Scammed by Her Tears，My $100K Revenge

I lent my co-worker $100,000 for her child's life-saving surgery. Now, she's telling everyone I'm trying to sleep with her husband. When Chloe screamed those words in the breakroom, my coffee mug froze mid-air. Three months ago, she fell to her knees, sobbing and begging me for a hundred grand to save her dying son. I didn't hesitate; I wired her the money. But now, all my kindness has been twisted into "proof" that I'm seducing her husband. I didn't expose her right then. I just watched her perform with a cold smile as our co-workers' looks toward me turned sour. The next day, she barged into the lobby with her husband, pointing her finger in my face. "You did it, so own up to it! Don't tell me you didn't have eyes for my husband!" I let out a cold laugh and pulled a stack of financial records from my bag. "That bitter divorcee is so pathetic. She can't keep a man of her own, so she’s throwing herself at someone else's husband!" Inside the breakroom, Chloe's shrill voice pierced right through the door, hitting my ears with crystal clarity. My hand holding the coffee mug froze in mid-air. "Playing the saint in front of me, helping with my kid, lending me money... She's just a desperate, shameless bitch at her core!" "I mean, seriously. Why else would she be so nice to me for no reason?" A few snickers of agreement echoed around her, and then someone lowered their voice to ask: "Chloe, you mean Audrey, our Director? No way, she doesn't seem like that kind of person." "People can fake anything!" Chloe's voice went up an octave. "She's just eyeing my husband's stable, promising career!" "I'm just a junior clerk who barely passed probation, and she's a Director, yet she's always coming over to my place. If she’s not after my husband, what is she doing?" "I'm telling you guys, she's driving me absolutely insane!" My brain went completely numb. The blood rushed straight to my head. Chloe, the new hire in our department. Three months ago, she came to me crying, saying her son had acute leukemia and desperately needed $200,000 for surgery. With tears streaming down her face, she said she had borrowed from every relative and friend she knew but was still short by $100,000. She literally begged me to save her child's life. Looking at the pale, sickly face of the little boy on her phone screen, my heart softened. I had been divorced for years and had no children of my own. Because I didn't have a complete family, I couldn't bear to see children suffer, especially in a life-or-death situation like this. I didn't just wire her the $100,000 on the spot; I also told her not to worry about paying me back anytime soon. Her child's health came first. After that, seeing her juggle work and hospital visits, looking absolutely exhausted, I offered to pick her son up from the clinic after work. I would bring him to my house to look after him for a few hours just so she could get some breathing room. The boy was incredibly sweet. He would always look at me with his big, clear eyes and call me "Auntie Audrey" in his tiny, shy voice. Chloe was beyond grateful. She held my hands and insisted on calling me her older sister, claiming I was the savior of their family and that she would do anything to repay me in this lifetime. As for her husband, Marcus, I had only seen him twice briefly during the child drop-offs. I couldn't even remember what he looked like clearly. As for her husband, Marcus, I had only met him twice. Once was when I dropped off some supplies at the hospital, and the other was when he came to my place to pick up his son. Each time, he was perfectly polite, thanking me and bringing some fruits. I barely even remembered his face. But now, all my goodwill had turned into a calculated seduction scheme in Chloe's mouth. My hand holding the coffee cup trembled slightly. A few drops of the hot liquid spilled onto the back of my hand, but I didn't even feel the pain. I quietly turned on the voice recorder on my phone, took a deep breath, and pushed the breakroom door open. The laughter inside stopped instantly. The seven or eight co-workers inside froze. Their expressions became incredibly awkward. They avoided my gaze, quickly bowing their heads to pretend they were busy. Chloe's face went completely pale. Her lips trembled like a fish out of water. I walked up to her step by step and slammed my coffee mug down on the counter. "Chloe," I said, my voice terrifyingly calm. "What were you just saying? I didn't hear you clearly. Say it again." She flinched violently, shaking her head as tears immediately filled her eyes. "No... nothing, Audrey. We were just gossiping." "Gossiping?" I let out a cold laugh. "Gossiping about how I'm a shameless bitch? About how I'm throwing myself at your husband? About how I'm driving you crazy?" My voice wasn't loud, but in the dead silent breakroom, every word felt like a slap directly to Chloe's face. Her face flushed from white to bright red, then to a dark, bruised shade. Her mouth opened, but not a single word came out. A female colleague who was close to her tried to smooth things over. "Director Miller, Chloe is young and doesn't know any better. Please don't take her words seriously." I shot a cold glare at her, and she shut her mouth instantly. I turned back to Chloe. "Let me ask you. Is the $100,000 I lent you a lie? Is the fact that I helped watch your kid a lie?" Chloe's tears kept falling. She sobbed, immediately playing the victim card. "Audrey, I know you were good to me, but I was just so scared!" "My husband is my everything! I can't lose him!" "You're so successful and beautiful. You can get any man you want. Why do you have to ruin my family?" She cried so desperately, making it look as though I had actually committed some unspeakable crime against her. The looks from the surrounding colleagues grew complicated, filled with suspicion and judgment. I trembled with pure rage, pointing at her. "Chloe, have you no shame?" "I just want to protect my family!" she suddenly wailed, covering her face. "I knew you'd be angry if I spoke up! I knew you'd fire me! But I had no choice! Please, just leave us alone!" She sobbed hysterically as if she were the most wronged person on earth. Watching her flawless acting, my rage peaked, but then, a strange wave of absolute calm washed over me. I suddenly realized something. Arguing with her here was completely pointless. The onlookers didn't care about the truth; they just wanted to watch a show. The more emotional I got, the more it would look like I was "lashing out because she hit a nerve." Arguing was useless right now. I took a deep breath and slowly poured the remaining coffee into the trash can. "Chloe," I said, staring at her with chilling calmness. "You're a great actress. Too bad you chose the wrong stage." Without another glance at her, I took my empty mug and walked out of the breakroom under everyone's complicated gazes. Behind me, her crying stopped abruptly, followed by absolute silence. Back in my office, I locked the door. All the energy in my body seemed to drain away. I sat in my chair, staring at the computer screen. Chloe's venomous words kept echoing in my head. "Bitter divorcee." "Desperate, shameless bitch." I pulled out my phone and opened my Snapchat chat history with Chloe. It was filled with messages of gratitude from her. "Audrey, you're like a real sister to me! I can never repay you in this life!" "Audrey, my boy said today that his favorite person is Auntie Audrey. I'm so happy for you." "Audrey, sorry to trouble you again today. Get some rest, don't overwork yourself." Looking at those words, I felt nothing but pure disgust and irony. I locked my phone. My chest felt so tight I could barely breathe. Tears welled in my eyes, but I bit my lip hard, forcing them back. Reflected in the computer screen, I saw my bloodshot eyes. In them, besides anger, there was a cold, hard resolve. Crying solved nothing. Tears would only become their new weapon against me. I took a deep breath, forcing down the hurt and bitterness. In its place, a cold, burning determination flared up. I wasn't going to let this go. I would make her pay for every single word she said. I opened my laptop, created a new folder, and named it "Evidence." Then, I dialed the Admin Manager. "Harrison, do me a favor. Pull the security footage from the third-floor breakroom from 10:00 AM to 10:30 AM today." "Sure thing, Audrey." "Keep this strictly confidential. Don't let a third person know." "Understood." Hanging up, I stared out the window. Chloe, you are going to pay for what you did.The moment I walked into the office the next morning, the atmosphere felt incredibly off. Whenever my co-workers saw me, they either looked down quickly or walked the long way around. Whispers followed me like shadows. As soon as I stepped into my office, my assistant, Becca, followed me inside, her face written with worry. "Audrey, are you okay?" she asked cautiously. "The rumors out there... they're getting really nasty." "What are they saying?" I didn't even look up as I booted up my laptop. "They're... they're saying you used your position to force Chloe into..." Becca couldn't finish the sentence, her face flushing red. "Force her into what?" I looked up at her. "Force her... to let her husband sleep with you in exchange for her permanent contract recommendation." Becca squeezed her eyes shut and blurted it out. I laughed out of sheer anger. With that kind of imagination, these people should be writing romance novels instead of working here. "I got it. You can go," I said, waving my hand. Becca opened her mouth as if to say something else, but ultimately sighed and walked out, closing the door behind her. The rumors were spreading much faster and more maliciously than I had anticipated. I could easily picture Chloe's tear-stained, pitiful face as she exaggerated the story to anyone who would listen. At lunch, I went down to the cafeteria. Almost every eye in the room locked onto me. The moment I sat down, Chloe appeared, holding her lunch tray. She walked straight toward me. Her eyes were red and swollen like a frightened rabbit. She sat directly across from me, looking at me timidly. I sneered inwardly. She wanted to play the 'bullied victim' in front of everyone again. "Audrey," she whispered, her voice barely audible. I ignored her, continuing to eat my lunch. "Audrey, I'm sorry," she said again, tears beginning to well up. "Yesterday was my fault. I shouldn't have talked behind your back." "Please forgive me just this once. I really can't lose this job." As she spoke, she kept darting glances around us. Every ear in the cafeteria was practically pressed in our direction. I set my forks down, looked up, and quietly watched her performance. "You weren't just talking behind my back," I said calmly. "You were just saying what you truly thought of me." Chloe froze, clearly not expecting this reaction. "No, that's not true!" she quickly defended herself. "I was just confused and scared! I was terrified you were going to take my husband away!" She didn't speak loudly, but it was clear enough for the neighboring tables to hear every word. Gasps and hushed whispers immediately broke out around us. "See? She's terrified. It must be true." "Why is Director Miller eyeing a junior employee's husband when she's so successful?" "Poor Chloe. Her boss is literally trying to steal her husband." Looking at Chloe's "innocent" and "wronged" face, I suddenly felt incredibly disgusted. I picked up my tray and stood up. "Chloe, I'll say this one last time," I said, looking down at her. "I have absolutely zero interest in you or your husband. Keep your distance from me." With that, I turned and walked away, leaving her and the whispering cafeteria behind. That afternoon, I called Chloe into my office. "This is your permanent contract recommendation," I said, sliding a document toward her. "HR rejected it." Chloe's face went paper-white instantly. "Why?" she shrieked. "I work so hard! You even said my performance was great!" "Your work capability is fine," I said, leaning back in my chair. "But this company values integrity and honesty as core principles." "You publicly fabricated rumors and slandered your superior, which is a severe violation of the employee code of conduct." "I provided the evidence to HR. They unanimously agreed that you do not meet the company's standards." "Just because I talked a little trash behind your back?" She stood up, highly agitated. "You're abusing your power for a personal grudge!" "It wasn't just 'talking trash,'" I corrected her. "It was slander. I simply handed the facts and evidence over to HR. They made the final call." "Personal grudge?" I smiled. "Chloe, did you forget? I was the one who wrote your performance review." "If I really wanted to get rid of you out of spite, all I had to do was write 'unsatisfactory' on the review. You wouldn't even have had a chance to argue." She stunned. "I actually graded you as 'excellent,'" I said, locking eyes with her. "I gave you a chance. You threw it away yourself." Chloe's lips trembled. She couldn't understand. "Why?" she mumbled. "Because I wanted to see just how rotten the conscience of someone who received so much grace from me could get," I said, my voice turning icy. "And you didn't disappoint." Chloe's body swayed as if all the strength had been sucked out of her. "Audrey, I was wrong! I was really wrong!" She suddenly lunged forward, trying to grab my hand, but I dodged her. She collapsed to her knees in front of my desk, sobbing hysterics: "Please give me another chance!" "My son still needs money for his treatment! I can't lose this job! I beg you!" She actually started bowing her head to the floor, over and over, her forehead hitting the carpeted floor with a muffled thud. I watched her quietly, feeling absolutely nothing. If you knew this day would come, why did you do it in the first place? "Begging me is useless," I said. "Go beg the HR Director." She looked up, her face covered in tears, but her eyes were filled with pure venom and resentment. I knew she hated me. She hated me for not playing the victim quietly. She hated me for not letting her smear my name. She hated me for ruining her future. She scrambled up from the floor, wiped her tears, and glared at me with a dark, vicious look I had never seen before. "Audrey Miller, you just wait," she spat through gritted teeth. "You'll regret this." She turned and slammed the door shut behind her. I picked up my phone and sent a message to Harrison on WhatsApp. "Harrison, please pull the hallway camera footage outside my office door from today around 3:15 PM." "Got it, Audrey." I paused, then typed another message: "Also, from today on, make sure all cameras in the lobby and common areas are fully functional. I might need them at any moment." "Understood, Audrey." I leaned back in my chair and closed my eyes. Chloe, this is only the beginning. Everything you owe me, I am going to get back. With interest.The news of Chloe's termination spread through the company like wildfire. But she didn't just pack up and leave quietly. She chose the most explosive route possible. The next morning, she showed up in the lobby with her husband, Marcus. Marcus was wearing a sharp, pressed city official uniform. The municipal badge on his chest gleamed under the lobby lights. He was a government employee. He was indeed a good-looking man—around six feet tall, sharp features, with that dignified aura common among those in public administration. No wonder Chloe treated him like some rare prize. "Where is Audrey Miller? Tell her to get out here!" Chloe screamed at the receptionist, pointing her finger. The young receptionist was terrified and immediately called security and our department. Once I got the call, I went downstairs with my department manager. A large crowd of co-workers had already gathered in the lobby, watching the drama unfold. The moment Chloe saw me, she threw herself into Marcus's arms, wailing at the top of her lungs. "Marcus, it's her!" "She's the one who threatened me! She said if I didn't get you to sleep with her, she'd make me pack my bags!" "And now she actually fired me! She's trying to ruin my life!" Marcus held his wife tight, his face grim. He stared at me with an arrogant, disgusted look. "Are you Audrey Miller?" he demanded, his voice filled with condescending authority. "I don't care if you're a Director here. My wife is just a junior employee." "You used your position to harass and pressure her, and now you've wrongfully terminated her. You owe us a major explanation!" His voice was booming and righteous, as if he were the champion of justice. The surrounding colleagues whispered among themselves, looking at me with pure disdain. "So it's true. She actually fired the girl because she couldn't get the husband." "That's so disgusting. And she's a leader in this company!" "Poor guy. His wife got harassed by her boss." Standing in the center of the crowd, I felt like a criminal on public display. I took a deep breath, looking directly at Marcus. "Mr. Jenkins, I think you have been grossly misled." "Chloe's termination was a formal decision made by HR, not a personal one by me." "Bullshit!" Chloe broke free from Marcus's grip, pointing directly at my face. "It was you! You went and complained to the HR Director!" "You're just jealous of my happy marriage! You're jealous that I have a husband who loves me!" "You're just a bitter, lonely divorcee who can't stand seeing anyone else happy!" Her words grew nastier, like poisoned daggers. "Chloe!" I barked. "Watch your mouth!" "Why? Did I say anything that isn't true?" Chloe was completely unhinged now. "If you didn't do it, prove it! Do you dare to swear in front of my husband that you never had eyes for him?" Everyone's eyes locked onto me. This question was a complete trap. If I swore, it meant I was validating her ridiculous accusation. If I didn't, they would take it as a sign of guilt. I looked at the couple, who were putting on quite a coordinated performance, and suddenly laughed. "Mr. Jenkins," I bypassed Chloe entirely, locking eyes with Marcus. "Are you absolutely sure you want everyone here recording this and putting it on TikTok?" "Do you want the whole city to see a promising public servant bringing his wife to her workplace to accuse her female boss of seducing him?" "If this goes viral, do you think your superiors at City Hall will sympathize with you? Or will they think you're a liability who can't even handle his own domestic issues, making you completely unfit for promotion?" Marcus's expression changed instantly. He was a man who valued his public image and career above all else. A scandal like this, once it reached his department, would be a fatal blow to his career. He clearly hadn't expected me to turn the fire on him. He glanced at the growing crowd, noticing several people already holding up their phones, recording. "Are you threatening me?" He narrowed his eyes, his gaze turning dangerous. "I'm simply stating a fact," I met his gaze without backing down. "Your wife screaming here hurts my company's reputation." "But if this gets out, whose face will be dragged through the mud, and whose career will be ruined? Mr. Jenkins, you know the answer better than I do." Marcus's Adam's apple bobbed. His face turned incredibly dark. Chloe, completely oblivious to her husband's hesitation, kept fueling the fire. "Marcus, don't let her scare you! She's just guilty! We're going to ruin her reputation today!" Marcus whipped his head around, snapping, "Shut up!" Chloe froze, staring at him in disbelief. Marcus grabbed her wrist, his grip so tight it looked like he was about to crush her bones. "Haven't you embarrassed us enough? We're leaving!" "I'm not leaving!" Chloe struggled. "We haven't settled this yet!" "I said, we are leaving!" Marcus gritted out the words. The glare he shot me was filled with warning and deep resentment. He dragged the screaming Chloe out of the lobby, looking utterly humiliated under the whispers of the crowd. The circus was finally over. My department manager let out a long breath, patting my shoulder. "Audrey, I'm so sorry you had to go through that." I shook my head. "It's fine." But I knew this wasn't over. A proud, face-saving man like Marcus, who had just been humiliated in public, wouldn't let this go. Sure enough, that afternoon, I received a call from Arthur Vance. Arthur was one of the founders of the company and my direct boss. "Audrey, come up to my office," his tone was unreadable. My heart sank. I knew trouble had arrived. When I entered Arthur's office, he was sitting on the sofa, pouring tea. "Have a seat," he gestured to the chair opposite him. I sat down. "I heard about what happened this morning," Arthur said slowly, pouring me a cup. "The impact on the company is very bad." "I'm sorry, Arthur. I brought trouble to the company," I said quietly. "You didn't do anything wrong, I know that," Arthur looked at me with a complicated expression. "I reviewed Chloe's file and spoke with HR." "I know you've been helping her out." My heart warmed slightly. "But Audrey, here's the problem. Marcus went to a senior commissioner at City Hall and filed a formal complaint against us." Arthur sighed. "He claims our company has toxic management, that a director is abusing power to harass subordinates, and that we terminated his wife out of retaliation." "The commissioner is furious. He's demanding we handle this severely and give them a satisfactory resolution." My heart sank bit by bit. "So, what is the company's decision?" I asked. Arthur remained silent for a long time before finally speaking with difficulty. "The board wants you... to take a temporary administrative leave. Just to let things blow over." "Publicly, we will announce that you are under an internal investigation." Administrative leave. Investigation. Those words felt like a heavy blow, suffocating me. I had dedicated eight years of my life to this company. I started as a junior clerk and worked my way up to Director. I gave my best years to this place. And now, over a completely baseless accusation, the company was ready to throw me under the bus. My hands clenched into fists on my lap, my nails digging into my palms. "Arthur," I looked up, my eyes slightly red. "What if I refuse?" "What if I say I did nothing wrong, and I won't accept any suspension or so-called investigation?" Arthur looked at me, a mix of surprise, conflict, and a hint of respect in his eyes. He remained silent for a moment, then said: "Audrey, give me three days." "If you can't prove your innocence within three days, even I won't be able to protect you."