The Uninvited Houseguest

Madison blinked, completely lost.

"What?"

"Just checking—are we living in the same reality? Because in mine, what you're asking for is pure fantasy."

Madison's face twisted. She leaned in close, her voice dropping to a whisper only the two of us could hear.

"I'd suggest you play nice if you want to keep your job. You don't know my connection to Mr. Gabelman, do you? He's my brother-in-law. So tell me—who do you think gets hurt if you cross me?"

So that was it. She was Mr. Gabelman's sister-in-law. No wonder she could openly take credit for other people's work and mooch off someone's place. Mr. Gabelman probably kept quiet to avoid any fallout. Didn't expect her to spill it herself so fast.

By the afternoon, Madison was back at my desk. She slapped a menu in front of me.

"Make a full dinner tonight. I want steak—and make sure you trim the fat off."

I picked up the menu and glanced at it. Aside from a couple of salads, everything else was meat-heavy.

I tossed the menu on the floor without a second thought.

"You're heartbroken, not recovering from childbirth."

She stared at me, her face crumpled, and stormed off. Before long, her sobbing echoed from the break room.

"I'm just so devastated. I just got dumped, and Isla is being so cruel to me. I feel like I want to die."

Hannah shot me a venomous glare as she came out of the break room.

"Picking on a newbie—real classy. What goes around comes around."

…

I purposely worked late until eight. When I packed up to leave, I realized my house keys were missing. I searched every drawer and my bag—nothing. I figured I'd call the property manager and a locksmith once I got home.

When I reached my door, I noticed it was cracked open—unlocked. My heart sank. A bad feeling washed over me.

I threw the door open, and my eyes went wide.

My once-pristine leather sofa was buried under piles of clothes. Some had even fallen onto the rug, stomped over with muddy footprints. Toiletries from the bathroom were strewn across the floor, leaking everywhere. The refrigerator door hung wide open, and I spotted chips and snacks scattered all around.

If it weren't for the familiar curtains, I'd have thought I walked into the wrong apartment.

What pushed me over the edge—my Lego sets that I'd displayed on either side of the TV had been knocked to the floor and smashed to pieces.

I took a deep breath and pulled out my phone to call the police.

Madison shuffled out of the master bedroom in my pajamas, looking completely at ease.

"You're back so late? I haven't even had dinner. My stomach's delicate—if I get sick from this, it's on you."

As if she hadn't noticed my expression, Madison grabbed my arm and dragged me to the balcony. In that cramped space sat a cheap, 1.5-meter cot—God knows where she dug up that old thing. The blanket on it was stained with some mysterious liquid.

"One of my friends is coming to see me tomorrow, and I'm letting him stay over. He's a guest, so he needs the guest room. You can just crash out here for the night."

She pointed out the window.

"You're always going on about flowers and the moon, right? The view's great from here—you can enjoy the night scenery."

I stared at her, watching this woman act like she owned the place. I was so floored I didn't even know what to say. Since when did I not even get to sleep in my own bed?

I yanked my arm away.

"If you like it so much, you stay here."

As I turned to leave, she blurted out frantically, "No way—I can't live in a dump like this!"

That was it. I'd had enough.

I slapped her across the face.

"Even you know it's a dump? Get the hell out of my house!"