I was sitting in the living room one warm, sunny afternoon, enjoying the quiet, when something caught my eye. Outside, two figures were moving suspiciously around our front yard. I squinted—our new neighbors, Pamela and Robert, were peeking through our windows and inspecting our garden like detectives searching for treasure.
My stomach twisted. What were they doing snooping around like that?
I stepped outside, forcing a smile onto my face. “Hi, neighbors!” I called out, trying to sound friendly.
Pamela jumped back, clutching her chest dramatically. “Oh boy, you scared us!” she said with a nervous laugh.
I kept my smile steady, though inside, I was uneasy. “So, do you like the house?” I asked, curious to hear their excuse.
Pamela glanced quickly at Robert before answering, “Yes, it’s lovely. The garden is especially nice.”
Robert nodded enthusiastically. “Yeah, we were just admiring your roses. They’re beautiful.”
A small bit of pride swelled in me. “Thank you,” I said. “We’ve spent a lot of time taking care of them.”
Pamela’s eyes darted all around the yard. “You must be very proud of your home,” she said sweetly, though something in her tone felt off.
I nodded, deciding to tell them more. “We are. It’s a lot of work, but it’s worth it. We have a cozy front porch—perfect for tea in the evenings—a spacious living room with a big fireplace, and our kitchen is newly renovated with modern appliances. My favorite spot, though, is the sunroom at the back. It’s perfect for reading.”
Robert’s eyes flickered with interest. He let out a low whistle. “Well, you’ve done a fantastic job. Maybe you’d like to… switch houses?” he said half-joking, half-serious.
I laughed lightly, but my guard went up. “We put a lot of effort into this one, and we love it, so no.”
Pamela and Robert chuckled awkwardly before quickly excusing themselves. “We should, uh, get going,” Pamela muttered, and they walked away.
As I stood watching them leave, a shiver crawled up my spine. Something about their behavior was strange, unsettling. Why were they snooping? What were they after?
That night, I told Ethan everything. He frowned deeply. “We’ll keep an eye on them,” he said firmly. “But for now, let’s not worry too much.”
I tried to agree, but the uneasy feeling lingered.
A week later, everything became clear.
It was evening, and Ethan and I were relaxing in the living room when a sharp knock rattled our door. Ethan opened it to find our landlord, Mr. Thompson, standing there with a heavy expression.
“Evening, Mr. Thompson,” Ethan greeted him cautiously.
Mr. Thompson sighed and handed him an envelope. “I’m sorry, but I have to give you this.”
Ethan tore it open, scanned the letter, and his face darkened. “It’s an eviction notice,” he said grimly, handing it to me.
My hands shook as I read the paper. “Eviction? Why?” I demanded, my voice rising in disbelief.
Mr. Thompson looked uncomfortable. “Pamela and Robert complained about the noise from that birthday party you had a few days ago. They also claimed there was a foul smell coming from the garden.”
I exploded. “This is outrageous! How can you believe those lies?”
“There were other complaints too,” Mr. Thompson said regretfully. “The other neighbors backed the most recent ones. Their combined voices tipped the balance. I’m really sorry. My hands are tied. You have a week to move out.”
I collapsed onto the couch, tears welling up. “How can they do this to us?”
Pamela and Robert had been eyeing our house from the beginning. Their place was dark and uninviting, while ours had a new driveway, a lush garden, and even a jacuzzi. They wanted what we had—and now they were stealing it.
Ethan sat beside me, calm but with determination burning in his eyes. “Don’t cry, hon. We’ll figure this out. I promise.”
“But what can we do?” I whispered.
He looked me straight in the eye. “We’ll give them exactly what they wanted. They can have the house—but not the way they think. If they want it, they’ll regret it.”
Hope flickered in me. “You really think we can get back at them?”
“Oh, I know we can,” Ethan said firmly.
Moving day came fast. Our yard buzzed with activity as we packed up. Across the way, Pamela and Robert were practically skipping with joy, eager to move into the house they had stolen from us.
“Look at them,” I muttered bitterly. “They’re so happy it makes me sick.”
Ethan smirked. “Just wait. Their happiness won’t last long.”
We dismantled the beautiful garden, carefully digging up our roses and plants, loading them into the truck. The jacuzzi? Gone. Every special touch we had added—we took it all.
And then, for the grand finale, we planted our secret surprise. We tucked smelly trash and fish leftovers into hidden corners of the house—behind vents, under floorboards, deep in crawl spaces. Places Pamela and Robert would never think to check.
Pamela waved at us as we loaded the final boxes. “I hope your move goes smoothly!” she chirped, her grin smug.
I forced a tight smile. “Thanks,” I said through clenched teeth.
Ethan and I drove away, heavy-hearted but secretly thrilled at what we had left behind.
Five days later, we were cozy in our new home, the stress slowly melting away. Life was starting to feel normal again—until the phone rang. Pamela’s name flashed on the screen.
I picked up. “Hello?”
Pamela’s voice screeched through the line. “You left trash and fish leftovers hidden all over the house! It stinks so bad, and we can’t find where it’s coming from! The neighbors are furious, and now we’re the ones they want gone! You’ll pay for this—we’re going to sue you!”
I bit my lip, fighting back laughter. “Oops. We were evicted so quickly, maybe we missed some things. Sorry!”
“This is unacceptable!” Pamela snapped. “You’ll regret this!”
“I really am sorry,” I said sweetly, though a smile tugged at my lips. Then I hung up and blocked her number.
Ethan raised an eyebrow. “What was that about?”
“Pamela,” I said, laughing. “They found our little surprise. The house reeks, and they can’t get rid of the smell.”
Ethan burst out laughing. “Serves them right.”
We clinked our coffee mugs together like a toast. Justice had never smelled so… rotten.
From then on, life was peaceful in our new place. We had a trustworthy landlord, and no neighbors scheming against us.
One morning, as we sat on our porch sipping coffee, Ethan chuckled. “See? Sometimes karma just needs a little push.”
I smiled, finally feeling at peace. “Well, Pamela and Robert got what they wanted. Let’s hope they enjoy their new home.”
We both laughed, imagining them trapped in that stinking mess.
They thought they had outsmarted us. But in the end, they got exactly what they deserved.
Never underestimate the power of a clever revenge plan.