An immaculate lawn | Source: Flickr/Sir Mildred Pierce/CC BY 2.0
My story is all about standing up for yourself when wronged. The way I did it was quite cunning and was linked to why my landlord ended my contract in the first place. When my landlord realized he’d make a mistake letting me go, he tried begging me to come back, but I wasn’t having it.
After a year of living in that quaint little rental house, I almost forgot how the yard looked when I moved in. It was an absolute eyesore before I got a hold of it. But I wasn’t aware that fixing it up would get the landlord to kick me out for his selfish reasons. But, I refused to leave without getting some sweet revenge!
A woman tending to a garden | Source: Pexels
While the house was okay, my rental’s yard was an absolute EYESORE and a total nightmare! It had overgrown weeds, patches of dry, yellow grass, and a decrepit fence that was one strong wind away from collapsing! But where others might have seen a lost cause, I saw an opportunity.
Gardening was my passion, and this was my chance to turn that mess into a garden paradise. Mr. Peterson, my landlord, was an older man in his seventies. When I first met him, he seemed harmless enough, with a kindly smile and a quiet demeanor.
An old man standing in front of an unkept garden | Source: Midjourney
I honestly thought he was a sweet old man, but BOY, was I wrong! He was thrilled when I, with my green fingers, mentioned plans to fix up the yard. “It could use a woman’s touch,” he had said, laughing.
But, little did I know, those words would haunt me later…
Over the next few months, I poured EVERYTHING into that garden. I spent thousands of dollars, money that I could’ve used elsewhere, but I didn’t care. I replaced the dead grass with lush green sod, planted colorful flower beds along the walkways, and even started a small vegetable garden in the back!
Carrots growing in a vegetable garden | Source: Pexels
Every weekend, I’d be out there, hands deep in the soil, feeling the satisfaction that comes from bringing something back to life! Mr. Peterson noticed the changes immediately, and whenever he came by to collect rent, his eyes would light up!
“It looks amazing, Miss Garcia. You’re very good at this!”
Touched by his kind words and admiration, I replied, “Thanks, Mr. Peterson. I love how it’s coming together.”
A happy woman in her garden | Source: Midjourney
Getting so much praise went to my head, and I used my last money to install a cute little fountain. And if I do say so myself, it was stunning!
My landlord loved the upgrades so much that he started showing off the yard to his friends, acting like it was his idea all along! “Look at my lawn! Isn’t it just perfect?” he’d boast as if he had laid down every blade of grass himself!
I didn’t mind, though. It felt good to see my hard work appreciated. Then, one day, everything changed for the worse…
A happy old man proud of his garden | Source: Midjourney
I came home from work, and out of the blue, an eviction notice was tacked to my door! My stomach dropped as I read it. Mr. Peterson had decided to end my lease! No explanation, no warning! Just like that, I was being kicked out of the home I had poured my heart into!
At first, I couldn’t believe it. Why would he do this? The answer came a few days later, during a chance encounter with one of the neighbors, Mrs. Jenkins. She was a nice old lady who loved to gossip, and she didn’t hold back when I asked her if she knew what was going on.
An old woman and young one talking | Source: Midjourney
“Well, dear,” she began, lowering her voice as if she was letting me in on a secret, “I heard Mr. Peterson’s been talking about how much more the property is worth now that the yard looks so beautiful. He’s planning to raise the rent and get someone else in here who can pay more.”
It all made sense. He saw dollar signs in the improvements I’d made. My blood boiled at the thought! I had invested my time, energy, and money into that place, and now he was going to profit from it! But I wasn’t about to go down without a fight!
An upset woman thinking | Source: Midjourney
I was heartbroken and beyond angry, but I didn’t want to destroy the yard; it was too easy, and I couldn’t bear to see all my work go to waste. But I wanted Mr. Peterson to regret his decision and refused to let him get away with it. And then it hit me: the irrigation system!
The key to my revenge lay in the state-of-the-art underground sprinkler system that I had installed. It kept the lawn perfectly watered without having to do anything.
A garden maintained by a state-of-the-art underground sprinkler system | Source: Midjourney
What Mr. Peterson didn’t know was that I had included a little “feature” in the system, one that could cause just the right amount of chaos if I made a few adjustments. With a few taps on the control panel, I reprogrammed the system to overwater specific areas around the house, particularly near the foundation.
It wasn’t enough to cause immediate damage; no, this would be a slow burn…
Over time, the excess water would seep into the ground and eventually into the basement, but it would start small. Just a faint musty smell at first, then mold, then the real trouble!
A basement with water damage | Source: Midjourney
A few weeks later, as I was collecting my last boxes since moving to my new apartment across town, I got a call from Mr. Peterson. He sounded irritated.
“There’s a weird smell in the basement,” he complained. “Did you notice anything like that while you were living here?”
I bit back a smile and feigned ignorance. “No, not at all. It was always dry down there. Maybe you should get someone to take a look?”
He grumbled something under his breath and hung up. I could almost feel his frustration through the phone. It was only the beginning.
An unhappy old man talking on the phone | Source: Midjourney
As the weeks went by, I kept tabs on the old house through Mrs. Jenkins, who was all too eager to share the latest neighborhood news.
“Mr. Peterson’s been having a rough time,” she told me one day. “That smell in the basement got worse, and now there’s mold growing on the walls. The new tenants are talking about breaking their lease!”
I could barely contain my glee! My plan was working PERFECTLY!
A happy woman talking to an older lady | Source: Midjourney
I knew the repairs would be costly, especially once the contractor discovered that the problem wasn’t just superficial. But the real kicker came when Mr. Peterson called me again, his voice tinged with desperation!
“I NEED you to tell me what you did to that irrigation system,” he demanded.
“Did something happen?” I asked, playing dumb.
“The basement’s flooding! The contractor says the ground around the house is soaked, and it’s causing all sorts of problems! I need to know if you changed anything before you left!”
An angry old man talking on the phone | Source: Midjourney
I paused for effect before answering. “Oh, well, I did mention that the system had a feature that could lead to overwatering if it wasn’t monitored closely. But I assumed you’d keep an eye on it.”
There was silence on the other end, and I could practically hear him seething. “You didn’t tell me that!” he finally exploded.
“I’m sorry, Mr. Peterson,” I replied calmly, “but I thought it was obvious. You know, it’s really important to read the manual for these things.”
A relaxed and proud young woman talking on the phone | Source: Midjourney
He hung up on me without another word, and I smiled as I set the phone down! The damage to the basement was extensive, and from what Mrs. Jenkins told me later, the repairs would cost more than Mr. Peterson had anticipated!
His plan to raise the rent and make a profit backfired spectacularly! The property’s value plummeted, and with the word out about the “flooding issues,” he couldn’t find a buyer either!
An apartment with a nice garden for sale | Source: Midjourney
The icing on the cake came a few months later when I got one last call from my former landlord. His voice had lost its usual gruffness, replaced by something almost pleading.
“I need your help,” he said quietly. “The house is falling apart, and I can’t afford the repairs. Would you consider coming back? I’ll lower the rent, no, I’ll even include utilities, just please, come back.”
I took a deep breath, savoring the moment before responding. “I appreciate the offer, Mr. Peterson, but I’m really happy where I am now. I’m sure you’ll figure something out.”
A happy woman talking on the phone | Source: Midjourney
He didn’t argue but sighed heavily and muttered a farewell before hanging up. As I put down the phone, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of satisfaction. My revenge hadn’t been about causing destruction but letting Mr. Peterson realize the consequences of his greed.
In the end, he was left with a property that was more trouble than it was worth, and I had moved on to greener pastures, literally. My new place had a yard that was already PERFECT, and I didn’t have to lift a finger! I was happy again.
A happy woman in the yard of her new apartment | Source: Midjourney
My story isn’t the only one that involves a landlord who tried to take advantage of them. Lily was in the same situation after renovating her landlord’s garden, making it clean and admirable. He stopped her contract and even lied about her bringing dangerous chemicals to the home, but her father had a plan up his sleeve to make him pay . And pay he did!
This work is inspired by real events and people, but it has been fictionalized for creative purposes. Names, characters, and details have been changed to protect privacy and enhance the narrative. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.
The author and publisher make no claims to the accuracy of events or the portrayal of characters and are not liable for any misinterpretation. This story is provided “as is,” and any opinions expressed are those of the characters and do not reflect the views of the author or publisher.
