The Ultimate Petty Revenge: Why I’ll Never Finish My Ex-Boss’s Tattoo
There’s a certain satisfaction in a well-executed revenge story—especially when it’s served with a side of poetic justice and a dash of petty. That’s exactly what Reddit user u/Ina-of-Inon delivered in their viral r/PettyRevenge post, “Won’t finish her tattoo.” What starts as a story of trust, betrayal, and survival in the cutthroat world of thrift store management ends with a twist so permanent, it’s literally inked into the skin.
If you’ve ever wondered what happens when you combine workplace drama, a toxic friendship, and a half-finished tattoo, buckle up. This saga has it all: promotions, betrayals, a boyfriend, a boss with a drinking problem, and the sort of poetic payback you can only find in the wilds of Reddit.
From Dream Job to Nightmare: When Your Boss Becomes Your Frenemy
Let’s set the stage: our hero lands what seems like the perfect job—and a supportive living arrangement—thanks to Diana, her former boss turned GM. The perks are solid, the insurance is timely, and even her boyfriend stands to benefit with a job and a place to stay. But, as u/Ina-of-Inon warns: “This is why you never put all your eggs in one basket, folks.”
It doesn’t take long for cracks to show. Diana isn’t just a boss—she’s a boss with a bottle, sneaking drinks into her morning coffee, and allegedly pilfering items from the nonprofit thrift shop they run (which, by the way, supports an orphanage). The store itself is a mess, but our protagonist turns it around, boosting sales by up to 400% and scoring a promotion to GM. For a moment, things are looking up.
But in true corporate soap opera fashion, loyalty is a one-way street. Diana, threatened by her protégé’s success and desperate to cover her own tracks, orchestrates an abrupt firing—using the very problems her employee had confided in her about. As if that wasn’t enough, Diana gives a two-week eviction notice, leaving the couple scrambling.
Ink, Interrupted: When Friendship Tattoos Turn to Petty Revenge
Here’s where things go from tragic to deliciously petty. During one of Diana’s drunken spirals, OP starts a tattoo on her—a flowering tree branch meant to symbolize their friendship. It’s intimate, meaningful, and, as fate would have it, never finished.
After being fired and kicked out, OP moves states away, only to receive a message from Diana bemoaning her own (now similarly jobless) fate. And what’s her next request? You guessed it: “You need to finish my tattoo.”
Cue the ultimate “nope.” As OP puts it, “No ma’am, you chewed me up and spit me out. I am not gonna finish your tattoo that symbolizes our friendship. I never replied and never will.”
The result? Diana is left with a permanent, awkward reminder of the bond she broke—three unfinished tattoos, none of them connected, sprawled across her forearm. As one commenter, u/SatoriSon, so perfectly put it: “Seems perfectly symbolic to me!”
The Community Weighs In: Creative Suggestions and Savage Support
If there’s one thing Reddit excels at, it’s taking a petty story and running wild with it. The top comments are a goldmine of dark humor and creative alternatives.
u/auntmarybbt kicks off the suggestions: “I would finish that tattoo. And have lots of fun with it,” to which OP gleefully replies with a devil emoji. The ideas only escalate from there—u/redthrull jokes about tattooing the rival gang, and u/Automatic-Term-3997 suggests transforming the artwork into something far less sentimental: “Whatever tattoo you started can only be improved with a large, veiny penis as its centerpiece. Give some more thought to finishing that design.” The laughter continues as u/ununseptimus proposes inscribing, “I never learn, do I?” along the length.
But it’s not all jokes—some commenters see the unfinished tattoo as the ultimate poetic justice. u/Dakduif notes, “Or finish it with withered branches only. And the phone number to the nearest AA association. What a waste! :(” Meanwhile, u/PlusRhubarb6871 delivers a savage burn: “You’d be happy to finish the tattoo representing your friendship with exactly the same care she showed the relationship.”
OP herself offers more context in the comments: the tattoo was always meant to show connection—a flowering branch with three distinct parts, each representing a member of their trio. But because Diana was drunk and impatient, she demanded all three parts be started before any were connected. The result? “She has technically 3 unfinished small tattoos that span her forearm.” The symbolism writes itself.
Petty? Perhaps. Satisfying? Absolutely.
This story isn’t just about a failed friendship or a nightmare boss—it’s about reclaiming agency in the pettiest, most permanent way imaginable. In a world where betrayals can leave scars, sometimes the best revenge is letting someone live with the visible reminder of their own actions. As OP’s story proves, you don’t always need to fight back—sometimes, you just walk away and let the unfinished ink do the talking.
So, next time you’re tempted to trust a toxic boss or combine business with friendship, remember: unfinished tattoos (and unfinished business) make for the best stories.
What would you have done in OP’s shoes? Would you finish the tattoo—with a twist—or let it serve as the ultimate symbol of a friendship gone wrong? Let us know in the comments—bonus points for creative suggestions!
Original Reddit Post: Won't finish her tattoo