Hi everyone! First time posting here, and I’d like to know if I was the a-hole in this situation.

So I (30F) work on the design team at my company. Our manager (let’s call him Jay, 62M) got us all approval from the co-founder (Sharon, 39F) to work from home for a day since most of us worked over the weekend.

That night—at around 9PM—I get a message from our Creative Director (Karen, 34F) saying I need to come to the office the next morning because there’s a sales brief and a brainstorming session. I told her that Sharon had already approved WFH. Karen said yes, she knew, but that she “wouldn’t be asking if it wasn’t necessary.”

I asked why I was suddenly needed for a meeting I’ve never been involved in before and told her I could join remotely. She kept pushing and said it’s a “one-off.” She also added that Sharon’s WFH approval was just because people had worked over the weekend.

So I told her I worked both Saturday and Monday (Monday was a holiday). Karen said she didn’t know that—but still insisted I come in.

I reminded her that getting a WFH day approved was already a one-off. Then she said she also worked Monday, and I calmly replied: “Just the way you can’t do anything about me working on Saturday and Monday, I can’t do anything about you working on Monday.” She left me on read.

I told Jay about the conversation, and he was furious. He said he’d personally go to the office the next day to see what this sales brief was about—and if it was nothing, he’d escalate it to Sharon.

Later, one of my colleagues (Jane) told me Karen, Sharon, and she were all in the office that day. Jane said Karen was visibly frustrated while texting me, and Sharon kept asking what was going on. Karen showed Sharon our chat and said, “She’s not coming. How can she do this?” Sharon just nodded and asked if there was any middle ground.

Now here’s where I wonder: Was I the a-hole for refusing to go to the office the next morning, even though it was short notice and I had already been officially approved for WFH? Especially since the entire team was free the day before, and they could’ve easily scheduled the meeting then?

Would love your thoughts!