For context, my mom is one of the kindest people you’ll ever meet. She used to have a great job, but unfortunately, she had to quit due to cancer treatment.

Even though she’s in remission now, she needed to find work quickly to help with the bills, so she got a job as a waitress at a local café. She never complains and always wears a smile, even on her toughest days.

Growing up, it was just Mom and me against the world. We’ve always been close, sharing everything from our favorite books to late-night movie marathons.

Her strength and positivity are contagious, and I can’t imagine having a better role model. Seeing her struggle but never lose her spirit has been both heartbreaking and inspiring.

Enter the entitled woman, Karen. She started coming to the café every day, making snide comments and belittling my mom for no reason. Here are a few examples of her nastiness:

One day, during my lunch break, I decided to visit Mom at the café. I found her serving Karen, who was, unsurprisingly, in full diva mode.

“Excuse me,” Karen called out loudly, waving her hand dramatically as if summoning a servant. “I dropped my napkin. Be a dear and get me another one.”

Mom, always patient, smiled and retrieved a fresh napkin, handing it to Karen with grace. But Karen wasn’t done.

“Marilyn, is it?” Karen eyed my mom’s name tag on her uniform. “Next time, try not to be so slow. I don’t have all day,” she sneered, her voice dripping with condescension.

I clenched my fists under the table, but Mom just nodded, still smiling. “Of course, ma’am. Is there anything else you need?”

Karen ignored her, turning to her phone with a dismissive wave.

Another time, I was there when Karen decided to criticize every little thing about the service. “This coffee is too hot!” she snapped. “And this pastry is cold. Did you even bother to check? And look at this table! It’s filthy!”

Mom apologized, “I’m so sorry, ma’am. I’ll get you a fresh pastry and clean the table right away.”

“Oh, and those flowers!” Karen continued. “They’re wilting. If you can’t keep fresh ones here, maybe you should bring some from your own garden.”

Mom’s face fell slightly, but she simply said, “I’ll see what I can do, ma’am.”

The worst was when Karen made it personal. One afternoon, she looked Mom up and down and said loudly to a friend, “It’s such a shame when people don’t take care of themselves. Look at her, she looks exhausted all the time. I guess some people just aren’t cut out for success.”

Mom, being the angel she is, never wanted to complain or make a scene. But last week, things went too far.

Mom came home in tears, her uniform stained with coffee. It turned out Karen had thrown her coffee at my mom, claiming it was too cold. It broke my heart to see her like that.

“What happened?” I asked, gently wiping her tears.

“It’s nothing, Audrey. Just a bad day at work,” she tried to dismiss it, but I could see the pain in her eyes.

“Mom, please tell me,” I insisted.

She sighed. “Karen. She threw her coffee at me because it wasn’t hot enough. I tried to apologize, but she just screamed at me and stormed out.”

“Why does she hate you so much? What’s her problem?” I asked, my voice laced with both anger and concern.

“This isn’t just about a customer being mean to a waitress, Audrey. This goes way back,” Mom hesitated, then finally admitted, “Karen is a former classmate. She’s held a grudge against me ever since your father chose me over her back in the day.”

“That’s it!” I said, my voice shaking with anger. “I’m not letting her get away with this!”

“Audrey, please. I’ll handle it,” said my mom. Her tone was convincing, filled with pure love and concern for me.

I shook my head, trying not to worry my mom too much. But as we hugged, my mind immediately started plotting how to teach Karen a lesson she would never forget.

Having established that enough was enough, I decided to take matters into my own hands. Finding Karen online was easy peasy. A little stalking of her social media accounts revealed she was obsessed with her image. She bragged about her lavish lifestyle and her pristine appearance.

After doing my research, I concocted a brilliant plan. First, I set up a fake Instagram account, posing as a high-end beauty influencer, Lila Sanders. With a few paid followers and some bought engagement, the account was as good as real.

Then came the next step. I started interacting with Karen’s posts, complimenting her and gradually getting her to trust the fake account.

After a week of friendly exchanges, I sent her a message about an exclusive, invite-only beauty event happening in town, claiming I had an extra VIP ticket.

“Hi, Karen!

I hope you’re doing well. I’ve been loving your recent posts – your style is just impeccable! 🌟

I’m reaching out because I have an extra VIP ticket to an exclusive, invite-only beauty event happening in town next week. It’s going to be a fantastic opportunity to network and enjoy some luxurious pampering. I thought you might be interested since you have such a passion for beauty and fashion.

Let me know if you’d like to join!

Best, Lila Sanders”

Karen jumped at the chance. “Oh my God, that sounds amazing! I’d love to go!” she texted back, her excitement practically jumping off the screen.

“The event’s at the Grand Hotel,” I told her. “The dress code is really strict, so make sure you look your best.”

She replied right away. “Absolutely! I can’t wait! Thanks so much for the invite!”

I smiled to myself, knowing that soon, Karen would regret ever messing with my mom.

Karen showed up dressed to the nines, a smug smile on her face as she strutted into the hotel lobby. I watched from a distance as she approached the front desk, her confident demeanor slowly morphing into confusion.

The hotel manager, Mr. Daniels, was already waiting, looking rather displeased. I had called ahead, pretending to be Karen, and canceled her actual reservation for a spa day she had planned, explaining she was very ill and couldn’t make it.

“What do you mean my reservation is canceled?” Karen’s voice rose, attracting the attention of nearby guests. “I didn’t cancel anything!”

Mr. Daniels shook his head. “I’m sorry, ma’am, but the reservation was canceled by someone claiming to be you. We’ve already charged the cancellation fee and other costs.”

Karen’s face turned bright red as she tried to explain herself. “This is ridiculous! I demand a refund!”

“I’m afraid that’s not possible,” Mr. Daniels said firmly. “We had everything ready for your visit, and now it’s too late to rebook.”

Flustered and embarrassed, Karen had no choice but to pay up, drawing curious and judgmental looks from the other guests. I could see her eyes darting around, trying to avoid the stares as she fumbled for her credit card.

I couldn’t help but smile to myself. But I wasn’t done yet. Remember the fake beauty event? I had arranged for a delivery of cheap, sticky, glittery “beauty products” to be sent to Karen’s address, all packed in what looked like high-end packaging.

As I watched Karen leave the hotel, I imagined the scene unfolding at her home.

When Karen finally got home, she found the delivery waiting for her. Excited, she opened the packages, only to have glitter and sticky goo explode all over her expensive outfit and pristine living room.

“What the—?” she screamed, frantically trying to brush off the glitter that stuck to everything it touched. The mess was nearly impossible to clean up, and I knew it would take days to fully get rid of.

Karen’s social media posts took a nosedive as she frantically tried to salvage her image. Her once-perfect photos now showed a frazzled woman desperately trying to maintain her facade. She even had to take a break from her daily café visits, much to my mom’s relief.

But the final blow came when I decided to confront Karen directly. I walked into the café during one of her usual visits and calmly approached her table.

“Karen,” I began, my voice steady. “I know exactly who you are and what you’ve been doing. You think humiliating my mom makes you superior, but it only reveals your insecurities and bitterness. My mom survived cancer and continues to work hard every day, while you cling to petty grudges from high school. It’s time to grow up and move on because your actions are pathetic, and you’re only embarrassing yourself.”

Karen’s face turned beet red, and she was completely speechless. The other customers in the café, who had overheard our conversation, stared at her in silent judgment. She quickly gathered her things and left, her head bowed in shame. I haven’t seen her in the café since.

When my mom found out what I had done, she wasn’t exactly thrilled about the deceit. “Audrey, I appreciate you standing up for me, but was all that really necessary?” she asked, a blend of concern and amusement in her voice.

“Mom, you’ve always been there for me, making endless sacrifices to ensure my happiness. This was nothing compared to what you’ve done for me,” I replied, squeezing her hand.

She sighed but couldn’t help smiling a little. “Justice in the most glittery, sticky way possible, huh?”

“Exactly,” I grinned. “Karen needed a taste of her own medicine.”

So Karen, if you happen to see this, I hope you reconsider before lashing out at someone who only wants to brighten your day. And Mom, you truly are the strongest person I know.

What would you have done differently if you were in my shoes?

Enjoyed this story? Check out another exciting read by clicking here: After years of being bullied in high school, Lily finally gets to confront her bully, Karen. Karen walks into Lily’s restaurant and falls into her petty high school self, but when she realizes that Lily has successfully navigated her lisp and stutter, and owns a successful business, Karen flees.

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.