Texting your coworker on the way to the company's July 4...

Conversation

1. Maya, Reddit thread just named you the salary leak.
2. I know.
3. They linked internal docs with your email header.
4. Please don't open that link yet.
5. Why wouldn't I open it? We're headed to the BBQ.
6. Because it proves more than they want you to see.
7. Explain, people are already whispering in the parking lot.
8. I didn't leak to Reddit, I leaked to one person.
9. You 'leaked to one person' and now everyone's salaries are public.
10. They republished it without my permission, I swear.
11. Your voicemail to HR about a hacked email says otherwise.
12. That voicemail was me panicking, not confessing.
13. People will blame you at the BBQ; this can ruin careers.
14. Then come with me tonight and listen before judging.
15. I can't promise I won't confront you in front of everyone.
16. I deserve that if I betrayed you, but you're missing context.
17. What context? Tell me now, the bus is slow.
18. Our bonuses were redacted, except the CEO's huge payout.
19. So you exposed pay inequality by outing salaries?
20. Yes, and I took responsibility to protect a source.
21. Protect a source? Who?
22. Sam—our data analyst—sent me the file; I released it, took the hit.