“Jane, can you come into the living room?” Mrs. Smith’s voice was sugary but firm.
I had been tidying the playroom, but I walked into the living room, sensing something was off. Mrs. Smith was seated with her usual poise, and Mr. Smith sat next to her, his gaze fixed on his phone.
“Sure, Mrs. Smith. What’s up?” I asked.
“We need to talk about the vacation,” Mrs. Smith began.
Curious, I listened. We had just returned from a luxury seaside resort where I’d cared for their three children and the Johnsons’ two sons. It was almost a break, except I was still on duty.
“It was a lovely trip,” I said. “Thank you for including me.”
“Yes,” Mrs. Smith replied. “But we need to discuss the plane tickets. When will you return the $1000?”
A person holding a boarding pass | Source: Pexels
I was stunned. “$1000? For the tickets? What do you mean?”
“Exactly that,” she said, irritation creeping into her voice. “We covered the cost and expected you to repay us. Given that the Johnsons didn’t close their deal with Craig, you owe us. You have one week to pay, or we’ll deduct it from your salary.”
My heart raced. I couldn’t afford that. My salary went towards my mother’s medical needs, and they had never mentioned repayment before. I needed a plan.
The Smiths cared deeply about their social standing. That was my leverage. I created a fake email account and sent out a detailed message about my experience, avoiding direct names but including enough clues for others to guess. I sent it to their influential friends.
Gossip spread. Mrs. Smith’s reputation suffered as stories of her “borrowing” items like Gucci handbags circulated among her social circle. The next day, requests for these items began pouring in.
During one of Mrs. Smith’s luncheons, I made sure to drop hints about her borrowing habits. The guests were intrigued, and soon, the topic was all anyone could talk about.
The following night, Mr. Smith summoned me for dinner. “An anonymous email has caused trouble,” he said. “Did you have anything to do with it?”
I feigned ignorance. “No, Mr. Smith.”
“Then you’re dismissed,” Mr. Smith said. “Pack your things by tomorrow.”
I complied and moved back home. A week later, Mrs. Johnson, a friend of the Smiths, called with an offer.
“Jane, can you come over for tea?” she asked.
At her home, Mrs. Johnson expressed her concern. “I heard about what happened with the Smiths. It’s disgraceful.”
She then offered me a new job with better pay and conditions, praising my work with her children.
I was thrilled. “Thank you! I’d love to work for you.”
“You’ve earned it,” Mrs. Johnson said. “The boys loved you.”
I was relieved and excited about the new opportunity. As for the Smiths, their harsh lesson about treating staff with respect was delivered through their tarnished reputation.
