Oftentimes, it’s the smallest moments that push a bad day past the breaking point.

Already reeling from her partner’s cancer diagnosis, one woman snapped after a rude elevator encounter with a coworker.

But when the situation escalated into HR threats and tears, she was left questioning whether invoking her partner’s illness crossed an ethical line.

You’ll want to keep reading for this one.

AITA for using my SOs cancer diagnosis to prevent my coworker from reporting me to HR?

A couple weeks ago, I was riding down the parking ramp elevator with a coworker. I was standing closer to the elevator door, but the coworker pushed past me so he could get off first.

When he got to the door leading outside, he didn’t bother to hold the door for me. He literally let the door slam in my face.

She was unable to hold back her emotions.

I was annoyed, so I mumbled (loud enough for him to hear), “Thanks for holding the door.”

He turned around and said, “I don’t even know you. Why would I hold the door for you?”

I responded by rolling my eyes and telling him he was a weirdo.

Apparently this coworker didn’t like this one bit.

When we got inside to HQ, he proceeded to walk over to the security desk demanding to speak with HR so he could report me for verbal abuse.

I was already struggling because the day before I learned my SO’s cancer had possibly moved into his brain.

So she decided to make matters even worse.

I probably didn’t use the best judgment when reacting to my coworker’s request to go to HR, and I responded by repeating what he said in a mocking tone.

Of course, this made him angrier, and if he was only debating going to HR before, he was now ****-bent on reporting me.

It was then she couldn’t hold back her emotions any longer.

I lost it. I started to cry, and I was really upset—not phony crying.

When the HR rep came down, I told her about my SO’s diagnosis and that I was really struggling.

I think she felt bad for me because she told my coworker that she didn’t see what the issue was and that he needed to return to work, and then she proceeded to console me.

When life’s already heavy enough, it doesn’t take much to tip the scale.

What did Reddit think?

This user thinks HR was right to sit this one out.

Everyone is allowed to have bad days.

This commenter plays both sides.

This commenter thinks this employee shares some of the blame for knowingly egging the guy on.

Timing is everything — and the timing here couldn’t have been worse.

If you liked that post, check out this one about an employee that got revenge on HR when they refused to reimburse his travel.