Of course I don't want to hang out with such a person. I actually plan to try this method in a slighlty different form again, because the current state of our group isn't healthy at all and something needs to be done. Our friend was smart about it too but once we found it out, it became much more obvious, kinda fascinating tbh. Thanks for the nice input :) — Nico 58 secs ago

I'm unclear on where the awkwardness is coming from here. Are feeling awkward around this person at work because you feel like she's giving you the cold shoulder? And are you even sure you are being "used"? If it's a case of her simply dropping her guard due to the situation (as you state she was feeling vulnerable), she may simply have let your relationship cross into friendship territory before reestablishing those boundaries later when she was in a better place, and it might not go down well if you essentially accuse that person of being manipulative based on that. — DoctorPenguin 1 min ago

This is a textbook example of why women have learned to not feel comfortable around men in the workplace. She was clear, she said "no". End of story. Move on. This is bordering on sexual harassment. If you are unable to treat male & female co-workers equally, without an expectation of intimacy from women, in exchange for the same favors afforded to male co-workers, then you may lack the emotional maturity to work in a professional environment. Step back, take stock, and perhaps talk to someone in HR about sexual harassment training, to learn how to interact professionally in the workplace. — michael 1 min ago

That might work well with people who buy into the "step-wrist-band" hype, but will fall flat with people who have no idea what you are talking about. This hype seems primarily prevalent in the US, so you might point out the background to those people who are not used to it. No idea where OP is based and whether OP's grandparents would know about it. — Frank Hopkins 1 min ago

@Tinkeringbell did you seriously delete my comments, suggesting that this is borderline sexual harassment? (Btw, I never called the OP "horny" -- I stated a fact that many men consider the workplace a hunting ground for dates, which is undeniably true, and this creates the prism through which women see their male co-workers.) — michael 1 min ago

@avazula riiiiight — michael 46 secs ago