When Lena agrees to help her neighbor Karen by driving their daughters to school, she thinks it’s just a one-time favor. But as Karen’s requests become a daily expectation, Lena starts feeling used. When Karen refuses to return the favor with a blatant lie, Lena decides to teach her a lesson.
I used to think I was one of those people who could just go with the flow, you know? Avoid drama, and keep things pleasant. But that all started to change the morning Karen knocked on my door.
A woman looking at a front door | Source: Midjourney
“Lena, hey! I’m so sorry to bother you this early,” Karen said, flashing that overly sweet smile of hers.
I was still in my pajamas, trying to coax my brain into waking up with a cup of coffee. Sophie, my eight-year-old, was upstairs getting dressed for school. The last thing I expected was a surprise visit from the neighbor.
“No bother at all, Karen,” I replied, yawning as I opened the door wider. “What’s up?”
A woman answering her front door | Source: Midjourney
“I have an early meeting today, and I was wondering if you could take Emily to school with Sophie. Just this once? I hate to ask, but I’m in such a bind.”
I hesitated. Not because I didn’t want to help, but because I wasn’t sure if I could juggle two kids in the morning rush. But then I remembered how much Sophie liked Emily, and how sweet Emily always was, so I shrugged it off.
“Sure, no problem. I can drop them both off.”
Karen’s face lit up like I’d just offered her the winning lottery ticket.
A happy woman | Source: Midjourney
“You’re a lifesaver, Lena. I owe you one!”
I waved her off, smiling. “Don’t worry about it, really. It’s just a quick favor.”
That’s where it all began. A ‘quick favor’ that turned into something much more complicated.
The next morning, Karen was at my door again, looking just as polished and perky as before. “I have another early meeting today. Would you mind taking Emily again? She loves riding with Sophie, and it would be such a help.”
A woman asking a question | Source: Midjourney
This went on for weeks. Every morning, there was Karen, all smiles and gratitude, asking me to take Emily. At first, I didn’t mind. Emily was well-behaved, and Sophie loved having her along.
But soon, it started to feel less like a favor and more like an obligation. Karen wasn’t asking anymore — she was expecting.
One morning, Sophie and I were running late. I’d hit snooze on my alarm one too many times, and the house was a whirlwind of chaos. Sophie couldn’t find her shoes, the cat had knocked over a vase, and I hadn’t even had a chance to brush my hair.
A woman rushing to get ready | Source: Midjourney
As I scrambled to get us out the door, my phone buzzed with a text from Karen: Can you take Emily today?
I stared at the message. I was already frazzled, and the thought of adding another kid to the mix made me want to scream. But then, I had an idea, a simple, desperate one.
I texted Karen back: Actually, I’m running late today. Can you take Sophie?
A cell phone | Source: Pexels
I figured it was only fair. After all, I’d been driving Emily to school for weeks now. Surely Karen could handle one morning, right?
The reply came almost immediately: Sorry, the car’s too full today.
I blinked at the screen, disbelief flooding over me. Too full? Karen drove a massive SUV! And all she ever transported in there was Emily!
My mind raced, trying to come up with any reasonable explanation for that blatant lie, but there was none. Karen had just shown her true colors, and they weren’t pretty.
A woman reading a text | Source: Midjourney
That was the moment I realized I’d been played. My goodwill had been mistaken for weakness, and Karen had been taking advantage of me, plain and simple.
I wanted to march over to her house and confront her, let her know exactly what I thought of her flimsy excuse. But instead, I clenched my teeth, forcing myself to stay calm. This wasn’t the time for a confrontation. Not yet.
Instead, I got Sophie ready, drove her to school, and spent the rest of the day stewing in my anger. Every time I thought about Karen’s text, a fresh wave of frustration washed over me.
A woman near a window | Source: Midjourney
I wasn’t going to let Karen get away with this. Not anymore. She’d poked the bear one too many times, and she was about to learn that I wasn’t as much of a pushover as she thought.
The next morning, sure enough, I got the text: Can you take Emily again today?
I could practically see Karen’s smug smile as I read those words. She was so sure I’d say yes, just like every other time. And I did say yes — only this time, I had a plan.
A woman smirking | Source: Midjourney
“Hey, Sophie, how about we stop at Rosie’s Donuts on the way to school today?” I called up the stairs as I finished packing her lunch. Sophie’s favorite donut shop was just a few minutes out of the way, but I knew it’d add enough time to our trip to make Karen notice.
“Really? On a school day?” Sophie’s voice was full of excitement as she came bounding down the stairs, her backpack slung over one shoulder.
“Yep. It’s a special Friday treat. What do you say?”
A woman looking up a flight of stairs | Source: Midjourney
“Yay!” Sophie practically danced her way to the car, her ponytail bouncing behind her.
I smiled to myself, the bitterness of Karen’s betrayal easing just a little at the sight of Sophie’s joy.
As expected, Karen was waiting outside with Emily.
“Good morning, Lena!” Karen chirped, her smile bright but her eyes sharp, assessing. “Thanks again for doing this. You’re such a lifesaver.”
“Oh, no problem at all,” I replied, matching her fake cheerfulness with some of my own. “It’s always a pleasure.”
A smiling woman | Source: Midjourney
Sophie and Emily climbed into the backseat, chatting away about their favorite YouTube videos, and I pulled out of the driveway, waving to Karen as we drove off.
I could feel her eyes on us, probably already mentally checking off another morning of childcare that she didn’t have to worry about.
But today, things were different.
Instead of taking the usual route to school, I turned left at the next intersection, heading straight for Rosie’s. Emily noticed immediately.
“Miss Richards? Aren’t we supposed to go that way?” she asked.
A girl in a car | Source: Midjourney
“We’re stopping for donuts this morning, Emily,” I said with a wink.
Emily looked confused. “Won’t we be late?”
I glanced at her in the rearview mirror and smiled reassuringly. “Don’t worry, sweetheart. We’ll get there in time.”
Except that wasn’t exactly true. By the time we reached the donut shop, we were already cutting it close. But I wasn’t in any rush. We strolled inside, and I let the girls pick out their favorite treats.
Donuts | Source: Pexels
“Mom, this is the best day ever!” Sophie exclaimed, her mouth full of a donut.
I smiled, savoring the moment. “Glad you think so, sweetie.”
We took our time eating, chatting about nothing in particular, while the clock ticked on. I wasn’t usually the type to make my kid late for school, but this wasn’t about Sophie or Emily. This was about making a point.
By the time we finally left Rosie’s, the morning rush had died down, and the roads were blissfully empty.
A car driving on a city street | Source: Unsplash
When we finally pulled up to the school, the parking lot was nearly empty. I could see the school staff starting to pack up from the morning drop-off, and I felt a twinge of guilt. But it was quickly drowned out by the satisfaction of knowing Karen was probably already fuming.
“Alright, girls, here we are,” I said as I parked the car. “Have a great day, and don’t forget to tell your teachers we had a special morning!”
Sophie grinned, giving me a quick hug before she and Emily hurried inside. As I watched them go, I took a deep breath, bracing myself for the fallout.
A woman in her car | Source: Midjourney
Sure enough, when I got back home, Karen was standing on her porch, arms crossed, waiting for me. She looked like she was trying to keep it together, but her eyes were practically blazing with anger.
“Lena, what happened? Emily was late for school! I thought you were going to drop them off on time!” she snapped the moment I stepped out of the car.
I walked up to her, keeping my expression as innocent as possible. “Oh, Karen, I’m so sorry! But you know how it is.”
A woman looking innocent | Source: Midjourney
Her jaw tightened, and I could see the wheels turning in her head. “I see,” she said through gritted teeth. “Well, try not to let it happen again.”
“Or maybe you could take Emily yourself? Just a thought.”
Karen didn’t reply. She just turned on her heel and marched back inside, slamming the door behind her. I watched her go, feeling a wave of triumph wash over me. It wasn’t often that I stood up for myself, but this time, it felt good. Really good.
A smiling woman | Source: Midjourney
And that was the last time Karen ever asked me to take Emily to school. From then on, she made sure to get her daughter ready early enough to handle the drive herself.
She also avoided me whenever possible, clearly embarrassed and resentful, but I didn’t mind. She’d finally learned her lesson.
And I’d finally learned mine too. Being a good neighbor doesn’t mean being a doormat. Sometimes, you’ve got to stand up for yourself, even if it means taking the scenic route to get there.
A satisfied woman | Source: Midjourney
Here’s another story: Who charges a $500 bill for a family BBQ? My stepsister Karen, that’s who. Instead of paying, I decided to teach her a lesson in family hospitality — with a twist she never saw coming. Click here to read more.
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.
My Best Friend Set Me Up at Work to Get Me Fired So She Could Take My Promotion
Kera and Sam were more than best friends; they were family. They built their careers together, side by side, until a promotion turned everything into a competition. When Kera is accused of theft, she thinks her life is over… until an unexpected secret is exposed. In the end, she learns that betrayal runs deep, but karma cuts deeper.
I always thought betrayal would come with warning signs, like whispers behind my back, a shift in tone, something to tip me off before the knife slid in.
But no.
An upset woman | Source: Midjourney
Instead, betrayal came with a smile. With a hug. With the promise of friendship.
My name is Kera. I’m twenty-eight years old, and everything I have now, I built from nothing.
I was left at an orphanage as a baby. There was no note, no explanation. Nothing. Just an abandoned girl who grew up bouncing between foster homes, learning that while people wanted to be nice, the only person she could truly rely on was herself.
A little girl playing with toys | Source: Midjourney
That was until Sam.
We met when we were eight, two kids with no families, clinging to each other like lifelines. We learned to cook together, sneaking into the orphanage kitchen at night to steal peanut butter or test recipes that we saw on TV.
We dreamed of becoming chefs, of running our own restaurant someday.
“One day, Kera,” Sam said. “One day, we’ll have big kitchens and lots of money! And we can buy all the food we want.”
“I know,” I said, smiling.
A smiling teenage girl | Source: Midjourney
It felt good to dream. It felt good to look forward to something. To see a future that was bigger than we ever thought we could have.
And we worked for it, too.
We got into culinary school on scholarships and hopes. And, surprisingly, we graduated at the top of our class. We thrived on creativity and passion. On the days we felt like giving up, we pushed through. We pushed each other, and if we fell, we fell together.
“I’ll always be here, Sammy,” I told her one day after we ended up in the ER.
A woman standing in an ER | Source: Midjourney
Sam had been too enthusiastic when chopping up herbs and had an incident with a knife.
“I know, K,” she said, smiling through her painkillers. “It’s together or nothing, right, sis?”
Eventually, we landed jobs at one of the best restaurants in the city. We didn’t know how Lady Luck kept shining on us, but we were grateful that she did.
Side by side, Sam and I climbed the ranks, proving ourselves in the brutal, high-pressure world of professional kitchens.
A woman working in a professional kitchen | Source: Midjourney
So when the head chef position opened up, we were both the top candidates.
That day, after the announcement, Sam pulled me aside.
“No matter what happens, let’s not let this ruin our friendship, okay?” she said, squeezing my hand.
I smiled.
A woman working in a professional kitchen | Source: Midjourney
“Of course,” I said. “Nothing changes. But I am starving. Let’s get some food on our break. A greasy cheeseburger from that place down the road sounds like it would hit the spot.”
She smiled back, but there was something… off. A little too much relief in her voice, like she already knew how this would play out.
“Sure,” she said. “Let’s meet there. I have something to do first. A pharmacy run, you know.”
The interior of a pharmacy | Source: Midjourney
I ignored the feeling. Sam was my best friend, after all.
But I shouldn’t have ignored any of my feelings. The first worrying sign was when Sam didn’t meet me for lunch during our break. She just didn’t show up.
That evening, after the dinner service, I was cleaning up my station when our boss, Chef Reynard, stormed into the kitchen. His face was like stone, his sharp blue eyes locking onto mine.
Food on a pass in a kitchen | Source: Midjourney
“I didn’t expect this from you, Kera!” he thundered. “I thought you were better…”
Silence fell. The entire staff froze, utensils clattering, conversations dying mid-sentence.
“Chef?” I swallowed hard.
He turned to the room.
“Everyone, to the break room. Now!”
An upset chef | Source: Midjourney
The weight of his words sank into my stomach like lead. Something was very, very wrong. What was Chef on about?
We filed in, confused, exchanging nervous glances. Chef Reynard stood at the front, arms crossed, his expression unreadable.
“This evening, during an inventory check, something was found,” he said. “Stolen black caviar. In Kera’s bag.”
I stopped breathing. I broke out into a sweat. I felt dizzy.
A woman’s bag | Source: Midjourney
My bag?
My stomach twisted into a hundred knots.
“That’s impossible!” I gasped.
Chef Reynard didn’t react.
“I announced earlier today that I’d be doing an inspection. Someone’s been stealing from my kitchen.”
His eyes were sharp, scanning the room.
A pantry | Source: Midjourney
“And tonight… I found this.”
He held up a small glass jar of caviar, the kind we only used for high-end VIP guests who ordered top-shelf alcohol like it was absolutely nothing.
I stared at Chef’s hand, looking at the glass jar like it was a snake, waiting to strike.
“I didn’t take that,” I said, my voice hoarse. “I swear on my life, Chef. I would never… I would never jeopardize my position here!”
“Then, Kera, how did it end up in your bag?” His voice was calm but firm.
A jar of caviar | Source: Midjourney
I opened my mouth, then shut it. I didn’t have an answer. I felt dizzy.
Sam sat beside me, her hands clasped in her lap. She wouldn’t meet my eyes. She didn’t offer an encouraging smile. Or a hand squeeze.
A sick feeling curdled in my gut.
Chef Reynard exhaled.
“Tell me why I shouldn’t fire you right now.”
An angry chef | Source: Midjourney
I froze.
“Come, Kera. Tell me.”
Tears burned behind my eyes.
I looked around the room, at my coworkers, at the people I had worked beside for years. Some of them looked skeptical. Some looked outright disappointed.
But Sam?
She just sat there. Silent.
A woman sitting | Source: Midjourney
That’s when I knew.
She knew about the inspection. She was the one who did it. Her eyebrows were furrowed like they always were when she was up to something.
Chef Reynard had been on the phone earlier that morning, talking about the missing inventory, saying that he planned to check bags after our shift. But I hadn’t thought anything of it. There was no reason for me to.
But Sam had overheard. When we were changing into our uniform in the locker room she smacked my arm to make me stop talking so that she could hear what Chef was saying.
A woman looking down | Source: Midjourney
But… Sam? Would she really do that to me? Or was my imagination just running wild because the thought of me losing my job was so… close?
I felt the knife twist before I even knew it was there.
I stood up, my throat closing.
“I…” I couldn’t even get the words out.
“I should go…”
An upset woman | Source: Midjourney
Chef Reynard didn’t say anything. He just looked at me for a moment, his eyes softening.
I wanted to cry. I wanted to curl into a ball and just cry for a few hours. My career, everything that I had worked so hard for, was over.
I turned toward the door, my heart shattering.
“Stop, Kera,” he said.
I turned back, blinking through tears.
A door in a restaurant kitchen | Source: Midjourney
Chef Reynard reached into his pocket and pulled out a small ultraviolet flashlight.
The room went still again.
“There’s a security measure in place,” he said, his voice even. “I have marked all the caviar jars with an invisible, transparent ink, one that leaves residue on anyone who touches it. This is the new batch, and no one has worked with these yet, so only the person who stole the jar would have the stuff on their hands.”
A ripple of murmurs swept through the staff.
A flashlight | Source: Midjourney
He held the jar under the light, and sure enough, a faint, glowing mark was smeared along the lid.
“We started doing this a few years ago when we had another case of sticky fingers. One of our waiters was walking away with our caviar and bottles of champagne, ready to sell on the internet.”
Then he turned the light to his hands. They were clean except for his fingers, where he had held the jar moments before.
His eyes met mine, and he almost smiled.
Bottles of champagne | Source: Midjourney
“Everyone, hands out. Now.”
One by one, we stretched our arms out as he held the light to them.
Nothing.
Nothing.
Nothing.
Dirty nails.
Nothing.
Then…
A faint glow appeared on someone’s fingertips.
Ink on a woman’s hand | Source: Midjourney
That’s when the entire world tilted.
Sam.
The soft blue stain lit up on her skin, it was unmistakable. A choked sound left my throat. My best friend, my sister, sat there, caught red-handed.
Chef Reynard stared at her in disbelief.
“I need you to explain yourself,” Chef said.
“I… Chef…” Sam tried to say, her face drained of color.
A shocked woman | Source: Midjourney
“I never thought someone would do this to their best friend,” he said quietly.
Then, his voice hardened and his face darkened, anger taking over.
“You set her up? You set Kera up? You were willing to destroy her career for a promotion?”
Her mouth opened, desperate.
“Maybe someone else touched it before me… and I touched something they touched.”
An angry chef | Source: Midjourney
Chef Reynard didn’t even blink.
“Just go, Sam.”
I watched her grasp for anything to save herself. But there was nothing.
She knew it.
I knew it.
She stood abruptly, her chair scraping against the tiles. Her eyes flicked to me, just for a second.
An upset woman | Source: Midjourney
And in that second, I saw something that made my blood boil.
Sam didn’t think she’d get caught.
She wasn’t sorry. She was angry.
She stormed out, and just like that, she was gone.
The room was silent.
I was still shaking. I felt betrayed and hurt, heartache worse than I’d ever felt before.
A shocked woman | Source: Midjourney
“Kera,” Chef Reynard said.
“I meant what I said,” he continued. “I don’t tolerate thieves in my kitchen. And I couldn’t believe that it was you. I just… couldn’t. Let’s go to my office.”
We went to his office. I followed him quietly, my hands still shaking.
“Kera,” he said, sitting down. “I didn’t want to believe it because I had just drawn up something for you. But I need you to know that I don’t tolerate people who betray their own.”
An office | Source: Midjourney
He placed a single piece of paper in front of me.
A contract.
“You worked your butt off for this place, my girl,” he said. “I’ve noticed it from the beginning. And you’ve earned your spot as head chef.”
I took a deep breath.
“I had nothing to do with Sam’s actions,” I said. “Absolutely nothing.”
A contract on an office desk | Source: Midjourney
He smiled and held a pen out for me.
And I signed my name.
After my shift, I stopped at a food truck on my way home, trying to wrap my mind around everything. How was I going to go to our apartment and face Sam?
I wanted to slap her for almost costing me my job, but I was also worried about what she was going to do next.
I had been saving over the years. Sam had not, wanting to spend everything on clothing and alcohol. I highly doubted she had any savings, or at least enough to get by until she got a new job.
People outside a food truck | Source: Midjourney
But I shouldn’t have worried.
When I walked into our apartment, Jenna, our roommate, was sitting on the couch playing video games. Sam was nowhere to be seen.
“She’s gone,” Jenna said, pausing the game.
“What do you mean?” I asked.
“She’s gone. She packed up, and some guy named Dylan came to help her take her things. She said to tell you that she wanted more for herself and that she needs to find her happiness out of your shadow.”
A woman playing video games | Source: Midjourney
What the actual heck?
“Thanks, Jenna,” I said, flopping down on the couch next to her.
“What happened? She got fired? She quit?”
“How about I tell you tomorrow?” I asked. “I just want to get into bed.”
I was devastated, but I had never felt the way I had before. There was so much anger and hurt. Pain that demanded to be felt.
If this is what Sam was truly capable of, then maybe I was better off without her.
An upset woman lying in her bed | Source: Midjourney
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