As if being cheated on wasn’t enough, my ex-boyfriend texted me out of the blue, making monetary demands! After I got over the shock, I devised a cunning plan that would be replicated down the line. I made him regret ever making the request!
A woman reacting in shock while looking at her phone | Source: Pexels
So, here’s the deal. My ex, Dan Brown, and I had been together for five years. Things were great until they weren’t. When we broke up because of his cheating, I thought that was the end of it. Boy, was I wrong!
What made me think we were all done was that we had no contact for a while. I believed he’d moved on with the woman he cheated on me with, but that wasn’t the case. A month after our breakup, Dan suddenly reappeared last week, daring to text me with a ludicrous demand!
A serious-looking man texting | Source: Pexels
When you hear what it was, you’ll also agree that his request was the pettiest, leading it to be almost comical! His message was him asking me to pay him back for every penny he ever spent on me. Seriously!?
Dan was asking for money for all the gifts he’d bought me for special days like my birthdays, Christmas, and New Year’s! That man had LITERALLY calculated every penny he’d spent, leading to a large sum!
A confused-looking woman looking at her phone | Source: Pexels
“You need to pay me back EACH and EVERY penny!” he demanded. He didn’t even bother greeting me before making demands! The nerve of this guy! At first, I was stunned! Who does that? But then, the more I thought about it, the more it made me laugh!
Instead of texting him and telling him how pathetic he was for making such a request, I chose to hold my tongue. I didn’t even brag to Dan about how the amount he wanted wasn’t more than what I had spent on HIM for those same days. After all, we had been together for long enough.
A woman giving a man a wrapped gift | Source: Pixabay
Initially, I asked him, “But throughout our relationship, you said I didn’t have to pay you back?” I was shocked when he replied, “It doesn’t matter. I need that money now, so hurry up.” I thought about ignoring him, but then a brilliantly mischievous plan started to form in my head.
I came up with a better plan to exact my revenge and decided to play along but with a twist! “Sure thing, Dan,” I texted back, “I’ll pay you back.” His response came within seconds, filled with self-righteous triumph:
“Good. I knew you’d come to your senses.”
A man texting | Source: Pexels
Little did he know, I had something else in mind. I set up a direct debit to send him ONE penny a day. One single, solitary penny. I remember the exact moment I hit the final confirmation button on my bank’s app.
My best friend, Emily, was sitting across from me at our favorite café. She was watching my every move with a mixture of curiosity and amusement. “What are you doing?” she asked, leaning over the table. “I’m paying Dan back,” I said with a grin.
Two friends having beverages at a café | Source: Pixabay
Emily’s eyebrows shot up. “How?”
“One penny a day.” Her eyes widened, and then she burst out laughing. “No way! That’s genius!” We both laughed until tears streamed down our faces! Our laughter attracted a few curious glances from other patrons. But I didn’t care.
The most exciting part about this whole thing was that I had added the reference “cheating [expletive].” It showed up with each payment made daily. This was the best plan I’d ever come up with!
Two friends laughing at a café | Source: Pexels
A week later, Dan texted me again. “What the hell, Stacy? Why am I getting pennies from you?” I couldn’t help but laugh as I read his message. “I told you I’d pay you back,” I replied. “It’ll take a while, but you’ll get your money.”
He called me immediately, his voice boiling with anger. “This isn’t funny, Stacy! I want my money NOW!”
“Well, Dan,” I said calmly, “you’re getting it. One penny at a time.”
“Stop this nonsense right now!”
“Or what? You’ll take me to court? Go ahead.”
A woman smiling while talking on the phone | Source: Pexels
I figured from now on, he’d think about me daily for the next SEVEN years since he decided to mess with me! He hung up, and I felt a surge of satisfaction. Dan had always been controlling, always needing to have the upper hand. This was the first time I felt like I had the power, and it felt AMAZING!
Months went by, and the daily penny transfers continued. Emily and I would joke about it often, wondering how long it would take before my ex finally snapped. Every time I saw that single penny deducted from my account, it felt like a small victory!
A woman smiling while looking at her phone | Source: Pexels
One day, I got another message from Dan. But this time, it wasn’t filled with anger. “Please, Stacy. Just stop this. I get it. You win.” I thought about it for a while. He had been a jerk, but did I really want to keep this up forever?
I decided it was time to end the penny payments, but not without one final touch. I withdrew the remaining amount I owed him in pennies and nickels and placed them in a small box. It was a hefty little package. I decorated it with a nice bow and included a handwritten note:
“Here’s the rest of what I owe you. Have a nice life, Dan.”
Lots of coins on a table | Source: Pixabay
I mailed it to his apartment. The thought of him opening the box, finding hundreds of pennies and nickels, and realizing he’d lost his battle filled me with immense satisfaction. A few days later, I got a message from Dan. It read, “You’re insane.”
I showed it to Emily, and we laughed until our stomachs hurt! “You know, I think he’s finally realized he messed with the wrong person,” she said, still chuckling.
Two friends laughing | Source: Pexels
In the end, this little revenge plan wasn’t just about getting back at Dan. It was about reclaiming my sense of control and humor after a relationship that had taken so much out of me. And it worked. I felt lighter, freer, and ready to move on!
Months passed, and my ex faded into a distant memory. Life was good. Emily and I graduated, and we both landed jobs in the city. One evening, while we were out celebrating a promotion, Emily raised her glass and said:
“To the best revenge plot ever executed.”
Two friends celebrating with a toast | Source: Pexels
I raised mine too, happy to be honored. “To the best friend who helped me through it,” I replied, clinking my glass against hers. And just like that, Dan and his ridiculous demands were behind me. I learned that sometimes, the best way to handle pettiness is with a little bit of creativity and a whole lot of humor!
Years after my little revenge plot, I found myself telling the story to a new friend, Jenny. She had been going through a rough breakup. But she was sharp and had a knack for turning the tables in ANY situation.
Two friends talking while working | Source: Pexels
After hearing my story, Jenny smiled and said, “You know, that gives me an idea.” I raised an eyebrow. “Oh?”
“Yeah. My ex, Jake, just demanded I pay HIM back for a trip we took together. I think I can take a page out of your book.”
A few weeks later, I got a call from her. “Remember how I said I had an idea?”
“Yeah?”
“Well, I told Jake I’d pay him back, too. But I set up a monthly payment of ten cents! I even made it a direct debit from my account!”
Someone using their banking details for a transaction | Source: Pexels
I laughed, remembering my own scheme. “How’s he taking it?”
“He’s FURIOUS! Keeps texting me to stop, but I remind him I’m paying him back, just like he asked.”
“Sounds like you’ve got this under control,” I replied, laughing at her ex’s misery.
“Thanks to you,” Jenny said. “I don’t feel powerless anymore.”
Two women hugging | Source: Pexels
We chatted for a while longer, sharing stories and laughing about our past relationships. Jenny’s plan wasn’t just about revenge; it was about regaining power like I had. As we ended the call, I felt a sense of pride.
Not only had I managed to turn a ridiculous demand into a source of empowerment for myself, but I’d also inspired someone else to do the same. And that felt EVEN better than the revenge itself!
A happy woman smiling | Source: Pexels
My Husband Bragged about Buying Me Expensive Earrings When I Bought Them Myself, So I Gave Him a Reality Check
When Samantha reaches a huge milestone at work, she decides to celebrate the moment by treating herself to something expensive—a pair of diamond earrings. But when she and her husband are with their friends, and Ross takes full credit for it, she wants nothing more than to embarrass him. Will she do it? And more importantly, will she regret it?
I’ve always thought of myself as being an independent woman. Even when I got married to Ross—I knew that I needed to have my own sense of independence in some way. Which is how I threw myself into my career.
A woman wearing a blazer | Source: Pexels
I work for a fashion house, writing content and making our catalogs look great. Recently, work has been going really well, and I received a promotion.
“Well done, Samantha!” my boss gushed. “You’re the person who takes our vision and translates it to the public. It’s a gift.”
Of course, I loved my job so it felt like the biggest reward to be acknowledged for my work.
A woman writing in a notebook | Source: Unsplash
I celebrated my promotion by spoiling myself.
“What do you want to get for yourself?” my work colleague, Carol, asked me during our lunch.
“I don’t know,” I said, drizzling dressing all over my salad. “I don’t own anything incredibly fancy. So, I’m thinking jewelry.”
A plate of salad on a table | Source: Unsplash
Carol and I went to the jewelry store across from the café we had lunch.
“Let’s just look around,” Carol said.
A display at a jewelry store | Source: Unsplash
We walked around the store and I looked through the glass displays, waiting for something to catch my eyes. Which was when I saw them—a pair of exquisite diamond earrings.
“That’s the one,” I said.
The woman behind the display beamed at me.
“This is going to complement your eyes,” she said, putting the earrings into a beautiful velvet box.
A pair of diamond earrings | Source: Pexels
That evening when I got home from work, I took the box out, ready to show Ross the symbol of my hard-earned achievement at work.
“That looks expensive,” Ross said, piling pasta onto plates for us. “Was it?”
“It was,” I agreed. “But I wanted to treat myself. I’ve been working really hard at work, so this is the reward I decided on.”
“You have been,” Ross agreed. “It’s good to spoil yourself sometimes.”
A man in the kitchen | Source: Unsplash
I knew that my husband was trying to be proud of me—but he didn’t like when I was able to spoil myself. He had never actually said it, but it always showed in his reactions.
Later as we got ready for bed, the dim glow of the bedside lamp cast long shadows across the room as I fiddled with the edge of the duvet, avoiding Ross’s gaze.
I felt a sense of tension between us, the air thick with unspoken words.
A woman sitting on the bed | Source: Pexels
Ross had been quiet for the rest of the dinner, his responses clipped, smiles forced. I noticed it, of course, but I didn’t want to draw any attention to his mood. I just felt horrible that Ross felt a certain way about me treating myself.
“Ross,” I said as he got into bed with his laptop in hand. “I know you think these earrings are too much, but it’s just that—”
“No, Sam,” he said. “It’s fine. It’s just that sometimes I feel bad that you have to buy these things for yourself. I feel like I should spoil you, too.”
A man sitting on the bed with his laptop | Source: Pexels
We spoke for a few hours after that, and I tried to reassure my husband that everything was fine—I didn’t want us to get into a fight over something that didn’t need to become one.
We were good. Other than this, Ross and I were absolutely fine.
We spent the rest of the week meeting each other during the work day for coffee. Just to check in with each other during the day.
A couple sitting together and drinking coffee | Source: Pexels
But then, the weekend rolled around and Ross’s behavior shocked me.
We had a group of really good friends that we saw regularly. The whole group tried to meet for drinks or a meal at least every two weeks.
So, this weekend we planned on doing lunch at a new restaurant.
An interior of a restaurant | Source: Unsplash
We all sat around the table, with everyone breaking away to talk about their own things.
“Your earrings are stunning,” our friend, Macy, said. “Where did you get them?”
Before I could reply, Ross began to tell his own story of the earrings.
Women sitting together and laughing | Source: Pexels
“I got them from the store here,” he said, gesturing in the direction of the jewelry store.
“Oh! I’ve seen it,” Macy retorted. “But I haven’t been inside.”
“Yeah, I just felt that Samantha needed to be spoiled a bit. She’s been working so hard lately. So, I surprised her with the earrings and her favorite chocolate,” Ross said.
A box of chocolate | Source: Pexels
There were a few pats on his back from some of the guys. And the ladies gushed over how sweet my husband apparently was.
“Don,” Macy said to her husband. “You could learn a thing or two from Ross.”
I sat there, looking at my cocktail, feeling utterly betrayed. Earlier that week Ross had looked like a sad puppy because I had done something for myself.
And now?
A cocktail with a black straw | Source: Pexels
Here he was, sitting with our friend group and taking advantage of the fact that I had not spoken up and told everyone the truth.
But could I? If I said anything, Ross would be nothing but embarrassed.
“I mean,” he continued. “I was spoiled for choice! There were so many options, but I settled on these because Sam just feels like a diamond girl. They cost a fortune!”
A man sitting and smiling at the camera | Source: Pexels
Our food arrived and I dug into my prawns in silence. I didn’t mind that Ross wanted to be included in the story. But it bugged me that he had taken over it.
The whole reason for these earrings was for me to prove to myself that I was good at my job and worthy of good things—material things that I could provide for myself.
But Ross’s lie gnawed away at me for the entire meal.
Prawns and noodles in a plate | Source: Pexels
As we paid and left the restaurant, I made sure to walk past the jewelry store. I wasn’t going to point it out, but I knew Macy would.
Macy was the type of person that if someone had something fancy, then she would shortly have her own—after persuading her husband to buy it for her.
“Hey!” she exclaimed. “This is the store, right?”
I nodded and allowed myself to be dragged inside the door.
A jewelry store display | Source: Unsplash
“Mrs. Carter,” the woman behind the counter called out. “Back so soon?”
It was as if something came undone in that moment. And I found myself wanting to get back at Ross.
“Yes!” I said. “I wanted to see what else you have. Rings, maybe?”
She beamed and called for Macy and I to meet her at a counter—our husbands were behind us, eyeing the jewelry and the prices attached to it.
“Would I be able to exchange something?” I asked the woman.
A diamond ring display | Source: Pexels
She nodded slowly, eyeing the earrings that I was wearing.
“We do accept returns and exchanges,” she said. “Provided that there’s proof of payment and the quality of the item has not been tarnished in any way.”
“You want to return your earrings?” Macy asked, wrinkling her nose.
“Well, I’m looking at this ring,” I said, pointing to a gorgeous ring in the display. “It’s stunning, but the earrings just won’t go with them.”
A woman holding a diamond ring | Source: Pexels
My husband stepped forward and put his arm around me, while holding onto his wallet.
“But you love the earrings, Sam,” he said. “Why don’t you just keep them and think about it.”
“No,” I said stubbornly. “I think I’d like the ring better.”
“You’ll have to give me your details,” the woman said from behind the counter.
Ross gave his full name—knowing full well that nothing would show up. Because he did not buy my earrings, and I wanted to embarrass him.
A man holding a wallet | Source: Pexels
“I’m sorry, Sir,” she said. “But there are no purchases under your name here.”
“Really?” Ross asked sheepishly. “That’s a problem.”
“I’m so sure it’s under Mrs. Carter’s details,” she continued. “The earrings were purchased on her card.”
My husband’s face turned red in embarrassment. He didn’t meet my eye—knowing that I was upset with how he had downplayed my involvement in the earrings.
A man turned away from the camera | Source: Pexels
“It’s right here,” she said, looking at her computer. “Do you really want to return them, Mrs. Carter? Like I said the day you purchased them, they really suit your eyes.”
In the end, I declined wanting to switch my earrings for the ring. I had no intention of doing so—I just wanted to teach Ross a lesson.
Macy and Don looked at each other, and I knew that they were judging us. But I didn’t care, Macy was a material girl and would forget about the whole thing once Don bought her a pair of earrings, too.
A woman wearing red | Source: Pexels
The car ride home was enveloped in a profound silence.
Ross seemed to shrink beside me, his earlier bravado having dissolved into quiet reflection.
That evening, he shared his insecurities, confessing that his lie was an ill-conceived attempt to share in my accomplishments.
My emotions were mixed—relief at his honesty and acknowledgment of what he had done.
A man sitting on a couch | Source: Pexels
But my relief was also tinged with sorrow—I hated that my husband felt the need to compete.
The next day, Ross left home claiming that he had an errand to run. When he returned, I was reading a book, waiting for him to get back.
“Where have you been?” I asked him.
Ross just smiled at me and handed me a gift box.
A woman reading a book | Source: Pexels
“I’m sorry for dismissing your feelings,” he said. “This is to match your earrings.”
Inside the gift bag was a beautiful diamond necklace.
“I didn’t mean to outshine you,” he confessed. “You earned them by yourself. I just felt guilty that I haven’t been able to spoil you in the way you should be spoiled, Sam.”
The gift was a heartfelt gesture, and while a part of me wanted to return it—I knew that if I did so, I would hurt his feelings even more.
The previous day, when I had wanted to embarrass him—it wasn’t to hurt him. It was just to feel seen.
And after we spoke about it—I think we’re finally on the same page.
A gift box with a bow | Source: Pexels
What would you have done?
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