished from her life. He ignored her calls and social media messages, only to flaunt a new “fiancée” in posts.
For Victoria, it was devastating. Yet she pulled through. For science. For a return to teaching and her university, which she’d left for health reasons.
Six months later, she was discharged. She sought to restore her appearance to feel comfortable lecturing again, embarrassed by her looks. Funds would be needed for another complex and costly surgery.
“So now I work here and elsewhere. Plus, I do coursework projects on request,” Victoria concluded.
The car had stopped outside Anna’s block some time ago. Anna eyed Victoria, tears welling.
“How could he do that to you? How can anyone be so…?” she asked, voice shaking.
Victoria rubbed her face and stared contemplatively at the raindrops on the window.
“You know, I’ve grasped something crucial. Change must be for yourself alone. Never sacrifice your essence. Not for love, nor friendship, ever.”
