My Family Had Been Feuding with the Neighbors for Years, but Everything Got Worse When I Met Him Again – Story of the Day

My family’s feud with the neighbors had lasted for decades, filled with constant arguments and petty battles. I thought I’d left it all behind, but coming home for Christmas brought the chaos back. Then I saw him again—the man I wasn’t supposed to care about—and everything became even more complicated.

I couldn’t remember how it started or what caused the very first fight, but the Rogers family had been the main enemy of my family ever since we moved into this house 20 years ago.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

It felt like every day brought a new reason for conflict—whether it was the placement of the fence, an offhand comment, or even the weather.

At first, it was just my dad and Mr. Rogers bickering, their raised voices carrying across the yard.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

My mom, ever the optimist, tried baking pies for Mrs. Rogers or complimenting her garden.

But the day Mrs. Rogers accidentally trampled my mom’s beloved roses, all attempts at peace were over.

For me, though, it was different. I had Mike. He was my age, and despite the feud, we became secret friends. We knew the truth would only cause trouble.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

Everything changed one day when we were both 14. I came home and froze as I saw my parents, red-faced and shouting in the living room.

“How could you be friends with that boy?!” my dad yelled, slamming his hand on the table.

“After everything that family has done to us?!” my mom added, her arms crossed tightly over her chest.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

“What? I don’t understand…” I said, my voice shaking.

“Don’t play innocent with us!” my dad snapped. “We caught that boy climbing the tree to your window. He said he wanted to surprise you for your birthday!”

I stared at them, stunned. “I didn’t—” The words caught in my throat.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

“You will not see him again,” my mom said firmly, pointing toward my room.

“But why?!” I shouted, my chest tightening. “Why can’t I be friends with Mike just because you can’t stand the Rogers?!”

“That family has caused us enough trouble!” my dad bellowed.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

“Mike hasn’t done anything wrong!” I shot back. “And don’t act like you’re saints. You’ve done awful things to them too!”

“Go to your room!” my dad roared. “You’re grounded! No more Mike—ever!”

Furious, I ran to my room and slammed the door so hard the walls seemed to shake. Every few minutes, I glanced out the window, hoping to see Mike.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

When his light finally came on, I felt a flicker of hope, but then he pulled his curtains shut without even looking my way. My chest ached as I cried until I couldn’t anymore.

At school the next day, I tried to talk to him, but he turned away like I wasn’t even there.

Soon, his friends started spreading cruel rumors. I knew Mike could stop it if he wanted, but he didn’t say a word.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

The lies grew worse, and I couldn’t take it anymore. When my parents saw how much it hurt me, they decided I needed to switch schools.

Many years have passed since then. I was almost 30 now, far from that 14-year-old girl, but some wounds lingered.

The sting of those childhood memories wasn’t as sharp, but they hadn’t completely faded either.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

Sometimes I wondered why I still cared at all, especially since no one else seemed to have changed.

When I came home for Christmas, the first sight that greeted me was my dad and Mr. Rogers standing outside, yelling at each other.

“Your decorations aren’t even a meter tall!” Mr. Rogers yelled, pointing at our yard.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

“Well, your lights couldn’t even light up a closet!” my dad shot back, crossing his arms.

“Hi, Dad,” I said, dragging my suitcase past them, but he didn’t even glance my way.

“Of course, Mr. Rogers is more important than your daughter, who you haven’t seen in six months,” I muttered under my breath, rolling my eyes.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

Inside, I found my mom peering out the kitchen window.

“Hi, Mom,” I said, setting my bag down.

“Oh, Alice, come look!” she said, waving me over with urgency. “I think that woman stole my pie recipe!”

I stepped up to the window, confused. “What are you talking about?”

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

“Look at her! She’s using the same spices as me!” Mom declared, pointing at Mrs. Rogers.

“How can you even see that from here?” I asked, raising an eyebrow.

“I know it!” she insisted, shaking her head.

“This is ridiculous,” I said, turning to leave for my old room.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

Everything in my room was exactly as I had left it. The posters still hung on the walls, and my old books sat neatly on the shelves.

I wandered to the window, glancing outside. Across the yard, a light shone in Mike’s room, catching my attention.

My heart skipped as he appeared in the window. I hadn’t seen him in many years.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

Mom said he went abroad to study and then stayed there. He looked so different—no longer the boy I once knew, but a man, confident and undeniably handsome.

I raised my hand, giving him a small wave. For a second, I thought he might wave back.

Instead, he pulled his curtains closed, shutting me out completely. My chest tightened, anger bubbling up.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

How could he? We had been friends once, yet he ignored me now like I didn’t exist.

That evening, after my parents finally stopped bickering with the Rogers, we ate dinner in tense silence.

The next morning, Mom handed me a shopping list. “We need this for Christmas dinner,” she said.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

After I finished shopping and walked to the parking lot, I stopped short. There he was—Mike.

“Hey,” I said, stepping toward him. Mike glanced at me but kept walking, ignoring me completely.

“Seriously?” I snapped. “I should be the one ignoring you after everything you did to me!”

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

Mike froze, then turned to face me, his eyes blazing. “After everything I did?” he shouted.

“Oh, so you can talk?” I yelled back. “Yes, after what you did! You ignored me, let your friends spread lies about me, and then you just disappeared abroad without a word!”

“Are you kidding me? Don’t pretend you don’t know,” Mike said, his voice rising. “You lied to your parents and told them I was stealing from you! I got grounded for a month because of that! And I liked you, Alice—I was in love with you!”

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

“What are you even talking about?” I shouted, throwing up my hands. “I defended you! I got grounded for standing up for you! Where did you get that crazy idea?”

“My dad told me,” Mike said, his tone harsh but uncertain now.

“Your dad, the same guy who hates my family?” I asked, shaking my head. “And you believed him?”

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

Mike looked down, his shoulders tense. “I felt betrayed,” he admitted. “And he said he wouldn’t pay for college if I kept seeing you.”

“They threatened me too,” I said, my voice softer now, “but I still tried. You acted like I didn’t exist. And now, almost 30 years old, you’re still holding onto this?”

Mike sighed, his voice low. “I’m sorry. You’re right. I shouldn’t have believed him. I was a jerk.”

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

“Better late than never,” I said with a faint smile. “Want to grab a bite to eat?”

“I’d love to,” Mike replied, his face relaxing into a small smile.

As we walked toward a nearby café, I teased, “So, you were in love with me?”

“Shut up,” he said, grinning.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

The days before Christmas passed quickly as Mike and I spent every moment we could together.

It felt like being kids again, sneaking around to avoid our parents, sharing stories, and laughing at memories we thought we had forgotten. We talked about everything, making up for lost time.

One evening, just before Christmas, Mike grinned at me. “Let’s climb the tree, like old times,” he said. I couldn’t resist.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

“Hope there’s mistletoe up there,” Mike said, grinning as he climbed the tree.

I laughed, glancing up at him. “Still in love with me?” I teased, keeping my voice light.

Mike stopped climbing for a moment and looked down at me. “All over again,” he said, his voice serious. I felt my cheeks flush and looked away, trying to focus on the next branch.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

We climbed higher, but suddenly, I heard a crack. “Mike, wait—” I started, but it was too late.

The branch beneath his foot snapped, and he fell straight onto me. We hit the ground with a thud, tangled together in a heap.

“Are you okay?” he asked, his voice breathless.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

I nodded, then burst out laughing. “You’ve gained weight,” I said, looking at him with mock judgment.

“I’m light as a feather,” he shot back, holding my gaze.

We both stopped laughing, the air between us changing. His face was so close I could see every detail.

Slowly, he leaned in and kissed me. I smiled against his lips, my heart pounding.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

“What on earth is going on?!” my dad’s voice roared from behind us.

“This is outrageous!” Mrs. Rogers shrieked.

We scrambled to our feet, turning to see our parents glaring at each other.

“How dare you touch my daughter?!” my mom shouted, stepping forward.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

The yelling grew louder, insults flying back and forth. Mike and I exchanged a look of pure frustration.

“Enough!” Mike yelled, his voice cutting through the chaos. “I’m sick of your fights! You’re adults, but you act like children! Alice and I aren’t teenagers anymore, and I won’t let you interfere in our lives!”

Grabbing my hand, he pulled me toward his car.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

“Where are you going?!” Mrs. Rogers shouted.

“If you can’t behave, we’ll spend Christmas Eve at a hotel!” Mike called. “Anywhere is better than here!”

We checked into the only hotel in town. It was small, with an artificial fireplace in the room. We sat by it, letting the silence settle around us.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

“I didn’t expect that speech from you,” I said, glancing at Mike.

He looked at the flames. “I’ve had enough of their fights. It was one of the reasons I moved abroad. I thought I could escape it all. But leaving meant losing you, and I won’t let that happen again.”

His words made me smile. I leaned in and kissed him softly, but a knock at the door interrupted us.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

Mike stood up to open it, and to our shock, all four parents were there.

“We’re sorry,” my dad said, looking awkward.

“We shouldn’t have reacted that way,” Mr. Rogers added.

“You’re adults, and we can’t tell you what to do,” Mrs. Rogers admitted.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

“Now get your butts back home for Christmas Eve dinner,” my mom said firmly.

“You won’t fight?” I asked, narrowing my eyes.

“We’ll manage for one evening,” my mom promised.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

“If we’re dating, it’ll be more than one evening,” Mike said, squeezing my hand.

“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves,” my dad muttered.

We laughed, left the hotel, and returned home. Dinner still had its moments of tension, but it felt like progress.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

Tell us what you think about this story and share it with your friends. It might inspire them and brighten their day.

If you enjoyed this story, read this one: A struggling actress takes an unusual job after being hired by a wealthy man’s mother to pose as his girlfriend and sabotage his upcoming wedding. But as she spends more time with him and his fiancée, she questions her actions and the price of her desperation. What will she choose?

This piece is inspired by stories from the everyday lives of our readers and written by a professional writer. Any resemblance to actual names or locations is purely coincidental. All images are for illustration purposes only. Share your story with us; maybe it will change someone’s life.

Old Woman Took My Hand and Started Predicting My Future, Persuading Me to Cancel My Wedding

When a strange woman grabbed my hand and warned me not to go through with my wedding, I brushed it off. But when I found out she was a paid actress, I had to know: who would go to such lengths to stop me from marrying the man I loved?

I was never the superstitious type. I’m Penelope, just your average woman juggling work, wedding plans, and spending time with my best friend, Esther. Life had been a blur of excitement lately. Cameron, my fiancé, was everything I could ever ask for — thoughtful, funny, and supportive.

A grayscale photo of a loving couple | Source: Pexels

A grayscale photo of a loving couple | Source: Pexels

Our wedding was just a couple of months away, and Esther, as usual, was by my side through all the chaos, helping me pick out flower arrangements, dresses, and everything in between.

It was a normal Saturday afternoon when the strange encounter happened. Esther and I had just left our favorite boutique, where we’d spent hours browsing through racks of dresses and debating which honeymoon destinations were overrated.

She was still trying to convince me that Fiji wasn’t all it was cracked up to be as we strolled through the supermarket, picking up a few groceries for the week.

A shopping cart in a grocery store aisle | Source: Unsplash

A shopping cart in a grocery store aisle | Source: Unsplash

We were halfway down the cereal aisle when I felt someone standing a little too close behind me.

Turning around, I was face-to-face with an old woman: her dark hair messy, her piercing eyes locked onto mine. Before I could react, she grabbed my hand, her grip firm, almost desperate.

“I feel four scars,” she said, her voice low and gravelly. “All on your legs. An animal… a wolf?”

An old woman with dark messy hair and piercing eyes is standing in a grocery store | Source: Midjourney

An old woman with dark messy hair and piercing eyes is standing in a grocery store | Source: Midjourney

I froze, my heart nearly stopping. My legs — she was right. I had those scars, deep and jagged from when a wolf attacked me on a family camping trip when I was five. I hadn’t told many people about that. How could she possibly know?

Esther, who had been distracted by a message on her phone, turned just in time to see the woman holding my hand. “Hey! Let go of her!” she snapped, stepping closer, ready to intervene.

A woman looking angrily at someone while standing in a grocery store | Source: Midjourney

A woman looking angrily at someone while standing in a grocery store | Source: Midjourney

But the woman didn’t seem to notice. Her eyes stayed locked on mine. “I see your upcoming wedding,” she murmured, her grip tightening. “Don’t do it. Trouble awaits you.”

My breath caught in my throat. I felt like I was rooted to the spot, unable to move. How did she know about my wedding? What kind of “trouble” was she talking about?

A woman looks surprised and worried while standing in a grocery store | Source: Midjourney

A woman looks surprised and worried while standing in a grocery store | Source: Midjourney

Before I could ask her any of these questions, Esther pulled my hand free from the woman’s grip with one sharp tug. “Are you out of your mind?” Esther hissed at the woman. “Get lost, witch!”

The woman blinked, as if waking from a trance, then slinked away without another word. I stared after her, my heart still pounding.

“Penelope, are you okay?” Esther asked, her voice softening now that the stranger was gone. “She was probably just some crazy lady. Don’t let it get to you.”

A woman looks concerned while standing in a grocery store | Source: Midjourney

A woman looks concerned while standing in a grocery store | Source: Midjourney

I tried to laugh it off. “Yeah, you’re probably right,” I said, though deep down, I wasn’t so sure. For the next two weeks, her words haunted me. “Don’t do it. Trouble awaits you.” They replayed in my mind like a broken record, and no matter how many times I told myself it was nonsense, I couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling.

A woman looks worried and thoughtful | Source: Midjourney

A woman looks worried and thoughtful | Source: Midjourney

Then yesterday, while having lunch with my mom at a small café, I saw her again — at least, I thought I did. Across the street, a woman was hurrying into a shop, but this time, her hair was blonde, her eyes light. She looked completely different, but there was something about her, something familiar.

Without thinking, I jumped up from my chair and rushed outside. “Hey! You!” I called, catching up to her just as she was about to enter the shop.

A woman with blonde hair standing in a flower shop | Source: Midjourney

A woman with blonde hair standing in a flower shop | Source: Midjourney

The woman turned, startled. “Let me go!” she shrieked as I grabbed her wrist.

“Who are you?” I demanded, tightening my grip.

“I… I’m an actress,” she stammered. “I was paid to scare you into canceling your wedding.”

My heart dropped. “Paid? By who?”

She hesitated, then reluctantly pulled out her phone. My blood ran cold when she showed me the photo on her screen.

I could barely feel my legs as I stared at the picture on her phone screen.

An extremely shocked woman staring at a phone screen | Source: Midjourney

An extremely shocked woman staring at a phone screen | Source: Midjourney

It was Cameron. The man I was supposed to marry in a few months. The man I trusted, loved, and thought I would spend my life with.

“He… he paid you?” My voice cracked as I asked, still trying to process the betrayal.

The actress shifted nervously, glancing around as if afraid someone might see us. “Look, I don’t want any trouble. I was just doing my job. Please let me go.”

I swallowed the lump forming in my throat. “Why? Why did he do this?”

An angry and upset woman | Source: Midjourney

An angry and upset woman | Source: Midjourney

“I don’t know,” she admitted, rubbing her wrist where I had grabbed her. “He just said he couldn’t go through with the wedding, but didn’t know how to tell you.”

I felt a burning rage rise in me, but it wasn’t the fiery kind that made me want to scream. No, this was cold. Ice cold. He couldn’t call off the wedding himself, so he hired someone to manipulate me into doing it? The sheer cowardice was almost laughable. Almost.

A closeup of a man paying money to a woman | Source: Pexels

A closeup of a man paying money to a woman | Source: Pexels

I exhaled slowly, forcing a calm that I didn’t feel. “Thank you for being honest,” I muttered, turning away from her. I didn’t wait for a response. My feet carried me down the street in a daze. My mind raced, thoughts of Cameron, the wedding, everything spinning out of control.

By the time I got home, I had already made up my mind. Two could play this game.

That evening, I set the table for dinner as if nothing had happened. I cooked his favorite — roasted chicken with rosemary potatoes — and made sure everything looked perfect.

A photo showing roasted chicken served with rosemary potatoes for dinner | Source: Midjourney

A photo showing roasted chicken served with rosemary potatoes for dinner | Source: Midjourney

The scent filled the apartment, warm and comforting, masking the cold storm brewing inside me.

When Cameron walked in, his usual cheerful demeanor seemed a bit off. Maybe it was guilt gnawing at him. Good. He deserved it.

“Hey, babe!” he greeted me with a kiss on the cheek, oblivious to what was coming. “Something smells great.”

“Just your favorite,” I replied, forcing a smile as I placed the plates on the table. “I thought we could have a nice night in.”

A woman forces a smile while looking at someone | Source: Midjourney

A woman forces a smile while looking at someone | Source: Midjourney

He sat down, and for a moment, we ate in silence. I waited, watching him between bites, waiting for the perfect moment. My heart raced, but outwardly, I stayed calm. When the time felt right, I casually began the conversation I had been planning all day.

“So,” I started, my tone light and easy, “you won’t believe what happened to me today.”

He looked up, raising an eyebrow. “Oh yeah? What happened?”

A man looks surprised while sitting at the dinner table | Source: Midjourney

A man looks surprised while sitting at the dinner table | Source: Midjourney

“I was at the supermarket with Esther,” I said, setting my fork down and meeting his gaze. “And this woman just came up to me, grabbed my hand out of nowhere.”

Cameron froze, his fork hovering mid-air. “What?” he asked, trying to sound casual but failing miserably. “What did she want?”

I shrugged, pretending it was no big deal. “Oh, she started talking about these scars I have on my legs. It was weird — she knew about them, even though I’ve never met her in my life.”

A closeup of a person's body with a scar | Source: Pexels

A closeup of a person’s body with a scar | Source: Pexels

His eyes widened slightly. “That’s strange,” he said, his voice a little too tight. “What else did she say?”

“Oh, you know,” I continued, keeping my voice light, “she mentioned our wedding. Said some interesting things about it.”

Cameron’s grip tightened on his fork. “Really? What… what exactly did she say?”

I smiled sweetly, watching him squirm. “She said you’d be a super successful man and that we’d have a very happy marriage.”

That’s when he choked. Right on cue.

A stunned man sitting at the dinner table | Source: Midjourney

A stunned man sitting at the dinner table | Source: Midjourney

He coughed, gasping for breath as I sat back, watching with an almost detached amusement. His face turned pale, his eyes wide with panic as he tried to recover.

“Sweetie, are you okay?” I asked, doing my best to sound concerned, though inside, I was relishing every second of his discomfort.

“Y-yeah,” he sputtered, wiping his mouth. “Just… unexpected.”

I leaned in slightly, dropping the playful tone. “Unexpected? What’s unexpected, Cam? The part about us having a happy marriage? Or the fact that you’re such a coward, you couldn’t even break off the engagement yourself?”

An angry and upset woman  at the dinner table | Source: Midjourney

An angry and upset woman at the dinner table | Source: Midjourney

His face went white as a sheet. “W-what? What are you talking about, Pen?”

I didn’t let him off the hook. “I ran into your actress today. The one you hired to freak me out and get rid of me!”

For a moment, Cameron just sat there, stunned, his mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water. He had no words: no explanation, no excuses. He was caught, and we both knew it.

“How… how did you—” he stammered, but I cut him off.

An extremely shocked man | Source: Midjourney

An extremely shocked man | Source: Midjourney

“Don’t you dare deny it! I know everything” I kept my voice low and steady. “You really thought I wouldn’t figure it out, huh?”

His hands trembled slightly as he set his fork down, staring at the table. “Pen, I—”

“Don’t,” I interrupted, standing up slowly. “Don’t even try to explain. I’m done being fooled by you.”

He finally looked up at me, his face a blend of guilt and desperation. “I didn’t know how to tell you, Pen. I thought it would be easier this way.”

A man looks guilty and desperate | Source: Midjourney

A man looks guilty and desperate | Source: Midjourney

I laughed — actually laughed at the absurdity of it. “Easier? You thought hiring some stranger to spout nonsense about our wedding would be easier than just talking to me? We’ve been together for years, Cam! And this is how you handle it?”

He didn’t respond. He couldn’t.

I leaned in close, just enough to see the shame in his eyes. “I guess I’ll be the one to call off the wedding then,” I whispered.

A woman looking at someone at the dinner table | Source: Midjourney

A woman looking at someone at the dinner table | Source: Midjourney

With that, I turned and walked out of the apartment, leaving him sitting there, stunned and speechless. As I closed the door behind me, the weight that had been crushing me for weeks finally lifted. The future I had envisioned with Cameron crumbled, but in its place, a new path opened — one where I no longer had to pretend.

Game over, Cameron. Game over.

A smiling woman | Source: Midjourney

A smiling woman | Source: Midjourney

Did you find this story exciting? Wait till you read this next one: I was just moments away from saying ‘I do’ when the church doors burst open, and my father shrieked that the WEDDING WAS OFF. What he said next shattered my heart in the blink of an eye.

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.

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