It was raining again, a grim reminder of the night of the storm. Inside Maya’s small apartment, Julian was attempting to fix the radiator, which was clanking ominously.
“It just needs a shim,” Julian muttered, wedging a folded piece of cardboard under the leg. “See? Good as new.”
Maya smiled from the sofa, where she was reviewing medical journals. “You’re getting handy, Julian. Next week, plumbing.”
A heavy knock at the door interrupted them.
Julian opened it to find the landlord, Mr. Henderson, looking pale and sweating. He held a notice in shaking hands.
“I’m sorry, Dr. Sterling,” Henderson stammered. “I… I have no choice. The building was sold this morning. The new ownership group wants immediate vacancy for structural renovations. Effective tonight.”
“Tonight?” Julian grabbed the paper. “That’s illegal. You have to give thirty days.”
“They found a loophole in the clause,” Henderson whispered, glancing down the hallway as if afraid of being watched. “They offered to buy me out at triple the value, or sue me for code violations I didn’t know I had. I can’t fight them.”
Julian looked at the bottom of the notice. The new ownership group was *Silver Spire Holdings*–a subsidiary of Sterling Global.
He closed the door and leaned his forehead against the wood. “It’s my father,” he whispered, the shame burning his throat. “He bought the building just to kick us out.”
Maya stood up, dropping her journals. “Where are we going to go, Julian? Rents in the city are insane, and with your accounts frozen…”
“I don’t know,” Julian admitted, sliding down to sit on the floor, the weight of his “Rags to Riches” descent crushing him. “I don’t know.”