She stood up, her back straight, and walked outside.
Her steps were different today, no longer weary but full of inner strength. She had waited for more than 30 years.
Now the time had come.
It was time for the world to know the woman who had truly stood behind the success of Sterling Corporation, the one who would expose the shadows of injustice and bring justice back to those she had silently protected for over three decades.
As Otis stepped out of the small room in the basement, her heart felt heavier. Her eyes silently glanced down the hallway where the sounds of laughter and chatter from the young employees echoed.
For over 30 years, she had grown accustomed to being looked through as if she were nothing but an invisible shadow, unworthy of attention. Otis slowly moved into the main corridor, gently pushing her cleaning cart, avoiding the gazes of the office workers gathered outside the large conference room.
But no matter how hard she tried, their disdain always found its way to her in the most painful ways. As she passed a group of young employees chatting, they suddenly stopped, turning to look at her with disdain.
A new male employee with an arrogant expression deliberately spoke loudly enough for her to hear. "Hey, I don't get why we still keep old women like her around.
She's slow and clumsy, just a waste of money."
The whole group laughed out loud, no one showing any sign of hesitation or remorse at the cruel words. Otis lowered her head and continued with her work, trying to hide the deep pain behind her calm demeanor.
Such insults had become a part of her daily life. There was a time when Patricia Wilson, the senior HR director, a woman who always appeared with an air of sophistication and coldness, publicly mocked Otis in front of many people.
"Otis, next time make sure you use the right cleaner, as I requested. The whole office had to suffer from the awful smell you left behind last week."
Otis remained silent, nodding gently, even though she knew she had always used exactly what was asked. But the truth did not matter.
They needed someone to blame, and that person was always her, an old Black woman with no right to protest.
But among all the people who treated her badly, Ryan Sterling was the one who hurt her the most. Ryan did not just belittle her; he turned her into a spectacle for the crowd, a way to demonstrate his absolute power.
One late afternoon, while Otis was cleaning the restroom reserved for the senior executives, the door suddenly swung open forcefully. Ryan Sterling entered with Logan Matthews and a few other executives.
Upon seeing her, Ryan frowned in irritation. "Still not done?