Part 2Colleague Tries Skipping Out on the Bill; I’m Not Having It—Called the Cops!

At lunch, a guy mentioned, “I’m ordering takeout. I have a discount code if anyone wants to join.” He tapped my desk and asked politely, “Hey, I noticed you haven’t had lunch yet. Want me to add something for you?”

I looked up from my work. “Sure, thanks! Just let me know how much, and I’ll Venmo you.”

He smiled, saying we’d figure it out after he used the code.

Val bustled over, her face stretching into a big smile. “Jamie, I haven’t eaten either. Could you order me something?”

Jamie didn’t respond and just walked away.

Val huffed, “Hmph. What a miser.”

Someone nearby teased, “Val, how many times have you ‘borrowed’ lunch from Jamie? Have you ever actually paid him back?”

“Oh, get over it. I carry a Chanel bag. Do you think I’d cheat him out of some takeout?” Val huffed, returning to her desk before standing up again and calling after Jamie.

“Come on, order me one more time. I swear, once I owe you a full thousand, I’ll pay you back!”

Jamie didn’t even look back.

When the food arrived, everyone collected their orders, but one was left unclaimed. Val grabbed it while no one was watching and started eating.

When Jamie came back, he slammed a contract onto her desk. “You took my food without asking?”

Val chuckled. “I noticed it was just sitting there, and I didn’t want it to go to waste.”

“Taking something without permission is stealing. This cost twenty bucks. Venmo me.”

Val’s eyes widened. “What proof do you have that it was yours? Besides, you used a discount code—it probably covered it. You didn’t even pay for it yourself, so what right do you have to charge me?”

Her twisted logic left Jamie speechless.

“Val, do you have no shame? Is it a matter of life or death for you to freeload every day?”

Val rolled her eyes, sneering. “I wouldn’t even care if you died, Jamie.” She looked him up and down with disdain. “You don’t even have two hundred dollars on you—don’t talk to me; you’re bad luck.”

Jamie was ready to hit her, but she slammed her hand on the desk. “Do you even know who I am? I’ve got people in high places.”

Val had been hired by the HR Director at the Manhattan Headquarters. Our branch office only had Project Managers, so as long as she didn’t mess up her work, no one here could do much about her.