When Janice’s mom, Maria, lands a job as a cleaner for a wealthy family, Janice’s worst fears come true. Maria is treated cruelly, and the disrespect eventually goes too far when she’s called “it.” Fueled by rage, Janice vows to make them pay, setting the stage for a gripping tale of revenge.
I knew it was bad news when Mom told me she got a job as a cleaner for the rich folks down the street. Everyone in the neighborhood had a story about their arrogance and how they acted like they owned the world.
A mansion | Source: Unsplash
But Mom was hopeful, saying it was a good opportunity. I bit my tongue and tried to be supportive, but my gut twisted with dread.
That first week dragged on. Every time my phone buzzed, my heart skipped a beat, worried it was Mom calling with bad news. And then, one evening, it finally happened. My phone rang, and her name flashed on the screen.
“Hey, Mom. How was work?” I asked, trying to sound upbeat.
There was a long pause, and then I heard Mom sob. “Janice, it was awful.”
A woman answering her phone with a smile | Source: Pexels
My heart sank. “What happened?”
“They treat me like I’m not even human, Janice,” she sobbed. “Victoria called me ‘it’ today. She said, ‘Make sure it cleans the bathroom properly.'”
I felt a surge of rage, my hands trembling with anger. “What? She called you ‘it’? Mom, you need to quit. Right now.”
“I can’t, Janice. I need the money. I’ll be fine. I just need to hold on until I find something better.”
“No, Mom. No job is worth this. I’ll support you until you find something else. Please, quit.”
A thoughtful woman | Source: Pexels
“I can’t take your money, honey. I’ll manage.”
“Manage? Mom, you’re not managing. They’re breaking you. Please, promise me you’ll think about it.”
She went silent again, and I could almost see her wiping her tears away, trying to be strong. “Okay, I’ll think about it.”
“Promise me, Mom.”
“I promise,” she whispered.
A woman speaking on her phone | Source: Pexels
When we hung up, I felt like throwing my phone against the wall. I paced the room, furious and helpless. My sweet, hardworking mother was being treated like dirt, and I couldn’t stand it.
That night, I barely slept, my mind racing with thoughts of how to get her out of there.
I thought I was being clever, keeping my little secret from Victoria. But Janice wasn’t just another random girl. She was Maria’s daughter—the cleaner my family treated like dirt. And she had a plan to expose us all.
A few days later, still fuming, I was mindlessly scrolling through Tinder when something stopped me cold. Robert, my mom’s boss, was on a dating site, despite having a wife and a stepson!
A woman looking at her phone | Source: Unsplash
The idea hit me like a bolt of lightning, and before I knew it, I swiped right. To my twisted satisfaction, we matched.
I started texting him, playing the game, keeping my true intentions hidden. Each message I sent was like a small victory, a step closer to exposing the truth. I was determined to make them regret every single tear they made my mother shed.
Our first date was at this swanky restaurant downtown. The kind of place where the napkins are actual cloth and the menu doesn’t have prices.
The interior of a restaurant | Source: Pexels
Robert walked in like he owned the place, wearing an expensive suit and a smug grin. We were seated at a corner table, the ambiance all dim lights and soft music.
“So, Janice,” Robert began, leaning back in his chair like he was some sort of king. “Tell me about yourself.”
I smiled, the perfect picture of innocence. “Oh, there’s not much to tell. Just a regular girl, you know? What about you, Robert?”
He chuckled, clearly loving the attention.
A man and woman having dinner | Source: Pexels
“Well, I run a few businesses, investments mostly. It’s a lot of work, but it pays off. You know, success doesn’t come easy.”
I nodded, trying not to roll my eyes. “I can imagine.”
He launched into a monologue about his wealth, his properties, his car collection. I listened, nodding at the right moments, but inside I was seething. This was the man who thought it was okay to treat my mother like dirt.
I snapped a few pictures of him with my phone, pretending to check messages. Evidence collected.
A smart phone | Source: Pexels
The second date was a sunny afternoon in the park. Robert suggested it, probably thinking it would show off his sensitive side. We strolled along the path, the conversation light and flirty.
By the third date, I’d had more than enough, but I wanted to seal the deal. We met at a trendy bar, the kind of place with craft cocktails and Edison bulbs. Robert was already a few drinks in when I arrived, his guard down.
“Hey, there she is!” he greeted me with a sloppy grin. “My favorite girl.”
A man in a bar holding a drink | Source: Pexels
I forced a laugh, sitting next to him. “You’re quite the charmer, aren’t you?”
He leaned in, way too close. “Only for you, Janice.”
I took out my phone, pretending to capture the moment. “Smile for me, Robert!”
He complied, and I snapped a selfie of us, his arm draped around my shoulder. That was it. The final piece of the puzzle. Now, I had everything I needed to ruin him.
A man caressing a woman’s face | Source: Pexels
We met at the same restaurant where it all started. Robert was expecting another pleasant evening, but I had other plans. I could see the surprise in his eyes when he saw my serious expression.
“What’s wrong, Janice?” he asked, trying to sound concerned.
A week later, I was in my study, trying to work but unable to focus. The door burst open, and there stood Maria, her face flushed with anger.
I took a deep breath, steadying myself. “You have no idea who I am, do you? My mother is Maria, your cleaner.”
A woman speaking | Source: Unsplash
His face went pale, his confident facade crumbling. “What? No, that can’t be!”
I held up my phone, scrolling through the photos and messages. “I have all our conversations, photos, everything. If you don’t pay for the emotional damage you’ve my mother and apologize, I’ll send these to your wife.”
He stared at the evidence, his hands trembling. “Alright, alright. How much do you want?”
A man wearing a suit | Source: Unsplash
I named my price, and he quickly agreed, scribbling an apology on a napkin and handing over an envelope full of cash. In that moment, I could see he was a broken man, his arrogance shattered.
Later that evening, I went to my mom’s house, my heart pounding with anticipation. She opened the door, her eyes widening in surprise when she saw me.
“Janice, what’s all this?” she asked, glancing at the envelope in my hand as she tightened her dressing gown.
A woman wearing a dressing gown | Source: Pexels
I smiled, handing her the napkin and the cash. “Mom, this is for you. An apology from Robert and enough money to take a break while you find a new job.”
Tears filled her eyes as she hugged me tightly. “Janice, you did this for me? But how?”
“Don’t worry about it, Mom,” I replied with a smile.
Seeing her relief, knowing she was finally free from their cruelty, made everything worth it. No one messes with my mom and gets away with it. Not while I’m around.
A young woman hugging her mother | Source: Midjourney
Robert’s Perspective: A House Divided
I always thought I had everything under control. Wealth, status, a seemingly perfect family. Life was a game, and I played it well — until Janice came along. What started as a harmless flirtation on Tinder spiraled into a nightmare.
I thought I was being clever, keeping my little secret from Victoria. But Janice wasn’t just another random girl. She was Maria’s daughter — the cleaner my family treated like dirt. And she had a plan to expose us all.
A man with an intense look | Source: Pexels
After that final confrontation with Janice, I drove home in a daze. My mind raced, replaying the events of the evening, and every moment I’d spent in the cleaner’s company.
I frowned as I recalled how I’d snapped at Maria several times, calling her slow and stupid. How I’d laughed when Oliver threw a dirty cloth at her once. A weighty sense of shame settled in my chest.
The next morning, Maria didn’t show up for work. Instead, I found a note on the kitchen counter:
“I quit. I won’t be treated like this any longer. Maria.”
A notebook lying on a table | Source: Unsplash
I stared at the note, the words blurring as guilt gnawed at me. It wasn’t just about the money or the apology. It was about human decency, something I had clearly forgotten.
A week later, I was in my study, trying to work but unable to focus. The door burst open, and there stood Maria, her face flushed with anger.
“You think you can buy us off?” she yelled, throwing the envelope of cash at me. “This is blood money, Robert!”
Dollar bills in an envelope | Source: Pexels
I stood up, my heart pounding. “Maria, please, calm down. I never meant for any of this to happen.”
“You took advantage of me and my daughter!” she screamed, her voice echoing through the room. “You and your vile family!”
Just then, Victoria appeared in the doorway, her face twisted with fury. “What is going on here?”
Maria rounded on her. “Your husband seduced my daughter to cover up how you all treated me! He’s nothing but a lying, cheating coward!”
An angry woman | Source: Midjourney
Victoria’s eyes widened, then narrowed into slits. “You cheated on me with the cleaner’s daughter? How could you, Robert?”
“Victoria, it’s not what it looks like,” I stammered, my panic rising. “She set me up to expose how we treated her mother.”
Maria scoffed. “And rightly so. You all deserve to be exposed for the monsters you are.”
The house descended into chaos. Victoria’s shouts of betrayal, Maria’s accusations, and then Oliver appeared, his face pale with shock.
“You cheated on Mom?” he asked, his voice trembling.
A teen boy removing his glasses | Source: Pexels
“Oliver, it’s complicated,” I tried to explain, but he shook his head, disgust etched across his features.
“This family is falling apart because of you,” he spat before storming out.
Victoria was sobbing now, her fury turning to despair. “We were supposed to be better than this, Robert. We had everything, and you threw it all away.”
Maria turned to leave, her final words cutting through the air like a knife. “I hope you’re happy with what you’ve done.”
An angry woman yelling at someone | Source: Midjourney
Later that night, I sat alone in my study, the weight of my actions pressing down on me. The lies, the betrayal, the sheer arrogance of thinking I could get away with it all. My family was in shambles, and it was all my fault.
I stared at my reflection in the darkened window, seeing not the successful man I once thought I was, but a broken, regretful soul. The cost of my arrogance was far too high, and the path to redemption seemed impossibly long.
A man deep in thought | Source: Unsplash
Click here to read how Harold’s pride at watching his son lead his basketball team to victory evaporates quickly when the teenage boy is rude to an elderly cleaning lady. However, he quickly comes up with a plan to teach his son a lesson about respecting others!
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.
