It was a bright and sunny Tuesday morning when I received a text from my ex. His name was Aaron, and our breakup had been messy, to say the least. He had always been controlling, and when we finally split up six months ago, I had hoped that would be the end of it. But as with many toxic relationships, he didn’t know when to let go.
That morning, the text I received from him was short and to the point: “I need my things from your apartment. Now.” I could feel my blood boil just reading it. I had told him countless times that his stuff had been packed up and ready for pick-up weeks ago, but he had never bothered to get it. I had finally decided to move on, and here he was, disrupting my peace for no reason at all.
But Aaron didn’t stop there. Throughout the day, he began sending passive-aggressive messages, accusing me of keeping some of his things that he claimed were still in my possession. These messages continued to escalate, turning more bitter and personal, and I could feel my patience wearing thin.
By the time I arrived at work, my mood was already soured. The stress from the back-and-forth with Aaron carried over into my day. As I sat down at my desk, my boss, Karen, immediately noticed something was off. She asked if everything was okay, and after a brief pause, I found myself venting to her about the drama. Karen, who was always supportive, assured me that things would get better and that I just needed to focus on work.
As the hours dragged on, I tried my best to ignore Aaron’s messages. But the more I tried to focus on my tasks, the more I felt distracted by his constant texts and the reminder of what had happened between us. That was when it hit me—Aaron had ruined my day, but why should I let him continue to have any power over me?
I decided to get creative and exact some well-deserved revenge, in the most professional and brilliant way possible.
I went to my email and carefully crafted a message to Aaron, making sure it sounded sweet but firm. I included a detailed list of all of his belongings that I had packed up, along with a time and place where he could pick them up. But I didn’t stop there. In the same email, I also mentioned that I had “accidentally” found a few extra things that were “his,” just to stir the pot a little further. I included a few odd items—like a mismatched pair of socks and an old T-shirt I knew he wouldn’t want.
Then, I did something a bit more devious. I scheduled the email to send at 4:59 p.m.—just before the workday ended. The thought of him receiving that email at the tail end of his workday, with no chance to respond until tomorrow, felt like the perfect way to get back at him. It was a subtle, yet satisfying way to show him that I was in control of my life now, and that he no longer had any hold over me.
As I hit “send,” I felt an immediate sense of relief. The anger and frustration that had consumed me throughout the day melted away. I knew he would read the email in frustration, perhaps even a little confused by the absurd items listed. The best part? I wasn’t there to deal with his reaction. It was all out of my hands now.
By the time the workday ended, I was in a much better mood. I left the office feeling empowered and content. Aaron’s drama no longer had the power to ruin my day—and as far as I was concerned, I had won.
