Linda left tearful voicemails apologizing for the “misunderstanding” and asking if I could just switch the power back on until they figured out a plan. His sister texted me furious paragraphs about how I had ruined her life and left her and her kids practically homeless.

I blocked every single one of them. I heard through mutual friends that Mark and Linda spent two days shivering in an empty, freezing house before the landlord officially served them with a notice to vacate. They ended up having to move into Linda’s cramped one-bedroom retirement apartment—Mark, his mother, his sister, and two toddlers, all crammed together.

As for me? I’m enjoying my coffee in peace these days. The morning light feels warm, the air smells fresh, and best of all, I don’t have to share my space with ungrateful guests.