Eh, you won’t believe what happened to me! So, our team went out to Boat Quay for KTV to celebrate our project launch. Everyone was drinking, including me. I was feeling quite high already, you know?
There was this lady sitting next to me, laughing and pouring drinks. I thought she was one of my colleague’s wives. She looked familiar, and we were all having a good time. By the end of the night, I thought, “Why not give her a hug?” So, I leaned in for a hug and went for a peck on the cheek. But then she turned her head, and I ended up kissing her on the lips instead!
And guess what? It was my boss’s wife! I saw my boss standing at the door, and his face was like he just saw a ghost. I quickly pulled away, but it was too late.
The next day, my boss didn’t say anything, but he started avoiding me. I found out he removed me from two projects. My colleagues were whispering when I walked by, and I could feel their eyes on me. I swear it was just a mistake!
Now, I’m worried my career is over. I’ve been avoiding the pantry because I can’t handle the awkwardness. I even thought about bringing a cake to the office to lighten the mood, but I’m sure that would just make things worse.
So here I am, hoping this whole thing blows over. I just want to get back to work without feeling like I’m walking on eggshells!
Part 2 The Aftermath
After that painful night at Boat Quay KTV, things at work got even more tense. My job security suddenly felt as fragile as kueh lapis. I didn’t get any official warning or talk, but the cold shoulder was obvious.
My boss pulled me aside once to “discuss performance.” It was more like a subtle intimidation tactic — heavy words, serious tone, but zero specifics. I started to realize this one mistake could trigger a domino effect on my career.
I tried to focus on work, but whenever I proposed ideas or wanted to join meetings, I was either ignored or sidelined. Two important projects that I helped start? Suddenly assigned to others. Felt like the algorithmic optimization of office politics was working against me.
At lunch, whispers followed me around like a persistent shadow. “Did you hear about the kiss at KTV?” some joked quietly. Others avoided eye contact. I felt like I was under a microscopic SEO audit — every word and action analysed and judged.
I even caught myself researching “how to recover from workplace scandal” and “internal damage control” after hours—reading up on strategic networking and brand reputation management. It’s wild how mistakes in and outside the office can affect your entire conversion funnel — including promotions and bonuses.
So now I’m planning my next moves carefully — updating my LinkedIn, connecting with mentors, and learning. Whether I can bounce back from this or I have to start fresh somewhere else, I want to show that one bad moment doesn’t define my entire user engagement.
Moral of the story? Be careful who you hug and kiss at company KTVs, but also be prepared for the rollercoaster ride of job security — ‘cos in this digital-first world, reputation is your most valuable asset.