When my parents returned from a trip, they surprised me with boxes of exquisite tea leaves, knowing my love for tea. I brought one box to work, expecting it to last a month, but within three days, it had mysteriously vanished. Hoping it was just a fluke, I brought another box and boldly labeled it: “Jessica’s Tea: Please do not touch.” Yet, the same thing happened again, leaving me both frustrated and disappointed.

Feeling disrespected, I decided to play a harmless prank to catch the thief. I prepared a batch of tea laced with salt and soy sauce, making it undrinkable but harmless. Just two days later, the silence broke when I heard gagging sounds in the office kitchen. To my shock, the culprit wasn’t a colleague as I’d imagined — it was my own boss.

Red-faced and furious, she stormed out of the kitchen demanding to know who had ruined the tea, insisting that office pranks were forbidden. Later, in private, she warned me never to pull such a stunt again or risk being reported to HR. I wanted to point out that it was my tea, clearly labeled, and never meant for sharing — but I froze, tongue-tied and unsure how to defend myself.

Now, I face a dilemma. I don’t want to risk my job, but I also don’t want to keep losing something precious that was a gift from my parents. Perhaps the best step is to lock my tea in a desk drawer or bring just enough for daily use. Most of all, I’ve realized this isn’t only about tea — it’s about respect, boundaries, and learning to speak up when something is truly important.