**Diary Entry 12th May**
*”You’re sacked, you useless waste of space!”*
My boss, Richard Harrington, bellowed it loud enough for the entire office to hear. His face twisted with fury as he flung a folder across his desk, papers scattering like fallen leaves. A few slid to the polished floor, ignored.
*”A whole month! A whole bloody month you spent on this report for Sheffield Steel, and what do I get? A disaster!”*
I watched as his face flushed crimson, veins bulging in his neck. Another one of his weekly meltdownsalways targeting someone new. Today, it was my turn. I stayed silent. Any word now would be like striking a match in a petrol station.
*”What, nothing to say? You bungled our biggest client, and now youve got no defence? Pathetic!”*
He loomed over the desk, jabbing a finger toward my face, the sharp scent of his expensive cologne cloying in the air.
*”I dont understand what disaster you’re referring to, Richard,”* I said calmly. *”Every figure was triple-checked. There were no mistakes.”*
My steady voice only enraged him further.
*”Oh, you dont understand?”* he sneered. *”Their commercial director just rang me, absolutely livid! Said our numbers were pure fiction!”*
Now *that* was interesting. There had been no errors in my report. Which meant someone had altered it after I submitted the final draft.
*”Pack your things. I want you out in ten minutes.”* He turned to the window, dismissing me with a wave. His posture screamed triumphanother *”incompetent”* employee banished from his perfect little kingdom.
I stood slowly, feeling no anger, no humiliationjust cold clarity. Everything was going exactly as planned. Better, even.
As I gathered my thingsnotebook, pen, pursethe office door swung open without a knock.
Richard spun, irritation flashing. *”What the devil”*
Then he froze. The colour drained from his face.
In walked Oliver. My husband. And, incidentally, the owner of the company.
Oliver took in the scattered papers, the stunned silence, then met my gaze with the faintest smirk. He stepped forward, slipped an arm around my shoulders, and kissed my temple.
*”Darling, shall we go home?”*
Richard gaped like a fish washed ashore. His perfect world had just cracked apart.
*”O-Oliver”* he stammered, voice strangled. *”I had no ideashes Smith”*
*”My wife prefers her maiden name for professional reasons,”* Oliver said smoothly, picking up one of the fallen reports. *”Wanted an inside look at operations. Unbiased.”*
His eyes skimmed the numbers.
*”And what an eye-opener its been. Especially regarding this report.”*
Richard swallowed hard.
*”Oliver, I swear, theres been a mistake! Her figures were wrongSheffield Steel called me”*
*”Funny,”* Oliver cut in, *”because their director was in my office half an hour ago. We just signed an expanded contractbased on the original report Emily submitted to you.”*
A pause. A smirk.
*”The version you decided to *adjust* before sending.”*
Richard paled. He understood now.
Oliver leaned over the desk, voice dropping to steel. *”Two months ago, our security team flagged leaks. Sensitive data going to our biggest competitor, Crown Holdings. We couldnt pinpoint the source. Then Emily volunteered to help.”*
His gaze never left Richards.
*”She suspected the leaker wasnt just stealingthey were sabotaging. Creating chaos. So she joined your team. Saw everythingyour incompetence, your bullying, your habit of claiming credit and shifting blame.”*
A step closer.
*”And then she watched you alter her report late one night. Save it to a flash driveone with a Manchester United keyring. The camera above your desk caught it all.”*
Richards hands trembled.
*”Now,”* Oliver said, *”lets discuss damages. And the penalties for corporate espionage.”*
A nod toward the door. Two security officers stepped in.
We left Richard to his fate.
—
**Later that evening**
*”Well, Sherlock,”* Oliver teased as we drove home, *”satisfied with your sting operation?”*
I sighed, leaning back. *”Just glad he wont be poisoning that office anymore. Youve no idea how toxic it was.”*
Olivers grip tightened on the wheel. *”Now I do. Thank you. You didnt just catch a thiefyou showed me the rot in my own company.”*
We spent the ride planning reformstransparency, anonymous feedback channels, a zero-tolerance policy for bullies.
Because the real victory wasnt exposing one man. It was building something better in his place.
—
**One Year Later**
The office hummed with energy. No more fear, no stifled ideas.
Richard? Last I heard, hed been sentenced to community service and a crippling fine. Now he clerks in some backwater firm.
Meanwhile, Ethanthe junior analyst Richard once crushednow leads the department. Productivitys up 40%.
And me? I head Corporate Culture Development. My anonymous *”Dialogue”* platform lets employees speak freely.
No more dictators. No more fear.
Just people thriving.
And thats worth every battle.
—
**Lesson learned:**
Toxic leaders dont just fail their teamsthey fail the entire business. The real power isnt in control. Its in trust.
