My Boyfriend Made My Life a Living Hell after I Publicly Rejected His Marriage Proposal – Is My Revenge Justified?

When Mandy turns down her boyfriend’s unexpected proposal, he spitefully sabotages her career, leaving her jobless and financially strained. But Mandy knows Jeff’s darkest secrets, and with nothing left to lose, she sets out to get her revenge.

So, I’m a 26-year-old junior attorney, totally immersed in my career. My boyfriend, Jeff, is 29, ambitious, and determined. We’ve been together for a year and a half. Everything was going great until he proposed.

A man hides an engagement ring behind his back | Source: Pexels

A man hides an engagement ring behind his back | Source: Pexels

Last weekend, both our families decided to spend the day at Disneyland. It was supposed to be a fun family outing, enjoying the rides and all.

We were standing in front of Sleeping Beauty’s Castle as the sun began to set. Out of nowhere, Jeff got down on one knee. My heart skipped a beat. His brother handed him a bouquet of roses, and Jeff looked up at me with this hopeful smile.

“Will you marry me?” he asked.

A man proposing to a woman | Source: Pexels

A man proposing to a woman | Source: Pexels

I was stunned. Like, deer-in-headlights stunned. My mind raced. We’d talked about the future, sure, but nothing about marriage. We were both so focused on our careers. How could he think this was the right time?

My heart pounded in my chest as I took in the excited looks on our families’ faces. Both our Moms had their phones out, recording every minute, and Dad was watching me with such pride.

I hated to disappoint them all, but I had to answer Jeff honestly.

A woman clenching her jaw | Source: Pexels

A woman clenching her jaw | Source: Pexels

“I-I’m not ready,” I stammered, feeling a wave of panic. “This is too soon.”

The crowd around us started to murmur. I could hear gasps, and someone even whispered, “Did she just say no?”

Jeff’s face fell. The hopeful smile vanished, replaced by a look of utter betrayal. “You will regret this,” he said through gritted teeth, his voice low and menacing.

The atmosphere turned icy.

An angry man with partially shadowed face  | Source: Pexels

An angry man with partially shadowed face | Source: Pexels

Our families were in shock. My mom’s mouth was hanging open, and Jeff’s mom looked like she was about to cry. The magic of Disneyland was completely shattered.

We left shortly after, and the car ride home was filled with an unbearable silence. I couldn’t shake the feeling that I had just made a huge mistake, but deep down, I knew I wasn’t ready for marriage. Not yet.

When we got home, Jeff wouldn’t even look at me.

A man sits at a table with his head resting in one hand  | Source: Pexels

A man sits at a table with his head resting in one hand | Source: Pexels

I tried to explain how I felt, but he was having none of it.

“I thought we were on the same page,” he snapped. “I thought you loved me.”

“I do love you, Jeff,” I said, my voice shaking. “But this isn’t about love. It’s about being ready for a lifelong commitment. I’m just not there yet.”

He shook his head, looking more hurt than I’d ever seen him. “You embarrassed me in front of everyone. You’ll pay for that.”

A man glaring  | Source: Pexels

A man glaring | Source: Pexels

And that was just the beginning of the nightmare. I tried to give Jeff space, thinking things might calm down. Things were still tense between us, but he helped me fix some technical issues on my laptop and we even went out for dinner that weekend.

While I was daydreaming about our relationship getting back to normal, little did I know, Jeff had already put his revenge plan in motion. My life was about to be turned upside down.

That Monday, my boss called me into his office.

A businessman at his desk | Source: Pexels

A businessman at his desk | Source: Pexels

“What have you done?” Mr. Barnes snapped once I entered. “Did you think we wouldn’t find out?”

“Find out about what, sir?” I asked, utterly bewildered by his questions.

“About this!” he replied, turning his laptop around so the screen faced me. I leaned in closer and my heart skipped a beat.

Confidential information for one of our top clients was going viral in an online forum. The documents being shared had our firm’s letterhead, and all of them came from cases I was working on.

A shocked woman standing against a wall | Source: Pexels

A shocked woman standing against a wall | Source: Pexels

“I didn’t do this, Mr. Barnes, I swear!” I said. “We must’ve been hacked, or—”

“These files were shared from your laptop!” Mr. Barnes thumped his hand against his desk. “The IT department has confirmed it.

That’s when it hit me. Jeff had helped me fix my laptop when it was acting up the previous week. He must’ve shared the files to ruin my reputation. I started explaining the situation to Mr. Barnes, but he cut me off.

A furious man hits a desk | Source: Pexels

A furious man hits a desk | Source: Pexels

“It doesn’t matter if your boyfriend shared the files,” he said. “The fact is, it happened under your watch. We can’t afford this kind of mistake, especially not now.”

“I know, and I’m sorry, sir. I’ll do everything in my power to fix this.”

“There is no fixing this, Mandy!” He yelled. “You’re fired.”

I couldn’t believe Jeff had done this to me. As I packed up my things, my colleagues avoided eye contact, whispers following me down the hallway.

A woman crying | Source: Pexels

A woman crying | Source: Pexels

It felt like a bad dream I couldn’t wake up from.

When I got home, things took another turn for the worse. Jeff had moved out. He left me a note, if you could call it that, scribbled angrily on the back of an envelope: “You brought this on yourself.”

Not only had he left, but he trashed the place on his way out. The coffee table was shattered, the dining chairs were broken, and even the TV stand was in pieces.

Damaged kitchen | Source: Pexels

Damaged kitchen | Source: Pexels

With the lease in my name, I was stuck covering the costs. Most of my savings were already tied up in student loans, and now I had to figure out how to pay for the damages.

I felt desperate, hurt, and utterly betrayed. How could someone I loved and trusted do this to me? Every day was a struggle, and I couldn’t believe my life had turned into such a mess.

One night, I made a decision. I wasn’t going to let Jeff get away with this.

A determined woman glares at the camera | Source: Pexels

A determined woman glares at the camera | Source: Pexels

Over the months we were together, he had boasted about his involvement in insider trading and shady financial dealings. He thought he was invincible, but I knew better.

I started gathering evidence, recalling every detail he had let slip. It was a painstaking process, but it gave me a sense of purpose. I compiled everything into a detailed dossier, leveraging my legal skills to make it airtight.

Finally, I anonymously sent the dossier to his company’s HR department, the SEC, and several major clients.

A folder containing top secret information | Source: Pexels

A folder containing top secret information | Source: Pexels

It was a risky move, but I had nothing left to lose.

As I hit send, I felt a mix of fear and relief. Fear of what might happen next, but relief that I was finally taking control of my life. I knew the fallout would be massive, but after everything Jeff had done, it felt justified.

A few days later, I got a call from one of our mutual friends.

A woman using her smart phone | Source: Pexels

A woman using her smart phone | Source: Pexels

“Hey, have you heard about Jeff?” she asked, her voice tinged with curiosity.

“No, what happened?” I tried to keep my voice steady, but my heart was pounding.

“Apparently, he got called into a meeting at work, and they fired him on the spot. There was some kind of investigation, and now he’s in deep trouble.”

I hung up, feeling a mix of vindication and relief. But there was also a pang of guilt. Had I gone too far?

A woman staring thoughtfully | Source: Pexels

A woman staring thoughtfully | Source: Pexels

Later that week, more news started to trickle in. Jeff’s company had launched a full-blown internal investigation, and the SEC was hot on his trail. Turns out the evidence I provided was more than enough to open a serious case against him.

Insider trading and financial fraud are no joke, and Jeff was facing the full brunt of the law.

One evening, I got another call—this time, from an old colleague who knew both of us.

A woman speaking on the phone | Source: Pexels

A woman speaking on the phone | Source: Pexels

“You won’t believe this,” she said. “Jeff’s been blacklisted in the industry. No one wants to touch him with a ten-foot pole. Even his friends are distancing themselves.”

Hearing that, I felt a strange sense of satisfaction. Jeff had always been so smug, so sure that he could get away with anything. Now, he was paying the price for his arrogance.

I had lost my job, my savings were drained, and my trust in people was shattered. But seeing Jeff face the consequences of his actions gave me a sense of closure.

A smiling woman | Source: Pexels

A smiling woman | Source: Pexels

He had tried to break me, but in the end, it was his own downfall that was most spectacular.

Am I proud of what I did? Not entirely. Part of me wishes things could have ended differently. But another part of me knows that sometimes, justice has to be served, even if it means getting your hands a little dirty.

What do you think? Is my revenge justified or did I go too far?

Parents Started Charging Me Rent Because I Had Decorated My Room – Karma Hit Back

When my parents demanded rent for the basement I’d turned into a haven, they never expected it would lead to my escape and their ultimate regret.

I’d always felt like the black sheep in my family. It was not just a feeling, though. It was pretty obvious when you looked at how differently my parents treated me and my younger brother, Daniel.

When I was 17, we moved to a two-bedroom house, and my parents decided Daniel needed his own room. Instead of sharing like normal siblings, they shoved me into our unfinished basement.

A basement | Source: Unsplash

A basement | Source: Unsplash

Meanwhile, he got this huge, bright room upstairs, complete with brand-new everything, like furniture, decorations, and even a gaming setup. Me? I got whatever junk they could scrounge up from the garage.

I remember the day they showed me my new “room.”

Mom gestured around the cold, concrete space like it was some kind of prize. “Elena, honey, isn’t this exciting? You’ll have so much space down here!”

Middle-aged woman smiling | Source: Pexels

Middle-aged woman smiling | Source: Pexels

I stared at the bare bulb dangling from the ceiling, the cobwebs in the corners, and the musty smell that clung to everything. “Yeah, Mom. Super exciting.”

Dad clapped me on the shoulder. “That’s the spirit, kiddo! And hey, maybe we can fix it up a bit later, huh?”

Later never came, of course. But I wasn’t about to live in a dungeon forever.

A teenager girl in a dark basement | Source: Midjourney

A teenager girl in a dark basement | Source: Midjourney

I picked up an after-school job at the local grocery store, bagging groceries and pushing carts. It wasn’t glamorous, but every paycheck brought me closer to transforming my basement prison.

My Aunt Teresa was my saving grace through it all. She’s the only one who knew what my life was like at home.

So, when she heard what I was doing with the basement, she started coming over on weekends, armed with paintbrushes and a contagious enthusiasm.

A woman painting a wall | Source: Pexels

A woman painting a wall | Source: Pexels

“Alright, Ellie-girl,” she’d say, tying back her wild curls. “Let’s make this place shine!”

We started with paint, turning the dingy walls into a soft lavender. Then came curtains to hide the tiny windows, area rugs to cover the cold floor, and string lights to chase away the shadows.

It took months because my job didn’t exactly pay much, but slowly, the basement became mine. I hung up posters of my favorite bands, arranged my books on salvaged shelves, and even managed to snag a secondhand desk for homework.

Posters on the wall | Source: Pexels

Posters on the wall | Source: Pexels

The day I hung up the final touch, a set of LED lights around my bed, I stepped back and felt something I hadn’t in a long time or perhaps my entire life: pride.

I was admiring my handiwork when I heard footsteps on the stairs. Mom and Dad appeared and looked around with raised eyebrows.

“Well, well,” Dad said, his eyes narrowing. “Looks like someone’s been busy.”

A man with arms crossed and a tight expression | Source: Pexels

A man with arms crossed and a tight expression | Source: Pexels

I waited for praise, or at least acknowledgment of my hard work. Instead, Mom pursed her lips.

“Elena, if you have money for all this,” she waved her hand at my carefully curated space, “then you can start contributing to the household.”

My jaw dropped. “What?”

“That’s right,” Dad nodded. “We think it’s time you started paying rent.”

A man's hand | Source: Pexels

A man’s hand | Source: Pexels

I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. “Rent? I’m 17! I’m still in high school!”

“And clearly making enough to redecorate,” Mom countered, crossing her arms. “It’s time you learned some financial responsibility.”

I wanted to scream. Daniel had a room three times the size of mine, fully furnished and decorated on their dime, and he’d never worked a day in his life. Yes, he was younger, but still, it was more of their unfairness.

A big modern bedroom | Source: Pexels

A big modern bedroom | Source: Pexels

Unfortunately, I knew I couldn’t argue with them, so I bit my tongue. “Fine,” I managed. “How much?”

They named a figure that made my stomach sink. It was doable, but it meant saying goodbye to any hopes of saving for college, which was my plan now that the basement was done.

As if to add insult to injury, Daniel chose that moment to thunder down the stairs. He took one look around and let out a low whistle.

Teenage boy going downstairs to basement | Source: Midjourney

Teenage boy going downstairs to basement | Source: Midjourney

“Whoa, sis. Nice cave.” His eyes landed on my LED lights. “Hey, are these strong?”

Before I could stop him, he reached up and yanked on the strip. The lights came down with a sad flicker, leaving a trail of peeled paint behind them.

“Daniel!” I cried. But my parents rushed to him, asked if something was wrong, and just shrugged at me.

“Boys will be boys,” Dad chuckled as if his golden boy hadn’t just destroyed something I’d worked months for.

Middle man laughing | Source: Pexels

Middle man laughing | Source: Pexels

So, there I was, standing in my once-again darkened room, fighting back tears of frustration. In the grand scheme of things, Daniel had only ruined my lights, and I could fix that up. But in truth, it was more than that.

It was a symbol of my life; always second best, always the afterthought. But karma, as they say, has a way of evening the score.

A few weeks later, my parents invited Aunt Teresa over for dinner along with some friends. She brought along a woman named Ava, an interior designer from her book club.

Two women at a dinner | Source: Pexels

Two women at a dinner | Source: Pexels

We all sat around the dining table and picked at Mom’s overcooked pot roast while she gushed about Daniel and his football team.

But suddenly, Aunt Teresa spoke up. “Ava, you’ve got to see what my niece has done with the basement. It’s incredible!”

I felt my cheeks heat up as all eyes turned to me. “It’s not that big a deal,” I mumbled.

But Ava was intrigued. “I’d love to see it. Do you mind?”

A woman smiling | Source: Pexels

A woman smiling | Source: Pexels

Ignoring my parents’ tight smiles, I led Ava downstairs. As she looked around, her eyes widened.

“Elena, this is amazing. You did all this yourself?”

I nodded, suddenly shy. “Most of it. My aunt helped with some of the bigger stuff.”

Ava ran her hand along the repurposed bookshelf I’d salvaged from a neighbor’s curb. “You have a real eye for design. There wasn’t much potential here, but the way you’ve maximized the space, the color choices… it’s really impressive.”

A bookshelf | Source: Pexels

A bookshelf | Source: Pexels

For the first time in forever, I felt a spark of hope. “Really?”

She nodded and smiled. “In fact, we have an internship opening up at my firm. It’s usually for college students, but… I think we could make an exception for a high school student about to go to college. Are you interested in design as a career?”

I had to stop my jaw from falling off when I tried to speak. “Absolutely! I mean, I’ve never really considered it professionally, but I love it.”

A teenage girl smiling | Source: Midjourney

A teenage girl smiling | Source: Midjourney

Ava smiled. “Well, consider it now. The internship is paid, and if you do a good job, you might be able to earn a scholarship from the company for college if you pursue design. What do you say?”

I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. “Yes! A thousand times, yes! Thank you!”

“Excellent! You can begin straight away. I’ll call you with details later,” Ava nodded and bypassed my parents as she headed upstairs.

A nice woman smiling | Source: Pexels

A nice woman smiling | Source: Pexels

I hadn’t even realized they had followed us downstairs. Their faces were stunned, and my brother looked confused that, for once, the spotlight was on someone else.

That internship changed everything. Suddenly, I had a direction, a purpose, and most importantly, people who valued and wanted me to succeed.

So, I threw myself into learning everything I could about design, stayed late at the firm, and soaked up knowledge like a sponge.

A teenage girl working in an office | Source: Midjourney

A teenage girl working in an office | Source: Midjourney

Over the next few months, I juggled school, my internship, and my part-time job at the grocery store. It was exhausting but exhilarating.

At home, things were… different. My parents seemed unsure how to treat me now. The rent demands stopped. Instead, they asked me about my “little job.”

“So, uh, how’s that design thing going?” Dad would wonder over dinner, but he always avoided my eyes.

Middle-aged man looking down | Source: Pexels

Middle-aged man looking down | Source: Pexels

“It’s great,” I’d reply, trying to keep things nonchalant. My joy didn’t belong to them. “I’m learning so much.”

Daniel, for his part, seemed bewildered. “I don’t get it,” he complained one day. “Why does Elena get an internship and not me?”

Mom patted his hand. “Well, sweetie, that’s because you’re still young. You’ll get an even better one later.”

I rolled my eyes. Of course, they had to placate the favorite.

A teenage girl at the dinner table | Source: Midjourney

A teenage girl at the dinner table | Source: Midjourney

As the school year progressed, I started putting together my portfolio for college applications. Ava was an incredible mentor, who guided me through the process and helped me choose my best work.

“You’ve got a real talent, Elena,” she told me one afternoon in her office after hours. She had kindly stayed back, so I could finish up my plans. “These schools would be lucky to have you.”

Her words gave me the confidence to aim high. I applied to some of the top design programs in the country, including Ava’s alma mater.

A young woman writing on a notebook | Source: Pexels

A young woman writing on a notebook | Source: Pexels

Afterward, the waiting was agony, but finally, it happened. I was in the basement, touching up some paint on my bookshelf, when I heard Mom call down.

“Elena? There’s a big envelope here for you.”

I took the stairs two at a time and ripped the envelope from her hands. “Dear Elena, We are pleased to offer you admission to our School of Design…” My knees went weak, but it only got better!

A big envelope | Source: Pexels

A big envelope | Source: Pexels

I couldn’t believe it. Not only had I gotten in, but I’d been offered a full scholarship by the school, the same one Ava attended.

“Well?” Mom asked and gave me a tight smile. “What does it say?”

“I got in. Full ride,” I said, looking up as my eyes watered.

For a moment, there was silence. Then, she went back upstairs. She couldn’t even muster a small congratulation.

A serious older woman | Source: Pexels

A serious older woman | Source: Pexels

My dad said nothing at dinner, and Daniel was somehow angry.

I felt their bitterness. But I didn’t care. Finally, I had what I wanted. Ava held a small celebration for me at the office, and Aunt Teresa held a big bash. It was all I needed.

The next room I decorated was my dorm… then, I redecorated my entire life with colors that shone like my soul, the patterns that made the world unique, and the family I made along the way, who were as supportive as a nice, cozy bed frame that lasts for decades.

A teenage girl happy | Source: Midjourney

A teenage girl happy | Source: Midjourney

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.

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