Our home is part of a historic manor divided into three residences, all surrounded by five towering sequoias that have stood for over 200 years. When Barbara, our new neighbor, moved in after her parents passed, she quickly developed a bitter attitude. Ever since a storm toppled one of her own trees two years ago, she’s held a grudge against ours—complaining about the shade, the falling leaves, and calling them unsafe.

Just before we left for a vacation in France, Barbara’s passive-aggressive remarks about storms and the trees grew more frequent. We chose to ignore her, hoping for peace. But when we returned, the sight that greeted us was heartbreaking—one of our ancient sequoias had been brutally chopped down, leaving behind a giant stump. To make matters worse, two old oak trees nearby had been crushed.