I had to put a stop to it. My boss wanted to know everything about that young woman—who was being pressured by everyone to reveal information about others or to help him gain access to them. He had a habit of using young people to elicit pity and extract favors from others, by any means necessary. It was clear that she would be willing to help him—if only to get him to leave her alone—while he, in turn, would make her feel empowered, as if she were part of the inner circle of "bosses." He was a man with a twisted mind, always concocting the most devious schemes to dominate others and keep them under his control. In fact, that was how he tried to manipulate me: pressuring me to fall in line—so I could be on good terms with him and, by extension, with the rest of the group—or else face the consequences, which would eventually force me to return to his good graces.

He was utterly desperate, doing whatever it took—by any means—to gain control over others. He believed this was his due, convinced that he was the most valuable asset—the person with the greatest political weight within the community. In reality, however, no one paid him any mind; he was met only with jeers. I reported the whole situation to the general coordinator; he had assumed I hadn't grasped what was going on, but I exposed his entire scheme. He lived in his office—his own little trench—coercing everyone under his command to stir up sympathy and extract things from others, or to forge connections. That was his ultimate goal, and that is why I had to protect myself. In the case of the young woman, the idea was to let things play out so he could get something from her—perhaps spend some time together—or, if that didn't work, to simply step back and try again later. His way of thinking—as I’ve come to realize—was cunningly swift. Another thing I noticed about him is that, on one occasion when I mentioned I was leaving, he played the victim—ensuring that no one would offer me any help—all to create the impression that no one was doing anything to support his team. He used this to highlight his own supposed loyalty and the commitment he claimed to have toward me. He would meticulously manipulate his relationships with the people over whom he held influence; however, I made sure that those days would come to an end. I am tired of being in a company where this individual constantly engages in a form of "colonialism"—resorting to countless tactics to take people "hostage," all to extract favors, secure some peace, or exert control. Good God, what was wrong with this guy? I don’t understand why he acted this way. Why cause so much harm? What did the world ever do to him to make him behave like that?

I knew he made a habit of exploiting other people’s prejudices—using the rejection he faced to his own advantage—but I had never seen him go to such extremes. I had always seen him forging connections by leveraging those very prejudices, but I never imagined he would stoop to this level. I ended up having to resolve the situation for them—and without charging a cent—which is actually for the best; it allows me to move on with a clear conscience, both regarding him and everyone else. Still, I don’t get it: why such a desperate craving for power? Why such an obsession with control? What drove him to this? I suspect he believed the top brass had it in for him—that they were out to corner him—and, to be fair, they *had* placed him in a role for which he was completely unsuited, which made him vulnerable to all sorts of accusations. I also recognize that being summoned just as one is about to leave—in a move designed to assert power—amounts to a kind of abduction, driven by a need for notoriety. It seems to me that he was trying to replicate the tactics the "big boss" once used on him—or perhaps on her, it doesn't matter—aiming to make her lose control at any cost.

That is the only explanation I can see, though, under these circumstances, it hardly matters. The guy was constantly searching for a thousand and one ways to crawl out of his hole and gain power—trying every possible angle, exhausting his entire arsenal and all his knowledge (which I, for one, made sure to fully tap into). He assumed I looked to him as a father figure—that I was waiting for an adult’s guidance, an opinion, some form of protection or rescue—when, in reality, I am perfectly capable of handling all of that myself; the means to do so are already at my disposal. He always believed he had me in the palm of his hand, even though he was secretly afraid of me. But when I ruined one of his schemes—the final one—he pushed things to the absolute limit. Honestly, he no longer cared about his own life; he just wanted some kind of validation—some return on the effort he’d poured into his existence.

I don’t know where the young woman is, nor do I care. My only concern—from every perspective—was to get both her and myself out of that situation. She is my friend, but she has her own life; there is nothing I can do to pull her out of there, nor do I have any intention of trying. I arrived and "descended upon" the situation—I’m well aware of that. Naturally, this wasn't something I was going to explain to him. He always adopts this heroic, romantic persona to get what he wants, and when he fails, he plays the victim—in short, the guy is a manipulator.

The guy is a manipulator—he’ll latch onto anything to get what he wants, always seeking ways to establish control and eliminate any sense of insecurity. Naturally, being abruptly pulled from his comfort zone and placed in a role for which he is ill-suited—a position where he is destined to fail—is like throwing someone into the fire just when they were at peace, all within an environment that demands high performance. It’s no wonder he came to view the world as a threat and began searching for ways to conquer it. Yet, it seems no one has realized this; in fact, when viewed through this lens, his behavior almost appears logical—even sensible.

I’d like to share this with the young woman—my friend—because I know she has a tendency to put herself in situations where she feels compelled to compromise her own ethics and resort to manipulation. She believes this is the right way to integrate into society. But for me, the fact that she can simply be herself—without needing to be anything else—is more than enough; it’s an honor. It makes me feel that she can envision a world where she doesn’t have to constantly fight for survival. Her bright eyes, her gentle smile, and her natural joy are reward enough for me. I only hope she doesn’t end up like this man, who built his entire life around exploiting whatever he could to get what he wanted. I want her to see how that path ends—to understand that she must set boundaries for herself, or else she’ll be left entirely at the mercy of chance.

My friend shouldn’t look to this man as a model to emulate—quite the opposite. When I first met her, she was actually trying to establish a power dynamic with him—seeking to become his friend, but in a calculated way, purely to serve her own interests. As for me, she eventually came around because she saw something in me when she got to know me: respect, commitment, and a dedication to others—all while taking the risk of being open and revealing my own vulnerability. Those elements allowed us to be together. As for him, well, he gave her the impression that I could be easily swayed, yet he kept running into barriers.

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