When someone is wrong, they’ll often wait and bide their time before seeking revenge—and when they do, it’s absolutely brutal. These people came together to share stories about people getting even, and they’re unforgettable.
1. Betting On The Wrong Horse
My adoptive mom, who was honestly terrible to me, thought she was doing me a favor pulling me out of a rough spot. But buckle up, things are about to get ugly.
She's the queen of overspending and has blown through not one, but two major inheritances and a decent divorce settlement. Despite years of getting alimony and having like a million master's degrees in a high-demand field, she never bothered to get a job. School loans were just another cash cow for her luxe lifestyle—forget working. And saving for retirement? Nah, didn't even cross her mind.
She kept telling me I'd become a dropout when I grew older. See, her biological kids were her retirement plan. She groomed them to be high earners—like, marry someone loaded, get a high-paying degree—good to go. Classic case of picking favorites, right?
Little did she know, I'd defy all odds and earn a tidy six-figure salary. Sucks to be her though, 'cause I cut ties seven years ago and didn't look back, not even once. Now she's in her 60s, and pretty much back to square one, financially speaking. Her kids can't afford to support her and I've got zero plans to chip in. Yeah, she did not see that coming!
2. Two Steps Ahead
So there was this kid who got messed with by a teaching assistant. He tried going to teachers, the school bosses, even the authorities. But they all thought he was just causing trouble and punished him for making stuff up.
This whole thing turned him into a bitter, resentful dude. He was actually starting to play nice, but from what he said, he just wanted to see everything go south back then.
Fast forward a few years, and the same teaching assistant takes a nasty spill down a school stairwell. The kid happened to be nearby and saw she was seriously hurt, probably had a few broken bones and was bleeding from the head. But instead of helping, he just stepped over her like she wasn't there.
Surveillance footage showed he didn't push her, but when asked why he didn't get help or say anything, he just said the last time he tried to tell people about something wrong with her, no one did anything. So why would they this time?
3. Diner And Dash
An old high school buddy of mine went all-in with his family drama. He was right in the middle of two siblings, his folks ran a family-owned diner for generations, and one day, it was supposed to be their turn. There was just one problem. Nobody wanted a piece of it. Even the slightest mention of it had him fuming. But his parents wouldn't let up, cracking jokes about them ditching college or staying put because one day, they'd end up taking over the diner.
His sister was the first one to face the music but he and his younger brother nudged her out of the nest. She took off for college on an athletic scholarship, then moved few states away, dropping occasional visits but mostly cut off from her past.
Next up was my friend but he was low on cash. His folks suggested going to a community college while working at the diner—that's when things started to go downhill. The younger bro decided to go full nomad instead of college. He'd pop in to work occasionally, but mostly he was gone.
My friend then got stuck running the show, even though he'd sworn he never would. He was far from happy, spiraling down with a string of failed relationships and a serious drinking problem. His parents were ok, as long as their precious legacy lived on. He shared with me how they were pressuring him to settle down, give them grandbabies, bury his dreams and embrace the diner life.
One day, he went AWOL for three weeks, then when he came back, he was like a new man. Two months later, the diner was replaced with a new business. The plot twist? His girlfriend gave him a lifeline: Stop drinking and get therapy or she's gone.
So that’s what he did. Therapy opened his eyes to how his depression was tied to the diner and suggested a vacay to clear his head. He spent a couple of wild weeks in Vegas, then came up with a scheme to sell the diner and take the cash for himself. His siblings didn’t score a penny and his already retired parents were out of the picture, too.
He uprooted himself for the other side of the country with his now-wife, and although we keep in touch via social media, we don’t talk much. It seems he’s happier, though. No chatter with his family in years and no intention to open up that can of worms again.
4. Going Nuclear
I was born and raised in a small, ultra-religious town where moral purity and appearances were everything. Being birthed by an unmarried teen mom who was unjustly shamed and disowned made my childhood a nightmare.
Constantly persecuted and ignored at school, I grew into a rebel outcast for protection. Despite it all, I managed to escape and earn a college degree, thanks to a distant aunt. The life insurance money from my mom, who tragically drank herself to death, kept me afloat. City life and therapy healed some of my wounds. Time passed.
I'm now a consultant for a global firm, and sometimes my work involves making tough calls, like laying off workers. A couple of years ago, a job led me back to my old hometown's factory—which was the bread and butter for most of the town's folks.
Who held the reins? That old religious community with big shots calling the shots based on virtues and not merit. There I was, an unrecognized corporate guy in their midst. It was fun and painful at the same time, especially being part of a social gathering with my old "friends" who were oblivious to my secret plan brewing.
My goal, driven by an old revenge scheme, was to tear their false security down. At first, they didn't know who I was. Then hints hit home, and they felt lucky having an old mate do the audit, assuming I had their interests at heart. But I had a different idea.
I cruised around town for a while after the audit absorbing my past and understanding why people crave power. Next, I compiled an honest yet cutthroat report on the factory’s flaws and mismanagement. This report led to the factory's closure, crushing the town in a downward spiral.
I still check up on them via social media, reveling in their misery and viewing it as payback. No remorse, no regrets.
In my perfect world, I’d have loved to watch them crumble, but in reality, I'm only planning one last visit: to stomp on my spiteful uncle's grave when he passes.
5. How The Tables Have Turned
My high school buddy was a real go-getter, always busy with school or work. He'd dodge questions about his home life but told me it was rough. Saying he was the family outcast is putting it lightly.
His family wasn't super rich, but they were well-off. From a young age, they told him he'd amount to nothing. Big mistake.
Now, he's rolling in dough after securing a top-notch job with a big medical company. Meanwhile, his dad's family business, a legacy spanning generations, got chewed up by the feds.
Apparently, someone tipped off the government about not paying taxes, underpaying immigrant workers, hiding safety violations, and other stuff. As the true extent of the damage began to surface, my buddy visited his old family home and dropped off a document.
It was the same one he'd given to a lawyer who'd handed it over to the government. His sole comment was, “Who won't amount to anything”?
6. A Dish Best Served Cold
During university, I was a line cook at a steakhouse. My boss, the chef, was an absolute nightmare. We were treated poorly, he'd dismiss our time-off requests, and even chuck first-rate food claiming it was trash. Then he'd order us to remake it. And there's more.
He'd convince us to work even when unwell, rather than take sick days. Our team was always undermanned, and people kept leaving due to the terrible situation. I'd often have to convince employees to stick around and even train the newbies, as our chef wouldn't bother.
One time, I wanted a weekend off for my uncle's funeral, and had arranged for a colleague to cover me. But as I was about to fly out, my chef blew up my phone with angry messages demanding that I cancel my trip and return to work. I lost it.
I called him, reminded him of my cover, and told him I was about to board. He revealed that the guy covering quit. I quit right there, blocked him, and told my co-workers that they could leave too. When I landed, I found out they all did just that, and the restaurant was forced to shut early citing "technical issues". I was immensely satisfied.
A few months later, I heard from an ex-coworker that the restaurant was now under new management and rebranded. Our old chef was fired and landed a job at Chilis as a manager. I haven't heard from them since.
7. Judge Not Lest Ye Be Judged
The preacher next door was always picking on a classmate of mine, over things from his long hair to not getting into his Bible enough. But, this kid got even.
He'd often sneak into the pastor's backyard with his buddies and take a dump in his swimming pool. They even tossed animals into the water, like squirrels or possums. Can't say I blame the kid—the pastor was super judgy and nobody really liked him.
8. Home Not-So-Sweet Home
Growing up, my sister and I had a rough childhood due to our mom. Unfortunately, my sister ended up with an eating disorder and has been in therapy forever. It's been a long, ongoing struggle for her. For me, I've been dealing with severe anxiety, bipolar, depression, and self-hate.
Mom would always beg us not to put her in a home when she became old. Last year, my mental issues got worse and I got help by starting therapy and meds, as well as being open with my parents about the bad things from our past. That's when I gave them an ultimatum.
I told them they could either admit to the harm they caused and apologize so we could move on, or I'd cut ties. My dad said sorry right away. He wasn't as bad as Mom and had more regret. We're cool now. But my mother’s response was cold.
She denied it all, which led to my sister and I cutting her off completely. Looks like she'll end up in a nursing home after all. She's left with no kids, all due to her own behavior. I don't see myself as a bad person, but I did end the relationship. The person who hurts might forget, but the one who got hurt remembers.
9. Movin’ On Up
So, I used to be an A/V tech for about six years, making $15 an hour. Sometimes, I was in charge of a team of 15 people and would instruct them on how to set up or dismantle a room. I was also the one who trained new recruits.
I was stunned to find out that the newbies I'd been training for two years were earning $17 an hour—two bucks more than me.
I dropped a long 10-page mail to the district director explaining why I was quitting. I handed in my two-week notice right before our peak season. Not surprisingly, our clients were pretty mad, things went south really fast—they should've treated me better, right?
My first job offer after that paid me a whopping $42 an hour as a video specialist and camera operator. It's kinda scary to think I might've been stuck at my old job if they'd upped my wage by just two dollars. But hey, it all turned out for the best.
10. If It Isn’t The Consequences Of My Actions
So, I was doing a job that I wasn't paid or qualified for. HR then fibbed to me, making me miss a promotion. I played it smart though. I made myself irreplaceable and tampered with the Excel codes that I made, which used to save the managers a ton of time. I omitted correcting some stuff that would have landed us in deep water since it wasn’t technically part of my job responsibility. And then, I quit.
The fallout was massive—$700k in fees, a department with no one at the helm, extra work for the managers and no one trained to manage the schedule. They even tried calling me to clean up the mess. You can guess how that went down.
11. Double Standards
So, I've got this friend I've known since primary school. He's a classic middle child, with an older brother of 11 years and a younger sister by five. Naturally, he ended up shouldering the blame for his siblings' screw-ups. He copped all kinds of rules based on his big bro's past actions, and any silly moves by his little sis? Yep, his fault for not stopping her.
He was pretty much never first in line for anything. Want a loan from the parents? "Nope, all our extra cash is tied up with college bro". Want mates to swing by? "No can do, your sister's got friends coming already". Hand-me-downs were his style, while sis strutted about in all-new gear. You see what I'm getting at.
When he turned 16, he was out grabbing a late-night snack run and got whacked from behind at the drive-thru. Their family car got pretty bashed up, but the other dude admitted it was his bad and offered to pay up. But how did his folks react? Stripped him of his driving rights. Apparently, their “no accident” rule applied even when it wasn't his mistake. He fired back that this meant he'd never lend them a thing again, which got him grounded.
Fast forward ten years and he's kept to his word. No dosh, no rides, not even a bed for the night—he made them book a hotel once. They've gotta say sorry before he'll budge, but as far as I know, that hasn't happened yet.
Ironically, his sister managed to wreck her own car a few years later—totally her fault—and her folks not only fixed her ride but also chip in for her insurance.
12. Jekyll And Hyde
So, I once had these two kids, Matt and John, while working at a daycare. No kidding, John was tough, being rowdy, foul-mouthed, and downright stubborn. Honestly, daycare wasn't for him. It was like John turned into another person around me.
Most of the staff who didn't work directly with him loved him, thinking I was making up stories about his behavior. All their doubts disappeared the day he kicked me. Now, the other kid, Matt, was labeled as the naughty one, but with me, he was just the opposite.
I treated Matt like I did all the other kids. He was a happy-go-lucky guy, always ready to help the little ones, quick to learn new things, and super smart. It felt like I was the only one who saw the good in Matt and the first to tell John off and stick to the rules with him.
Not long after I quit the job, I heard about a nasty incident from a former co-worker. It seemed like the old pattern was back, with everyone dotting on John and being suspicious of Matt.
Apparently, there was a huge fight, and Matt went bonkers and wrecked the place. I felt terrible for the kid. All he wanted was some attention and structure, which he really blossomed with. John also needed structure, but a different kind. Instead, they just spoiled him silly, and his misbehavior became predictable.
It's just unfortunate Matt got the boot because of the incident. I just hope he ended up at a new school with folks who care about him. That daycare was a total disaster.
13. Extra! Extra! Read All About It!
Growing up wasn't easy with my family and church. It got so bad that I had to ask my aunt for help, which backfired when she laughed at me. Left without a roof over my head, I found refuge at a hostel and sometimes in my friends' dorm rooms.
In a couple of weeks though, a friend's mom kindly offered her basement for me to stay in, with the only condition being that I find work. Guess what? I did, the very next day! Guess where? A retail shop, and that didn't sit well with my family. Apparently working in retail, and the fact that my friend's mom was divorced, was beneath them.
Now, here's the thing about my aunt—the super-Catholic, stay-at-home mother of many, who takes pride in broadcasting her kids' every milestone in a lengthy Christmas letter every year. When I was down and out, and really needed their help, there was none. Not the smallest gesture or shred of advice. They made my plight a laughing matter, which really sucked considering my age and circumstances.
The job I got, by the way, was at Staples. Filled with frustration and anger, I decided I couldn't take it anymore. I penned a letter highlighting their bad behavior and my gratitude for their 'help'. I printed it, and mailed it to anyone who knew them, even their neighbors. Yeah, I stooped down to pettiness.
Surprise, surprise, they don't talk to me anymore. Honestly, I hope they stopped sending out that annoying yearly newsletter as well. Who cares about your kids, right? Not to mention, this coming from a family that's an absolute pain in the backside.
14. Friday Night Lights
In 2005, a new guy named "Barry" joined our school in upper East Tennessee. He was athletic, but being a Black kid in this area presented challenges that outweighed his physical skills.
We became fast friends because we had a lot of classes together and both loved sports. He was gearing up to play football, basketball and baseball, while I was just doing baseball. But as football season kicked off, I noticed a change in Barry.
He started opening up to me about prejudice he was experiencing at school, stuff I'd been fortunate enough to never see firsthand. There were ugly, threatening notes left on his stuff before practice.
They even damaged his belongings. He only played one game for our school. Everyone cheered during the game, but hearing prejudiced shouts chanted from our stands aimed at Barry crushed me.
Prejudiced actions weren't only coming from the crowd—his own teammates would sneak up and tackle him, pleasing the spectators. Afterward, they made him wait until they were done in the shower. That evening, Barry told me he was transferring to a more diverse school.
I was gutted but understood his decision and supported him. He didn't have to forfeit any games due to his living location, so he played the rest of the season for the new school.
And boy, did he come back with a vengeance. Now sporting a different jersey, with supportive teammates around him, they handed our school a crushing defeat. Afterward, he didn't gloat or hang around, he just left the field, his actions speaking louder than any words could have.
15. The Family Rate
So, when I was seven, this huge ice storm hit Oklahoma City. I reckon it was 2008. An ice storm is like heavy rain on a cold day freezing up everything in sight overnight. Everything was shrouded in layers of ice.
An enormous tree from our backyard got so overloaded with ice that it crashed down on our house while we were inside. Astonishingly, nobody got hurt, but we were left without a place to live.
My dad then reached out to our aunt in North Carolina, who had a bunch of rental houses, with five vacant. Her reaction was heartless. Incredibly, she charged us above the typical rent to let us stay, even though we were struggling, and my dad was jobless.
Fast forward to 2011, my dad had a stable, well-paid job. Around the same time, a tornado tore through our town, ripped off the roof of my aunt's place, and pretty much wrecked it. Interestingly enough, my dad had a couple of rental properties by then and knew exactly how to respond.
He slapped her with a rent price triple the usual, just like back in the day.
16. Checking In
So there's this kid I went to primary school with, right? Poor kid was in foster care, but he was always super nice to everyone, even though his life was really tough. Some people seem to think that being in foster care magically makes things better for kids. But, if you chat with anyone who's actually been in the system, they'll tell you it doesn't often help.
For some reason, the teachers at our school really didn't like him. They didn't just pick on him; they genuinely persecuted him. Both of us were a bit unruly in school, but the difference was that I was let off easy while he was treated like a devil.
I could punch someone and get away with it. Yet, if he talks when he shouldn't, they'd suspend him for a few weeks. It was outrageous. Then one day, his main oppressor, his teacher, took a leave of absence. Turns out, she got approved to foster a baby.
She was overjoyed. She couldn't have children and thought that she could simply adopt this baby through foster care. This is a pretty common but unethical attitude some foster parents have: hoping for a failed family reunification, just so they could adopt without going through the hassle. It's pretty messed up.
When you look at the facts, putting the original family back together is best for everyone involved. Wishing for a family to fall apart—that's not cool. As luck would have it, the baby’s real mum managed to get her kid back. Our teacher was crushed, took time off, and we were even told not to mention it when she came back. The foster kid was pretty relieved though, she used to make his life difficult.
That always really annoyed me. Like, if you don't know enough about trauma to treat a foster kid right, then don't be a foster parent. Sadly, the teacher came back just before our graduation. Without missing a beat, the cheeky kid asked her straight up, "Hey teacher! How are the kids"?
Honestly, I admired him for it. He got to call her out for taking advantage of a system that had been nothing but trouble for him. Just because you can’t have kids, doesn't mean you get to feed off other families' misfortunes.
17. Instant Karma
So, my parents and older brother? Not the greatest people. My brother's in his 40s, but acts like a school kid, constantly poking fun at me. If I push back, he just laughs and throws at me some kiddish name-calling. I'm not a fan, to put it mildly.
Since day one, my parents have held him on a pedestal. To give you an idea, my dad doesn't even remember my birthday. So yeah, far from ideal.
We're scattered across the nation now. We do have this old family summer house, though. I haven't been there in over two decades, but my grandfather's wise investment helped my family buy our first house, sans mortgage insurance.
I have a third ownership of the house. But, it all hit the fan this year. My conniving brother sweet-talked my parents into giving him their share, leaving me high and dry. But, he's not having the last laugh. I've found out he's forged my signature, so I'm pressing charges and trying to get the house sold publicly.
18. The Garden Path
Growing up, I was pretty much a misfit in my dodgy, poor neighborhood full of ex-gangsters and addicts. I wasn't really into the stuff they were into and got teased a ton, even by some adults.
Despite this, I had a burning love for food education. My neighborhood was known for its food and treats. After college, I returned and volunteered at the local library.
To cut a long story short, I started an active community garden, thanks to college connections. We collaborated with charities and created resources like food banks, career help, educational support, and community gardens for kids. There's still a lot to fix, but I'm proud to say I've helped some folks who didn't treat me too well.
It feels good knowing these guys have to acknowledge my work, especially after ribbing me for my love of plants. It's not like I wreaked havoc in the town, I just shook up their mentality, I guess.
19. Vindicated
In my college coop, we had two interesting characters: Tim, the socially awkward outsider, and Sam, the good-looking, popular treasurer.
Sam kept saying we were broke because people were late with rent and we had some serious money issues. Tim, however, claimed Sam wasn't being honest. He suggested that Sam was using the money to buy illicit substances. He insisted that we should check out the accounts.
Most of the people sided with Sam. Tim even tried to get a restraining order against Sam, even though they lived in the same house. He was hellbent on exposing Sam and wouldn't let it go.
A year later, after I moved out, I got shocking news. The books had finally been checked and it turned out that Sam was indeed an addict who had been stealing from the house for quite a while. Sam had actually taken more than $10,000 to get his fix.
The law handled his first offense lightly and I don't think he served much time, if any. As for Tim, he vanished. But he had been right all along.
20. The Golden Child
So, I'm gay and when I told my family, they reacted badly. Despite that, I still looked after my two sisters because I wanted to be close with them. Just to clarify, I'm 22—they're half a year old and four.
Recently, my girlfriend and I were granted custody. Our mom is practically non-existent now. The family members who shunned me are now trying to get custody or visitation rights to the little ones. I'm not having that.
They had this picture in their heads of the youngest as their little princess, someone they can dote on and dress up. But heaven forbid she develops her own opinions. They've lost those privileges now.
21. Escape Plan
My childhood pal had a rough home situation—his father was behind bars and his mom was a bit too intense with discipline. As kids often do, we drifted apart when we ended up at different schools and lived farther away from each other. Unfortunately, he got mixed up with the wrong crowd and made a big mistake—trespassing on school grounds. Needless to say, this had severe consequences.
Luckily, my dad, who's a social worker specializing in juveniles, found out what happened and stepped in. He was able to get my old pal involved in a constructive community service program and therapy to help him navigate his tough home situation.
The day he turned 18 he was out of there. He contacted me to say his goodbyes, gratefully acknowledged my dad's help, and relocated to Hawaii! There, he settled in with an old friend who offered him a roof.
Working bit by bit, he got a job, a driver's license, then became a bartender, and eventually, he managed to open his own beach bar. He's really living it up now, while his younger siblings have unfortunately found trouble. His brother's behind bars and his sister became a mom twice before 18. It all reminded me of something he disclosed when we were younger.
He'd confessed that he felt it was on him to keep his family functioning. Looking at the state of things now, it’s clear he wasn't exaggerating. Once he was gone, the already shaky family situation got a whole lot worse.
I hold no resentment towards him for leaving as soon as he could. He chose his path to escape what was a truly unhappy home life and I commend him for that.
22. A Chip On Her Shoulder
My niece had bought some chips for her weekend snack, but my sister gave them to another kid in our family visiting their home, without asking my niece first.
The next day, when my sister got home from work, she found that my niece had used all her makeup to doodle in her sketchbook. The reasoning? My niece was like, "You took my stuff without asking, so I took your stuff without asking".
23. Boys Will Be Boys, Girls Will Be Gone
I'm sandwiched between two brothers, the lone girl. It's like the 'rents treated them better—always willing to help, care, and love. But me? Different story.
They gave me a twisted relationship with food. I couldn't eat past 5pm, even if I only got home ten minutes before. I needed permission to eat. They told me my fiancé was rude for not seeking their blessing before proposing.
They asked for a fat chunk of several grand when I was 17. I thought we'd go homeless if I didn't help out. At 17, they stopped covering my car insurance, and the only heads up I got was from the insurance company about to drop me.
They paid my older brother's stuff until he was 25 and still do for my younger brother at 18. When they figured out I was grappling with mental health issues, they told me to cut it out or they’d boot me to a counselor. They confiscated my phone and grounded me. My dad snooped through all of it. What's even more unfair?
They discovered my older bro also had mental health struggles, and they're all, "Go get therapy, get help"! They've even sided with my terrible exes over me, allowing them to hang at our place when I was still living there. They used the "it's our house" card.
One day, I broke my mom's heart, telling her how she failed me as a mom. Mothers should support their kids, and she consistently proved she wouldn't. I said I didn't trust her, and respect was out the window. That was six years back.
They're still messing with my head, making me feel like they should know everything. If I keep anything back, they'd show up at my doorstep. So, I'm hatching an escape plan. Still weighing whether to keep minimum contact or cut them off completely.
Should I want them at my wedding? Should I tell them I'm moving hours away next month? I'm a CNA now, and working in nursing facilities, I'm sorting out where to stick them when the time comes. Can't say I'd visit again... but oh, my brothers are thriving, and they seem to keep the folks updated.
Funny, my dad still can't remember I'm a CNA, not a nurse. Been a CNA for a year and a half, haven't even started nursing school. I'm so done. Not even an inch of desire left to lend them a hand with anything.
24. Napoleon Complex
A while back, I had this office gig with a pretty toxic atmosphere. The place was run by a twitchy, loudmouthed big shot who thought he was hot stuff just because he drove a pricey car.
His nasty spirit trickled down to his managers, and they were just mean to the two of us working admin. The other admin even talked trash about everyone and had been there longer, putting me as the underdog.
There were plenty of signs that this job was bad news, but I didn't catch on until I was already stuck in it—like the crazy turnover in my position. But hey, I needed the paycheck.
Driving to work was a daily dread and each evening I was a mess because it felt like walking on shards of glass with this crew. I somehow stuck it out for a year. My timing could not have been better. Just about when I scored another job, my fellow admin was sick—probably from work stress—and needed a break for surgery.
So, both of us were bouncing, leaving the nasty trio to handle their admin chores. They couldn't find a replacement for me before I dipped out. Did I feel a tiny guilt pang? Maybe.
But did I warn an interviewee to bolt and find work anywhere else? You bet. To this day, I wish I could've spied on the chaos I left behind!
25. Actions Have Consequences
My godparents couldn't have kids, so they adopted. But when they finally had a kid naturally in their later years, things got intense.
Mom adored the new baby, but Dad wrongly thought the kid wasn't his. They argued a lot, cheated, and eventually split up. Meanwhile, the adopted teen was neglected, getting no attention at all.
Soon, the teen began stealing and starting fires. Now he's behind bars. Mom's been coping with raising the new kid who's also troubled, since she was way past 40 when she had him. Meanwhile, Dad ran off with a young woman, ditching his whole family. It's no surprise the teen turned out the way he did.
26. Don’t Mess With Coders
At my corporate gig, I had a senior role that bled into extra responsibilities for decent pay. Plus, I got the chance to explore my ideas if they benefited the team.
My job wasn't about coding, but I knew the basics of JavaScript, HTML, and SharePoint workflows/Power BI. I taught myself since no senior or manager bothered learning it.
To cut the story short, I created a handful of web apps that shrunk 4-5 hour tasks to just 20-30 minutes each. This transformation gave my managers some serious headaches. Then, out of the blue, they put me on an action plan for unfair reasons.
Action plans are a hurdle you can't leap over. I knew that eventually, they'd sack me, so I cooked up a clever plan. I sneakily coded a 'deadman switch' into all the apps. Basically, the code would check the date. If it's past a certain day, the app would stop working.
I put different dates in each app to dodge suspicion, with the first trigger 15 days after my departure. On cue, my old boss messaged me, freaking out, asking what happened. I played dumb, suggesting it might be user permissions and I'd need to see the code to know more—something I knew they wouldn't let me do.
I kept tabs with a mate at the old workplace—she confirmed more apps were stopping each day. Then, disaster struck. The big one stopped.
It was a site needed for the managers' reports. Just a few clicks and they'd have their data, instead of spending a whole day making graphs. My manager called me in distress, wanting me to teach her how to fix it or create a new one.
I told her my consultancy fee was $30 per hour. I estimated maybe 20 hours, possibly more, and she'd need to cut a check for 50% upfront. I never heard back from her.
27. Lesson Learned
Once upon a time, I had some pretty nasty professors at school. Instead of teaching, they were more into scaring or embarrassing us students. It was a pretty harsh environment, messed with our heads quite a bit.
Eventually, I started working in our university's HR department. I buried myself in research, and when it was time to redo the professors' union contract, that research made a big difference. Their salaries and benefits got a major trim, and they knew who to thank for that.
28. Justice Is Served
So, I was a nurse in a psych unit at a hospital, and we were seriously short-staffed and lacked the right equipment.
Here's the scene: one nurse, one tech, and 20 patients with serious mental health issues. The unit was a total mess—I've seen nicer duct-tape fixes on a secondhand bicycle than the state of our nursing desk. But it got even worse.
The patient area was straight up dangerous and, honestly, it's lucky that they were so heavily medicated or someone could have easily hurt themselves. Management? Didn't seem to care or do anything about it.
Then, the Joint Commission was coming to inspect us. Classic—the admin had us quickly tidy up, shipped off the toughest patients to other hospitals, and told us to act like everything was just peachy. That was the last straw for me.
I decided I couldn't sit by anymore. I blew the whistle on them and gave the Joint Commission inspector a grand tour, pointing out every terrible thing about the unit. The hospital got hit with huge fines and it was either fix everything or get shut down. I gotta admit, I enjoyed that part.
The outcome? We got comfy chairs, upgraded computers, and other beneficial equipment. And the cherry on top? The nursing director and his buddies got the boot.
29. The Last Laugh
I was employed by my aunt and uncle for nearly a decade. Their work environment wasn't the best, but family ties and decent pay kept me there. When I got a chance to switch jobs and fields, they freaked out. They said I'd mess up and questioned my loyalty to them. Despite this, I accepted the new job.
Their business, which had been running for 67 years, had to shut down just a bit over a year later because they couldn't find my replacement. I couldn't help but laugh when I heard the news.
30. Sink Or Swim
Back in my 80s childhood, I was part of a local swimming team where some older boys would always persecute me—snapping me with wet towels, tripping me over, and pushing me into lockers. The adults tended not to believe my side of the story, and no one really bothered to monitor the place.
One day, their usual antics were underway in the locker room with a group of onlooking boys finding it hilarious. Having been pushed around, I managed to lock myself in a bathroom stall and stand on a toilet, out of their reach.
That's when I hit boiling point. I decided there was only one thing left to do. I took a leak on one of them. I calmly showed myself, took aim between the door slot and the divider and went for it like a broken fire hydrant. The cheers in the room soon turned into horrified swearing as they realized what I'd done.
No prizes for guessing the jerks played the victim card and reported me to our coaches. However, a few kind-hearted souls backed up my story. My "punishment" was to change alone in a separate locker room for a couple of weeks. As for the jerks, they got kicked off the team for good.
From then on, nobody dared to bother me at that place.
31. Run For Your Life
I used to run marketing for a fitness gear firm. The sales team? A bunch of guys always blaming us for their low numbers.
Loads of health and safety breaches happened there, so I kept a record from day one. Just in case, right? Predictably, they let me go after more complaints from sales. The next day, I dropped all the evidence to the health and safety agency—photos, videos, you name it.
I called up the agency later, wanting to know what went down. The guy couldn't say much, but he did say they acted instantly and the matter had moved up the ranks. So, good luck shifting those running machines now.
32. Play With Fire, Get Burned
Back when my mom was in elementary school, she went to a private one where there were some strange practices. For instance, each kid was given a grammar workbook at the beginning of the year. When summer came though, they had to give it back. Why? The school would then burn them. Yeah, weird, right?
The school explained to the parents that just because they paid for these workbooks, it didn't mean the kids had ownership over them. They also used the whole book-burning ritual to avoid cheating. Makes sense, but still a bit odd.
One year, my mom wanted to keep her workbook for extra practice during summer. My grandma, being the cool rebel she was, told her to just keep it despite the rules. This obviously got the teacher's attention, who then demanded my grandma and mom to give back the workbook.
My grandma, however, wasn't having any of it. She offered to pay for the workbook and pleaded with the teacher to make an exception for my mom. That's when the teacher had a meltdown. She snatched it from my grandma's hands angrily.
In response, my feisty grandma snatched it back, gave the teacher a piece of her mind, and walked out with the workbook. The teacher was so shocked that she didn't even try to stop her.
Somehow, their showdown spread among the other parents. Turns out, my grandma wasn't alone in her thoughts about the strange book burning. The school later stopped this practice due to the complaints.
Nowadays, when asked about the whole ordeal, my grandma is still just as fiery. She asserts that the book was rightfully my mom's and there was no valid reason for the school to take it away. You tell them, grandma!
33. Joke’s On Them
Then there was gaslighting and intimidating since I had been very vocal about not being okay with what had happened. I decided at this point to transfer to a different university due to what had happened—but not without getting revenge.
I decided to call the sorority headquarters and report what had happened. The sorority got a five-year suspension from the university. It was at the end of the school year so I peaced out before the decision was made by the headquarters.
I got lots and lots and lots of angry texts and messages from everyone in the sorority. I laughed all the way to my new school where people didn’t suck.
34. Dropping Nuclear Bombs
So, picture this: I'm at the supermarket and two ladies were nattering away at the end of an aisle. I waited for a bit, pretending to look at things, but they didn't budge. Even after I cleared my throat and caught one of their eyes, they went right on talking.
Bit miffed, I figured I'd get their attention. So after a particularly heavy Del meal, I let off a stinker just as I was rounding the corner with my cart. The moment they heard the echo, they're like, "OH MY GOD," and moved faster than light from their spot. I was in tears laughing for quite a while.
35. Snitches Get…Points
In high school, I was a member of the swim team, specifically a diver. The scoring system goes like this: if a diver scores top three in a single competition, they score big, more than what a swimmer snags in multiple winning events.
During my freshman year, I stumbled upon something horrible in the locker room. A senior was choking a fellow fresher with a wire hanger, it was disturbing. Being a small guy, I didn't intervene directly, instead, I fetched the coach. The senior never competed again after this incident.
From then on, for three whole years, I got labeled as a "snitch," even the kid who got choked called me that. So, in my senior year, I quit the team. Coincidentally, they didn't make it to the state competition that year. Guess they didn't need the points this "rat" could get, huh?
36. Slow & Steady Wins The Race
So, these neighbors of ours had two sons, aged 10 and 14. The younger one had a buddy who was always at their house, sorta introverted unless he was around his friend.
One day, he ended up moving in with them due to some bad stuff at his own home. The neighbors were cool about it and the kid really started to grow and settle in. The only thing was, he wouldn't take guff from anyone. This sets us up for an epic tale of rebellion.
Like all the kids, we rode the bus home. This one time, the bus driver lit into the kids for something, real or not. The kid didn't like it and stood up for the rest.
The driver, now steaming, warned him to shut up or get kicked off. Spot on if you're guessing that the kid got booted off. That really ticked him off. He stomped off the bus but chose to walk right in front of it.
Considering we were still a mile away from our stop on a not so frequent traffic road, the driver had no choice but to crawl behind him until our street.
The parents started to worry when everyone was considerably late, but found the whole episode quite funny once they knew what happened. Still, that remains the coolest thing I've seen a 10-year-old do, and I've got two of my own!
37. The Chicken’s Come Home To Roost
So there's this kid I knew growing up. He was plain, nerdy, wasn't big on religion, and got a lot of guff from our small town that had this super tight community vibe, with almost everyone working at the same few stores. Most folks were religious, and I pretty much became his friend because I didn't agree with the persecution.
Eventually, this guy flies the coop, goes to college, graduates, works a bit, starts a company, and ends up selling it for a massive $150 million in 2014.
Of course, with all that cash, everyone wants a piece of the pie, including the same relatives who'd turned their back on him.
Now, you'd think he'd buy all the stores, close them up, fire everyone, and let that be his revenge. And sure, that would be some sweet, movie-style payback, but he went one better.
He did all that, but also snapped up a bunch of houses. There was this big tech company in the city nearby with employees searching for places to live closer to work. Those were his targets. He sold all the houses to these tech-savvy folks.
It’s clear to me he had a calculated plan to overhaul the very fabric of our town. This was a culture that’d been baked in for hundreds of years, but now it's all turned upside down. Ghost town doesn’t even begin to cover it. The church stands empty. The only folks left are the old ones, who won't be around for much longer.
He says he took the chance when it showed itself. Maybe that's true. But only our town got this treatment. That shouts "personal" to me.
38. Breaking The Cycle
My mom had a tough childhood with her nasty, alcoholic grandma and an absent dad. At some point, she stayed in an orphanage before her mom took her back. Her upbringing was full of hardship. They shifted countries when she was small, a key part of her story–she held dual citizenship.
Her home was a tight, tiny apartment in a semi-small town. It was just her, her sister, and her awful mom. There was no help from relatives. When school ended, my mom moved back to her birth country, staying close with her sister only.
She pushed her sister to also leave, as this meant their mom would rely on welfare and request cash from neighbors–just like they had to do to get food. Their self-centered mom couldn’t cope with them both leaving and boosted her emotional manipulation, but it failed.
Eventually, she ended up in public housing, living there until she passed on. The only upside was she quit drinking and became slightly less hard to deal with. I met her a few times as a child, but we never got close. According to my mom, it was for the best.
As for the rest of my mom's family, I only know my cousins. From what I've been told, they're pretty similar to my grandma—I mean, have you seen their mugshots? Nevertheless, my mom is a gem. She's nothing like her mom and together with my dad, they did their best to raise me and my sibling.
39. Minimum Rage
I was once told by a former daycare boss that if I took more relevant college credits in education (even though I'm studying STEM), I'd get a pay rise and tuition help.
After putting in a year's worth of work and filling out countless forms, I made a disturbing discovery. I wasn't even earning the minimum wage.
I had paid out of pocket for all my courses. When I questioned them about the "promise" they backtracked, saying they'd at least pay me the minimum wage. Often, I took on extra responsibilities, like subbing for supervisors, without even being asked.
I had even personally bought classroom supplies and materials. Taking all those extra credits delayed my graduation by a year and cost me thousands. Receiving just the minimum wage was a big drop from what I'd been promised, so I pushed them for more.
They turned me down. Then, they cut my hours to only nine a week. Nine! Despite constantly promising to give me more hours, they never did. Frustrated, I told my boss that his promises meant nothing.
Ultimately, I quit. But that's not all. I stripped my room bare, deciding they could clean up after me for a change. The room was eerily empty when I left. When I returned to collect my stuff a few days later, the kids commented on how sad it looked.
I had documented every incident, including harassment, and reported each one to the HR director. By the time I checked back a few months later, I found out most of the people I reported had been either moved or let go completely. I can't stand that place.
40. Nothing But Net
Back in high school, a bunch of classmates, known as "The Rimmers", had this mischievous phase where they kept pulling down basketball hoops all over town. This vandalism streak ran for a couple of months with dozens of hoops getting removed.
Long story short, they eventually got busted. Of the four culprits, three were city's top dogs' kids, and the remaining one was from a less privileged part of town. The elite trio got off easy with some light admonishment, while the other poor dude took a serious beating from the community. Throwing it mildly, the townsfolk didn't treat him well at all.
I distinctly recall how the guy was harassed in school corridors with teachers simply watching everything unfold. Thinking about it, this happened before we even had the term "Karen" in our lexicon, but if we did, those Karens were super charged throughout! Fast forward a few months, karma caught back up.
Suddenly, the families of the three privileged boys, the outspoken Karens, even the mayor, all started facing a series of unfortunate events. Big-time vandalism, theft, you name it. The highlights? A boat sank, numerous cars were either stolen or destroyed, and a house got flooded. Incredibly enough, no one could piece together the pattern.
The talk of the town on the less affluent side, however, was that they had a pretty good idea of what was going on.
41. Ice Cold
We owned two triplex apartment buildings, living in two units and renting out the rest. The buildings were in a neighborhood full of similar structures on both sides for about a mile, many of which didn't have parking. But, because we lived there, we had space to park up to 16 cars.
For years, everything was cool, until we noticed random cars parking in our lot. I managed to block one, but the guy drove over our bushes to escape. The authorities couldn't do anything, so we got a tow company to put up signs. It worked, for a while.
Then, on a frigid New Year’s Eve, I got home to find every inch of our parking area taken, with cars even blocking others on the street. The tow company was swamped and couldn't get to us for hours. Furious, I took matters into my own hands.
I hooked up the lawn sprinklers, ran a hose inside to keep them from icing up with hot water and let them run for five hours. Soon, the parking lot, the street, and all the cars were encased in ice. I even made sure to spray in the locks and windows. With my job done, I turned everything off and went to bed.
At 4 am, angry bell ringing and door banging woke us up. We just smiled and called the authorities again. As it turned out, the people were told to park in our lot by the same guy I'd blocked in before. When the authorities got there, trying not to laugh, I showed them the tow sign and told everyone to get their cars out or they'd be towed.
In our town, officers can ticket on private property if they have owners' consent. So all the entrapped cars got ticketed and towed since no one could even get into their frozen vehicles. Sure wish we'd filmed it.
42. Fumbled The Ball
I'm a die-hard 49ers fan. A few years back, when we made it to the Super Bowl, I was working at a consultancy. One client knew how much I loved the Niners. Because we worked well together and even became friends, he wanted to surprise me with a pair of his company's tickets to the game. He gave them to Dave, a partner in the firm, intending for them to be passed on to me.
After the game, during drinks, this client asked why I wasn't at the game and looked shell-shocked when I told him I knew nothing about the tickets. He advised me to dig around and let him know what I found.
Back in the office, I discovered the truth. Dave had given the tickets to a different client. I was furious—they were 30-yard line seats to the Super Bowl! But instead of confronting Dave, I decided to let the client handle it since he was the one who brought it up in the first place.
After I acknowledged his generosity and broke the news about what happened, the client was incensed and later devised a plan. A few days later, we're on a plane to their office, accompanied by Dave who had no idea what was about to unfold.
When we got there, we met Stephanie, supposedly a VP, who was in on the plan. The client made a strategic comment of knowing her from the Super Bowl, then referred to me as if I were present too. I, of course, had to clarify that I wasn't there. This made Dave uncomfortable and when it became obvious the tickets were used for someone else, he tried to imply that I distributed them since I couldn't attend.
My client wasn't buying it. He confronted Dave, accusing him of giving away the personal gift meant for me before wrapping the meeting up. He proposed lunching with me and Stephanie, leaving Dave to contemplate the implications of what had just happened.
On the way to lunch, I received a text from Dave urgently requesting I "cover for the firm". The client, however, had a different idea. He advised me to inform Dave to expect invoices for the tickets and our lunch, to apologize to me and his company and that he'll only work with the other partners excluding Dave moving forward.
The whole incident caused commotion among the other partners but I came off looking good. In the end, Dave had to cover the costs from his own pocket. And while I still felt bitter about missing the Super Bowl, the client's stunt was an adequate consolation—not to mention the fact that he ended up working with a friend of mine when his company ceased working with ours. Here's hoping I get to see the Niners at the Super Bowl for real next time. Go Niners!
43. Eye For An Eye
My family hasn't been good to me or mom. They practically ignored her when she suffered from liver cirrhosis and even tried to snatch our house by making some untrue statements. But, I paid the cash, took over the house, and later sold it for twice the amount.
I'm positive some of my relatives really wanted the house because it used to be Nana's. Honestly, it felt good making a profit and denying them the house they wanted, considering they were part of the reason why mom couldn't see me graduate or witness my potential future kids.
44. Don’t Mess With Engineers
I once worked at a company that sold specialized manufacturing equipment. I got to know many clients, including Jake, who would require the machines' installation and servicing. After I left the job, Jake reached out, wanting a new unit installed and maintenance for an old one. He offered to pay double my rate to do the job over a weekend, as the company's installation prices were now too high and their instructions too confusing.
Now, installing this unit could take a day and the company provides two options—pay their engineer or get instructions and install it yourself. If the customer attempted installation, the company would not step in, even with broken pieces.
So I agreed to Jake's offer and began work that weekend. I was almost done when Jake broke the news—they couldn't pay me. He thought his engineers could take over. I was, understandably, really pissed off.
Here comes the revenge. There's a small button inside the machine that changes it into test mode. This mode is for maintenance and prevents normal configuration. Since only a pin can press it and this isn't common during installation, the instructions don't mention it. In test mode, the machine just won't work normally.
Feeling cheated, I pressed this button, packed up and left. Predictably, Jake called on Monday, asking for help. Ignoring him, I knew my old company wouldn't get involved. His engineers probably wouldn't figure this out on their own.
After a few days of calls, I picked up. Jake was livid, unable to understand the machine. Responding to his pleas, I said, "Why is it my problem? You're not paying me". Feeling defeated, he promised to work things out on payment. So, I demanded £7,000 upfront, which gave me a power trip.
He was furious, hung up but called back presenting a defeated tone, agreed to my terms even after trying to negotiate. The money got transferred, so I attended the next day.
The confused look on his face when I just used a pin to switch the machine out of test mode was priceless. His reaction was even more priceless seeing me pack up and leave in just 20 minutes. That was an easy £7,000. Take it from me, don't mess with a pro.
45. Greedy Greedy Never Gets
So, there was this sweet elderly lady in our church, right? Once a nurse, she was never married and had no kids. Poor thing had a heart attack, and while she was in hospital, her niece and nephew thought that was it for her. Guess what they did? They swiped her stuff. Now, her apartment was tiny, but she had some real good crystal, silver, and awesome antique furniture.
When she got back home, she found it stripped down to almost nothing. Of course, her niece and nephew denied it, in spite of the neighbours seeing them haul everything off. Fast forward to a couple of years later, our lady moves on. But before that, she redoes her will post her heart attack—leaves her niece and nephew a dollar each. All her other stuff, she gives it to the church.
Who knew? Turns out her estate was worth a whopping NINE MILLION DOLLARS.
46. It’s The Principle Of The Thing
In our junior year, we dealt with an awful principal—she replaced a really good retiree. She was the “don't worry, be happy” type who often neglected her duties. Countless guys got called in for terrible comments, fights, and even threats—she did nothing. She also had a thing against Hispanic kids.
This principal was condescending to everyone, often using baby language with grownups. She was pretty clueless, screwing up during riots and hiding everything she possibly could. I gave her a piece of my mind in her office more than once and even my folks got involved. Our class boys used to mock her openly by pretending to like her—pretty hilarious stuff.
She became the school joke; everyone just didn't take her seriously. For a trip, she decided on a baseball game—a big letdown. It was freezing, it poured, and our seats barely gave us a good view of the game. Some of us got frostbite.
As we were leaving, she left half of the class behind. Remember, we were three hours away from school in an unfamiliar city. Instead of helping find them, she just smiled while we panicked contacting them.
After all our complaints, especially to our math teacher, she was forced to resign by the school board. Guess who spilled the beans? Our math teacher, who's now our awesome principal.
47. The End Of The Line
Two of my buddies were always messing with me. We ended up having to go to a friend's wedding together and decided to rent a car for the trip. Let's just say I cooked up a pretty wild revenge plot.
On the ride back home, we diverted to take in some sights. When they hopped out to relieve themselves in the middle of nowhere, I left 'em high and dry—and phoneless.
They spent the next two days hoofing it back—over 300 km, in the pouring rain, catching rides from total strangers. Their girlfriends finally swooped in to rescue them.
This little adventure even made them miss a key lab exam. With corporate job placements just around the corner, everyone else quickly moved on. For the rest of the year, they pretty much left me in peace.
48. The Evil Twin
So my aunt, who is also my mom's twin, is not a nice person. She was super mean to my cousin—doing stuff like ruining her prom dress right before prom and threatening her boyfriend. She even attempted to send my cousin to one of those scary wilderness training camps.
The one good thing? It pushed her dad to finally stand up for her.
My aunt didn't stop there though. She stole my cousin's scholarship money and sold her car to go on a holiday. But my cousin got out of it all. She joined the Coast Guard and studied online.
Later on, my aunt got really ill and wanted my cousin to care for her. My cousin, though, stood her ground, saying she'd only help pick out her grave and nursing home—nothing else.
Now, my aunt isn't doing so well, both physically and mentally. My cousin has made it clear to the nursing home that she won't be bothered unless her aunt passes on. She even filed a complaint against a nurse who violated this rule—because my aunt is a pro at manipulation.
My aunt keeps reaching out to the family, hoping to get some sympathy or to move in with them. But so far...no luck.
49. Like Music To My Ears
In primary school, I was stuck in the regular music class instead of the special ed one, even though I'm autistic and my therapists and mom asked them to move me. The sensory overload in that class was tough for me to deal with daily.
It didn't help that my teacher thought I wasn't telling the truth about it and did chill stuff only when someone was observing. I barely made it through those sessions till I reached middle school. Even with all that, I still loved music and joined the choir when I was 12.
Lending a hand to the choir director became a part of my routine. When he asked if his daughter, also autistic, could have a talent in music like me, I told him the chaos in the music class could be causing her sensory overload, not tantrums like her teacher thought. But after this convo, I didn't hear any more gossip about that elementary school music class.
Fast forward to a few years later. I'm at my old high school dropping off lunch for my mom who works there, and I run into my former choir director and his kid. Later on, my mom shares some shocking news.
She says: "You're part of the reason he divorced his wife". Me? Turns out she's the music teacher who'd been cruel to me in primary school. When he heard how she was totally denying autism and trying to "correct" kids into "normalcy" (especially under uncomfortable conditions), it was a red flag, being a dad to an autistic kid himself. Refusing to learn how to better teach special needs kids also cost her her job.
I'd never meant to teach her a lesson, but hey, karma's a wonder. No second thoughts.
50. Where There’s A Will, There’s A Way
I once knew an awesome guy who owned a thriving business. He had three kids who, sad to say, were total jerks. After his wife passed on, they treated him worse than dirt, constantly begging for money—one even used it for illicit substances.
Eventually, he had enough and planned to cut them out of his will. But before he could, he found out he had lung cancer, which he mistook for smoker's lung and ignored. By the time it got diagnosed, it was too late to treat.
His kids were only interested in what they'd get from his will. But boy, did he have a surprise for them. He sold his business and his house, and gave almost all of the money to charities under his late wife's name. Then he moved in with his loving niece.
The last thing I heard, he passed peacefully surrounded by people who genuinely cared for him. Meanwhile, his ungrateful kids were trying to sue the charities he'd donated to.
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Sources: Reddit,
