The silence in my car was pure hell.

I drove straight to my real estate attorney, Harold. He was a friend of Thomas.

I showed him the photos of the listing agreement.

Harold looked up the deed on his computer. He confirmed that the deed was 100% in my name and that David had a standard tenancy agreement.

He told me they couldn’t sell the house, that the listing agreement was completely invalid, and that attempting to close on it would be fraud.

I felt a cold resolve settle in my chest.

“Thank you, Harold,” I said.

I went home.

While I was in my garden, a white truck pulled up. Two men from Apex Painting got out. They said they were there to measure my master bedroom and the stairs. They claimed Vanessa Miller had authorized it, told them I was expecting them, and said to bill the work to my address.

My jaw locked. I told them there had been a mistake and asked them to leave.

I called David and Vanessa. I told them to come over for dinner on Sunday.

They arrived looking pleased. Vanessa was carrying her designer bag and smiling. She sat at the kitchen table and asked if I had chosen a contractor for the painting yet, saying they needed to get the gates ordered.

I was sitting at the table.

The wooden step stool was sitting in the middle of the table.

Next to it was the copy of their listing agreement, Vanessa’s handwritten note, and a certified letter.

I told them I had made a decision about the safety upgrades and that I wasn’t doing them. I said my house was fine, but that safety was indeed important.

“If a house built in 1998 is too toxic for my grandchildren, then the house you are currently living in must be a death trap,” I said.

Vanessa’s smile froze. She stared at me, asking what I meant.

I told her the Elm Street house was built in 1974 with old wiring and original plumbing, making it a severe hazard that I couldn’t allow my grandchildren to live in.

Vanessa stammered that it was different, but I told her it wasn’t.

“This is a 30-day notice to terminate your tenancy,” I said, pushing the paper across the table. “Since that house is unsafe, and since I own it 100%, I am selling it. I will use the money to fund my retirement.”