09/14/2025
My neighbor refused to pay me the €200 we had agreed upon after I spent two days cleaning her house, so I taught her a lesson she’ll never forget
They say neighbors can become your best allies… or your worst enemies. I never would have believed mine could be both at the same time. What had started as a simple favor turned into a brutal confrontation, followed by an unexpected revenge.
My name is Lila, I’m 48, with two children to support, and a daily life far from what I had dreamed of. My husband, Caleb, left us six years ago, one evening pretending he needed “time to find himself.” In reality, he never came back. I had to raise Jude, now a teenager, and little Ivy, still full of innocence, on my own. My remote job at a call center pays the bills, but barely. Every penny counts.
It was in this context that Satie, my new neighbor in her thirties, knocked on my door. With a tired face, she begged me:
— “Lila, I had a big party last night and I have to leave urgently for work. My house is a disaster… Can you help me clean it? I’ll pay you €200.”
I hesitated. My time was precious, but that amount was indispensable to me. I accepted.
When I stepped into her house, I thought I was entering a battlefield. Empty bottles, leftover food, piled-up dishes, sticky carpets… Total chaos. For two full days, I scrubbed, swept, hauled trash bags, and washed nonstop. My back ached, my hands were burning. But I held on, thinking of Satie’s promise.
When the job was done, I was exhausted but proud. Her house was sparkling. I knocked on her door to collect what I was owed. Satie looked at me with a cold expression, as if she didn’t understand:
— “Payment? What are you talking about?”
I felt my heart freeze. “The €200. That was our deal.”
She shrugged. “I never said that. You must be mistaken.” Then she drove off, leaving me standing there, humiliated.
Two days of work, erased as if they meant nothing. Rage consumed me. I refused to be exploited. Then, I had an idea.
“Alright, Lila, think smart,” I whispered to myself. I looked at Satie’s house and started to build a plan. It was bold, but I didn’t care. If she wanted to play dirty, I could too…Read more in Comment or Most relevant -> All comments 👇
