I Let Someone Take the Fall for My Mistake, and It Still Haunts Me

A few years ago at my old job, I made a mistake that cost the company a decent amount of money. Nothing criminal, but enough to get someone in serious trouble. When my manager started investigating, a coworker, who was already on thin ice and considered problematic, was blamed for it. I didn’t correct them. I just let it happen. He got fired a week later.

At first, I convinced myself that it wasn’t really my fault and he was bound to get fired sooner or later. But the guilt never left. I still think about how that mistake might have changed his life, and I wish I could take it back. If I could find him, I’d apologize, but I know that won’t undo what I did.

I regret staying silent more than I regret the mistake itself