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The original was posted on /r/tifu by /u/Illustrious_Day138 on 2025-11-11 17:29:57+00:00.
I run a small creative business nothing huge, a few clients mostly remote stuff. Last month i was swamped and decided to bring in some help for design work. posted the gig, got a few solid applicants and hired this one person who seemed super professional.
For the first week everything was great. fast communication, clean work, no red flags. then one of my biggest clients calls me out of nowhere and says, “hey, weird question but is [name] working with you now?”
I said yeah, they’re parttime helping out with design. silence. then she goes, “that’s my ex. please tell me you’re joking.” Turns out they’d broken up a few months ago badly. Like “lawyer-involved, blocked on all platforms” badly and i had just given the ex full access to our shared folders that included her brand files.
I froze. checked the access logs nothing shady but still a massive yikes. i called the new hire, explained the situation, and to their credit, they were polite but way too calm about it. they said, “yeah, i figured that might come up eventually.”
...what do you mean “might come up eventually.”
Anyway, now i’ve got a furious client an exemployee who didn’t technically do anything wrong, and a week’s worth of awkward damage control ahead of me.
tl;dr: hired a great designer, accidentally reignited someone else’s breakup now my business feels like a reality show.