Chapter 3 - The Real Estate Reality Check
An hour after hanging up on my mother, Daniel Cho walked into my hospital room carrying a thick leather portfolio. He looked sharp in a charcoal tailored suit, his expression a mix of professional gravity and quiet satisfaction.
"Good morning, Mara," Daniel said, pulling up a chair beside my bed. "I see you survived the morning barrage."
"Barely, but yes," I murmured, shifting gingerly against the pillows. "Did the property notifications go through?"
"They did," Daniel smiled faintly, opening the portfolio to reveal a certified land registry document. "Your parents received the formal thirty-day notice of occupancy termination at sunrise this morning. Because the estate is entirely owned by your holding company, Sterling Assets LLC, and they hold no leasehold equity, they are legally classified as tenants at sufferance. If they don't vacate voluntarily within thirty days, eviction proceedings will commence immediately."
A cold thrill of vindication ran through my spine. For years, my parents had lorded that house over their friends, claiming they owned the sprawling suburban estate outright. They had even told people I was just a "tenant who managed the paperwork." The reality was that every brick, every shingle, and every blade of grass was mine, purchased with the insurance payout from my late husband’s engineering firm and my own sweat equity.
"How are they reacting to the house news?" I asked.
"Total disbelief," Daniel replied, adjusting his glasses. "Your father actually went down to the local county recorder's office this morning to try and claim squatter's rights or familial ownership. The clerk laughed him out of the building. Furthermore, I’ve frozen Claire’s consulting LLC accounts. Her boutique has zero cash reserves; without your monthly 'infusions,' she'll have to file for Chapter 7 bankruptcy by Friday."
"Good," I said without an ounce of remorse. "Let them feel what it's like to rely on their own merits for once in their lives."
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Just then, nurse Elena walked in with a tray of medication and a warm smile. She paused when she saw Daniel, giving us a respectful nod. "How are the little ones doing, Mr. Cho?"
"They're sleeping like angels, Elena," I answered, looking through the glass at Noah and Lily, who were resting comfortably. "And thanks to Daniel, their mother is finally taking back her life."
