My boss had always made inappropriate comments, but I brushed them off—until one day, during a big client meeting, he crossed a serious line. 'Shut your mouth and act pretty,' he snapped at me before we walked in. I felt humiliated, but I didn’t argue. Instead, I wore a dress, kept quiet, and hit record on my phone. Throughout the meeting, he embarrassed himself, making crude jokes and acting like I was just there for decoration. Afterward, I sent the recording to HR and booked a private follow-up with the client. Three days later, whispers followed me through the office halls—then my phone buzzed with a call that changed everything…
My phone buzzed in the middle of a busy afternoon. Glancing at the caller ID, I saw it was HR. The call caught me a little off guard, even though I'd sent them the recording. Debbie, the HR manager, had a firm yet non-threatening voice. 'Can we schedule a time to discuss the meeting?' she asked. My heart raced as I told her I’d be there first thing the next day. Hanging up, I tried to keep my cool.
The night before the HR meeting, I felt nervous but determined. Looking in the mirror, I practiced my breathing exercises. 'You got this,' I murmured to myself. My mind kept replaying the client meeting, the crude jokes my boss made, and his dismissive attitude. I had to be calm and composed during the meeting. I decided to treat myself to a cheeseburger as a distraction, reminding myself not to give in to the stress.