When my best friend Mia set me up with Eric, she promised he was a “total gentleman.” And at first, he really seemed like one he brought roses, a personalized keychain with my initial, and was effortlessly charming over dinner. He even insisted on paying the full bill, saying, “A man pays on the first date,” with a confident smile.

I left the restaurant thinking I’d just had the best first date of my life.

The next morning, expecting a cute “had a great time” text, I opened my phone to find something horrifying a date night invoice. Professionally formatted, it listed “charges” like a hug for the bouquet, a coffee date for the keychain, and holding hands next time in exchange for him covering dinner.

It ended with a threat: “Failure to comply may result in Chris hearing about it.” That’s when I realized he wasn’t joking.

Stunned, I sent the invoice to Mia, who instantly looped in her boyfriend Chris Eric’s long-time friend and we all agreed: Eric had to be taught a lesson.

Chris sent him a revenge invoice: a fake “service charge” for sitting at the same table as me, plus a warning about public humiliation. Eric exploded with angry texts, claiming I missed out on a “great guy.” I simply responded with a thumbs-up emoji and blocked him.

That night, Mia called still laughing, apologizing for the setup gone wrong. But honestly, I wasn’t even mad. Eric revealed his true colors early, and I dodged a major red flag. Plus, now I have an epic story to tell at parties for years the guy who sent an invoice for a first date.