**MY COLLEAGUE SUGGESTED WE BUY A JOINT $2,000 GIFT FOR OUR BOSS AND NOW REFUSES TO PAY ME BACK HER SHARE.**
So, I have this colleague, Emily, who’s always trying to get into our boss’s good graces. Emily is notorious for sucking up to management, hoping for that ever-elusive promotion.
A few weeks ago, Emily came up to me with an idea to buy our boss a very expensive $1600 watch for his birthday. She suggested we split the cost, making it a $2,000 joint gift with a customized engraving. I was hesitant, but she insisted, saying it would show teamwork and dedication. She promised to pay her half as soon as possible.
On our boss’s birthday, Emily made a huge show of presenting the gift. She took the box, gave a speech about how much this was her idea and she really pushed for it because she knew it was perfect for our boss. I stood there, smiling awkwardly, wondering why she was taking full credit.
A week passed, and I still hadn’t seen a dime from Emily. I approached her in the break room and gently reminded her about her share. She gave me a condescending smile and said, “Oh, I thought you were just helping out. I never intended to pay. Besides, YOU EARN MORE than I do, don’t you? Consider it a charitable act.”
I was fuming. Not only did she take full credit for the gift, but now she was outright refusing to pay. So, I decided it was time for some epic revenge.
First, I took out my phone and found a recording of Emily’s speech at the boss’s birthday. Fortunately, she had gone on about how it was all her idea. I uploaded the video to our office’s social media group, with a caption that highlighted how wonderful Emily was to come up with the idea of the gift. I also mentioned how it was a joint effort, giving her all the credit she craved.
Then, I went to HR with a different angle. I explained that I had initially agreed to split the cost of the gift under the impression that Emily would pay her share. I told them how she now refused to pay, leaving me with the entire bill. I mentioned that I didn’t want to make a huge deal out of it but wanted to clarify that I hadn’t intended to make such an extravagant gesture on my own.
HR took my complaint seriously, and they called Emily in for a meeting. She was flustered and defensive, but HR wasn’t amused. They had seen the video and knew the whole story now. They sternly reminded her that manipulation and dishonesty are not tolerated in our workplace.
Later that day, an email went out to the entire office, praising our teamwork and clarifying the joint effort behind the boss’s gift. They also mentioned that any future gift contributions should be clear and mutually agreed upon to avoid misunderstandings.
Emily’s face was redder than a tomato when she read the email. She avoided me for days, and I made sure to remain professional and distant. Eventually, she begrudgingly paid me back her share, realizing that her scheme had backfired spectacularly.
But the real satisfaction came when our boss, having learned the true story, approached me privately. He thanked me for my honesty and integrity, and while he didn’t outright scold Emily, the look of disappointment he gave her spoke volumes. From that day forward, Emily kept a low profile, and I had earned a newfound respect in the office for standing up to her manipulative tactics.
