Julia’s peaceful suburban life shatters when her new neighbor, Linda, moves in with her golden retriever, Max. After Max steps on a thorn in Julia’s yard, Julia removes it gently—only to be slapped with a $2,000 vet bill the next day. When Julia refuses to pay, offering $100 instead, Linda vows revenge.
What follows is a relentless campaign of harassment: overturned trash cans, threats against Julia’s son Dean, and finally, a cruel act—Linda splashes red and yellow paint across Julia’s windows while Julia is at the hospital with her critically ill husband.
Pushed to her breaking point, Julia devises a quiet, calculated retaliation. She plants Japanese beetle scent traps in Linda’s prized flower beds under the cover of night. Days later, Linda’s garden is ravaged by swarms of beetles.
But the feud takes a turn when Linda confronts Julia, only to witness Dean sobbing over his father’s condition. The sight pierces through Linda’s rage. Julia, exhausted and grieving, denies involvement in the sabotage. Linda, shaken by the reality of Julia’s struggles, backs down.
Though they never become friends, the war ends. Linda stops her petty vendetta, and Julia finds a fragile peace. Years later, both women carry the scars of their conflict—but also a quiet understanding born from pain, pride, and perspective.
