Chapter 3

Toby said, "Claire, you should know this better than I do. Lease terms don't hold up if they break the law, let the landlord dodge major responsibilities, or unfairly screw over the tenant.

"All that 'we agreed voluntarily' stuff? Not worth the paper it's printed on."

Someone knocked on the office door.

Mia Carter from the fourth floor poked her head in, holding a takeout container.

She spotted Toby and instantly got awkward.

"C-Claire, I... um, is there any beef stew left tonight?"

Before I could answer, Toby turned to her with a warm smile.

"Mia, I'm talking to Claire about everyone's concerns. Don't worry. We'll make sure everyone has a safer, cleaner place to eat."

Mia froze, then nodded hard.

"We've got your back, Toby!"

She slipped out and quietly shut the door.

Completely forgetting about the food.

I looked at Toby.

A chill ran down my spine.

***

The talks went nowhere.

I rejected every one of their "proposals."

I told them the gym and cafeteria were perks. I could shut them down anytime.

As for the divided rooms, everyone knew about them before moving in and agreed to them. That wasn't changing.

If they weren't happy, they could give thirty days' notice and move out.

I wouldn't keep a dime.

The next day, a letter-size sheet was taped to my office door.

"FINAL NOTICE."

I had 72 hours to formally respond and start meeting their demands.

Otherwise, they'd take "all necessary legal action."

[Issued by: Kindred Residences Tenants' Rights Committee]

[Committee Chair: Toby McLean]

The whole building changed.

Tenants who used to smile and say hi now looked down and rushed past me.

The Kindred Residences group chat I'd created had turned into their command center.

I stayed in it.

And watched them split up tasks and collect evidence.

[Who's taking pics of the cafeteria kitchen? Get the gross corners that are hard to clean.]

[Check the gym equipment. See if anything's overdue for maintenance.]

[Everyone write a statement saying we had no idea the divided rooms were illegal and Claire misled us.]

[I know someone interning at a local TV station. They're really interested in covering our tenants' rights fight.]

Toby ran the whole thing.

[Remember, we're not here to cause drama. We're here to "assert our rights through lawful means." Collect all the evidence legally. Don't give them anything they can use against us. And record every conversation with Claire.]

Liam was the loudest one in the chat.

[Don't worry, Toby! I already got pics of the crack in my wall! We can say the building's unsafe!]

I knew exactly which crack he meant.

He'd made it himself while hammering into the wall to hang a bookshelf.

He'd even asked me to fix it afterward.

I sat in my office, smoking cigarette after cigarette. The ashtray filled up fast.

Seventy-two hours came and went.

I did nothing.

On the fourth morning, I got served.

Toby and ninety-eight other tenants were suing me.

The defendant?

Me.

Their claims: lease violations and operating businesses without proper licenses.

I stared at the long list of names I knew way too well.

Toby was first.

Mia was last.

The same Mia who'd come looking for beef stew just days ago.