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Belladonna
Adam Loehman was a brand name to the clients of Hathaway Marketing.
Adam was renowned for his ability to understand the consumers of their
products. He knew how to make them want the product his customers
sold.
Adam was highly sought after by many large companies. They recognized
the value of his advertising campaigns. Despite this, Adam was unknown
to them. He was a phantom to his clients. After his first few major
successes, Adam had managed to avoid dealing with any of them
directly. It was a special arrangement he made with Hathaway
Marketing. When Headhunters had sought his services years earlier,
Adam used the leverage this gave him to obtain the special
arrangements for himself.
For Adam, it was a relief to not have to deal with clients. As
talented as he was, Adam was notorious for his lack of interpersonal
skills. He had very little patience for explaining how his planned
advertisements would be successful. Hathaway was satisfied with the
arrangement as well since Adam's superiors had observed his
interactions with his clients. Adam was prone to insult people when
questioned. The firm was happy to make the deal because they preferred
that Adam insult his subordinates rather than Hathaway's clients.
Adam's lack of direct contact with his clients was beneficial for the
firm. His talents were sought after, but his personality had driven
some clients away. After the deal, his personality traits were no
longer an impediment to the firm's use of his skills. The deal let
Adam concentrate on his work. Adam only had to explain his ideas to
his two secretaries.
Adam's berating of those secretaries often led to turnover in the
positions. His behavior was bad enough that his boss felt it was
necessary to place his office next to hers so she could try to
intervene to mitigate Adam's tendencies. It allowed her to listen to
Adam's explanations and step in before he said something too offensive
to his subordinates.
Nicola Hathaway did not like Adam on a personal level. She tolerated
him because of the money he brought in for her over the years. Adam in
turn did not care for her either. He saw her dominance of the firm as
being the product of her genetic relationship with the founder.
Nicola's father had started the firm decades earlier and had brought
his only child aboard at a young age. Nicola worked at every position
in the firm over the years. She had become the second in command at
the firm by the time of his demise. Upon it, she assumed unfettered
control of the firm.
Adam had no respect for Nicola because he believed that all of her
successes were the product of her birth. His contempt for her was
thinly veiled. Nicola put up with it only because he was her most
valuable employee.
Adam originally stayed on with Hathaway because of the deal he made
with Nicola's father. However, his outside prospects had dimmed over
the years. Adam knew that the firms' rivals viewed him as an ogre. He
was known to associate with no one and had trouble controlling his
anger. He was considered misanthropic and misogynistic. Hathaway's
rivals feared that if they hired Adam, he would have a malignant
effect on their offices.
Thus, some of Hathaway Marketing's rivals considered Adam more trouble
than he was worth. Others would give him a job because of his talents,
but it would be on their terms. Adam knew the strings attached would
result in him being kept on a short leash. He would have to deal with
clients, and he would have to be nice to others. That was not
something Adam was willing to do.
Nicola had tried to polish some of Adam's rough edges over the years,
but her efforts were largely unavailing. She was able to curb his
worst abuses by stepping in, but she was not able to change his
behavior.
Adam felt entitled to abuse his secretaries. They were only there to
help him after all, he figured. If they could not handle his behavior,
they would have to quit. Adam had gone through 27 secretaries over 15
years. Adam knew that those numbers would look worse if not for the
presence of Christina. Christina had managed to stay on as one of his
secretaries for 7 years. She appeared thick skinned and nothing he
said seemed to bother her.
Christina was one of four secretaries that worked on the floor. Adam's
other secretary, Donna, sat at the desk beside her. Across the large
room sat Nicola's two secretaries, Giada and Martha.
As Adam finished working on one client's account, he called in Donna
and Christina to explain to them what they were going to say to the
client on his behalf. Adam lectured them on the advertising campaigns
intended effect and who it was aimed at. He explained how the campaign
would work on the targets' minds.
Christina and Donna tried to anticipate client questions and raised
them to Adam who grew short as he answered what he believed to be
stupid questions. Adam knew they would be asked by the clients and
that the girls were just doing their due diligence, but that never
stopped him from taking his frustrations out on the girls.
As Christina finished a question, Adam scolded her, "Put a fork in it,
you stupid cow. You've been here seven years, and you just get more
and more useless. I'm out of here. Figure it out in your own worthless
minds."
Adam stormed out of his office suite before pausing as he thought of
something he forgot to tell them. He moved back into the room and saw
the horrified look on Donna's face. He turned to Christina and saw her
rolled up sleeve exposing the fresh wound amidst her pink scars.
Adam froze as she looked up with him, smiled and said, "I feel better
now."
He stared at her vacantly, feeling a small amount of compassion for
her that was alien to him. He was frozen, unsure of what to say or do.
Nicola walked in to do damage control from his meeting and saw the
scene. She gasped at Christina and gave a stern look at Adam.
Nicola pulled him into her office as she ordered Donna to help bandage
Christina's wound. Nicola closed her office door and looked down at
the startled man.
She shook her head and shouted, "What the hell is wrong with you?
Don't you know how to treat anyone? There are lines, Adam, that you
just don't cross."
Adam nodded without looking at her. Nicola continued, "I should fire
you for this. I should have fired you years ago, but your name is too
damn valuable. You're not getting away with it this time."
"You're firing me?" Adam said in a mere mumble as he thought about
dealing with clients again.
"No, I'm not firing you yet. I'm sending you to counseling. You can
keep your job on your precious terms, but you'll have to work on your
issues."
Adam nodded in resignation. Adam hated psychiatrists and counselors of
all sorts, but he knew that it was the smallest of all the evils he
was facing. If he could keep the terms of his employment, it was worth
it.
Adam was dismissed by Nicola and sent back to work. A few hours later,
Nicola came in and told him the psychiatrist was coming to see him the
next morning. Adam acknowledged her and got back to work. He finished
his day and went home. He paced around his apartment as he thought
about what he had said to Christina. He wondered how many of her scars
were inflected because of him. His ongoing shock about what he had
seen played on his mind as he began to feel badly about what he had
done. Guilt was a strange sensation for Adam Loehman, and he did not
know how to deal with it.
The psychiatrist walked into the office around 9:30 the following
morning. She went to Nicola's office first and knocked on the door.
They exchanged pleasantries and talked for a few moments before Nicola
knocked on Adam's door.
He greeted the psychiatrist and took a seat as she was left alone with
him. Adam took in Dr. Sara Newman's appearance. She was a tall woman
standing the same height as him, 5'10". Adam took in her long legs
that peeked out from under her knee length skirt and ended in her 3
inch heels that made her appear taller than him.
Dr. Newman crossed her legs as she sat before his desk and began to
talk to Adam. She asked him if she knew why she was hired to talk to
him.
Adam acknowledged the reason. Dr. Newman then asked, "Why do you feel
the need to berate people?"
Adam leaned back and said, "Because people are stupid. They're greedy,
self interested and repugnant to a man and a woman. Even the
supposedly altruistic have suspect motives. Every act I've seen was
taken out self interest. Why should I respect any of them? I act out
of my own interests, and they don't require me to treat people kindly.
I want to get my point across without being subject to moronic
questions about how things work. In this business, you either know or
you don't. If you don't know, don't ask."
Dr. Newman jotted down her thoughts onto the paper on her clipboard
and said, "You seem angry, Adam."
"Angry? Angry that I'm talking to you maybe. Angry that people don't
know how to get out of their own way. Maybe, I'm angry, but I've got
my reasons."
"Do you?"
"Yes."
"What are they?"
"I've already told what people are."
"Why does that entitle you to be angry? You admitted you're just like
them."
"I'm like them, but I'm not. I know what people are. I don't walk
around in ignorance about it like everyone else. That's what makes me
different."
"Is that what makes you angry?"
"Yes, I get angry that others can't see the nose in front of their
face. They can't see people for what they are. They can't see the
result that's sure to come if they take a certain action."
"You're holding them to a clairvoyant standard?" Dr. Newman asked with
a raised eyebrow.
"No. I'm holding them to a standard of understanding cause and effect.
Which next to no one does?"
Dr. Newman nodded and asked, "What do you think of women?"
"What generally?"
"Yes."
"They're slaves to their emotions. They do irrational things like cut
themselves without thinking about others. Do you know what I've been
through because of that bitch?"
"You felt bad about what you saw?"
"Yes."
"I think I can help you."
"Oh, thanks," Adam said without bothering to hide his sarcasm.
"It maybe radical, but here's my thought, you need to immerse yourself
in feminine things."
"Right," Adam answered as he slowly drew out the word.
"You need to work among your staff. You'll understand them better if
you're among them."
"Are you insane?" Adam asked with a smirk.
"No. It's the perfect training exercise for you. You have to become a
woman to understand why your behavior is not acceptable. We have to
free you of your excessively aggressive male tendencies."
"You're certifiable," Adam said with a laugh that halted when he saw
Nicola open the door.
Nicola said, "Did you just laugh off Dr. Newman's recommendation?"
Adam nodded.
Nicola shook her head and asked, "What did you recommend?"
"I told him that he should work among his subordinates as one among
them."
"You mean as a secretary?"
"Well, yes. He should understand where they're coming from. That's the
best ticket to understanding them and not being short with them. I
think Adam needs perspective."
"I already understand them," Adam retorted.
"Then why would you berate them so mercilessly," Dr. Newman asked.
"It's what I am."
"What you are needs to change," Nicola responded.
"Maybe, but there would be better ways," Adam replied as he looked up
at Nicola.
"Name one," Nicola demanded.
Adam froze. Nicola's scowl turned to a smirk as she said, "You can't.
Can you?"
Adam gave her a peeved look. Nicola glanced down at Dr. Newman before
saying, "You're right. He has to be a woman. Let's get started."
"I'm not doing it," Adam responded.
"What makes you think you have a choice?" Nicola asked as she
approached his desk.
Adam looked at Dr. Newman as she picked her phone and started to make
a call. Adam glared at Nicola and said, "You can't force me to do
this. I'll never let you."
"You're doing this, Adam, or you're gone. We both know what that means
to you."
"Hell, no. I won't do it. I'm done, here. I don't care if I have to
deal with clients," Adam retorted as he stood up.
Adam paused and looked at Dr. Newman as she started to speak on the
phone. She said, "Yes, I've decided the client needs the fix. Are you
ready for us? Good."
Dr. Newman hung up and said, "Everything's set him for him, Nicola."
"Thank you, Doctor," Nicola replied.
"You two are nuts. I'm out of here."
"Adam, please consider this," Dr. Newman said as she followed him out
his office door. She followed him into the elevator with Nicola.
Adam looked at Nicola and said, "I'll stay, only if you drop this
stupid idea."
"I can't do that," Nicola replied as the elevator doors opened to the
lobby. She followed him as he walked towards the front door.
"See you around," Adam said with a grin as he looked back at Dr.
Newman and Nicola's unemotional faces.
Adam felt a hand on his shoulder as he moved out the door. Than
another hand, Adam looked and saw two large men. They threw him into a
nearby a van. They closed the doors and sped off.
Adam's mind raced as he realized he was being kidnapped. The van came
to a stop some distance away. Adam stared at his capturers with fear.
He was afraid to ask what they were planning to do to him.
After a few minutes, one of the abductors got a call on his cell
phone. The conversation was brief and vague. The doors to the van
opened and Adam was forced into a brick building through an alleyway
entrance.
The men forced him onto a table and strapped his limps to the table.
Adam tried to resist, but fear and the realized futility made it a
nominal resistance. One of the men placed a ball gag in his mouth and
put the strap behind his head.
Adam looked up at the men as he felt tears coming down his cheeks.
The men cut his clothes off his body. He figured they were going to
harvest his organs on the black market, but the men left the room.
A few minutes later, a red haired woman walked into the room. Adam
looked up at her and was struck by her beauty. It made him momentarily
forget his situation. She ran her slender fingers down his arm. Adam
became aroused by her touch and confused by the situation he found
himself in.
The woman appeared to be in her 30's and stood 5'7" in her sneakers.
She was a buxom woman with green eyes that Adam found vibrant and
alluring. She looked him over until she heard a voice behind her.
Adam recognized the voice immediately.
"Dr. Newman," the red haired woman said.
"Good to see you, Holly. I see you've been looking over your next
challenge."
"I can fix him, no problem. What do you want?"
Dr. Newman looked to Nicola and asked, "Have you decided?"
"Yes. I'd like him to have the full feminization treatment."
Adam's eyes grew wide as she mumbled frantically into the ball gag.
"Wonderful choice, ma'am," Holly replied. She walked over to Adam and
leaned over his face. She stared into his eyes. Adam stopped twitching
in his binds as he peered into her eyes. Holly smiled and said, "I'm
going to make you so pretty. Aren't you excited?"
Adam started to shout into his gag. His muffled words brought an
amused look to Holly's face. She then walked away with Nicola and Dr.
Newman.
Adam was left alone to think about what was happening to him. He
started to regret what he said, but such feelings were fleeting. Adam
veered towards self pity and anger about the situation. Adam figured
that no matter how he acted, nothing he did made him deserving of the
punishment Nicola was forcing upon him under the guise of therapy.
After a few minutes, Holly reentered the room carrying something Adam
could not recognize. Holly started to apply the contents to Adam's
legs. Adam realized suddenly what it was. It was wax. Adam remembered
an ex-girlfriend's complaints about it. He gave a muffled plea that
generated a smile on Holly's face. Adam felt Holly start to pull on
the first strip. Adam screamed into his gag as the hair was ripped
from his body.
Holly turned and looked into his eyes. She smiled and said, "Oh, don't
be a baby. You complain more than a girl." Holly smacked Adam on the
stomach and continued waxing him.
Adam had tears in his eyes as he shook his head and squealed as the
next strip was removed. The woman removed every inch of his hair on
his chest, legs and arms. There was enough slack in his leg binds to
enable her to do his ankles. The woman removed his underarm hair
before she turned her attention to his eyebrows. Adam felt the pull
and started to tear up as part of his face was being rendered
undeniably feminine.
Holly finished and said, "There we are, two perfect arches. Now, we
have to move on to the more problematic area. Your boss paid for a
Brazilian. You're lucky you're not as hairy as most men or this would
take a lot longer, but you still got a lot of it in a most unfortunate
place."
Adam cringed as he felt her start to wax his groin. He cringed as he
was rendered hairless before she paused. Holly walked towards Adam's
head and looked into his eyes.
Adam peered up at her face as she said, "I'm doing your balls. This is
going to hurt a lot."
Adam shook his head from side to side. He tried to get her attention.
He tried to get her to stop. He tried to pull himself up, but it was
futile. She pulled the first strip and Adam felt a searing pain. He
had tears running down his cheeks as Holly finished his hair removal.
Holly turned away from Adam and took a few steps towards a cupboard.
She came back holding a needle. Adam shook his head, unsure of what
she was going to inject him with.
"Oh, relax. It's just collagen."
Adam started to move his head as much as he could, but Holly held his
head in place with one arm as she administered the injections into his
lips. Holly finished and said, "You're going to love them. There so
much more plump than used to be. Men love full lips you know."
Adam was not sure about that, but he was sure that he did not care
what men liked. Adam heard Holly unhook something beneath the table.
Adam felt the portion of the table he was on start to move. He lifted
his chin into his chest and saw the middle section of the table slide
forward. Adam saw her come by his head and reach under the table. Adam
felt the table beneath his head give way. Adam squealed as his head
was left with no support on the table. Holly pulled the middle section
forward and rested Adam's head on the edge of a sink.
Adam found the positioning unpleasant. The metal edge of the sink
supported only the lower part of his head and the upper part of his
neck. Adam saw Holly coming towards him carrying hair. He knew what it
was for. Holly attached the extensions to Adam's hair as he broke into
tears and moaned into his gag periodically.
When she finished with the extensions, she took out a box of hair dye.
Adam tried to see the color, but he could not. The mystery would not
persist for long. Holly came over and whispered in his ear, "I'm
giving you a bright copper red color. You've got such pale white skin.
I think it will go with it. Think? Ha, I know it will. You can thank
me when the gingerphiles can't stop clawing at you."
Adam gave her a pleading look for a moment before he realized how
pointless it was. The woman had no mercy for him. Adam gave her a
menacing look in the hopes that she might be afraid that he would go
to the authorities.
Holly laughed at the look and said, "I've seen hundreds of those looks
before. If you're like the others, you'll be thanking me in no time."
Adam could hardly see how. Holly dyed his hair. When she finished, she
pushed the center of the table back towards the rest of it. She picked
up the head piece and snapped it back in place. Adam was left alone on
the table for a few moments as Holly left to get his prosthetics.
She came out with a pair of breast forms and a fake vagina. She
explained what they were to Adam and how they were to be applied. He
tried to ignore her, but she slapped him as he turned his face away
from her. Adam trembled and listened to her closely as she explained
the procedure for attaching them.
Holly attached them to his body with the special glue and applied a
little make up to the ends of the forms. As she left the room again,
Adam forced his chin into his chest and saw the mounds protruding in
front of him.
Adam heard footsteps approaching the table. He saw the two large men
who abducted him stand on both sides of him. They undid his binds and
stood him up.
Adam's hair flopped into his face as he was stood up. He saw the long
red strands that resembled nothing that had ever been upon his head
before.
Holly approached him carrying with her an odd looking garment. Holly
told Adam that it was a corset. She told him that it would give him a
more feminine silhouette. Adam was unfamiliar with corsets. He was
unsure of how they worked.
Holly filled him in on the details. She told him to watch her. Adam
watched Nicola wrap the corset around his waist and button the front
closed. Adam listened as Holly described what she was doing with the
ribbon. She made Adam feel her every move she made with the ribbon
with his hand. She moved the ribbon through each hole on the back of
the corset until she reached the bottom. She asked if he noticed how
she progressively pulled it tighter. Adam nodded. She then moved the
ribbon through each hole again from the bottom up and described every
detail of it to Adam. Adam felt the growing compression. He heard
snaps and wondered if it was his ribs breaking. Holly told him to pay
no mind to the sounds. She then repeated the process tightening the
corset with every pull of the ribbon through the holes.
After Holly made her final way through the holes, she guided Adam's
hands and helped him make a bow in the middle of the corset. She
looked at Adam and asked, "Can you do it by yourself? Were you
listening?"
Adam nodded. Holly put her face close to his and said, "We'll see
about that."
She undid Adam's corset. He felt increasing relief from the pressure
as it was removed. Holly took it off him and handed the corset to
Adam. She told him, "Put it on exactly as I showed you.
Adam was unable to repeat the steps Holly showed him. Holly slapped
his rear and showed him again. Adam felt a stinging feeling linger as
she talked. Holly asked him again to do as she showed him. Adam was
able to do so the second time. He tightened his own corset until Holly
told him to stop despite his own desire to stop earlier.
Holly looked at him and said, "Well, we have got you form down, but
you're just not a woman yet."
Adam did not like the smile she had on her face before she left the
room. Adam's train of thought wandered as he found that he was taking
small breaths as he waited for her to return. He did not have time to
think much about it. Holly walked into the room and was holding a
peculiarly shaped object. Adam had never seen anything like it. Holly
caught him trying to examine it.
Holly smirked and said, "This is a modified butt plug. You see there's
a red ice cub stuck up inside it. It's nothing but water and food
coloring, but it's going to give you quite a drip into your panties as
the day wears on."
Adam shook his head forcibly as she approached him with it. The two
large men grabbed him by the shoulders. They forced him to bend over
the table. They held him steady as Holly readied the device for its
insertion.
Adam felt an odd sensation of pleasure as she tickled his butthole
before he felt an unpleasant surge. He squealed in displeasure into
the gag. With it securely in place, she told Adam how he would remove
it that night. Adam listened carefully to the first instruction he
wanted to follow.
As she finished, Adam was stood back up and his ball gag removed. He
felt that his mouth was dry and was given several glasses of water and
told to drink. Adam did so and was given a large amount of Chinese
food to eat. Adam happily ate the food although he felt that it was
unusually salty. When he finished eating, Holly smiled and whispered
in his ear, "Given all the salty food you ate, the water you drank and
your corset you're going to experience a new kind of bloating and
cramping. I figure it will be pretty intense."
Adam started to tear up, but Holly broke his chain of thought by
calling for his attention.
"I'm guessing, you're wondering about what will catch the dripping
water," Holly said.
Adam nodded. Holly reached behind her and said, "I guess you'll need
these. Adam saw the maxi pad in one hand and the pair of black panties
in the other. Holly positioned the maxi pad for him between his legs
and drew up his panties. She tucked him away and said, "See that! No
more disgusting bulge."
Adam felt his smooth front. He shuddered for a moment. Holly smiled
and said, "Don't be nervous about how you look. You look good. You're
lucky you're not very muscular otherwise you might get some looks.
You're a tall girl, but not freakishly tall. I'd stick to 3 inch heels
max when you get out of here."
Adam did his best to ignore her. Holly walked towards a rack of
clothes and picked up a pants suit. She handed it to Adam and told him
to dress. Adam put on the beige, straight leg pants first before he
was handed a white floral embroidered blouse. He placed it on. Holly
then handed him the jacket. Adam put his arms into it and buttoned the
two buttons before pulling the self tie belt of the jacket tight as
Holly directed.
Holly told the men to move him into the chair that was set up in
middle of the room. Adam was too scared to resist them. He looked at
Holly as she did his makeup. She was careful to explain how lipstick,
eyeliner and mascara were applied. She asked Adam to repeat what she
said. He repeated it verbatim. She nodded and took hold of the nail
polish.
She started to paint his nails in a subtle pink and said, "I'd give
you extension, but they're cumbersome when you type. I'm sorry I've
got to leave your nails so short. Can you forgive me?"
Adam looked at Holly. He wanted to scream at her, but he knew it would
not be in his best interest. He said after some difficulty, "I'll
try."
Holly then painted his toenails the identical color of his
fingernails. When his toenail polish dried, Holly came back over to
him carrying a pair of shoes. Adam looked over the pair of 1 inch
heeled, white flats. Holly put Adam's feet into both shoes. Adam
looked down at them with a feeling despair in his stomach. His eyes
conveyed the horror he felt. Holly caught the look and said, "Don't
worry about them. You'll work your way up to higher heels."
Adam gave her a vacant look as his response. Holly stood up and told
him to stand. Adam got of the chair and looked down at the girl before
him. The two men then escorted Adam to a mirror.
He froze as he looked at the woman staring back at him. Adam looked at
the men for conformation that he was her. Holly smirked at him and
said, "You're one of my best works yet."
She called out to Dr. Newman and Nicola. They entered and paused as
they saw the red haired girl staring blankly into the mirror.
Dr. Newman gasped as she looked at him. She looked him over with
Nicola. Nicola looked back at Holly and said, "You're an artist. I
can't be believe this is, well was...."
"She'll fit in with the girls. That's for sure," Dr. Newman
interjected.
Holly and Nicola laughed along with her. Adam felt tears coming into
his eyes as he kept starring at the unwanted femininity that overcome
him.
Nicola took her wallet from her purse and paid Holly a large sum.
Nicola then took Adam's hand and said, "Come along."
Adam walked with her towards the door. They came to a stop, and Dr.
Newman started to talk to him. "Now, Adam. I know this is difficult
for you, but you have to accept that for the next few days you're a
girl named Alexandra. You're a junior secretary at Hathaway. You're a
lucky girl to be working on the top floor with Miss Hathaway's
secretaries."
Adam had enough. He shouted, "I'm lucky? You'll be lucky if I don't go
to the cops. You kidnapped me and dressed me like some pansy. I won't
be working as Miss Hathaway's secretary. Nicola you can shove this
job."
Adam started towards the door. Nicola smiled and called to him,
"Alexandra, do you really think it will be that easy for you to walk
away?"
"Just try and stop me. I'll go right to the cops."
"Oh, please do, Alexandra. I'd love to see their faces. I'm sure you
won't be embarrassed."
"No," Adam said before he started to move again.
Dr. Newman then declared, "We have pictures of you dressed like that.
There were cameras throughout the whole process."
"Good. Now, I've got evidence," Adam countered.
"Oh, Alexandra, it's a little more than that. Those pictures of you
all dressed up in your woman's clothes will be sent to every Ad agency
in the country if you say a word. Of course, if you play along for a
few days they'll be destroyed, but it's your call."
Adam felt his professional reputation was on the verge of being
destroyed. He paused and said, "How long will I be stuck like this?"
"Just five days, Alexandra. That's all you'll need to learn to
appreciate your female coworkers."
"Fine," Adam said as he threw up his hands. "Let's get this over
with."
"Terrific," Nicola replied and led him towards Dr. Newman's car.
Adam got into the car with Nicola and Dr. Newman. His mind was racing
as he sat in the backseat. Dr. Newman pulled the car away the curb and
headed down the road. She drove them back to the office hastily.
After the car was parked, Nicola opened the car door for Adam. She
handed him a pocketbook containing his wallet. Adam took it from her
and put the strap on his shoulder. Adam headed towards the building's
door with noticeable trepidation in his steps.
Adam walked into the building at 2 P.M., flanked by Dr. Newman and
Nicola. He headed for the elevator and pushed the button with the
upward arrow.
Adam felt like vomiting as he stood waiting for the elevator in
silence. He looked at Dr. Newman who gave him a supportive pat on the
shoulder.
Adam heard a ping and entered the elevator. He pressed the button for
his floor. As the doors opened, Adam felt Nicola clasping his hand.
She hurriedly pulled him in front of the four secretaries.
Nicola called for the girls' attention. The girls gathered around and
began to look at the new face. Adam put his head down, but the girls
quickly realized who he was.
Adam started to hear snickering. Nicola put up her hand and said,
"Now, girls there will be none of that. This is all part of Adam's
counseling. He's learning how to deal with people by having to live as
one of the type of persons he acted most egregiously towards."
Adam saw grins on all four of the secretaries' faces, but the grin on
Donna's face was the most sinister. Adam knew that she had taken the
most of his abuse besides Christina and that she was more willing to
seek revenge on him.
Adam squirmed in Donna's glare as Nicola continued talking. She said,
"For the next couple of days, Adam's going to be Alexandra. She's
going to help you girls out. Whatever you need done to help carry out
my orders, she's going to do."
"She?" Donna asked.
"Yes. Alexandra is to be considered a girl by you all. For the next
few days she's our junior secretary. You're all to refer to her as
such or you'll be facing discipline is that clear."
The girls nodded in unison. Adam glanced up at Christina and saw that
she was taking particular satisfaction in his humiliation.
Martha took a look at Adam and noticed his discomfort. It seemed more
than psychological to her. She asked, "Miss Hathaway, is she all
right? She doesn't look well."
Nicola waved her hands a bit as she replied, "No, she's fine. She's
just having her period today."
"Period?" Giada chimed in, unsure if she had heard her boss correctly.
"Yes, she's a girl after all and all girls have them."
"Yes, but...," Giada started to reply but was cut off by Nicola.
"I know what you're thinking, but we have arranged for Alexandra to go
through some spotting, cramps and bloating."
Adam blushed as he heard the snickers of the girls grow louder.
"Now, now, girls, that's uncalled for," Nicola said with a smile.
Dr. Newman smiled at how Adam squirmed from their laughter. 'That will
teach him some humility', she thought.
"Has Alexandra done anything that does not comply with her temporary
position, Nicola?" Dr. Newman asked.
Nicola looked Adam over before she said, "Alexandra, pants are good
for today, but I expect you to wear a skirt everyday just like all the
other girls. Is that clear?"
Adam nodded. Nicola turned to Dr. Newman and said, "That's really it
with her."
Dr. Newman smiled and said, "Then, I'll be on my way. I've got other
patients to treat."
Dr. Newman turned and walked towards Adam. She put her hand on his
shoulder and said, "Now, Alexandra, you be a good girl for Miss
Hathaway."
"Yes, ma'am," Adam replied feeling defeated.
After Dr. Newman departed, Nicola called Adam over to his desk, which
had been moved from his office. Nicola explained, "I had your desk
moved among the girls so you could be surrounded by them as Dr. Newman
suggested."
Adam nodded and felt a cramp in stomach. Nicola smiled at his
discomfort and said, "I'm going to get to work, you girls do the
same."
As Nicola closed her door, the girls rose up and started towards Adam.
Adam sat in his chair and sunk into it. He peered up at the women
approaching him from three directions. They inspected him as he sat in
the chair. Donna laughed and said, "Cross your legs or put your knees
together, girl. I don't want to see you flashing your panties when you
start wearing a skirt."
Adam blushed and crossed his legs. "That's right, Alexandra. Practice
makes perfect," Giada added as she watched him.
"What a pretty shade of nail polish you have. Did you pick it out
yourself?," Martha asked, unable to conceal her mockery.
Adam shook his head slightly and let his eyes wander to the carpet.
"I think she's shy," Adam heard Christina say.
"We'll get her out of her shell," Donna declared.
Adam peered up at her for a moment before he heard Christina say, "Sit
up straight."
He looked at her for a second before she said, "Sit up straight."
Adam shook his head and stood up saying, "I'm not going to take this
from you."
Adam started walking away from them in his heels. Christina watched
and commented, "Walk with your head up and your chest out. You're a
lady, for God's sake"
"I'm not a lady!"
Donna smile and said, "I agree. You don't have the class to be one.
You walk like a tramp."
Adam grew flustered. He went to lash out at them, but Donna declared,
"Alexandra, I need you to give some documents to Miss Hathaway for
me."
"You want me to make a delivery to Nicola?"
"Of course, and it's Miss Hathaway."
"Do it yourself."
"You're our junior secretary, Alexandra. I expect..."
"This is temporary, Donna. Nicola is not..."
"I'm Miss Hathaway to you," Adam heard Nicola correct him as she stood
in her office doorway.
Donna handed Adam a file as he stood silently as she approached. Adam
grimaced and started towards her. She took the file in her hand. Adam
put his head down and said, "Here you are, Miss Hathaway."
"That's better, Alexandra," she said before she turned and headed back
to her office suite.
Adam turned and headed back towards his desk feeling beaten. Adam put
his hands on his head before the girls came over and dumped paperwork
on his desk. Adam gave them all angry looks, but he did the work he
gave him. Adam felt an increasing wetness beneath him and headed for
the restroom. He paused before the two doors. Nicola saw him and
shouted, "Use the ladies room. We can't have guys seeing you in
there."
Adam walked in and headed into the stall. He pulled down his skirt and
panties and sat on the seat. He went and changed his red stained pad
with one of the extras that were in the pocketbook Holly gave him.
Adam finished up in the bathroom and went back to his desk.
As Adam watched the hour creep slowly forward on his computer clock,
he saw a large man entering the office. Adam looked up at the man from
his desk as he paused doing Christina's paperwork. Adam had never seen
the man before. He stood 6'8" and looked as if he weighed over 300
pounds. Adam wondered if the man was one of the clients he did work
for.
The man looked around the room. His eyes caught Adams. Adam's eyes
quickly darted away after they made contact, but it was too late. The
man came over and introduced himself as Damien.
Damien said he was there to see Nicola. Adam directed him to Giada. He
called over to Giada, who stood up and knocked on Nicola's door. After
a brief discussion, Giada came over to Damien and said, "She'll be
with you in ten minutes, Mr. Ward."
Damien nodded at her and looked down at Adam. He asked, "Can you fetch
me a drink?"
"I guess," Adam replied in the most feminine voice he could muster.
"Good, I'll have a cup of coffee."
Adam nodded and headed over to the machine. Adam felt the eyes of
everyone in the office upon him. All four girls seemed to be enjoying
watching the renowned advertising genius reduced to fetching coffee in
a woman's suit.
Adam felt discomfort as he paused before the machine and took hold of
the cup. The pressure of his pants on his stomach was a source of
almost as much pain as the occasional cramps. He felt worse than he
had in years.
Adam poured the cup and carried it over to Damien. He thanked Adam and
leered down at him. "You're tall for a girl. I like that."
Adam forced himself to smile and said, "That's nice."
Damien moved towards Adam's seat and sat upon it. Adam stood next to
his desk with no place to sit as he felt the melting, red ice dripping
into his maxi pad.
Damien sized up Adam and said, "I think you're kind of pretty."
Adam again forced a smile onto his face and said, "Thanks."
Damien smacked at his thigh and said, "Come take a seat."
"What?" Adam said as his face lost all expression.
"Take a seat on my lap, girl. I won't bite."
Adam shook his head. Adam watched as the man's eyes grew less gentle.
Adam recognized a vague hint of rage in his eyes over Adam's rebuff.
In a tone that hardly concealed his rage, the man said, "Are you
rejecting me?"
Adam's hands started to shake. He shook his head and said, "No."
"Then take a seat," Damien replied.
Adam took the three steps towards Damien's lap on the brink of tears.
He had no control of his life. He feared angering Damien because he
did not know what the man was capable of.
Adam sat down upon Damien's lap with worry in his tearing eyes and a
fake smile upon his face. Damien put his arm around Adam's bloated
stomach. His other hand touched Adam's legs, which hung over his.
There was nothing Adam ever wanted more than to get out of that
situation. Damien was having none of that though. He looked Adam in
the eyes and said, "Why don't you give me a kiss?"
Adam stared at him with gasped mouth, shocked by what was happening to
him. The man was forcing intimacy on him. Adam wanted to knee him in
the crotch and run, but he figured he would not get very far. The cost
benefit analysis in his head was clear; Adam knew he had to kiss him.
Adam kissed the man's cheek, and he saw a flash. He saw more flashes
off camera's going off as he sat in the man's lap. Damien stood up
with him in his arms. Adam was being carried around like a bride in
her husband's arms on their wedding night.
The girls took their digital pictures over to Adam as he rested in
Damien's arms. Nicola then came out and saw the pictures. She looked
at Adam and said, "You come into my office right now, girl."
Damien put down Adam. Adam scurried into Nicola's office as tears
rolled down his cheeks. Nicola closed the door behind him and told him
to sit. Adam looked up at her through tears. Nicola shook her head and
shouted, "Don't cry. What are you a little girl? Wah, wah, mommy. I
swear, given a little trouble, you've become a bigger priss than any
girl in this firm."
Adam put his head down as he absorbed Nicola's mockery. Nicola
demanded Adam's attention. He managed to briefly look her in the eye.
Nicola took in his demeanor, which screamed his defeat. She grinned
and said, "There's going to be some changes around here, Alexandra."
Adam nodded before Nicola continued, "From now on, you're a woman when
you enter this office. I expect you to follow the dress code the
secretaries here follow. I want everyone who sees you to think that
you're just one of my secretaries. Of course, you won't be. That would
be a waste of your talents and your name. You're still going to have
your old job, and it'll be on your old terms, but there will some
little changes. Of course, you already know you'll be in a skirt
everyday, but there are some other things."
Nicola paused and looked down at Adam's face to gauge his reaction.
Adam's face looked worried as he felt a little queasy and clasped his
bloated stomach. Nicola admired Holly's handiwork for a moment before
she continued, "Of course, you'll no longer have an office suite. That
would be a give away. No, when anyone comes by I want them to see you
working at your desk beside the secretaries. You won't be doing
secretarial work, largely. You'll still be doing what you did before,
but you won't be so isolated now."
Adam took in what she said and felt an intense cramp in his stomach.
He nearly doubled over. Nicola smiled and said, "It sure does suck,
doesn't it? Well, that's the curse that goes with being a woman,
Alexandra. Don't worry there's some upsides too, not that you're
likely to be interested in any of them."
The pain subsided and Adam was able to look up at Nicola. His eyes
plead for pity, but Nicola was not amenable to such pleas from him. He
had behaved too egregiously for too long for Nicola to consider him
worthy of her mercy.
Nicola continued explaining Adam's new work environment, "You're
office will be turned into the secretaries private break room. You
have no special entitlement to the room. In fact, given your
unofficial junior secretary status, they're free to exclude you from
it. You'll have to earn entry, Alexandra. You do that by making
friends. I have no illusions that this will be easy for you. We both
know what you did to Christina and Donna. Martha and Giada know too.
You've got a long road to penance there. Those women are not likely to
forgive and forget. They may treat you as badly as you treated them.
Of course, you can't do anything about it since Christina and Donna no
longer report to you. They report to me, same as you."
"How will I..."
"Don't interrupt, Alexandra. You'll still be working closely with
Donna and Christina. They'll still deliver your proposals to your
clients. They'll assist you in anyway you need, just like before.
However, they'll probably be less likely to take your abuse now that
you're, um..., one of them."
"Why don't you just fire me," Adam said as he tried to look for a way
out of the pink collared hell Nicola was creating for him.
"Oh, no, that would be too easy for you. You could just go on being
the miserable piece of shit that you are. I tolerated that long
enough. You need this, and you deserve how you're getting it."
Adam shook his head and replied, "I won't do it."
"Oh, you will. You see as long as you keep the good ideas coming,
we'll keep you around. You'll make exactly what you made before. Of
course, if you don't do well, then we will let you go."
Adam smiled as he noticed his way out.
Nicola destroyed that delusion quickly as she continued, "Of course,
we know everyone in this industry, so we'll send them pictures of you
dressed just like you are now. They probably love to see you in the
arms of another man, well, a man anyway. Oh, when you gave him that
kiss, they'll probably love that, but I'm sure you won't be a pariah
the way you are here though."
Adam started to sweat as he realized what he was up against. He had no
way out. Nicola dismissed him. Adam stood up and felt a pain in his
stomach.
Adam walked out of Nicola's office more despondent than ever. She
announced the changes in the office and returned to her office. Adam
looked about for Damien, but he did not see him anywhere. He felt
relieved to be out of his presence.
Adam sat down at his desk and got to work, he noticed that Damien did
not reenter the office. Adam looked over to Donna and asked, "Where's
Damien?"
Donna raised her eyebrows and said, "I don't' know. Why do you want to
know? Getting a little cock hungry, are you? Of course you are, you
little pantywaist sissy."
"No, that's not..."
"Oh, yes. Now, I understand. Angry all these years because you born
with a penis and a yearning, burning desire to service men. You'll
have to accept it, Alexandra. You can only offer them your mouth or
butt," Donna continued without bothering to conceal her mockery.
Adam turned away from her and got back to work. Nicola came out around
4 and told the girls to meet her in Adam's old office suite. Adam
found himself excluded from the meeting and continued to work.
Adam looked up and saw the girls taking a vote. He knew what it was
about. He saw them measuring the room and talking. Nicola left them to
work on the details as she went to speak with Adam.
"Alexandra, it's my duty to report that the girls have decided to
exclude you from the Secretaries' suite since you're not technically
on the same level as them. While the votes binding, it's not forever.
You can win them over, just give it time."
Adam nodded and tried to concentrate on his work, but he found it
impossible. As the end of the workday neared, Adam got ready to leave
for the night. He was ready to walk out the door when Nicola walked up
to him.
She asked, "You going shopping, Alexandra?"
"I wasn't planning..."
"Well, what would you wear tomorrow then?"
"I hadn't thought...."
"Oh, you're so absent minded today. I hope you're not becoming what
you thought your secretaries were. If you were, you wouldn't be much
use to anyone other than a man looking for an easy lay."
Adam put his head down. Nicola continued, "You take the subway,
right?"
"Well, yes."
"Do you have a credit card on you?"
"Yes," Adam mumbled.
"Okay, then I'll take you to the shops in my car. I'll drive you back
to your apartment too."
"You don't have to..."
"No, Alexandra. I insist. I won't take no for an answer. Someone has
to go with you and make sure that you buy appropriate clothing. I
can't have one of my girls looking out of place, you know."
Adam nodded and followed Nicola out the door. Nicola led him to her
car and started down the busy avenue. They drove several blocks over
and parked in a garage. Adam and Nicola headed to a shop that Nicola
knew provided clothing in Adam's price range.
Nicola walked up to the sales clerk with Adam and said, "My friend
here needs some skirt suits. Can you help us?"
"Of course," the perky young girl said.
Adam and Nicola followed the smiling girl to the women's suit section.
The girl helped determine Adam's size. She smiled and said, "You
appear a little bloated now, but you're a size 10."
Nicola added, "That's not bad for a girl of our height."
Adam stared back vacantly at the woman who always bragged about being
a size 4. The clerk meanwhile pulled out several skirt suits in Adam's
size out. As Adam looked at the suits, the reality of his situation
started to become clearer to him. He felt trapped and defeated before,
but he suddenly realized that he would really look no different than
his two secretaries to outsiders. He would probably be treated by
office guests as just another member of the support staff. He was
going from the powerful unseen hand to a skirted girl that was
politely condescended to.
Adam looked at the seven skirt suits she pulled out. Nicola inspected
them and said, "She'll take them all."
Adam grimaced as he looked at part of his feminine future. The suits
seemed to be overly female to him. 5 of the tops were in bright colors
that went well with the black skirt. Adam found the colors pleasing,
but he felt that they were not made for someone like him. The two
suits with matching tops seemed even worse. One was shinny looking
with its acetate sheen and champagne colored with a bow accent on the
back waist band. It had a cap sleeved jacket and a shawl collar that
Adam knew he would find attractive if only it was some other girl
wearing it. The other suit looked like it had an almost golden color
and had a jacket with three quarter sleeves. The thought of wearing
any of it humiliated Adam.
Adam watched as the clerk brought the clothes to the register and put
them aside before she went with Nicola and picked out blouses for him.
They finished and selected panties and pantyhose for him. Adam cringed
as he saw his growing collection of women's clothing before he was
taken to the shoe department.
As he was fitted for pumps, he saw Nicola selecting a few handbags for
him. Adam tried on several pairs of black, red, grey, white and brown
pumps. All but one of the 10 pairs Nicola made him buy had a heel of 3
inches. She let him have one black pair with a two inch pair. She
whispered to him that they were his "training wheels."
As the shoes got carried to the register, Adam put his own shoes back
on. He saw the nail polish on hands and knew that he was not going out
as a man anytime soon. The realization that he no chance of passing
for a man was cutting to him. He moved over towards the flats and
woman's sneakers and found himself picking out a pair of each for his
daily life outside of work.
Nicola smiled at him as she realized that he was beginning to accept
what she made of him. Adam looked at her and said in a low voice, "I
think I need some casual clothes."
Nicola said, "Of course, you're right. You can't be going around in a
skirt suit everywhere. Nicola helped him pick out pairs of jeans,
pants, and a sleeveless dress that she insisted he buy.
Adam brought the clothes to the register and saw the large final price
come up. He knew being a woman wasn't cheap, but he was surprised by
how expensive everything was. Adam handed over his credit card. He got
the receipt and took hold of some of the bags. Nicola helped carry the
rest out to her car.
Nicola drove Adam to his apartment and helped carry the bags into his
apartment. She left him to unpack the bags. Adam looked at the bags on
his floor and walked into his kitchen. He made himself a small dinner.
After eating, he started putting away the clothes.
He looked at how different they looked from the men's clothing that
often rested not far from them. He looked at his men's suits and dress
shoes and knew he would have no use for them anymore. Every garment
and shoe he put away seemed like a dagger to his masculinity. When he
finished, he sat on the edge of his bed in the pantsuit he had not
bothered to remove when he got home. He felt a squishy feeling as the
last of the ice dripped into his pad.
Adam undressed and put his form creating undergarments to the side. He
headed into the bathroom and showered. He tried to not look at his
hairless skin, but the long wet hair hitting his face and the color
and length of his nails made the shower no escape from his compelled
femininity.
Adam finished showering and set his alarm to an earlier time. He was
well aware it would take longer for him to get ready the morning
before Nicola had teased him about it on the car ride home.
Adam got under his covers and shut the bedroom light on the end table
beside the bed. He rested his head on his pillow and felt tears coming
down his cheek. Adam realized that his masculinity was as good as dead
to the outside world. He could only be Adam at home. He was Alexandra
to everyone else. He buried his face into his pillow as he wept before
he fell asleep.
Adam awoke the next morning and dragged himself out of bed. He felt
better as he walked around his home because his bloating had gone
away. Adam showered and ate and set about getting ready for his
workday.
He looked in his closet and took out a new blouse and skirt suit. He
felt on the verge of tears as he dressed in it after putting on his
forms and corset. Adam brushed out his hair and put on his makeup. He
felt that every act he did seemed to be taking away more and more of
his masculinity. As Adam looked at the face that he had coated in
makeup by himself, Adam felt that maleness was relegated to his past.
It seemed to him to be nothing more than a happy memory. Adam figured
that he would never get the chance to revisit it.
Adam put on the two inch heels that Nicola told him to wear and headed
out of the apartment with his pocketbook. He walked out of his
building without incident. He walked down the street garnering no
stares. Adam grew more at ease as he walked in crowds of strangers.
Adam figured that he was passing as a woman. He felt that he looked
like one, but he was relieved to realize that he others felt the same.
Adam boarded the subway and headed for the office. When he got to the
office, he walked into the lobby and saw a few other employees of the
firm standing about. They looked at him and snickered. Adam felt
uneasy as he made his way to the elevator. He hurriedly pressed the
button for his floor to get away from the mocking eyes and laughs that
seemed to be surrounding him.
He got off and headed to his desk. He put his stuff down and went to
talk to Nicola about what he had experienced in the lobby. Adam told
her what happened.
Nicola laughed and said, "That's it. That's what you're complaining
about. Of course, they're going to make fun of you. I sent a memo out
yesterday that you're transitioning from male to female. They're going
to shit on you. Deal with it. It might also cost you a few clients,
but we will make up for that. Don't worry about it."
Adam nodded and walked out of her office. After a few preliminary
matters, Adam looked up and saw his old office suite door open. Adam
knew he was not allowed in, but he decided to take a look. He walked
up to the doorway and looked inside.
The suite's barren white walls had been adorned with reproduction of
Monet paintings as well as Degas paintings of ballerinas. Adam saw a
table in the middle of the room covered by a white tablecloth. There
was no sign that the room had ever once been Adam's private office
space. Adam knew that the office suite was truly not his anymore. It
was the girls'.
Adam resigned himself to never entering the suite again before he got
to work telling the girls what they were going to tell the clients
they saw that afternoon. Adam brought them into the conference and
explained it to them. The girls looked at him as he explained the
campaign, its target and its purpose.
Christina asked the first question when he was done. Adam answered
calmly. Then Donna asked a question. Adam again kept his composure.
Christina asked the third question. Adam started to become agitated as
he responded. Donna picked up on this and asked another question. Adam
then snapped and started to shout at the girls.
Donna stood up and slapped him. "I will not have you talking like that
to us," Donna declared.
Adam took a few steps back and tumbled over as he lost his balance in
his heels. Christina laughed at him and said, "You need more practice,
babe."
Adam blushed and stood back up. He apologized to the girls and calmly
answered Donna's question. Donna glared at him the whole time. Adam
felt beads of sweat on his forehead as he tried not to displease her.
He answered all of their remaining questions without incident.
Adam went back to his desk and worked until lunch time. After coming
back from lunch at a diner up the road, Adam headed into the ladies
room. He walked past the glaring eyes of his male coworkers. They did
little to hide their disgust or amusement about his situation.
Adam went into a stall and pulled down his skirt and panties. He
fiddled around and started to urinate. He finished, pulled up his
skirt and flushed the toilet. Adam noticed something odd as he
flushed. He smelt soap as the water in the bowl began to bubble upward
quickly as the bowl filled with new water.
Adam let out a girlish scream as the bubbles came over the top of the
bowl and landed near his shoes. He heard his heels click on the wet
floor as he squeezed out of the stall and ran towards the sink. As he
turned on the faucet, he heard the men laughing outside the door.
He hastily zipped up the back of his skirt as a female worker at
another business in the office saw the mess on the floor. She shook
her head and said, "Men are dicks. They pulled this crap last month
too."
"They did the same thing last month?"
"No. You're actually lucky. Last time they rigged it so that if you
curtseyed flushed, you'd be sprayed by a small amount of toilet
water."
Adam nodded and replied, "They're so immature."
Adam turned and looked at his face. He sighed as he looked at the
feminine visage as he washed his hands. Adam took out his lipstick and
touched up his lips before he headed out of the bathroom.
He saw the same men standing by the door. They smiled at him as he
walked by. They started to laugh as he walked towards the elevator.
Adam muttered, "Assholes" as he pressed the elevator's button for his
floor. Adam went up to his floor and walked over to his desk.
Shortly after he sat down at his desk, Adam noticed a few unknown
people walking into the office. Adam had never seen them before. When
Donna and Christina greeted them, Adam realized who they were. They
were the client he had designed his most recent advertising campaign
for.
Donna and Christina lead them past Adam as they entered the conference
room. Christina then walked back over to Adam and pulled him into the
room. Adam was introduced as Alexandra, the junior secretary. They
told the customers that it was a learning experience for Adam to sit
in and watch them.
The clients did not object to Adam's presence. Donna and Christina
told Adam to sit in the back of the room and watch. Adam listened as
the women pitched his idea in simplified terms that angered him, but
were understandable to the clients.
Midway through the presentation, one of the clients asked for a cup of
water. Christina shouted to Adam to get the man a glass of water. A
woman accompanying the man then asked for one as well. Adam stared
back at Christina disbelievingly. He was still her boss. They knew
that, but they were treating him as if he was beneath them in the
office hierarchy.
Adam figured it was best not to make a scene. He figured that Nicola
might make him do something worse if he cost the firm an important
client with a petulant display. Adam went to the water cooler and
filled two cups for the clients. He carried them back to them and took
his seat.
Adam crossed his legs and gritted his teeth as the girls continued to
explain his proposal. The clients were enthralled and praised it as
innovative. Adam grinned at the praise, but he was upset that the
heaped it upon Donna and Christina merely because they were relaying
it to them. Adam felt that he deserved their praise, but he knew he
could not raise an objection. He figured he would give himself away
even though the clients had never seen him before as a man or a woman.
The clients accepted the proposed campaign and shook hands with the
girls. A few of them shook hands with Adam as an afterthought and told
him it was nice to meet him. Adam reciprocated and thanked them for
their business.
As the clients filed out of the office, Adam turned to Donna and
Christina. He said, "What was with that?"
"With what?" Christina said with a look of befuddlement.
"With making me fetch them a glass of water, you..."
"We're your superiors."
"But Nicola said that I'm...."
"Stop, interrupting, Alexandra. We assist you. That's true. That's
what Nicola told you, and we can't disagree with her. In that way, we
are your subordinates. However, everyone inside the company has been
told that you're a junior secretary. We have to keep up appearances."
Adam shook his head at them as the girls started to celebrate the deal
together. They blew past Adam and called the other secretaries into
the Secretaries' suite that had once been Adam's office. Adam started
towards it, but he stopped once he remembered that he was not allowed
in. Adam watched Martha and Giada congratulate the two girls on the
success of the pitch. Donna saw Adam peering into the celebration
through the door. She walked towards the door and slammed it shut.