Chapter 7 - The Eviction Notice
Down on the Carolina coast, the reality of their situation was finally setting in.
Through the live property management dashboard on my laptop, I watched the chaotic scene unfold on the estate's front porch.
Melissa was sitting on the wooden steps, sobbing openly into her hands while Kyle paced back and forth behind her, punching numbers into his phone, likely calling local towing companies or trying to find a bank that would loan money to an unemployed speculative investor with a maxed-out credit history.
My mother had retreated to the shaded side of the porch, looking defeated, her expensive linen pants stained with dirt and sweat from sleeping in a cramped car seat.
Around 9:30 AM, a local police cruiser rolled slowly down the gravel driveway and parked right behind Kyle’s oversized SUV.
Officer Miller—a local town cop who knew the property well—stepped out of his cruiser and adjusted his belt, looking with mild amusement at the disheveled family camped out on the porch of a luxury estate.
Kyle rushed down the steps, waving his arms frantically.
“Officer! Thank God!” Kyle barked, pointing an accusing finger toward the locked front door. “We need you to bust this door open! The property owner locked us out illegally! We have a valid reservation!”
Officer Miller raised an eyebrow, stepping past Kyle to look at the three exhausted, sweaty adults. He pulled a notepad from his pocket. “Is that right? What’s the name on the reservation?”
“Clara Bennett!” Melissa called out tearfully, standing up and brushing dust off her designer top. “She’s our sister! She booked it for our family vacation, and now she’s locked us out out of pure spite!”
Officer Miller flipped open his notebook, tapped a few keys on his radio console, and ran a quick check on the property registry.
A moment later, he looked back up at them with a completely blank expression.
“Ma’am, according to county property records, the deed for this estate is held by Horizon Coastal LLC,” Officer Miller said calmly. “And the primary corporate officer and sole legal owner of Horizon Coastal LLC is... Clara Bennett.”
Kyle’s mouth dropped open. “That’s... that’s impossible! She just works in corporate real estate!”
“She doesn't just work there, sir. She owns the building,” Officer Miller replied, snapping his notebook shut. “Which means she has every legal right to secure her own property however she sees fit. Since you aren't listed as tenants on a formal, executed lease agreement, and no money has been processed through the official property management portal for this week...”
He paused, offering a tight, unsympathetic smile.
“You’re technically trespassing. So I’m going to need you to pack up your vehicle and clear the driveway within the next thirty minutes. Otherwise, I’ll have to write you up.”
The color drained entirely from Melissa’s face. My mother let out a soft, horrified gasp, clutching her cane as if she might faint.
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And Kyle? Kyle simply stood frozen in the middle of the driveway, looking at the luxury beach house that had just transformed from a free paradise into an impenetrable fortress.
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