My neighbor made my life a nightmare, trying to push me out of the home I loved. Her cruelty seemed personal, but I never knew why—until one strange note changed everything. It said, “You need to know the truth about your husband.” What I found out shook my whole world.
Do you know the feeling when your own home turns into a battlefield? I hope not. But I knew that feeling very well. Every single morning, I opened my eyes with dread in my chest.
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I never knew what kind of day it would be. Some days were quiet, but the silence felt like the calm before a storm.
Other days, something new would go wrong, and I always knew who was behind it. Meredith.
Just thinking about her made my stomach turn. I had never met anyone so bitter, so heartless.
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Ross and I moved into this house after my mother passed. It was supposed to be a new start for us. But peace never came. Not with Meredith living next door.
From day one, she treated me like an enemy. She didn’t even acknowledge Ross. To her, he didn’t exist. But me—she seemed to live to make my life miserable.
She let her shaggy dog dig through my flower beds like it was his playground.
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She chopped down my beautiful tree just because a few branches leaned over the fence.
And when we grilled some burgers at six in the evening, she called the cops and said we were disturbing the peace. Six o’clock! Who does that?
I started to feel like I was losing my mind. I even stopped planting new flowers because I knew they wouldn’t last long.
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But the worst came one sunny afternoon when I was bent over pulling weeds, enjoying the quiet.
Out of nowhere, a blast of water hit me so hard I dropped my gloves. It didn’t stop.
I was soaked through like someone dumped a bucket over my head again and again. Then I saw the hose. It was coming from Meredith’s yard.
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“Meredith! You nasty old witch! Turn it off!” I yelled as the water blasted me straight in the face.
The stream stopped. I stood there, dripping wet, shaking with anger. Meredith poked her head over the fence like nothing had happened.
“Oh, Linda,” she said in that fake sweet voice. “I didn’t know you were out there.”
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“Don’t lie to me!” I shouted. “You knew exactly what you were doing!”
She shrugged. “It’s just water. You’ll dry off.”
I stared at her, stunned. Then she disappeared behind the fence like I didn’t even matter.
I stormed into the house, water dripping all over the floor. My clothes clung to me, and my hair was soaked.
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Ross looked up from the couch. “What in the world happened to you?”
“It was Meredith!” I snapped. “Go talk to her. You used to live near her, didn’t you?”
“That doesn’t mean we were friends,” he said.
“I don’t care. Say something to her. I’ve had enough!”
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Ross sighed. “Why don’t we just move? Sell this house. Start over. We could make some money on this house. I even found a few listings.”
I cut him off. “No! I’m not letting that woman chase me out of my own home!”
“But, Linda—”
“I said no! I’m done talking!” I turned and headed to the bathroom to wash away the cold and my rage.
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But Ross never talked to Meredith. I asked him more than once, but he always gave the same excuse.
He said he did not have time. To be fair, he really had been working late a lot. I figured maybe it had something to do with retirement.
He was almost fifty. So was I. I thought maybe he had plans and just did not want to talk about them yet.
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I never once suspected anything else. I was not some nervous young wife. I trusted him.
Still, he kept bringing up moving. Over and over. “We should sell,” he’d say. “This place isn’t worth it.” But to me, it was home.
One day, I saw Andrew, Meredith’s son, walking up to Meredith’s door. He had a bag in one hand and a tired look on his face.
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“Good afternoon, Linda,” he said when he saw me standing by the garden. “How have you been?”
I crossed my arms. “I’d be just fine if your mother would leave me alone.”
Andrew let out a deep sigh. “I know. I’m sorry. I’ll try to talk to her again.”
“Thanks,” I said. “I hope it helps.”
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I could not understand how such a kind and polite young man like Andrew came from someone like Meredith.
He always greeted me with respect. He listened. He even tried to help. It made no sense. Maybe he got his good side from his father.
I had never seen the man. No one else had either. The neighbors only whispered about him.
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They said he left Meredith when she was pregnant. I believed it. With the way she acted, I could imagine someone walking away.
Still, it didn’t make it right. A man should never leave a woman like that. No matter what. A child needs a father. Andrew deserved better.
I made myself a hot cup of tea and stepped into the garden. The air felt calm. I needed some peace.
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Ross was still at work, and I wanted a quiet evening alone. I sat down near my flowers and took a sip. Then I heard her voice.
“My Andrew got a big promotion,” Meredith said, peeking over the fence. “He’s also getting married soon.”
“Congratulations,” I said, lifting my cup without looking at her.
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She didn’t stop. “It must be hard for you. No children. No one to celebrate.”
Her words hit me like a stone. She knew it hurt. She always brought it up. She wanted me to feel small.
I stood up. “Go to hell, Meredith!” I yelled. I turned and walked straight into the house, my chest tight, my eyes burning.
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I had always dreamed of being a mother. I pictured holding a baby in my arms, watching them grow, teaching them everything I knew.
But Ross kept putting it off. He always had a reason. “Not yet,” he’d say. “We can’t afford it.” “Maybe next year.” Year after year, I waited.
I trusted him. I thought he knew best. Then one day, I realized I was almost fifty. It was too late.
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That was the one deep regret I carried. I should have pushed harder. I should have spoken up. But now it was done. No children. No second chance.
The next morning, I went to the farmers’ market. Ross said he’d stay home.
When I got back, his car was already gone. I put away the groceries and stepped out to check the mailbox.
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I sorted through bills, ads, and catalogs. Then I saw it—a plain white envelope with no name.
I opened it right there on the porch. Inside was a short note: You need to know the truth about your husband. Below that was a time and a place. Nothing more.
I looked around. No one was in sight. My heart raced. Who sent it? Why now?
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That evening, when Ross got home, I told him I had to run some errands. Then I left to find out the truth.
The meeting was to take place in a small park not far from our house. I got there early and sat on a bench.
My heart beat fast. I looked around, trying to guess who had sent the note.
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Then I saw her. Meredith. She walked toward me with a stiff face and steady steps.
“So this was your doing?” I asked as I walked up. “What do you want from me now?”
“It’s time you knew everything,” she said, her voice low and flat.
“Knew what? Another game? More lies? I don’t have time for this.”
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“I saw Ross. He left your house. A young woman got in his car. Then he kissed her.”
I blinked. “No. You’re lying.”
She pulled out her phone. “Am I?” She showed me the screen. I looked at it. It was Ross. In his car. Kissing a young woman.
I stared. “No… He wouldn’t… He wouldn’t do that to me.”
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Meredith shook her head. “What did you expect? A man who cheats once will cheat again.”
“He’s never cheated on me,” I said. My voice sounded small.
“Not on you. But he cheated before. You took him from someone else.”
“What are you talking about?” I asked. My heart pounded in my chest.
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“Do you even know why I hate you?”
“I really don’t know. You’ve hated me since day one.”
“Don’t act like you don’t know! You left my son without a father!”
“How? I didn’t even know you until four years ago!” I shouted.
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“You took Ross from me! I was pregnant when he left. He left because of you!”
I froze. “Wait… Are you saying Ross is Andrew’s father?”
“Yes,” she said. “That’s exactly what I’m saying.”
My legs went weak. I sat down. “No… no… I didn’t know. I swear to you, Meredith. I had no idea. I never would’ve done that.”
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Meredith’s face changed. Her arms dropped. “You really didn’t know?”
I shook my head. “No. God. I… Oh my God. Everything I thought I knew about him… it’s all wrong.”
She looked away. “I don’t even know what to say now.”
“It makes sense now. Why you treated me like that. If I were you, I’d hate me too.”
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Meredith looked down. “If I had known you didn’t know… I might have acted differently.”
“Why didn’t he help you? Even if you weren’t together, he should have helped Andrew.”
“There were no problems between us. Not until I told him I was pregnant. After that, he disappeared.”
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I shook my head. “If we count the dates… Ross and I were already together when you were pregnant.”
“I found out later. He told me. Said he had cheated. Said it was you.”
“You should’ve come to me back then. Told me the truth.”
“I hated you. Ross told me you knew about me. That you didn’t care.”
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I looked up at her. “Why tell me all this now?”
“Because no one deserves to be lied to the way I was. You’re living the same lie I lived. I don’t want that for you.”
I nodded. “Thank you for telling me. I’m sorry for everything.”
“So am I. I’ve said a lot of terrible things to you.”
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“It’s all right. We’ll deal with that later. Right now, I need to deal with the one who caused all this.”
I gave Meredith a ride home. Neither of us spoke. My hands gripped the wheel tight. My heart pounded.
When I got home, I saw Ross in the kitchen. He looked up and smiled like nothing had happened.
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“Linda, you were gone so long,” he said. “I was starting to worry. I have some news. I found a good realtor. I think we should move soon.”
I dropped my keys on the counter. “I am not selling this house. You can go wherever you want. I am staying.”
Ross frowned. “What are you talking about?”
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“I know everything,” I said. “About Meredith. About Andrew. About the young woman you kissed in your car.”
He stepped back. “Linda, I can explain.”
“I don’t want your lies. I’ve heard enough. Just get out.”
“Please, let’s talk this through,” he said.
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“Talk about what? How you’ve lied for years? How you planned to sell this house and spend the money on your new girlfriend?”
“We can still fix this,” he said.
“Fix what? I don’t want to live with a man like you anymore. Get out of my house!”
He snapped. “Who else would want you? You have no kids. No one but me.”
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I stared at him. “I’ll manage. I’d rather be alone than be with you.”
After those words, Ross grabbed his coat and stormed out, slamming the door behind him so hard the walls shook.
I stood still, listening to the silence he left behind. I knew divorce at my age would be hard.
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But I also knew one thing for sure—it would be better than living a lie. Maybe now, with him gone, Meredith would stop trying to punish me.
Maybe we both could finally breathe. One thing was certain—Ross could go to hell, and I wouldn’t miss him at all.
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Rising Music Sensation Nell Smith Passes Away at Just 17 After Collaborating with The Flaming Lips
The death of young musician Nell Smith has left a deep impact on both the music world and the public. At just 17, Nell passed away on Saturday night, October 5, in British Columbia. Along with her family, many well-known musicians have expressed their sadness and shock over her sudden death.
Nell was about to release her first solo album next year. The album, which she recorded in Brighton, was going to be released by Bella Union, an independent record label. Despite her young age, she had already achieved a lot in her music career. Her passing happened just as her career was set to soar.
Simon Raymonde, co-owner of Bella Union and the producer of Nell’s upcoming album, shared his grief on Instagram. He posted photos of Nell, along with a heartfelt message. The photos were given to him by Nell’s family and musician Warren Ellis. One of the images showed Nell and her brother, Ike, in a tender family moment. Another picture showed Nell standing on a beach, deep in thought, with her guitar. Simon mentioned this was taken when she wrote one of her first songs on Vancouver Island.
There were also photos of Nell with The Flaming Lips’ lead singer, Wayne Coyne, who she had collaborated with on a project in 2021. Another image captured the moment Nell saw her blue vinyl record “Where The Viaduct Looms” for the first time, her smile showing how proud she was of her work.
Simon’s last photo showed Nell and Warren Ellis sharing a close moment, with Nell wrapping her arms around the musician. Warren held what looked like Nell’s mixtape, a symbol of her early passion for music.
In his post, Simon expressed that, out of respect for Nell’s family, he couldn’t share more details at the time. He spoke about her talent and the incredible things she had already accomplished as a young artist.
Nell’s family also shared their sadness on Instagram. They posted a series of photos, remembering special moments they had shared with Nell. Alongside the photos, they wrote a heartfelt message: “Our feisty, talented, unique, beautiful daughter was taken from us too soon. We are heartbroken and don’t know what to do or say.” They added that while Nell had so much more to give to the world, they were thankful for all she had experienced in her 17 years. Her family asked for privacy as they dealt with the tragedy, signing off with their names: Jude, Rachel, Jed, and Ike.
Music producer Howard Redekopp, who had worked with Nell on her upcoming album, also shared a tribute on social media. Posting photos of the two of them, Howard wrote about how much he valued the time they spent together, even though it was brief. He praised Nell as a rare and extraordinary talent, and shared how heartbroken he was that she wouldn’t be able to see the lasting influence her music would have. He ended his post by sending love to Nell’s family and friends.
Musician Micah Nelson, son of the legendary Willie Nelson, also paid tribute to Nell on Instagram. He shared images of the two of them playing music together and wrote about the tragedy of her passing. He described Nell as a bright and talented person, full of promise, and shared his sympathy with her family.
Fans have also reacted strongly to the news of Nell’s passing. One fan, posting on Threads, shared a photo from a recent Flaming Lips concert in Portland where the band’s lead singer Wayne Coyne had announced her death. The fan mentioned that Nell had died in a car accident.
A video clip from the concert showed Wayne Coyne breaking the sad news to the audience. He spoke emotionally about his relationship with Nell and their work together on the album “Where The Viaduct Looms.” Wayne struggled to hold back tears as he told the crowd that Nell had died the night before. The audience responded with cheers of love and support, as Wayne reflected on the importance of music and the people we love.
Nell’s connection with The Flaming Lips began in 2018 when she attended one of their concerts. She managed to get a letter to the band on their tour bus, which caught Wayne’s attention. From there, he stayed in contact with Nell’s parents as she began learning to play guitar. By the time she was 11, Nell was performing live, writing her own music, and playing alongside other well-known artists.
Rest in peace, Nell. Our thoughts are with her family, friends, and everyone who knew and loved her during this difficult time.
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