My boss invited me to his pool and made it clear that he’d give me a promotion if I spent one night with him. He knew I was married but didn’t seem to care. I was completely stunned—how could someone in a position of power think this was okay? The moment the words left his mouth, I felt like the ground had disappeared beneath me. My mind raced, trying to process what he was saying, but all I could think was, This can’t be real. This can’t be happening.

It started innocently enough. He’d been complimenting my work more than usual, praising my dedication and suggesting I had a bright future at the company. I was flattered, of course—who wouldn’t be? But then the invitations began. First, it was casual lunches, then after-work drinks, and finally, the pool party at his house. He said it was a small gathering to celebrate a recent project success, but when I arrived, it was just the two of us.

At first, I tried to brush it off. Maybe I’d misunderstood the invitation. Maybe others were running late. But as the evening went on, his intentions became painfully clear. He made comments about how much he admired me, how he could “take care of me” if I let him. And then, the proposition: one night with him, and the promotion I’d been working toward would be mine.

I felt sick to my stomach. He knew I was married. He’d met my husband at company events. And yet, there he was, acting like my commitment to my marriage was nothing more than a minor inconvenience. His arrogance was staggering, his lack of respect for me and my boundaries even more so.

I left as quickly as I could, muttering something about needing to check on my dog. But the drive home was a blur. I kept replaying the conversation in my head, wondering if I’d somehow given him the wrong idea, if I’d done something to make him think this was okay. But deep down, I knew the truth: this wasn’t about me. This was about him abusing his power, about him thinking he could buy my silence and my compliance with a promotion.

Now, I’m left with a million questions. Do I report him? Do I risk my career by speaking up? Or do I stay quiet and hope this blows over? The thought of facing him at work tomorrow makes my skin crawl, but the thought of letting him get away with this feels even worse.

One thing’s for sure: I won’t let him define my worth. My value isn’t something he can negotiate or manipulate. And no promotion, no matter how tempting, is worth sacrificing my integrity or my self-respect.