Chapter 2

"Is this Mr. Alexander?"

My heart suddenly lurched.

"Yes, it's me."

"Could you please come over? Your house seems to be leaking and has flooded the downstairs residents."

"We can't reach your tenant and have no way to open the door."

That completely woke me up.

I hastily got dressed and rushed to the rental property.

A crowd had already gathered at the door.

Seeing me, someone angrily approached.

"You're the landlord here, right?"

I nodded.

"What's going on with your place? My ceiling started leaking last night, and this morning when I woke up, there was a layer of water on my floor!"

"We knocked but no one opened! We called out but no one answered!"

I quickly took out my key and opened the door.

As soon as I pushed it open, a foul stench hit me in the face.

I couldn't help but bend over and dry heave several times.

The onlookers outside also covered their noses.

"What's going on here?"

"How did they trash the place this badly?"

The bright floor was covered with garbage mixed with unknown stains, floating on the water's surface. There wasn't even a place to step.

The walls were painted over with black paint, and even the bedroom bed was piled high with takeout boxes.

Grease had soaked through the mattress, giving off a nauseating smell.

I followed the sound to the bathroom and found the sink faucet turned to maximum, water gushing out.

Seeing all this, the downstairs residents' faces darkened.

It was obvious this accident was deliberately caused by someone.

She waved her hand in front of her nose, her brow tightly furrowed.

"Alexander, next time you rent out the house, you need to screen tenants more carefully."

"Your tenant kept making noise late at night. My husband has a bad heart and often couldn't sleep."

"Property management reminded him several times, and we talked to him too. Who knew he not only wouldn't listen but got even worse!"

Several other households chimed in, their faces showing disgust, clearly having suffered greatly.

Someone lowered their voice.

"You should disinfect this house. I've seen that young man bring different people home. Who knows if he has any diseases!"

I nodded, suppressing my anger.

No wonder Terry had moved out without a second word—he'd left me such a huge mess.

The downstairs resident grabbed my arm. "You have to compensate us for our losses!"

I nodded repeatedly in agreement, having already cursed Terry a thousand times in my mind.

After settling the compensation with the downstairs residents and contacting someone to handle the house, I called Chloe.

The phone rang for a long time before going to voicemail.

I called Terry's number, but again, no one answered.

The fire in my heart burned hotter and hotter. I drove straight home.

Standing at the door, I could hear chaotic noise inside, as noisy as if there were a flock of ducks.

I forcefully pulled open the door, and everyone inside instantly looked up at me.

The originally tidy living room looked like a typhoon had hit it, utterly chaotic.

Several burlap sacks were piled on the floor, muddy water seeping out from them, tracked into messy footprints.

Besides Chloe and Terry, there were several people I didn't recognize.

"Who are you?"

An old woman with her hands on her hips demanded, eyebrows raised, face full of aggression, saliva spraying onto my face.

"Is there no law anymore? How dare you barge into someone else's house in broad daylight?"

"Terry, hurry up and throw him out!"

A huge sense of absurdity washed over me.

I ignored Chloe's winking signals and said coldly.

"This is my home. Who are you?"

"If you don't get out now, don't blame me for calling the police."