Walking around in slutty high heels.

Jessica felt more than awkward. She'd never been a person for high heels anyway, so she wasn't walking exactly steady. But even more irritating: She felt as if every step she took was some kind of sensual, insinuating and rather lewd movement. It was downright embarrasing. There was no way she could muster enough authority or professional presence in these shoes.

And people noticed. Of course.

Some looked at her quizzically, as if trying to figure out what was different, without really being able to pinpoint it. Others frowned, disapprovingly. She even got one or two catcalls, followed by salacious grins. That was from people who probably had never seen her before. It was a big office tower and she had to do a lot of errands today.

After two working hours, as she was teetering through a long corridor, a guy she had never met put himself right in her way.

"Got any plans tonight, sweety?" he asked, grinning.
"Yes. Please step aside," she hissed, angrily.
"I know your type," he continued, unabashed. "You act all uptight during the day, but with a firm hand, you melt like butter and suck dick just like the best of them whores."
Jessica stared at him. She had never thought people working in this building would talk like this to women. She probably had always dressed and acted so professionally that no one had ever dared adressing her. Then again - it was just cheap looking high heels! She wasn't wearing any revealing clothes, for God's sake! What did this guy think he was doing.
"You want me to report you to your boss?" she asked pointedly.
He raised an eyebrow. "Oh, it's my bosses' dick your sucking, bitch? Well, I tell you, mine is bigger. If you want to get banged the real way, call me!"
He actually handed her his business card and walked away. Jessica stared after him, stupefied.

"Damn you, John!" she cursed softly.

As the afternoon came around, she had the feeling of having lost at least some percentage of credibility and respect with at least half of the people she was working with. A few people ridiculed her behind her back for trying to walk in shoes she clearly wasn't made for. Others said, they had always known that "Jessica is a secret slut", and it was no wonder how quickly she had risen through the ranks. They were all whispering, but whispering in a way so she could hear. She also realized that none of these topics were actually new. It was the prejudice and the slander that had been around about her forever. Either she just suddenly paid attention - or it had needed just a drop for people to utter it more clearly. John's high heels had just been that drop. People had their "proof" for what they had suspected for a long time: That she was sleeping with her superiors.

I shouldn't have consented to this, Jessica thought with dread. It would take her weeks or months to repair this little incident and the loss of respect. I should have drawn the line. Maybe this was his plan all along: To destroy my career with these subtle measures.

Whatever he would send her tonight, she would not follow his **** anymore. First the missed project meeting due to the little "toilet incident", then the lost morning in that stupid harness, his behaviour about the pictures she uploaded - and now this embarrassing task.

Jessica swore to herself that it had to stop. What could John do, after all? He had nothing in his hands. Documents could be faked. Accusing her of Czech and Austrian ancestry was too outrageous to be believed. She would just deny it all, weather the storm, and come back stronger.

She stopped in her tracks, got rid of the high heels and walked the rest of the day around bare foot. It wasn't exactly better in terms of ridiculousness - but at least it was her choice.