As a virtual assistant working from home, I have faced a monster boss who constantly bombards me with tasks and unrealistic deadlines. At first, I tried to cope and accomplished everything she sent my way. However, it became a never-ending cycle, and my boss transformed into a nagging presence in my life.

I tried to reason with her, explaining that the deadlines were unrealistic and asking for more time to complete tasks properly. But she remained stubborn and insisted on immediate completion, even when it meant working through the night. As an offshore worker, the time zone difference only complicated things further, and my sleep became disturbed by countless calls and messages.

Meryl Streep and Anne Hathaway appear in a scene from “The Devil Wears Prada.”

Then one Sunday morning, as I was enjoying a cup of coffee and reading the news.

Nahhh!

NO WAIT! I am not reading news, I don’t read news! I was on my phone watching Lady Gaga!, my phone buzzed, It was a skype message.

It was my boss, messaging me about a project that needed to be done ASAP. I couldn’t believe it. This was my one day off, and he was invading my personal time.

I knew I had to draw a line. I responded to her message, telling her that I was not available on Sundays, and that I would address the project first thing Monday morning.

She responded with annoyance, but I held firm. I refused to let her control my life.

I was like, “If I get fired, whatever!”

I tried to confront her about it, but she simply brushed off my concerns, saying that it was part of the job and that I should be grateful for the opportunity.

But I knew that this was not acceptable!

And I refused to let her control my life outside of work.

My sleep was already disturbed by countless calls and messages demanding updates, and now it seemed like there was no end in sight. I was drained, physically and mentally, from the constant pressure and lack of rest.

Despite my best efforts, the work suffered. There were mistakes that could have been avoided, and the quality was not up to par. But my boss didn’t care about that. All she cared about was getting things done by the deadline, no matter the cost.

As the night went on, I found myself struggling to focus. My eyes were drooping, and my mind was foggy. I knew that this was not sustainable, and I needed to put my foot down.

The Email

I sent her an email, explaining that I needed more time to complete the work and that I would not be able to continue working through the night.

I knew that this would not go down well, but I had to take a stand for my own sanity.

As expected, my boss was furious when she received my email. She called me.

“I can’t believe you would do this,” she said, her voice laced with anger. “You know how important this project is, and yet you just decide to take the night off? This is unacceptable.”

I took a deep breath and tried to compose myself. “I understand that, but I was simply not able to focus anymore. I knew that if I continued working through the night, the quality of my work would suffer, and that wouldn’t be fair to anyone.”

I stood my ground, calmly explaining that my health and well-being were important to me and that I needed rest to be able to produce quality work. 

You’re Fired!

BUT instead, she said, “I don’t care about your excuses. You’re not meeting our standards!” she barked. “It is not a matter of life and death, you should have finished the project!”

I was shocked.

(I am imagining we are in a real office set up)

I stood up and looked her straight in her eyes. “You know what? You’re fired!”

She was taken aback. She had expected me to beg for my job back, and not quit on the spot.

But I did!

I had been working for her company for years already, and I had taken on a side hustle project with her. However, things had not been going as smoothly as I had hoped. My boss had been making some decisions that I disagreed with, and it was affecting the success of the project. I had tried to voice my concerns, but she had refused to listen.

As I watched my boss apologize to me repeatedly, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of confusion and disbelief. She kept saying that I reminded her of herself, but I couldn’t understand what that had to do with anything. We were both just trying to get our work done and complete this project as part of our side hustle.

But then it hit me.

Maybe my boss saw something in me that she recognized from her own struggles and experiences.

Maybe she saw a younger version of herself, someone who was still figuring it all out and trying to make ends meet.

And maybe, just maybe, she was trying to help me in her own way. But no matter how much she apologized or tried to explain herself, I knew what I had to do. I couldn’t continue working with someone who saw me as a reflection of herself. I needed someone who could see me for who I was and help me grow in my own way.

(I am just imagining that we are in a real office set up)

As I walked out of her office, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of sadness.

I knew that my decision had hurt her, but I had to do what was best for me. I hoped that she would understand it…

And that we could continue to work together? Huh!

AGAIN? NO WAIT…WHAT?

WHAT THE F%$#!!

Weeks went by without hearing from my former boss. But one day, I received a message from her. 

“Hi Heidie, how are you doing?” she asked.

“I’m good. How about you?” I replied.

“I’m doing well, thank you. Listen, I was wondering if you could do me a favor. Can you work on this task for me? We’ll do it like a project-based approach,” she said.

Please play this audio!

To say “yes” or to say “no,” that is the question!

Did I take the plunge or stay on the fence?

Let’s find out!

Part 3 Coming Soon! LOL!

And this is Part 1, just in case you need to see it.

The Boss From Hell: A True Story of Workplace Horror