Chapter 1

Caldwell crushed his cigarette butt on my dining table, looking at me with a lecherous grin.

"Juliet, rent's going up 50% starting next month. Unless you don't want it to go up." He leaned close to my ear, his hand landing on my shoulder.

"Come to my place this weekend. We'll have a nice little chat."

I pushed him away and grabbed my phone.

"What did you just say? I didn't catch that. Say it again?"

He sneered and pointed at my nose.

"What are you acting so high and mighty for? I've seen plenty of people like you from poor countries."

"Spend one night with me, and I'll waive a year's rent. That's not a bad deal, is it?"

I held up my phone. "Mr. Caldwell, say that again."

Caldwell slapped my phone out of my hand.

He stepped on my phone. "Record this, bitch."

He grabbed my collar and shoved me against the wall. The back of my head hit the tile, making my ears ring.

"Juliet, let me tell you something. I control the rent in this area.

You're just an immigrant working in America, making pennies a month. Without me looking out for you, you would've been kicked out of the country ages ago."

I stared hard at him.

"Mr. Caldwell, the contract says a one-year lease. It's only been four months. You can't unilaterally raise the rent by 50%. That's illegal."

"Illegal?" Caldwell laughed.

He released me and pulled a stack of cash from his bag, throwing it in my face.

"Here's your deposit. Take it and get lost. If you don't move out by tomorrow, I'll have people help you move."

Bills scattered across the floor. I crouched down and picked them up one by one.

"Fine. I'll move." I folded the money and put it in my pocket.

Caldwell patted my face.

"That's more like it. Don't refuse a toast only to drink a forfeit. If you change your mind, come to my place this weekend. I'll treat you to dinner."

He turned and left. I closed the door and slid down to the floor.

There was a knock on the next door. "Juliet, are you okay?"

It was my roommate, Mary, who worked as a programmer at an internet company.

She saw the red marks on my neck and her eyes went wide.

"That old bastard came again?"

"Yeah."

"Call the police!"

"It won't help. He didn't hit me. There are no cameras, and audio recordings can't directly convict him."

I grabbed her hand.

"Mary, how long have you lived in this complex?"

"Two years."

"Has Caldwell ever harassed you?"

Mary lowered her head and clenched her fists.

"Once. He said he wouldn't raise my rent if I came to his place for dinner on the weekend. I bought pepper spray the next day."

"Anyone else?"

"The nurse on the third floor, Niles. She moved out crying last month. I heard Caldwell knocked on her door in the middle of the night saying he was checking the water meter."

I went back to my room, opened my computer, and created a new WhatsApp group chat.

Group name: Victims of Caldwell Alliance.

I pulled Mary in, then added several other girls who rented from Caldwell.

My phone buzzed. It was Caldwell.

"Juliet, don't take what happened earlier to heart. I was just joking with you. Come over for dinner tomorrow. I'll make you something delicious."

I took a screenshot, then replied: "Okay."

The next evening at seven, I stood outside Caldwell's door.

I took a deep breath and knocked.

Caldwell opened the door wearing a robe, reeking of alcohol.

"Oh, Juliet's here. Come in, come in."

His hand went to my waist, guiding me inside. I didn't dodge.

"Mr. Caldwell, I've thought it over. About the rent, can we talk about it some more?"

"Talk? Of course we can talk."