Total pages in book: 67
Estimated words: 61422 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 307(@200wpm)___ 246(@250wpm)___ 205(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 61422 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 307(@200wpm)___ 246(@250wpm)___ 205(@300wpm)
My eyes flew open in shock. I lifted my head and craned my neck to look at the three or four fellow recruits I could see, off to my left side. I searched their faces for any sign of surprise or outrage. But I saw only a mix of nervous anticipation and resigned acceptance. How could they have known? How could they have agreed to this?
“That’s impossible!” I shouted, my voice cracking with desperation. “There’s no way that’s legal!”
Sharon’s laugh was cold, with a hint of real mirth. “Oh, my dear,” she said, running a perfectly manicured nail along the edge of the paddle. “You really should have done your research before accepting this position. The Corporate Laws give us quite extensive authority over our employees.”
The mention of the Corporate Laws sent a chill down my spine. I had taken a cursory look at them, of course, as part of my preparation for this role. But I had never imagined they could be interpreted so… broadly.
“I quit!” I yelled, struggling to push myself up from the chair. “You can’t do this to me if I’m not an employee!”
I felt a surge of hope as I managed to lift my upper body off the seat. But it was short-lived. Johnson and Ramirez, who had been standing nearby, quickly moved to restrain me. Their large hands pressed down on my shoulders, forcing me back into position.
“I’m afraid it’s not quite that simple,” Sharon said, her voice taking on a patronizing tone that made my blood boil. “Perhaps it’s time for a little lesson in modern government.”
She began to pace slowly in front of the assembled recruits, the paddle tapping rhythmically against her palm. “The Corporate Laws, as established by our esteemed administration, grant companies like Selecta a great deal of autonomy in how we manage our workforce. This includes the right to enforce our contracts through… shall we say, physical means.”
I felt my stomach drop as the full implications of her words sank in. “But… but that’s barbaric!” I protested, my voice muffled against the chair. I tried again to lift myself from the seat of the chair. The hands on my shoulders pushed me down once more.
Sharon continued as if I hadn’t spoken. “Moreover, these laws stipulate that any individual who signs a contract with a corporation is bound by its terms for a minimum period of thirty days, regardless of any attempt to terminate the agreement prematurely.”
She paused directly in front of me, her shadow falling across my prone form. “In other words, Miss Mitropoulos, you’re ours for the next month at least. And we intend to make full use of that time to correct your attitude.”
I felt tears of frustration and fear welling up in my eyes. How could I have been so naive? I had thought I could change the system from within, but instead, I had walked right into the grinding blades of the machine.
Sharon’s voice took on a more serious tone as she addressed the room. “I want to be perfectly clear about the extent of Selecta’s authority under the Corporate Laws. Our right to discipline employees includes administering punishment in the nude. I’ve personally witnessed its remarkable effectiveness in ensuring compliance and fostering the proper mindset.”
My breath caught in my throat as I processed her words. Surely she couldn’t mean… But even as the thought formed, I felt Sharon’s cool fingers at the hem of my skirt. With deliberate slowness, she began to raise the fabric, exposing more and more of my legs to the room.
“No,” I whimpered, squirming against Johnson’s and Ramirez’s firm grip. “Please, don’t…”
But Sharon paid no heed to my protests. She continued to lift my skirt until it was bunched around my waist, leaving my lower half completely exposed. A collective gasp rippled through the room as my underwear came into view.
“Well, well,” Sharon’s voice dripped with sarcasm. “What do we have here?”
I squeezed my eyes shut, my face burning with shame as I remembered choosing those panties this morning. The lacy red thong had seemed like such a good idea at the time—a secret rebellion against Selecta’s conservative dress code, a way to feel powerful and in control.
“My, my, Miss Mitropoulos,” Sharon continued, her finger tracing the edge of the lace. “It seems you’ve dressed for the job you want, not the job you have. Tell me, did you think these sexy little panties would help you seduce your way to the top?”
Tears of humiliation pricked at my eyes. How could I explain that it wasn’t like that at all? That I had chosen them as a private act of defiance, a way to maintain my sense of self in the face of Selecta’s oppressive culture? But even as I thought it, I realized how naive and foolish I had been.