Chapter 4

Finn's POV

The lights were on. There were new decorations in the windows.

I raced upstairs and stopped outside the apartment. I could hear familiar laughter coming from inside.

My hands shook as I pulled out my key and slipped it into the lock. It wouldn't turn. The locks had been changed.

Just then, the door opened. Everett was leaning against the doorframe with a half-empty can of beer in his hand. He broke into a grin when he saw me. "Well, look who it is. Finn! What brings you here at this hour?"

I looked past him into the apartment and froze.

Grandma's old wooden cabinet was gone. So were the rocking chair by the window and the landscape painting she'd framed herself. Even the old radio she'd never wanted to replace was missing.

The whole apartment had been redecorated, with nothing left to show that Grandma had ever lived there.

"Where's my grandmother's stuff?"

Everett raised an eyebrow, looking completely unconcerned. "Oh, that stuff? It was old and taking up space, so I had someone come haul it away. It was all junk anyway. No point keeping it."

My nails dug into my palms. "What are you doing in my apartment?"

Everett pulled a key out of his pocket and waved it in front of me. "Wanda gave it to me. She said no one was using the place anyway, so I could stay here while I study for my exams… Wait, Finn. You didn't know?"

I felt like I'd been hit over the head.

Three years ago, Wanda had insisted on keeping a spare key because she was worried I'd lose mine. I'd never imagined she'd use it to do something like this.

Just then, hurried footsteps echoed through the stairwell. Wanda came rushing up the stairs, out of breath.

When she saw us facing off, she hurried over and stepped in front of Everett, shielding him from me. "Finn, what are you doing here? It's the middle of the night! When are you going to stop making a scene?"

I stared at her and pointed toward the apartment, my voice shaking. "Wanda, my grandmother left me this apartment! What gives you the right to let Everett move in without asking me? And why did you change the locks?"

Wanda frowned slightly. "Everett's studying for his graduate school entrance exams, and this place is close to the library. I'm just letting him stay here for a few days. And the old locks were worn out. They weren't safe, so I had them replaced."

She said it like it was the most reasonable thing in the world.

"What about my grandmother's things?" I stared at her.

Wanda paused for a moment before answering calmly. "It was all old furniture and decorations. They were just collecting dust. Everett was doing you a favor by getting rid of everything. Now the place will be more comfortable when you move back in."

I almost laughed. "This is my grandmother's apartment. Tell Everett to get out."

Wanda grabbed me by the shoulder and pushed me away from the door. "Finn, look at yourself! You're hysterical. You can't even control your emotions."

She pulled out her phone and sent me 2,000 dollars. "Stop making a scene. Just get a hotel room nearby for tonight."

At that moment, I almost wanted to laugh.

I had ended up being the one person nobody seemed to want around. My family had turned their backs on me. The woman I loved had treated me like I meant nothing. And the people I'd trusted most had turned that trust against me.

"Fine." I nodded. "I'll leave. Enjoy your stay."

I turned and slowly made my way down the stairs. Behind me, the security door slammed shut.

The rain had stopped. But the anger I'd been holding back was finally starting to boil over.

I pulled out my phone and called the police. "Hello, I'd like to report a crime. Someone broke into my home unlawfully, and they’re suspected of disorderly conduct.

"They also made and spread deepfake porn of me. It’s defamation; they violated my right of publicity and ruined my reputation. And I have evidence."