Freeloading Intern Forgot I Owned the Place
When the new intern, Felix Madden, hears that I'm going back to my hometown for the Thanksgiving weekend and won't be home in my fully paid-off luxury lakeview apartment, he goes out of his way to cozy up to me.
"Come on, Carl. Your place is going to be empty anyway. Why not let my parents stay there for a few days during the holiday? It'll save them the cost of paying for a hotel," Felix says.
Worried that my belongings might be tampered with, I politely turn him down.
His expression darkens slightly, and he mutters under his breath, "Fine. If you won't lend it to me, I'll find my own way."
I don't think much of it at the time.
Then, on the first day of the holiday, the property management company sends me a message. They inform me that a group of strangers has entered my building using my access code and appear to be heading to my unit.
My heart sinks to my stomach.
Something is very wrong. I've only ever shared my access code with my closest family members. There is no way an outsider could know it.
The next thing I see is Felix's social media post. The photo shows him and his entire family relaxing in my apartment.
The caption reads, "Spending Thanksgiving in a luxury lakeview apartment. Life is good. If you work hard enough, you can enjoy this kind of lifestyle too."
Not once does he mention that the apartment belongs to me. Instead, he deliberately makes it look like he owns the property himself.
Quietly, I save every piece of evidence. I save the security camera footage and make screenshots of his social media posts.
I don't throw them out, nor do I expose them—I simply wait.
By the final day of the holiday, they've thoroughly enjoyed themselves and start packing up without a care in the world. As they prepare to leave, they are dumbfounded.