Jane’s employers planned a luxurious holiday and invited her to look after their children, promising to cover all expenses. However, upon returning, they demanded Jane repay $1000 for her plane tickets.
“Jane, can you come into the living room?” Mrs. Smith called out. “We need to talk about the vacation.”
“Yes, well,” Mrs. Smith started. “We need to discuss the plane tickets. When will you be able to return the $1000?”
Jane was shocked and reminded them, “But you told me that everything was sorted. You said, ‘Don’t worry about it, Jane. We’ve got it all covered.’”
Mrs. Smith’s expression hardened. “That was before the Johnsons refused to sign a business deal with Craig… You have exactly one week to return the money, or it will be taken from your pay.”
Jane decided to fight back by anonymously emailing influential families about the Smiths’ behavior. This tarnished their reputation. Mrs. Smith was oblivious, calling in a masseuse to soothe her stress.
During a ladies’ luncheon, Jane subtly hinted at Mrs. Smith’s habit of “borrowing” and not returning items. This gossip further damaged their reputation. Ultimately, Jane was dismissed but soon received a job offer from the Johnsons with better pay and conditions.
“Well,” Mrs. Johnson continued. “We’ve decided to cut ties with the Smiths entirely. And we’d like to offer you a job. Better pay, better working conditions. We could use someone like you for our kids.”
I was stunned.
“Of course!” I exclaimed. I needed the job desperately.
“You’ve earned it,” she smiled. “The boys loved having you watch them during the holiday. And somehow, you got Jonathan to eat his peas!”