My new beginning turned into a nightmare when my neighbor, Mr. Johnson, built a garage on my property. Determined to reclaim my garden, my friends and I took action. I’m Cynthia, a 42-year-old single mother of two. Moving into a new house with a lovely garden was supposed to be a fresh start for us.

On our first day, Mr. Johnson introduced himself. “I’ve got plans to build a garage, and half of it will be on your land. The previous owner agreed.” I firmly responded, “I’m the new owner, and I don’t give my consent.” He tried to convince me multiple times with documents, but I stood my ground.

Returning from a weekend at my mother’s, I found a fully built garage in my garden. My daughter asked, “Mom, what are we going to do?” I decided to dismantle it myself with the help of friends. Lisa, Mark, and Jess joined me, bringing tools and determination.

We worked methodically at night, starting with the roof. “Start with the roof,” Mark suggested. Jess climbed up and began prying off shingles. By dawn, the garage was reduced to a pile of neatly stacked rubble. “Well done, team,” Mark said.

The next morning, Mr. Johnson confronted me angrily. I calmly pointed out, “You built on my land without permission.” Eventually, he apologized, admitting he should have respected my ownership. He agreed to rebuild the garage on his property and offered to help with repairs around my house. This ordeal taught me the importance of standing up for myself and my rights, and it led to a more civil relationship with Mr. Johnson.