When Mandy turns down her boyfriend’s unexpected proposal, he spitefully sabotages her career, leaving her jobless and financially strained. But Mandy knows Jeff’s darkest secrets, and with nothing left to lose, she sets out to get her revenge.
So, I’m a 26-year-old junior attorney, totally immersed in my career. My boyfriend, Jeff, is 29, ambitious, and determined. We’ve been together for a year and a half. Everything was going great until he proposed.
A man hides an engagement ring behind his back | Source: Pexels
Last weekend, both our families decided to spend the day at Disneyland. It was supposed to be a fun family outing, enjoying the rides and all.
We were standing in front of Sleeping Beauty’s Castle as the sun began to set. Out of nowhere, Jeff got down on one knee. My heart skipped a beat. His brother handed him a bouquet of roses, and Jeff looked up at me with this hopeful smile.
“Will you marry me?” he asked.
A man proposing to a woman | Source: Pexels
I was stunned. Like, deer-in-headlights stunned. My mind raced. We’d talked about the future, sure, but nothing about marriage. We were both so focused on our careers. How could he think this was the right time?
My heart pounded in my chest as I took in the excited looks on our families’ faces. Both our Moms had their phones out, recording every minute, and Dad was watching me with such pride.
I hated to disappoint them all, but I had to answer Jeff honestly.
A woman clenching her jaw | Source: Pexels
“I-I’m not ready,” I stammered, feeling a wave of panic. “This is too soon.”
The crowd around us started to murmur. I could hear gasps, and someone even whispered, “Did she just say no?”
Jeff’s face fell. The hopeful smile vanished, replaced by a look of utter betrayal. “You will regret this,” he said through gritted teeth, his voice low and menacing.
The atmosphere turned icy.
An angry man with partially shadowed face | Source: Pexels
Our families were in shock. My mom’s mouth was hanging open, and Jeff’s mom looked like she was about to cry. The magic of Disneyland was completely shattered.
We left shortly after, and the car ride home was filled with an unbearable silence. I couldn’t shake the feeling that I had just made a huge mistake, but deep down, I knew I wasn’t ready for marriage. Not yet.
When we got home, Jeff wouldn’t even look at me.
A man sits at a table with his head resting in one hand | Source: Pexels
I tried to explain how I felt, but he was having none of it.
“I thought we were on the same page,” he snapped. “I thought you loved me.”
“I do love you, Jeff,” I said, my voice shaking. “But this isn’t about love. It’s about being ready for a lifelong commitment. I’m just not there yet.”
He shook his head, looking more hurt than I’d ever seen him. “You embarrassed me in front of everyone. You’ll pay for that.”
A man glaring | Source: Pexels
And that was just the beginning of the nightmare. I tried to give Jeff space, thinking things might calm down. Things were still tense between us, but he helped me fix some technical issues on my laptop and we even went out for dinner that weekend.
While I was daydreaming about our relationship getting back to normal, little did I know, Jeff had already put his revenge plan in motion. My life was about to be turned upside down.
That Monday, my boss called me into his office.
A businessman at his desk | Source: Pexels
“What have you done?” Mr. Barnes snapped once I entered. “Did you think we wouldn’t find out?”
“Find out about what, sir?” I asked, utterly bewildered by his questions.
“About this!” he replied, turning his laptop around so the screen faced me. I leaned in closer and my heart skipped a beat.
Confidential information for one of our top clients was going viral in an online forum. The documents being shared had our firm’s letterhead, and all of them came from cases I was working on.
A shocked woman standing against a wall | Source: Pexels
“I didn’t do this, Mr. Barnes, I swear!” I said. “We must’ve been hacked, or—”
“These files were shared from your laptop!” Mr. Barnes thumped his hand against his desk. “The IT department has confirmed it.
That’s when it hit me. Jeff had helped me fix my laptop when it was acting up the previous week. He must’ve shared the files to ruin my reputation. I started explaining the situation to Mr. Barnes, but he cut me off.
A furious man hits a desk | Source: Pexels
“It doesn’t matter if your boyfriend shared the files,” he said. “The fact is, it happened under your watch. We can’t afford this kind of mistake, especially not now.”
“I know, and I’m sorry, sir. I’ll do everything in my power to fix this.”
“There is no fixing this, Mandy!” He yelled. “You’re fired.”
I couldn’t believe Jeff had done this to me. As I packed up my things, my colleagues avoided eye contact, whispers following me down the hallway.
A woman crying | Source: Pexels
It felt like a bad dream I couldn’t wake up from.
When I got home, things took another turn for the worse. Jeff had moved out. He left me a note, if you could call it that, scribbled angrily on the back of an envelope: “You brought this on yourself.”
Not only had he left, but he trashed the place on his way out. The coffee table was shattered, the dining chairs were broken, and even the TV stand was in pieces.
Damaged kitchen | Source: Pexels
With the lease in my name, I was stuck covering the costs. Most of my savings were already tied up in student loans, and now I had to figure out how to pay for the damages.
I felt desperate, hurt, and utterly betrayed. How could someone I loved and trusted do this to me? Every day was a struggle, and I couldn’t believe my life had turned into such a mess.
One night, I made a decision. I wasn’t going to let Jeff get away with this.
A determined woman glares at the camera | Source: Pexels
Over the months we were together, he had boasted about his involvement in insider trading and shady financial dealings. He thought he was invincible, but I knew better.
I started gathering evidence, recalling every detail he had let slip. It was a painstaking process, but it gave me a sense of purpose. I compiled everything into a detailed dossier, leveraging my legal skills to make it airtight.
Finally, I anonymously sent the dossier to his company’s HR department, the SEC, and several major clients.
A folder containing top secret information | Source: Pexels
It was a risky move, but I had nothing left to lose.
As I hit send, I felt a mix of fear and relief. Fear of what might happen next, but relief that I was finally taking control of my life. I knew the fallout would be massive, but after everything Jeff had done, it felt justified.
A few days later, I got a call from one of our mutual friends.
A woman using her smart phone | Source: Pexels
“Hey, have you heard about Jeff?” she asked, her voice tinged with curiosity.
“No, what happened?” I tried to keep my voice steady, but my heart was pounding.
“Apparently, he got called into a meeting at work, and they fired him on the spot. There was some kind of investigation, and now he’s in deep trouble.”
I hung up, feeling a mix of vindication and relief. But there was also a pang of guilt. Had I gone too far?
A woman staring thoughtfully | Source: Pexels
Later that week, more news started to trickle in. Jeff’s company had launched a full-blown internal investigation, and the SEC was hot on his trail. Turns out the evidence I provided was more than enough to open a serious case against him.
Insider trading and financial fraud are no joke, and Jeff was facing the full brunt of the law.
One evening, I got another call—this time, from an old colleague who knew both of us.
A woman speaking on the phone | Source: Pexels
“You won’t believe this,” she said. “Jeff’s been blacklisted in the industry. No one wants to touch him with a ten-foot pole. Even his friends are distancing themselves.”
Hearing that, I felt a strange sense of satisfaction. Jeff had always been so smug, so sure that he could get away with anything. Now, he was paying the price for his arrogance.
I had lost my job, my savings were drained, and my trust in people was shattered. But seeing Jeff face the consequences of his actions gave me a sense of closure.
A smiling woman | Source: Pexels
He had tried to break me, but in the end, it was his own downfall that was most spectacular.
Am I proud of what I did? Not entirely. Part of me wishes things could have ended differently. But another part of me knows that sometimes, justice has to be served, even if it means getting your hands a little dirty.
What do you think? Is my revenge justified or did I go too far?
My Daughter-in-Law Ruined the Vacation I Had Been Dreaming of — So I Showed Her the Importance of Respect
Now don’t get me wrong, she wasn’t annoying me because I was a mean mother-in-law (MIL) who hated her. But because of her selfish question. It seemed I was expected to always be around. “I am going on a vacation to the Bahamas. I already bought the tickets and booked myself at a lovely hotel.”
My son and DIL exchanged surprised looks before staring at me as if I’d grown a second head. “This is so unlike you, mom. Who are you going with?” I rolled my eyes at George’s response. He’d somehow forgotten that before he had kids, I was jetsetting every few months!
“That’s not true my love. I used to travel all the time when my time was mine,” I replied a bit irritated. I couldn’t believe how clueless he’d become when it came to my life. “Well, where are we going to get someone to babysit the kids for free every day?”
I realized at that moment that I’d spoiled these two. “Your parents are a start, Sarah. Arrange play dates with your friends’ children or something, I don’t know,” I said in frustration. Why was I the one who had to figure out what THEY did with their own children?
It dawned on me how much I had made them dependent on me. It wasn’t my intention, I think I took the Gam-Gam role a bit too far, and I so loved my little munchkins! They gave me so much to live for. But I was tired and needed a break.
Without waiting for their response, which I anticipated would make me angry, I turned to leave. “I will send you the details of when I leave, where I’ll be staying, and when I’ll return. Toodles!” I heard them falling over themselves as they tried to catch up to my quick stride.
They were LITERALLY trying to get ME to tell THEM what to do with their children! But I was having none of it and quickly closed the door before rushing to my car and driving away. Yes, I felt like I was escaping and running away from my responsibilities and I HATED that feeling!
When I arrived home, my DIL had left several voice messages that I had no intention of listening to. My therapist was the one who made me realize I was overworked and needed some time off. I was oblivious to that as I continued stretching myself to my limits.
She, my therapist, knocked it into my head that I was overcompensating by trying to be the best MIL and grandmother while losing myself. I stuck to my promise and sent George and Sarah all the details of my travels as a courtesy.
The next few weeks were filled with Sarah trying to convince me to leave with the kids. When she wasn’t trying to do that, she tried to get me to stay and not leave. “I need to do this for ME, Sarah. You won’t understand,” I explained, trying to get her off my back.
If my DIL wasn’t the one pestering me, my son got in on it. But with the words of my therapist playing in my head, “Stick to your guns. You are doing this for YOUR well-being,” I remained resolute in my decision.
When the fateful day came, I announced my departure to my son and left. For two glorious days on vacation, I had nothing but massages, long beach walks, drank piña coladas, and enjoyed the sunsets!
On the third day, my mood was spoiled when I suddenly received a disturbing message from my DIL. “George is on his business trip, my parents have house repairs, and I’m going on MY retreat,” her text began.
“And you know what? It’s in the Bahamas!! Isn’t it amazing? We’re already boarding, I need you to watch the kiddos!” Annoyed is an understatement for what I was feeling! I couldn’t understand, so HER parents have repairs, and I have a vacation, so I can babysit the kids?!
I was MAD AS HELL! I was practically seething! This time I leaned on my own faculties and decided to teach her a lesson on mutual respect. When they pitched, I was my usual affectionate self to my grandbabies and hugged and kissed them.
I then spent an hour bonding with the pair while Sarah mumbled about how SHE had to MEDITATE tomorrow. But the next day, I got an irritated call from her. “WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON? WHERE ARE YOU?!” she had the nerve to demand.
All calm and relaxed as I had anticipated that type of response, I answered, “I’m at the spa, getting a massage. Why do you ask?” Sounding more frustrated, my DIL replied, “Why would you not answer your phone?!”
“The kids have been driving ME crazy, and I need a break!” I had finally had enough of her nonsense and took a deep breath before responding. “I hear you talking about what YOU need and want, but have you asked ME what my plans are?”
“Has it even occurred to YOU to find out if I WANT to babysit during MY vacation and time away?” I heard her gasp as she tried cutting in all respectful this time, saying, “Mrs. Thomas, I…” But I cut her off and continued my rant.
“Do you know what I am doing here, huh? Do you even CARE?” My voice went up a notch. “You receive what you deserve, Sarah. And maybe it’s time for YOU and George to learn a lesson about respect!”
My DIL was stunned into silence. She realized for the first time in two years the depth of her imposition. Her voice had softened as she stammered, “I… I didn’t think… I just assumed…”
I wasn’t done with her as I replied, “That’s exactly the problem we have, you assumed and KEEP assuming. I love my grandkids, but I also NEED my own time.”
“This was MY vacation. It’s time I took off so I can recuperate and have some self-care.” I could hear from the silence on the other side that Sarah was feeling guilty. She was FINALLY understanding where I was coming from.
“I’ve given you and Georgie two long years of my love and dedication.” I shared how I’d stretched myself because I wanted to be a good MIL and grandmother. I also wanted to be there for them as they transitioned into parenthood.
But then I went too far as they kept demanding more and more of my time. I confessed to my DIL that I started feeling burnt out. Yet, because I hadn’t felt the feeling before, I didn’t realize what was happening to me.
A friend I confided in suggested I see her therapist. That’s when it finally clicked that I was wearing myself thin. I was quite upset as I ended my rant by stating, “Next time, respect MY plans and ask, don’t just assume I’m here to serve your convenience!”
Sarah paused for a long time on the other end of the line and I was about to say something when she finally sighed. It appeared she finally understood the weight of my words and where I was coming from.
“You’re right. I’m sorry. I should have asked. I’ll make other arrangements,” my DIL replied, sounding defeated. I won’t lie, I felt a tinge of regret for how I approached things, but decided it was something that had to be done.
After all, as they say, people treat the way you teach them to. I thanked her for understanding. “Now, I’m going to enjoy the rest of my vacation. I suggest you find a way to enjoy yours too, without relying on me.”
I didn’t wait for a response before hanging up and felt the most serene wave of satisfaction! I had stood up for myself and drew boundaries that taught my DIL a valuable life lesson! I happily returned to my massage, content that I would not be disturbed anymore.
I felt the stress melt away from my body as the masseuse kneaded longstanding knots that had built up over the years. I was pleased to know that I had managed to reclaim my well-deserved break.
Unfortunately, Mrs. Thomas isn’t the only person who’s had to take measures to teach people important lessons. Mark’s mother kept nagging his pregnant wife to the point that the younger woman had to leave. Not wanting his mother to miss her mistake, Mark found a clever way to teach the parent about respect and boundaries.
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