DEAR DEIDRE: My coworker caught me sleeping with my married male boss - now he’s demanding I cough up £3000 or he’ll make sure I lose my job.
I’m terrified of what will happen if he opens his mouth, but I don’t have the money to pay him off.
I’m male and 38, my boss is 42 and our affair started two months ago.
After the constant flirting and stolen glances, it became hard for us to resist each other and soon enough we found ourselves sneaking around every chance we got.
We thought we had been subtle, and naively had no worries about being caught. Until one day I received a suspicious email from a colleague.
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I was gobsmacked when I opened it to see a video of my boss and I sprawled across his desk together.
I couldn’t believe my eyes. How had I not noticed a camera in the room?
He said if I didn’t pay up, he would have no choice but to take the video to HR and send it to my boss’s husband.
Knowing the impact that would have, I spiralled. I begged him to show me some mercy, but he insisted that he had no choice.
At this point I don’t even have a grand spare, never mind three.
The last thing I want to do is lose my job, but how can I pay my colleague money I don’t have?
It’ll ruin me if this gets out.
Please help.
DEIDRE SAYS: While affairs are never the answer, your colleague is wrong for using this against you for his own gain.
Luckily, blackmailing somebody in this way is illegal and so reporting this to the police should solve this issue.
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You can also get advice from Victim Supportline (victimsupport.org.uk, tel: 0808 16 89 111) This is an independent charity that helps people cope with the effects of trauma and crime.
As your boss is married, I’m sending you my support pack Your Lover Not Free.