Life has a way of kicking you when you’re already down. That’s how it felt when my neighbor, Cheryl, decided to take advantage of me during one of the hardest chapters of my life. As a single mom, still reeling from tragedy, I trusted her — and she sold me a broken car. She thought she’d made easy money, but the universe had other plans.
Three years earlier, everything was different. I had a husband, Dan, and the life we’d built together felt solid. But when a sudden accident took him from me, I was left scrambling to provide for my child. I picked up shifts at Mel’s Diner, cleaned offices late at night, and somehow kept the bills barely paid. When my old minivan finally gave out in a parking lot, I felt my fragile world crumbling even further.
That’s when Cheryl swooped in. With her flashy jewelry and perfect hair, she played the part of a “helpful neighbor.” She sold me a “barely used” Toyota for $2,500, promising it was in excellent shape. But the next morning, it wouldn’t even start. A mechanic confirmed the truth: the car had been dying for months. When I confronted Cheryl, she simply sneered, slammed her door, and left me humiliated on her porch.
The twist came the following day. While searching the car, I discovered a leather bag tucked beneath the driver’s seat. Inside was $7,000 in cash and a handwritten note from Cheryl — evidence of secrets she clearly didn’t want exposed.
When she came storming over, frantic and begging for her bag back, I realized justice had arrived. Karma had dealt Cheryl the blow she thought she’d given me. And this time, I wasn’t the one left broken.