When Lena agrees to help her neighbor Karen by driving their daughters to school, she thinks it’s just a one-time favor. But as Karen’s requests become a daily expectation, Lena starts feeling used. When Karen refuses to return the favor with a blatant lie, Lena decides to teach her a lesson.I used to think I was one of those people who could just go with the flow, you know? Avoid drama, and keep things pleasant. But that all started to change the morning Karen knocked on my door.”Lena, hey! I’m so sorry to bother you this early,” Karen said, flashing that overly sweet smile of hers. I was still in my pajamas, trying to coax my brain into waking up with a cup of coffee. Sophie, my eight-year-old, was upstairs getting dressed for school. The last thing I expected was a surprise visit from the neighbor. “No bother at all, Karen,” I replied, yawning as I opened the door wider. “What’s up?””

I have an early meeting today, and I was wondering if you could take Emily to school with Sophie. Just this once? I hate to ask, but I’m in such a bind.” I hesitated. Not because I didn’t want to help, but because I wasn’t sure if I could juggle two kids in the morning rush. But then I remembered how much Sophie liked Emily, and how sweet Emily always was, so I shrugged it off. “Sure, no problem. I can drop them both off.” Karen’s face lit up like I’d just offered her the winning lottery ticket.”You’re a lifesaver, Lena. I owe you one!” I waved her off, smiling. “Don’t worry about it, really. It’s just a quick favor.”That’s where it all began. A ‘quick favor’ that turned into something much more complicated. The next morning, Karen was at my door again, looking just as polished and perky as before. “I have another early meeting today. Would you mind taking Emily again? She loves riding with