Alexie Douglas Facebook ad: “The Director They Shamed for Being Broke”

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Meta Ad Library ID

1613397440479868

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We were entertaining a client when my boss told me to put down a five-thousand-dollar deposit for the restaurant. My face went hot. I told him I only had three hundred dollars left in my account. His expression darkened. “Laurel, you make a six-figure salary.” “My phone’s dead. I’m just asking you to cover it for now. Do you really need to make up an excuse like that?” In the private dining room, the client, my boss, and my coworkers all looked at me like I was a liar. But where was this six-figure salary supposed to be coming from? I’d been with the company for six years. The only thing that ever hit my account was twenty-five hundred dollars a month, and Griffin had approved my pay every single time. I was about to explain when Griffin spoke up. “Don’t make a big deal out of it. Just front the money for now. It’s not like the company won’t reimburse you.” I thought maybe my boss had misremembered, so I had no choice but to put the charge on my last credit card with any available balance. Later, he asked me to spend another ten thousand on Macallan, cigars, and gift boxes. I didn’t have it. That was when my boss finally lost his patience. “You’ve been with this company for six years. I’ve given you six raises. Your base salary is one hundred fifty thousand now, plus bonuses.” “This month alone, your bonus was twenty thousand higher than everyone else’s. Don’t tell me you have no money.” I froze. A few seconds later, I asked him, “How much did you say the company paid me this month?” ... We had only just sat down when Frank Vance leaned toward me. “Laurel, go put down five thousand at the front desk. Whether the contract goes through or not, we need to show we’re serious.” He held up his phone, showing me the black screen. “My phone’s dead. Cover it for now and expense it when we get back.” I stayed rooted to my seat, my palms beginning to sweat. I knew how important this dinner was to landing the contract. But after glancing at the balance in my banking app, I had no choice but to tell him the truth. “Mr. Vance, I only have about three hundred dollars left on my card.” “I really can’t come up with five thousand right now.” The room went silent. Someone from the client’s side set down their glass with a soft click. Everyone from our company turned to stare at me. Vance looked at me as if I’d said something utterly absurd. “Laurel, didn’t we just get paid? You make six figures, and you’re telling me you’ve only got three hundred dollars left?” “My phone is dead. I’m just asking you to cover it for a bit. Is this really the time for excuses?” Hayes, from the client’s company, swept his gaze across the table before letting it settle on me. “Young people these days. They’ll lie about anything.” “If this is how your company operates, I’ll have to reconsider our partnership.” He didn’t bother lowering his voice. Everyone at the table heard him. Vance’s expression soured. The truth was, I didn’t have the money. Without thinking, I looked to Griffin Moretti. He was my boyfriend and my direct supervisor. He knew exactly how little I received every month. He knew I couldn’t possibly come up with that kind of money. If he would just say one thing—*her salary isn’t that high*—this could all be over. But Griffin only set down his knife and fork and offered a placating smile. “The boss and the client are right here, Laurel. Don’t make this difficult.” “Just cover it for now. The company will reimburse you. Don’t be so stingy.” Under the table, he squeezed my hand as if to soothe me. But he didn’t say a single word to back me up. My heart sank. “Exactly,” my coworker Ben chimed in. “Laurel, you’ve been at the company six years. Your salary has to be higher than ours, right? You can’t even come up with five grand?” Chloe was sitting on Griffin’s other side. She was the intern I had personally trained. She said softly, “Don’t get the wrong idea, everyone. Laurel is usually very good to......

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The Director They Shamed for Being Broke