I turned away from the pool, my mind racing with thoughts of what to do next. The anger simmering beneath my skin threatened to boil over, but I forced myself to breathe, to think. If this was about lessons, I would show them the consequences of their actions in a way they wouldn’t forget.
Over the next few days, I set my plan into motion. I started with the small things — the things Mark and Rachel took for granted. It was subtle at first, removing a bulb here, hiding a remote there. Minor inconveniences, just enough to make them pause. Then I moved on to more significant disruptions. The Wi-Fi router found a new home in my closet, the coffee maker mysteriously stopped working, and their favorite snacks vanished, replaced by foods they couldn’t stand.
Lily watched my quiet rebellion with a mix of curiosity and support. “Is this really going to work, Mom?” she asked one evening as we sat on the couch, a box of her favorite cookies between us.
