Chapter 3

I was startled, struggling with all my might to break free from the man’s grip, yelling at the top of my lungs.

Hearing my screams, John, my driver, rushed over.

The shameless family, seeing that someone had come to my aid, especially a strong, fit young man, reluctantly let me go.

Furious, I stormed out.

The next morning, just as I started work, I received a call from Charles Daniels, the tenant living in my grandpa’s old house.

Mr. Daniels was the son of one of Grandpa’s friends. He’d lost his parents early in life and, in his youth, lost everything in a failed business venture. He was on the verge of living under a bridge with his wife and child.

Grandpa, being the kind soul he was, couldn’t bear to see the son of an old friend fall into such ruin, so he let them live in his house rent-free for a while.

When Mr. Daniels' situation improved, he began paying rent.

That house, located in the heart of Manhattan’s Second Avenue, was a three-bedroom apartment. But out of old loyalties, he only paid $500 a month for more than a decade—never once did the rent increase.

On the phone, Mr. Daniels started off by casually asking how things were going at my company.

Since I’d graduated from college, he’d taken me out for dinner a few times, so he had some idea of my situation.

After exchanging a few pleasantries, he suddenly chuckled and said, “Lily, I hear this area is going to be demolished?”

That rumor must have spread everywhere. I responded with a light “Yes,” before adding, “But the final decision hasn’t been made yet. There could still be changes.”

“There’s no way they’re changing anything,” he laughed from the other end, his tone gleeful. “This place is so old and rundown, right in the heart of the city—it's been an eyesore for years. It's about time they tore it down.”

Then his voice shifted, taking on a more calculated tone. “So, Lily, about this house of ours... I heard from the neighbors that if it gets demolished, the payout could be worth a few million.”

I stayed silent, waiting for him to continue.

Sure enough, Mr. Daniels didn’t wait for my reply and kept talking.

“Now, I know the house is technically in your name, but it was your grandpa’s place, and I’ve been living here since before he passed. I’ve got a lot of sentimental attachment to this place. So, Lily, when the payout comes, you can’t take it all for yourself. I think it’s fair to split it fifty-fifty.”

It was barely 8 AM, and already Mr. Daniels had left my head spinning with this nonsense. I couldn’t help but let out a small, sarcastic laugh.

Mr. Daniels didn’t notice and just kept rambling on.

“Plus, Lily, you don’t really need the money, right? And you won’t even live in the new place once it’s built. Just let us stay. I’ll keep paying the $500 rent, no problem.”

“And look, Ryan’s about to get married. This house would make a perfect wedding gift for him.”

“Oh, and the place has to be fully renovated too. If it’s not move-in ready, well, we won’t be paying any rent.”

His tone was authoritative, like he was laying down the law.

I couldn’t help but burst out laughing. I had always thought Mr. Daniels was a bit lazy and prone to dreaming big, but I had no idea he was this shameless.

Did he really think I was a complete fool?

“Mr. Daniels,” I replied in a calm voice, though my anger was bubbling underneath, “The house is mine. The compensation is mine. Your family has no claim to any of it. By the way, you still haven’t paid rent for the first half of this year, but I’ll let that go. You’ve got ten days to move out of ‘my’ house.”

I made sure to emphasize the word "my."

Before he could get another word in to raise my blood pressure, I hung up.

As if it wasn’t bad enough that my uncle and aunt were trying to muscle in, now Mr. Daniels, who had benefited from Grandpa’s generosity for over a decade, wanted a piece of the action, too.

Just because you’ve lived somewhere for years doesn’t mean it’s yours.

And the whole “you don’t need the money” argument? That doesn’t justify his utter lack of shame.

I thought making it clear who owned the house would shut them up for a while, but I underestimated how low people could go.