Meredith’s mother adored me, and Meredith acted like we were in love. I was trapped. I demanded we stop, but Meredith refused. She said I was perfect for the role—and now that she knew who I was, she intended to use it. “Back out,” she said, “and I’ll tell my dad you harassed me.”That’s when I hit record.The next day, I went straight to David’s office, shaking with nerves. I told him everything and played the recording.

I expected to be fired. Instead, he laughed. Apparently, Meredith had done this before. Her mother couldn’t accept she was gay, so Meredith faked relationships to keep the peace. David knew but hadn’t realized she was manipulating coworkers.He thanked me for my honesty, told me to delete the recording, and promised to handle it. A week later, I got promoted.