Chapter 5
"She's trying to kill us! Security, make her open the door!" Jade shouted.
Vincent chimed in, playing the part of the poor old man being bullied by his unfilial daughter-in-law.
I heard the security captain calling for backup on his radio, clearly at his wits' end with these two elderly making a scene.
The security guard knocked on the door.
"Ms. Solberg, are you home? This is building security. Would you mind opening the door so we can discuss the situation?" he called out.
I didn't open the door.
I walked over to the door and spoke through it.
"Security guard, it's really not convenient for me right now," I said.
"The two people outside are really worked up and acting aggressive. If I open the door, I don't feel safe," I said.
"They're not the owners here. Their names aren't on the deed. I don't know them at all. They barged into my home and now they're threatening me."
I made sure my words were clear.
The security guard was obviously in a tough spot.
"So... what do you think we should do? They're causing a commotion out here and disturbing the other residents," he said.
"Call the police," I said firmly.
I spoke those three words without hesitation.
"Since they can't even explain who they are or prove any connection to me, let's just let the police handle it," I added.
"I'm sure the police will do what's right," I said.
Outside, Jade's wailing came to an abrupt halt.
She clearly never imagined I'd be so ruthless, actually calling the cops on them.
To them, this was just "family drama," something that should be kept behind closed doors, never exposed to outsiders.
But I was ready to tear off the mask called "family" and let every festering wound and dirty secret see the light of day.
The security guard hesitated for a moment, but in the end, he did as I asked.
"Alright, Ms. Solberg, we'll call the police right away," he said.
I heard his voice crackle over the radio.
"Dispatch, dispatch, there's a dispute at Unit 1402, Building 13. The resident is requesting police assistance. Please contact the local station," he said.
Outside, Vincent and Jade were thrown into panic.
They stopped shouting and started whispering, plotting their next move.
They were probably wondering if their "unfilial daughter-in-law" story would still hold up when the police arrived.
I leaned against the door, a cold smirk tugging at my lips.
Time to let the real pros witness this circus up close.
The sound of the police car grew louder, finally coming to a stop downstairs.
Not long after, the officers' steady, purposeful footsteps reached my front door.
"Police! Open up!" the officer called out.
His voice carried an unmistakable authority.
I took a deep breath, straightened my clothes, and slowly opened the bedroom door.
The living room was a total mess.
Cigarette butts, sunflower seed shells, and the chaos Jade had left behind after tearing through drawers and cabinets littered the place.
Vincent and Jade stood off to the side, looking like a couple of kids caught red-handed, awkward and out of place.
At the door stood two uniformed police officers and two security guards.
The officers' sharp eyes swept over the room, finally locking onto me.
"Did you call the police?" the lead officer asked.
He was a bit older, with the look of someone who'd seen it all.
I nodded, my expression calm, with just the right hint of exhaustion and hurt.
"Yes, sir, I called the police," I replied.
As soon as Jade saw me, she made a move to rush at me, hurling nasty insults.
"You bitch, " Jade spat.
The younger officer quickly stepped in, getting between us.
"Hey! What do you think you're doing? Behave yourself!" he barked.
Jade backed off, cowed by the officer's presence, but kept grumbling under her breath.
"Officer, don't listen to her! She's our daughter-in-law, and she doesn't respect us at all, she treats us horribly!" Jade shouted.
The older officer frowned and turned to me.
"Tell us what happened," he said.
I didn't rush to report their abusive behavior.
Instead, I took out my phone and played the recording from earlier.
The loud banging on the door and their vicious curses echoed through the quiet living room.
Vincent and Jade's faces went ghostly pale.
Then I pulled out my ID and a copy of the deed.
"Officer, this is my ID, and this is the deed to the apartment," I said.
"I'm one of the legal owners of this place. The other owner is my mother."
"These two are my in-laws. This morning, while I was out, they forced their way into my home without my permission.
"Just now, because of some family drama, they started hurling insults at me and even tried to break down my door. They seriously threatened my safety."
I kept my tone calm, objective, and straightforward.
I didn't embellish or distort anything, just stated the facts.