My Neighbor Refused to Pay Me ($250) for Cleaning Her House as We Agreed — I Taught Her a Fair Lesson

I hesitated, glancing at the clock. My shift was due to start in a couple of hours, but the idea of earning some extra cash was tempting. Lord knows we could use it.

“How much are we talking about?” I asked, folding my arms across my chest.

“Two hundred and fifty dollars,” she said quickly. “I just really need the help, Prudence. I wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t an emergency.”

“Alright,” I agreed after a moment. “I’ll do it.”

“Thank you so much! You’re a lifesaver!” Emery hugged me quickly before rushing out, leaving me to wonder what I’d just signed up for.

Emery’s house was a wreck, and that’s putting it mildly. It looked like a tornado had blown through it, with empty bottles, plates with half-eaten food, and trash strewn everywhere.

I stood in the middle of her living room, hands on my hips, trying to figure out where to even begin.

Two days. It took me two solid days of scrubbing, sweeping, and hauling garbage out of that house. By the time I was done, my back ached, and my hands were raw. But I kept reminding myself of that $250 Emery promised. That money would go a long way for us.

When Emery finally got back, I marched over to her place, ready to collect.

“Emery, it’s done. Your house is spotless,” I said, trying to keep the exhaustion out of my voice. “So, about the payment…”

She blinked at me like I was speaking another language. “Payment? What payment?”

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I frowned, my heart sinking a little. “The $250 you promised for cleaning up your house. Remember?”

Emery’s expression shifted into one of confusion, then annoyance. “Prudence, I never agreed to pay you anything. I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

For a moment, I just stood there, dumbfounded. “You… what? You said you’d pay me! We had an agreement.”

“No, we didn’t,” she snapped. “Look, I’m late for work, and I really don’t have time for this.” She pushed past me, heading towards her car.

“Emery, this isn’t right!” I called after her, but she was already backing out of her driveway, not giving me a second glance.

As I watched Emery’s car disappear down the street, I stood there, fuming. How could she just walk away like that?

Two days of back-breaking work, and she had the nerve to pretend like we never made a deal. I could feel my anger bubbling up, but I knew better than to act on impulse.

I went back to my house, slammed the door behind me, and paced the living room, trying to think. Connie was playing with her dolls on the floor, and Damien was still out with his friends. I didn’t want to drag my kids into this mess, but I also wasn’t about to let Emery get away with it.

“Alright, Prudence, you’ve got to be smart about this,” I muttered to myself. I looked out the window at Emery’s house and an idea started to form in my mind. It was risky, but I was beyond caring at that point. If she wanted to play dirty, I could get down in the mud too.

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