I was two weeks into my new job when my manager, Mark, pulled me aside. “Hey, can we chat in my office?” His voice was calm, but there was something off about it.
I sat down, trying to act normal, but my stomach was already twisting. He slid a printed email across the desk. It was from the regional supervisor, and it was about missing funds from last week’s deposits.
“You were the last one to check the register that night,” Mark said, folding his hands.
My mouth went dry. Yeah, I had closed that night, but I didn’t touch the money beyond counting it and locking it up. “I—I didn’t take anything,” I stammered.
Mark nodded slowly. “I want to believe you. But the cameras weren’t working that night, and the only other person on shift was Layla.”
Layla. She had been so friendly to me since I started. We even got coffee together last week. My mind was spinning. “So… what did she say?”
Mark sighed. “She said she left early and you finished up alone.”
That was a lie. Layla had been there the whole time. She even counted the drawer with me before I locked it up.
I could’ve said that right then, but I hesitated. If I called her out, would she turn it back on me? Would I look guilty? I barely knew how things worked here.
Mark was watching me carefully. “Listen, I don’t want to jump to conclusions, but someone has to be responsible. You understand that, right?”
I nodded, but my heart was hammering.
I had two choices: stay quiet and hope it blew over, or speak up and risk making an enemy. And I had no idea which one would ruin me faster.
I took a deep breath. “Mark, Layla didn’t leave early. She was there the whole time.”
His brow furrowed. “Are you sure?”
I nodded. “She counted the drawer with me. I locked it up, and we both left together.”
Mark leaned back in his chair, rubbing his chin. “That’s not what she told me.”
And there it was. If Layla lied about leaving early, then why? What was she hiding?
Mark sighed. “I’ll talk to her again. But you need to understand, if no one confesses, corporate will assume the person responsible is the last one who had access.”
That was his way of warning me—I was the easy target. I left his office feeling like I had a timer ticking over my head.
Layla acted normal the rest of the day, laughing with customers, chatting like nothing had happened. I debated confronting her, but I needed proof. If she had lied about leaving, maybe there was something else she was hiding.
I had an idea. Before heading home, I asked the janitor, Greg, if he had seen anything last week.
“Friday night?” He scratched his beard. “Yeah, I remember. Layla was here late. Real late.”
My heart pounded. “How late?”
Greg thought for a moment. “I was finishing up around midnight, and she was still in the back. Said she forgot something in the office.”
I thanked him and walked out, my mind racing. If Layla had stayed late, that meant she had access to the safe after I left. And since the cameras were down, there was no way to verify what happened.
I didn’t go home. Instead, I called Mark. “I have something you need to hear.”
The next morning, Mark called Layla into his office. I sat outside, pretending to work, my heart slamming against my ribs. Fifteen minutes later, she walked out, her face pale, eyes darting everywhere. She didn’t say a word to me.
Mark stepped out and motioned for me to come in. “Well,” he said, shutting the door behind me, “you were right. Layla admitted she stayed late that night. And when I pressed her on why she lied, she cracked.”
“What happened?”
“She was covering for someone. Her boyfriend. He came by that night after closing and she let him in. He took the money, and she panicked.”
I exhaled, my whole body deflating. “So… what happens now?”
“She’s gone. I already called corporate.”
Relief flooded me, but then another emotion crept in—guilt. Layla had been nice to me. But nice doesn’t mean trustworthy.
Mark gave me a small smile. “You did the right thing speaking up.”
That night, I went home and thought about how close I had come to taking the fall for something I didn’t do. It made me realize how easily silence can turn into guilt, how fear can make you question yourself when you’re the only one telling the truth.
I almost took the blame for something I didn’t do. But I didn’t. And I never would again.
What would you have done in my place? Let me know in the comments. And if you enjoyed this story, don’t forget to like and share!
