When Matt’s wife, Lily, begins to lose a part of herself due to feeling invisible at work, he begins to worry. Soon, Lily gets dragged deeper into her thoughts, and it affects her health. Unable to stand by any longer, Matt gets involved and teaches Lily to stand up for herself.
When it comes to my wife, nobody is allowed to mess with her. So, when I discovered what was really going on, I had to take action.
A smiling couple | Source: Midjourney
It all started when Lily, my wife, came home one evening, looking more drained than usual. She’s brilliant at her job as a marketing analyst at a mid-sized tech company. But over the past few months, she had developed some game-changing strategies that significantly boosted the company’s sales.
“They said that the numbers are looking really good, honey,” she told me excitedly one evening when we were making pizza for dinner.
A close up of a pizza | Source: Midjourney
“Then, this calls for a celebration!” I said, pouring our wine.
“No, honey,” she said. “There’s more to the story.”
But there was one problem: her boss, Ms. Robinson, kept taking credit for all of Lily’s hard work.
A woman in a business suit | Source: Midjourney
Every time Lily pitched an idea, Ms. Robinson would give a vague compliment to the “team” and then, during presentations to upper management, claim those wonderful ideas as her own.
“It’s been going on for so long,” Lily said. “I don’t think that anything is going to change.”
I could see that it was taking a toll on Lily, especially because our evenings, once filled with laughter and shared stories, had turned into quiet dinners with music on to add some noise.
An upset woman holding her head | Source: Midjourney
Lily was withdrawn, her usual cheerfulness replaced by anxiety and frustration. I was worried that she was getting depressed. It was heartbreaking to see her like this, especially as it began affecting her health, causing sleepless nights and stress-induced headaches.
“I’m worried about you,” I said to Lily one day when we were gardening together. It wasn’t a usual couple’s activity, but it was something that we adored doing together.
“Don’t be, Matt,” she said. “I don’t know what else to tell you, but I’ll be fine.”
A couple gardening together | Source: Midjourney
I wanted to believe her, but I just couldn’t. There was something wrong, and it wouldn’t get any better without help. But I also knew my wife. Lily wouldn’t let me do anything until she really needed me.
And then, things changed again.
One night, after yet another incident where Ms. Robinson took credit for Lily’s work, we decided something had to change.
“I can’t keep doing this,” Lily said, tears in her eyes. “It’s like I’m invisible, Matt. Is this how it’s always going to be?”
A close up of an upset woman | Source: Midjourney
“Why don’t you confront her?” I suggested.
“I can’t,” she sighed. “It might jeopardize my job. Ms. Robinson has all the connections. She could make it really difficult for me in the industry. And you know what? She’s so horrible that she may just force me out altogether.”
Seeing her so defeated, I proposed a risky plan.
An upset woman sitting on a couch | Source: Midjourney
“What if we give her a taste of her own medicine, Lil?” I asked her, dishing out two bowls of ice cream. “Let’s create a fake marketing plan that looks impressive but has hidden flaws. If she claims it as her own, it will backfire, and she’ll have to fix it. But she won’t know how.”
Lily hesitated and savored her ice cream, eventually agreeing.
“It can’t hurt, right?” she said. “I mean, I’ll have all the answers, and I’ll be able to step in when I need to.”
A man holding a bowl of ice cream | Source: Midjourney
“Exactly, Lil,” I said. “And then, you’ll finally get the recognition you deserve.”
We spent the next few days crafting a presentation that appeared sophisticated, complete with graphs and statistics, but it was subtly flawed.
The day of the pitch arrived, and Lily spent an hour choosing what to wear.
A woman standing in front of her closet | Source: Midjourney
“Can you tell I’m nervous?” she asked, picking up a blue pantsuit.
“Yes,” I laughed. “But everything is going to be just fine, I promise you. Ms. Robinson is going to be taught a lesson.”
It turned out that Ms. Robinson loved the idea and scheduled a meeting with the CEO and senior management.
A smiling man | Source: Midjourney
“She said that she’s eager to showcase her latest strategy for the new project,” Lily told me on the phone. “It’s all going to unravel now. And I’ll be in the boardroom, too. She summoned me to say that she wants me to handle the tech side of the presentation and to take notes.”
“Well, it’s almost showtime,” I said. “Don’t be afraid to stand up for yourself. Save the day, darling. Show them who you are. Make them remember your name.”
A woman on the phone | Source: Midjourney
During the presentation, senior management’s questions revealed Ms. Robinson’s lack of understanding of the plan’s intricacies. The CEO, Adam Greene, known for his sharp eye for detail, quickly spotted the flaws.
“Ms. Robinson, this plan doesn’t seem feasible. Can you explain these discrepancies?” he asked, looking through the presentation.
Ms. Robinson stammered, unable to provide satisfactory answers.
People in a boardroom | Source: Midjourney
“Lily, do you have any insights on this?” Adam asked her.
And do you know what my wife did?
Lily calmly pointed out the issues and explained why the plan wouldn’t work, emphasizing the importance of thorough analysis.
The CEO nodded, his eyebrows raised, clearly impressed by her expertise.
A man in a business suit | Source: Midjourney
After the meeting, Ms. Robinson received a formal reprimand.
“Matt!” Lily said on the phone. “Ms. Robinson has been given a warning. She’s currently on probation. Adam wanted to know why she would overlook such careless errors in the strategy plan. He told her that the company couldn’t afford such fundamental mistakes.”
“Well, it can’t,” I said. “And especially someone at her level.”
A woman laughing on the phone | Source: Midjourney
“She was not happy at all!” Lily chuckled. “I think a part of her knew that it was me. But at the same time, she had no proof.”
“Exactly, she cannot blame you because there’s no proof. And either way, it was her job to go through the presentation.”
Lily returned to her desk, her mind still buzzing with adrenaline. It was a feeling that she had forgotten. She couldn’t believe how well everything had gone. As she started to pack her things, Ms. Robinson approached her, looking unusually subdued.
A woman sitting at her desk | Source: Midjourney
“Lily, can we talk for a minute?” Ms. Robinson asked, her voice lacking its usual confidence.
Ms. Robinson led Lily into her office and closed the door behind them. She took a deep breath before speaking.
“I wanted to… apologize,” Ms. Robinson said. “I know what happened in there was… unexpected. And I realize that I haven’t been giving you the credit you deserve.”
A close-up of an older woman | Source: Midjourney
Lily was surprised by the admission but remained silent.
“I made a mistake today,” she said, her voice trembling. “And not just today, but for the past few months. I’ve been under a lot of pressure to deliver results, and in my eagerness to show progress, I took shortcuts, including taking credit for your ideas.”
There was a pause as Ms. Robinson seemed to struggle with her next words.
A close-up of an older woman | Source: Midjourney
“I understand if you’re upset. You have every right to be. But I want you to know that this is a wake-up call for me. I intend to make things right and ensure that your contributions are properly acknowledged from now on.”
Lily sat across from me at our dining table, sipping her wine in glee, telling me everything that had transpired.
“It’s just good to know that she learned a lesson,” Lily said. “Even if her hand was forced to learn the lesson.”
A smiling woman holding a wine glass | Source: Midjourney
“So, you feel good?” I asked her carefully.
“Yes,” she said. “I feel like I can actually sleep tonight.”
With the stress lifted, I watched as my wife blossomed into herself again. Her mood and health improved drastically. She returned to her cheerful self, and our evenings were once again filled with laughter.
“Dance with me, Matt,” she said, taking out her phone and playing our wedding song.
And like that, Lily returned to normal.
A couple dancing in their living room | Source: Midjourney
What would you have done?
If you enjoyed this story, here’s another one for you |
When Jason’s phone rings in the middle of the night, he finds his daughter crying. During the conversation, he discovers that her landlord is forcing her out of her place. Jason decides to give the landlord a lesson…
I received the call late at night; it was so unexpected that I answered it without even thinking about who could be on the other end. Groggily, I clicked the green icon and held my phone up to my ear.
A man sleeping | Source: Midjourney
“Dad,” Lily, my daughter, sobbed into my ear.
“What’s wrong?” I asked, immediately sitting up and getting my feet into my slippers. “Tell me, Lily, what’s happening?”
An upset young woman | Source: Midjourney
“My landlord found out that I got a raise at work. I was sitting on the porch with Nolan, and we were laughing about it and toasting. And of course, he heard it from the front house. Ever since, he keeps talking about renovations and higher rent.”
“Okay,” I said slowly, trying to understand despite the grogginess from sleep.
A close-up of an older man | Source: Midjourney
Sure, it was a disgusting way to make money off people, but it wasn’t something to cry about.
“But sweetheart, why are you crying?” I asked, trying to keep my own voice steady.
Everything in me wanted to run to my child. But I wouldn’t do anything until she gave me a reason to.
An upset young woman | Source: Midjourney
“After I had no reaction to the rent increase, he secretly threw some old, prohibited chemical containers into my backyard and then accused me of violating the lease by storing hazardous materials on the property,” she said.
“What?” I exploded. “That’s illegal!”
Numerous plastic containers | Source: Unsplash
“And he has given me two days to move out,” she continued.
Read the full story here.
This work is inspired by real events and people, but it has been fictionalized for creative purposes. Names, characters, and details have been changed to protect privacy and enhance the narrative. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.
The author and publisher make no claims to the accuracy of events or the portrayal of characters and are not liable for any misinterpretation. This story is provided “as is,” and any opinions expressed are those of the characters and do not reflect the views of the author or publisher.