Chapter 3 - The Eviction of the Parasites
The grand mansion,
which Daniel and Evelyn paraded as their ancestral estate,
was unusually quiet that afternoon.
Daniel had rushed home in a panic,
his tie loosened,
sweat dripping down his forehead,
trying to figure out how to save his collapsing business.
Evelyn was pacing in the living room,
screaming into her phone at customer service representatives who refused to unlock her credit cards.
"This is an outrage!"
Evelyn shrieked,
throwing her phone onto the velvet sofa,
"Daniel,
do something,
my friends are having a gala tonight and I cannot even buy a new dress!"
Daniel rubbed his temples,
a massive headache pulsing behind his eyes.
"Mother,
shut up for one second,
we have bigger problems,
Obsidian Holdings is pulling our funding,
we are completely broke!"
Before Evelyn could process the horrifying news,
a loud,
authoritative pounding echoed through the grand foyer.
It wasn't a polite knock,
it was the heavy,
relentless pounding of someone who owned the place.
Daniel marched to the door,
yanking it open,
ready to scream at whoever dared to disturb his miserable day.
Standing on the porch were six large,
imposing men in dark suits,
accompanied by a sharply dressed woman holding a leather briefcase.
"Can I help you?"
Daniel snapped,
trying to maintain his crumbling authority.
The woman stepped forward,
adjusting her glasses.
"Mr. Daniel Sterling?"
she asked,
her tone strictly professional.
"Yes,
who the hell are you?"
"I am Ms. Vance,
senior property manager for Obsidian Holdings,
and these gentlemen are private security."
She unlatched her briefcase,
pulling out a thick stack of legal documents stamped with red seals.
"I am here to serve you with an immediate eviction notice,
effective today,
at this very hour."
Daniel laughed,
a desperate,
manic sound.
"Eviction?
You must be joking,
I own this house,
my name is on the mailbox!"
Ms. Vance did not smile.
She calmly flipped to the second page of the document,
pointing a manicured finger at the signature line.
"Your name is on the mailbox,
Mr. Sterling,
but your name is not on the deed,
this property is legally owned by Obsidian Real Estate Trust,
and you have been living here rent-free under a discretionary lease."
Evelyn pushed her way to the door,
her face twisted in fury.
"This is our home!
My son is a successful businessman,
you can't just throw us out into the street!"
"The discretionary lease has been officially terminated by the CEO of Obsidian Holdings,"
Ms. Vance continued,
ignoring Evelyn completely.
"You have exactly one hour to pack your personal belongings,
anything purchased with company funds,
including the furniture,
the artwork,
and the vehicles in the garage,
will remain on the premises."
Daniel grabbed the paperwork from her hands,
his eyes scanning the legal jargon frantically,
searching for a loophole,
searching for a mistake.
His eyes landed on the final page,
where the official signature of the CEO was stamped in bold,
black ink.
He stared at it,
his breath catching in his throat,
his eyes widening in absolute,
unadulterated horror.
There,
clearly printed beneath the elegant,
flowing signature,
was my name.
His wife.
The woman he had called a useless,
penniless beggar.
"No,"
Daniel whispered,
his hands shaking violently,
the paper fluttering in the cold wind.
"No,
this is a mistake,
this is a forged document,
she doesn't have a dime!"
"It is entirely authentic,"
Ms. Vance replied coldly,
signaling the security team to step into the foyer.
"Your hour starts now,
May you like
Mr. Sterling,
I suggest you start packing."
