Nancy had always believed in love, loyalty, and fairness in marriage. She thought the bond between her and Jeremy was strong, built on mutual respect and equal footing. For two years, they split everything down the middle—the rent, the bills, the groceries. She never questioned it.
But everything changed one cold December evening, when she discovered that the man she loved—and his mother—had been stealing from her for two long years.
They say hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. But they hadn’t met a woman whose heart had been shattered and her trust completely shattered by the two people she had trusted the most. This wasn’t just betrayal—it was a scam of epic proportions.
Nancy had always been the kind of woman who believed in justice. She worked hard, played fair, and expected the same in return. But sometimes, life throws a curveball so twisted, so perfectly designed to break your heart and set your soul on fire with anger, that you have no choice but to tap into that darker side of yourself and seek retribution.
Before all this chaos began, Nancy thought her life with Jeremy was perfect. They’d married young, moved into an apartment together, and built a life she thought they could be proud of. They made a deal—50-50. Half for the rent, half for the bills. Simple and fair.
It all started with the apartment. Jeremy was the one who found it.
“Baby, you’ve got to see this place,” he said excitedly over the phone one afternoon. “It’s perfect for us.”
“Perfect how?” Nancy had asked, a smile on her lips, intrigued by his enthusiasm.
“Two bedrooms, a modern kitchen, and a balcony with a view! And we get it for just $2,000 a month… which is a steal for this area.”
Later that day, he showed her around, practically bouncing with excitement. He pointed out every feature like a child showing off a new toy.
“We’ll split it—$1,000 each,” he said, wrapping his arms around her from behind as they stood on the balcony, gazing out at the city. “Our first real home together.”
Nancy smiled and kissed him softly. “Sounds perfect.”
Everything about the apartment seemed legitimate—the lease, the payments, and even the landlord. There was no reason to question it.
But one evening in December, everything changed. The elevator broke, and a random encounter led to a discovery that would unravel Nancy’s world.
She had just finished a long 12-hour shift at the hospital, her feet aching in her heels. She stepped into the elevator, exhausted. At the fifth floor, the doors opened, and in stepped Taylor, her bubbly 20-something neighbor.
“Hey!” Taylor greeted her, flashing a smile. “Oh, I know you! You live in Lorrie and Jeremy’s apartment, right?”
The mention of “Lorrie” hit Nancy like a punch in the gut.
“Lorrie?” Nancy repeated, confusion twisting in her stomach.
“Yeah, Jeremy’s mom. She and Jeremy bought that place years ago when the building first opened. She was always talking about it at the building meetings.”
“Building meetings?” Nancy asked, her heart beginning to race.
“Oh yeah,” Taylor continued, oblivious to Nancy’s growing shock. “She was on the building board, always bragging about how smart the investment was. I guess Jeremy moved in with his ex back then… but that didn’t last long. And now you’re here!”
Nancy’s world flipped upside down. “Jeremy’s ex lived here too?” she asked, her voice barely a whisper.
Taylor’s smile faltered. “Oh, you didn’t know? Lorrie always talked about how great it was to have family managing the property. She was on the building board and everything.”
The elevator doors opened, but Nancy didn’t move.
“Are you okay?” Taylor asked gently, noticing the shock on Nancy’s face.
Nancy whispered, “No… but I’m certainly glad I do now.”
As she stepped out, the realization crashed over her like a tidal wave. Jeremy and his mother had been scamming her the entire time. The apartment wasn’t a rental; it was theirs. She had been handing over thousands of dollars to the very people who were supposed to love and protect her.
Her mind was spinning as she staggered to the door. She fumbled for her keys, feeling like her world had just shattered into pieces. She had been a fool—$24,000 in rent money, all gone to Jeremy and his mother. How could he do this to her? How could he betray his wife so completely?
Nancy needed to think. She needed to figure out her next move. She pulled herself together, wiped the tears from her eyes, and went straight to the real estate records. They were public, after all. And there it was—the property deed, in both their names. The apartment was theirs. She had been living in a lie, and she was furious.
Her phone buzzed with a message from Jeremy: “Grabbing drinks with Mom. Don’t wait up. Love you!”
She stared at the text, her hands trembling with rage. She didn’t respond. Instead, she scrolled through her photos, stopping on a picture from last Christmas. There they were—Jeremy, his mother, and her—smiling on the couch while his mother served her famous eggnog. The whole time, they had been stealing from her. Even then.
Nancy called her best friend, Sarah.
“They own it,” Nancy said when Sarah picked up. “The whole time, they owned it.”
“What? Who owns what?” Sarah asked, confused.
“Jeremy and his mother,” Nancy replied, her voice low with disbelief. “They’ve been charging me rent for an apartment they own.”
“Oh my God! No way!” Sarah gasped. “Two years, Nancy? That’s insane!”
Nancy’s anger burned hotter. “I know! I can’t believe I’ve been that stupid.”
“No way they’re getting away with this,” Sarah said, her voice firm.
Nancy grinned. “Of course not. I’ve got a plan.”
The next two weeks were like something out of a movie. Nancy played the role of the loving wife perfectly. She smiled, laughed, and kissed Jeremy goodnight. But behind the scenes, she was plotting her revenge.
One evening, as they sat at the dinner table, she casually mentioned, “Jeremy, your mom invited us over for dinner on Sunday. Should I make that butterscotch pie she loves?”
Jeremy looked up from his phone and smiled. “You’re the best, you know that?”
“I know,” Nancy replied, her voice sweet as honey.
That Sunday, as they sat at his mother’s dining table, Nancy smiled and laughed, hiding the storm brewing inside her.
“Nancy, dear,” his mother said, beaming, “you seem extra cheerful today.”
“Oh, I just got some good news at work,” Nancy replied with a smile. “Huge bonus coming up. Jeremy and I might even have enough saved for a down payment soon.”
The look that passed between Jeremy and his mother made Nancy’s blood boil. They were clearly trying to figure out how to scam her out of even more.
Jeremy squeezed her hand. “That’s great, but maybe we should keep renting for now. The market’s not great for buying.”
Nancy nodded, keeping her smile fixed in place. “Of course. Why rush into buying when we have such a great rental situation, right?”
Her mother-in-law nearly choked on her coffee.
Nancy knew she was in the final stages of her plan. Two weeks later, when Jeremy left for work, she put the plan into action. She packed everything she owned—clothes, furniture, the coffee maker that Jeremy loved—and went straight to the bank. She emptied their joint account to the last penny.
But that wasn’t all. She had already signed a lease on her own place, a cozy apartment across town. And she paid for her first month’s rent—using Jeremy’s money.
That night, she waited. When Jeremy came home, the apartment was empty. Except for one thing. A letter, taped to the window.
It read:
Dear Jeremy,
Hope you enjoy YOUR apartment. Since you and your mother had so much fun scamming me for two years, I figured it was time to return the favor.
My new apartment’s rent for January is already paid—by you.
And don’t bother calling. I blocked you.
Happy New Year, loser.
—Nancy
Nancy smiled, feeling a weight lift off her shoulders. She had done it. She had taken back what was hers.
Three months later, she ran into Jeremy’s mother at the grocery store. Her face was haggard, worn with the weight of their deceit. She grabbed Nancy’s cart, desperate to explain.
“Nancy,” she pleaded. “Please, let me explain—”
“Explain what, Lorrie?” Nancy cut her off, her voice cold. “How you and your son stole $24,000 from me? How you sat across from me every Sunday, asking when I was going to give you grandchildren, while you were robbing me blind?”
Lorrie looked taken aback. “We were going to tell you—”
“When? After the baby shower? After I spent another year paying your mortgage?”
Lorrie’s face crumpled. “Jeremy’s devastated. He’s drinking, he’s lost weight…”
Nancy smiled sweetly. “Funny how karma works, isn’t it? Here’s what’s going to happen: You’re going to let me finish my shopping. Then, you’re going to go home and tell your son that if he doesn’t agree to my divorce terms—including full repayment of every cent I paid in rent—I’ll be filing fraud charges against both of you.”
“You wouldn’t—”
“Oh, try me,” Nancy said, her smile never faltering. “And Lorrie? That butterscotch pie you couldn’t get enough of? Let’s just say it had a special ingredient… and it wasn’t love.”
Three months later, Nancy sat in her new apartment, sipping champagne and admiring the signed divorce papers. Jeremy had agreed to everything—full repayment, plus interest. She couldn’t have been happier.
She got a text from Taylor: “Saw your ex today. He looked miserable. Lorrie’s selling her unit and moving to Florida. Building meetings won’t be the same without her drama!”
Nancy raised her glass and smiled. It wasn’t the view she once had, but it was far sweeter.
Jeremy called her 27 times that night. She didn’t answer. Lorrie tried too. Blocked.
In the end, Nancy got exactly what she deserved. Justice. Sweet, satisfying justice.
As she took another sip of her champagne, she realized that sometimes, living well is the best revenge. But living well in an apartment you actually own—with money stolen back from the people who wronged you? That, she thought with a smile, was even better.
