No Free Lunch

Emma, a rookie designer at a Chicago ad agency, only wants to enjoy her homemade lunch each day. Senior coworker Carol keeps stealing her food and twisting the blame onto her. HR manager Diane, Carol’s cousin, protects her and pressures Emma during her probation review. Emma fights back calmly: tamper seals prove the theft, mustard sandwiches embarrass Carol, and a labeled extra‑spicy beef stew sends Carol to the ER. When Carol’s family tries to extort Emma and the boss pushes her to settle and quit, Emma presents recordings, surveillance clips and medical records. Her counterattack succeeds. The lunch thief loses her job and savings, and her accomplices are fired. There is no free lunch — and if there is, it burns.