Three years after losing my husband in a wreck, I was barely surviving—working two jobs while raising Dora and Ethan. When my old minivan died, my wealthy, polished neighbor Cheryl swooped in with a “deal”: her nephew’s Toyota for $2,500, “practically new.” Desperate, I bought it. Within a day, it broke down, and the mechanic confirmed it had been failing for months. When I confronted Cheryl, she smugly reminded me it was cash, no warranties, no returns.

The next day, cleaning out the car before scrapping it, I found a leather pouch under the seat—inside, $7,000 in cash, pawn receipts, and an envelope marked “Cheryl.” Hours later, she came begging for it back, claiming “sentimental value,” but I reminded her of her own words about the “real world.” She tried calling later, saying the money belonged to dangerous people, but I hung up.

The morning after, Cheryl’s house was dark, papers piling up, and her car gone—she’d skipped town. The mechanic helped me sell the Toyota for parts and got me a reliable Honda from a friend at an honest price. Cheryl’s “gift” replaced my car, rebuilt my emergency fund, and let me breathe for the first time in months.

Driving past Cheryl’s empty house weeks later, Dora asked, “Where did Miss Cheryl go?” I smiled in the rearview mirror. “Sometimes people make bad choices, sweetheart. And eventually, those choices catch up with them.” Because sometimes karma doesn’t knock—it kicks the door right off its hinges.