My mom, Ruby, is a hardworking woman who raised me alone after my dad passed. At 59, she landed a big job wallpapering the Bensons’ mansion. For two weeks, she worked tirelessly, excited about the payday that would help us celebrate my birthday. But everything fell apart on the final day when the Bensons refused to pay, claiming they didn’t like the work.

Mom came home in tears, devastated. Seeing her like that filled me with anger. I knew I had to do something. With the help of my friends, we snuck into the Bensons’ house while they were away and replaced my mom’s beautiful wallpaper with the ugliest patterns we could find. Neon colors, garish designs—total chaos.

When the Bensons returned, they were furious, but with no forced entry, the police couldn’t do anything. To our surprise, the whole neighborhood soon learned about the Bensons’ scam. Word spread, and job offers poured in for Mom.

Weeks later, as we laughed together on the porch, Mom revealed she knew I was behind the “redecoration.” Smiling, she said, “Karma comes in all patterns and colors.” We shared a proud, mischievous grin, knowing justice had been served.