A fabricated theft and fake texts are wrecking my home and job

Dear Abby,

I’m a 28-year-old woman living in a shared house in Texas with three other people, one of whom is a colleague from my corporate job. For months, things were fine—until Tyler, that colleague, decided he wanted my room for his girlfriend and to eliminate me as a rival at work. Last week, he posted in our group chat that $500 was missing from the house emergency fund, attaching a blurry photo of me near the cash box. I never touched it. Then my landlord called, saying he received a complaint about me causing property damage and was considering eviction. I knew it was fabricated.

Priya, a mutual friend, discovered Tyler doctored screenshots of texts I never sent—showing me badmouthing the landlord. When I confronted Tyler in the chat, he retaliated by forwarding an anonymous email to our manager accusing me of leaking confidential company data. I’m bewildered and desperate. I’ve lost trust in my housemates, my job is on the line, and Tyler’s girlfriend is now involved, making things even messier.

Priya has organized a face-to-face meeting with our friend group and the landlord to clear the air. But even if Tyler’s lies unravel, the damage to my reputation lingers. My question is, how do I rebuild trust with my housemates and my manager after being the target of such a calculated smear campaign, especially when Tyler shows no remorse?

Sincerely,
Framed in the Lone Star State