Late one night, I received an unexpected call from my daughter, Lily, crying.
“Dad,” she sobbed.
“What’s wrong?” I asked, sitting up.
“My landlord found out I got a raise and now he’s talking about renovations and higher rent,” she explained. “He even threw old chemical containers into my backyard and accused me of storing hazardous materials.”
“What?” I exploded. “That’s illegal!”
“He gave me two days to move out,” she continued.
I was furious. Lily had turned that backyard into a blooming oasis, pouring her heart into every plant. I wanted to save her hard work.
“Don’t worry, honey,” I said, a plan forming. “We’ll sort this out together.”
The next evening, I showed up at her place with friends, armed with flashlights and righteous anger.
“We’re teaching Jack a lesson,” I said. “He can’t take advantage of young women.”
We carefully dismantled Lily’s garden, removing every plant she had lovingly tended. By the time we finished, her flourishing space was just a patch of dirt.
Inside, we rearranged the furniture to highlight the faults in the apartment. Cracks in the walls and mold in the bathroom were now fully visible.
As we worked, Lily reminisced about her time there, feeling a mix of nostalgia and unfairness.
“We won’t let him win,” I assured her. “You’ve got a new adventure ahead with Nolan.”
The next morning, as Lily prepared to hand over the keys to Jack, I received a call.
“Dad, can you come over? He’s here.”
I arrived just in time for Jack’s furious entrance.
“What the hell, Lily? Where are the plants?” he yelled, seeing the barren yard.
“What plants, Jack?” she replied innocently. “The backyard has always looked like this.”
I stepped in. “Let’s discuss the cracks in the walls and the mold in the bathroom.”
“This is clearly sabotage!” Jack shouted.
“No,” I said, showing him photos from when Lily moved in. “This is how it was.”
Jack’s threats fell flat as prospective tenants walked away, horrified by the apartment’s state.
Months later, Lily found a new place with a landlord who appreciated her green thumb. As we sat on her new porch, I felt proud.
“Dad, thank you for everything,” she said, relief and excitement shining in her eyes.
“You did the hard part,” I replied, squeezing her hand. “You stood up to him. Now, you’ve got a fresh start.”
