When single mother Sage returns home after caring for her ailing mother, she finds her apartment unrecognizably renovated and a note from her landlord, Gary, announcing a steep rent hike. What Gary didn’t anticipate was Sage’s fierce determination to make him regret his underhanded schemes.
I thought I’d seen it all after raising three kids on my own. But nothing prepared me for what happened when I walked back into my apartment after returning from my mom’s.
The place I’d worked so hard to make a home had been turned into a cold, soulless box. And the reason why left me furious.
A woman standing in a hallway | Source: Midjourney
It’s been about five years since I became a single mother, and let me tell you, life hasn’t been a walk in the park.
Raising three kids on my own while working full-time leaves me with zero time for myself, but somehow, I’ve managed.
If you’re wondering why I’ve been doing it all solo. Well, let’s just say my ex-husband wasn’t exactly the faithful type. That’s a story for another day, but suffice it to say, when I found out he’d cheated, I didn’t think twice about kicking him out.
A man walking away with a bag | Source: Pexels
After he left, I went into survival mode.
At first, it was brutal. We’d gone from a double-income household to me working double shifts just to make ends meet. I barely slept, let alone had time to spend with my kids. But I knew I had to do better.
So, I started upgrading my skills.
Nights after the kids went to bed, I’d sit at the kitchen table, poring over online courses and tutorials. Slowly but surely, it paid off.
A woman using a laptop | Source: Pexels
I landed a better-paying job that finally allowed me to breathe.
It wasn’t just about the money. It was about giving my kids a life that didn’t feel like we were scraping by every second of the day.
That’s when I found the apartment.
I’d been browsing rental listings for weeks when I stumbled upon a cozy two-bedroom with enough space for me and the kids. The rent was reasonable, and when I went to see it, I instantly felt like it could be home.
That’s also when I met Gary, the landlord.
An older man standing in an empty apartment | Source: Midjourney
Gary seemed fine at the time.
He was polite enough and didn’t bat an eye when I told him I had three kids.
In fact, he even said, “I respect anyone raising kids on their own. That’s not easy.”
I thought he was sincere. Looking back now, I realize how naive I was.
A woman standing in a balcony | Source: Midjourney
We moved in a week later, and for a while, life was good.
I decorated the apartment with things that made the kids happy. I bought bright curtains and cozy furniture and pasted their artwork all over the fridge and walls.
It was a little chaotic but full of love.
Then, a few weeks ago, something unexpected happened. My mom, Evelyn, who’s in her 70s, fell ill. She’s always been my rock, so when she needed help, I didn’t hesitate.
A woman holding her mother’s hand | Source: Pexels
I packed up the kids and drove to her house in the next state over.
We stayed for a week, cooking, cleaning, and keeping her company. By the time we came back, I was exhausted but eager to settle back into the comfort of our little home.
But when I opened the door, I just stood there with my eyes wide open. It felt like I’d walked into a stranger’s apartment.
A woman standing in her apartment | Source: Midjourney
The walls, once warm and inviting, were painted a harsh white. Our comfy couch? Replaced by some modern monstrosity.
The kids’ reading nook had disappeared along with the drawings on the fridge.
“Mom, where’s my dinosaur picture?” my youngest asked.
I didn’t know what to say. My heart raced as I looked around. Their toys were shoved into a single corner, and some were even missing.
I had no idea who was behind this until I saw a note on the counter.
A note on a counter | Source: Midjourney
You’re welcome for the upgrades. Rent is going up by 30% next month. —Gary.
What the heck? I thought.
I’d worked so hard to build a safe, happy space for my family, and Gary had wiped it all away without my permission. And the nerve to raise the rent after destroying our home? What did he think he was doing?
I couldn’t let him get away with this.
I still remember how my hands shook with rage as I picked up my phone to dial Gary’s number that day.
A woman using her phone | Source: Pexels
“Gary, what the hell happened to my apartment?” I snapped the moment he answered.
“Oh, you saw the renovations!” he replied. “Doesn’t it look great? You’ll thank me later. It’s way more modern now.”
“Modern? You threw away my kids’ belongings and completely erased our home! And you didn’t even bother to ask for my permission!” I yelled.
“Well,” he said smugly, “it’s my property, so I didn’t need your permission. And with the upgrades, the rent is going up. If you can’t afford it, you’re welcome to move out.”
A man talking on the phone | Source: Midjourney
“You mean you want me to move out,” I said through gritted teeth. “You want us to leave, right?”
There was a pause, and then he chuckled softly.
“Look, Sage,” he began. “I’m just saying you might want to explore other options. I’ve already got someone lined up who’s interested in the place.”
“You already have a tenant lined up? You planned this, didn’t you?”
Gary didn’t bother denying it.
A woman looking at her phone | Source: Midjourney
“Well, I thought it was time for a change,” he confessed. “The new guy, uh, Michael, is single, quiet, and has no kids. It’s a better fit for the building.”
“Seriously, Gary?” I rolled my eyes. “Why did you even let me move in if you didn’t like kids? You knew I had three when I signed the lease!”
“Look, it was fine at first, but things change,” he said. “I need tenants who fit the vision I have for the property.”
A man talking on the phone | Source: Midjourney
Vision? What kind of landlord renovates an apartment just to push out a family?
I was furious. This house was my kids’ safe haven, and he was ready to rip it all away because he didn’t like the sound of children’s laughter echoing down the hall.
Gary had underestimated me. He thought I’d pack up and leave without a fight.
He was wrong.
That night, I couldn’t sleep. My mind raced, replaying the conversation over and over. How could someone be so heartless? As I lay awake, my phone buzzed with a text from my neighbor, Melissa.
A phone on a table | Source: Midjourney
She’d overheard Gary bragging to someone about how he’d already secured a “perfect new tenant” and how “that single mom and her brats would be gone soon.”
I gripped my phone tighter as Melissa added another nugget of information. She told me the tenant’s name. It was Michael.
A quick search online led me to his social media profile. He seemed normal.
He was a small business owner, new to the city, and was looking for a fresh start. I stared at his profile picture for a long moment, then made a decision.
A woman using her phone | Source: Unsplash
The next morning, I sent him a message.
Michael agreed to meet me for coffee the next day, and I wasted no time laying everything out.
I told him about how Gary had trashed my kids’ belongings, renovated our apartment without permission, and then tried to push us out by raising the rent.
As I spoke, Michael’s expression shifted from polite curiosity to outright disbelief.
A man sitting in a restaurant | Source: Midjourney
“That’s… wow. I don’t even know what to say,” he said, shaking his head. “I had no idea. Gary just made it sound like the place was available because you were ready to move on.”
“Ready to move on?” I scoffed. “I had no plans to move. This is my kids’ home. Their friends live here, their school is nearby, and I’ve worked so hard to make it a safe space for them. But Gary doesn’t care. He just wants someone ‘quiet’ and ‘better for his property vision.'”
A woman looking straight ahead | Source: Midjourney
Michael leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms.
“I’m really sorry, Sage,” he said. “I didn’t mean to step into something like this. If I’d known, I wouldn’t have even considered moving in.”
I nodded. “I don’t blame you, Michael. You didn’t know. But now that you do… I just thought you should hear the full story.”
A woman sitting in a restaurant | Source: Midjourney
Michael frowned.
“I don’t feel good about this. For one, what Gary did is completely illegal. Renovating without notice? Destroying your property? Raising the rent like that? He’s walking on thin ice.” He paused, his eyes narrowing in thought. “You know what? Let’s teach him a lesson.”
I raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean?”
“Gary has no idea we’ve talked, right?” he grinned. “Let’s keep it that way. I’ve got an idea, but you’ll need to trust me.”
A man sitting in a restaurant | Source: Midjourney
The next day, Gary showed up at the apartment with Michael in tow, grinning like a kid who’d just won a prize.
“Well, I’m here to finalize the handover,” he said. “Michael will be moving in next week, so you should start packing.”
Before I could respond, Michael stepped forward.
“Actually, Gary, there’s been a change of plans,” Michael said firmly.
“What?” Gary asked.
“I spoke to a lawyer,” Michael revealed. “What you did here is all illegal.”
“What do you mean?”
A man talking to another man | Source: Midjourney
“You renovated the house without notice, destroyed the tenants’ property, and then hiked the rent. It’s all illegal,” Michael explained. “And if you think I’m moving into a place under those circumstances, you’re dead wrong.”
Gary’s face turned red. “But—but I already made the changes! I thought—”
“Thought what?” Michael interrupted. “That you could bully a single mom and her kids out of their home? Yeah, no thanks. Here’s the deal: you’re going to fix this place back to how it was, apologize to Sage and her kids, and keep the rent the same. Otherwise, we’ll take this to court.”
A man talking to a landlord | Source: Midjourney
“This isn’t fair—”
“Oh, and just so you know, I’m not moving in,” Michael cut him off. “I don’t support landlords who treat their tenants like this.”
I wanted to laugh so hard at that point. Gary’s expression was just priceless. I never thought I’d make him feel bad for what he’d done.
Over the next few weeks, he begrudgingly restored the apartment to its original state.
My kids’ artwork went back on the fridge, their toys were returned to their rightful places, and the rent remained exactly the same.
A man sticking artwork on a wall | Source: Pexels
And Michael? He turned out to be more than just an ally.
He’s been spending more time with me and the kids, and my youngest even drew him a picture of a dinosaur with his name on it.
Karma’s a funny thing. Gary tried to kick us out, and instead, I got my home back and met someone wonderful.
If you enjoyed reading this story, here’s another one you might like: When Nancy’s landlord demanded she and her three daughters vacate their rental home for a week, she thought life couldn’t get worse. But a surprise meeting with the landlord’s brother revealed a shocking betrayal.
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.
