My Only Mistake Was Making Her My Manager

She was a girl from my neighborhood, but we barely spoke. We attended the same church and sometimes I would give her a ride home since we lived nearby. She would greet me, and I would reply. Occasionally, I’d ask how she was, and she’d say she was doing great. That was the extent of our interaction. One day, while driving home after a church service, she said, “Bra Kwasi, I need a job. I’ve explored several options since graduating, but none have worked out.” I asked her, “What skills do you have?” She replied, “Right now, I’m open to anything. I need to find work to help support my parents.”

She was a recent university graduate seeking a white-collar job, but her desperation prompted me to make her an offer. I managed two hair salons as a side gig and was opening a new one in a different area, which meant I needed someone to oversee it. I said to her, “You know what I do with my salons. Would you be interested in managing one?” She responded enthusiastically, “Absolutely! It’s a fantastic opportunity, and I won’t hesitate to take it.”

I admired her enthusiasm and work ethic, so when the salon opened, I appointed her as the manager. It was a unisex salon with five employees. Her responsibilities were straightforward: “Ensure everyone performs their duties professionally and treats customers with respect. All sales will come to you, and you’ll keep accurate records.”

She excelled in her role. At one point, her branch outperformed the older branches. When one of the managers from the original branch left, I entrusted that branch to her as well. She thrived and consistently introduced new ideas to boost sales and enhance customer service. Before long, our relationship evolved; she became my girlfriend. I found myself falling for her as I witnessed her dedication. She told me, “I’ve been waiting for you to propose for a while now, but you never did. Thank God you’re finally here.”

Once we started dating, she automatically took charge of all the salon branches. My full-time job consumed most of my time, leaving me little opportunity to focus on the salons. With her competence, I handed over the reins to her without supervision. In hindsight, I realize that was one of the biggest mistakes I ever made.

Every Friday, she would send all the sales from the branches to the bank and bring me the receipts. This continued until it suddenly stopped. I can’t recall when it changed. She would tell me, “This week, we made this much. I’ve sent it to the bank.” I would nod and say, “I’ll check,” but I never did. She managed payroll and other expenses, and as long as I didn’t receive complaints, I assumed everything was fine.

A year into our relationship, I suggested marriage. She replied, “I love you very much, but I’m not ready to marry yet. I’m only twenty-five, and I plan to marry at twenty-seven. Can you please wait?” I asked, “Why twenty-seven?” She explained, “By then, I’ll have completed my master’s program. I don’t want to marry, get pregnant, and still be in school.”

Sometimes, I would review our bank statements and notice deposits, but I didn’t have the time to question her about the amounts made or paid. I assumed everything was fine since no employees complained and nothing unusual happened at the salon until one day, one of my long-time employees called me. She said, “Boss, I think Madam is seeing another man. He picks her up every afternoon and brings her back in the evening when we’re about to close.” I thanked her and decided to keep an eye on things. I suggested marriage again, but she brushed it off.

One day, I called her, and she said she was at the salon. However, my informant had told me that the guy had come to pick her up. I went to the salon and waited to see when she would arrive. At 8 PM, a black Camry dropped her off. As soon as she saw me, she started talking, “You’re here and didn’t call me? I went to check on the other branch.” I pulled out my phone and called the other branch, asking, “Has your manager been there today?” The response was, “No, she hasn’t been here in a long time.” I turned to her and asked, “So where did you say you went, and who is that guy who dropped you off?”

She began to explain, “Actually, I should have been there, but I ran into a friend and blah blah blah.” I pressed, “The guy who dropped you off, who is he?” She replied, “He’s just a gentleman who offered me a ride.” “Just a gentleman? Someone who comes here every day to pick you up is now just a gentleman?” She started glancing at the employees around. I said, “It’s fine, call me when you get home.”

In my mind, it was over, but I needed to ensure my finances were in order first. After she closed, she came over, apologizing profusely. I said, “It’s alright. Let’s focus on what’s important first. Can I have the payment receipts for the last ten months?” She asked, “Why are you doing this? Is it just because of what happened today? Aren’t you overreacting?” She couldn’t provide any receipts. I retrieved the bank statements for that period and checked. Most of the sales hadn’t been deposited. I called for all the sales books and did the math. Even when she did send money to the bank, she deposited less than what she had received. I calculated the total loss and told her, “I’ve lost GHC15,750. I want this money by tomorrow, or I’ll take it to the police.” She asked, “Has it come to that?” I replied, “From today, you’re not going to any of the salons until the missing money is accounted for.”

For three days, I didn’t hear from her. She told her mother that because she didn’t agree to marry me, I was demanding all the money I had ever given her. I explained the situation to her mother, who was shocked and cried while begging me not to involve the police. I said, “Mom, I just want my money back.” A week later, our pastor called us for a discussion. I agreed to let everything go, but the relationship was over.

Some days, I saw that guy near her house. Some evenings, they would drive by my place honking for me to notice them. Even late at night, they would pass by my window, honking. Four months later, the guy hardly came around, and I hadn’t heard him honking in a while. I learned she was back to searching for a new job. I wish her the best of luck.

—Bra Kwasi