“Marcus, I need to talk about some concerning things that have been happening.”
“Concerning things?”
The mask cracked completely.
His face hardened, and when he spoke, his voice had a defensive edge I’d never heard before.
“You’re upset about the key? Caitlin, I was checking on you. You’ve been through so much with the divorce.
Someone needs to take care of you.”
Oh, wow. He wasn’t even denying it.
“By breaking into my home?” I asked as my voice rose.
“Breaking in?” He stood up, pacing behind his desk. “I was protecting you.
Do you know how vulnerable you are? Living alone, working late, and trusting everyone? Someone has to watch out for you.”
Marcus, you’ve been following me. To my gym, to my coffee shop. You somehow knew about my car immediately.
You sent me Thai food after a casual comment in a meeting.”
His eyes flashed with something dangerous. “Because I pay attention, Caitlin. Because I care about you in ways nobody else does.
My marriage is a sham. Rachel doesn’t understand me as you do. We have a connection.”
“A connection?” I felt sick.
“You’re my boss. There’s no connection. What you’re describing is stalking.”
His face twisted with anger.
The support when you were falling apart?” His voice rose. “You owe me, Caitlin. You owe me for putting your career first, for being there when no one else was.”
The delusion in his words terrified me more than anything else.
He genuinely believed I owed him affection, that his professional kindness somehow justified his stalking.
“I don’t owe you anything,” I said, standing up and backing toward the door. “You violated my privacy and my home. What you’ve done is illegal.”
“You’re making a mistake,” he said, his voice dropping to something cold and threatening.
“You think anyone will believe you over me? I’m a VP. You’re just another divorced woman who can’t handle her emotions.”
But I had everything I needed recorded on my phone.
David, the HR director, listened to the entire recording with a grave expression.
“We’re placing Marcus on immediate leave,” he said firmly. “And we’re launching a full investigation. I want you to know we take this extremely seriously, Caitlin.
Your safety is our priority.”
The investigation moved quickly. Other women came forward with stories of Marcus’s inappropriate behavior, his boundary violations, and his obsessive attention. Emily confirmed, tearfully, that Marcus had constantly asked her casual questions about me.
She’d answered his questions innocently, not knowing how they’d affect me.
Marcus was fired within two weeks.Continue reading…
