Chapter 1
Seventeen of my packages went missing in only one month.
There were lipsticks, face masks, clothes, snacks, and so on. More than two thousand dollars in total.
I checked the security footage, and it showed that it was May Gardner, my neighbor, who took my packages.
When I confronted her, she jabbed a finger at me and snapped, "Got any proof? You're just trying to scam me!"
I showed her the video right away, but she still wouldn't admit it. She insisted it was just someone who looked like her.
Out of options, I changed my delivery address to my office.
From that day on, every single package, big or small, went straight to my office.
Three weeks later, the property manager called me.
*****
Seventeen of my packages went missing in only one month.
There were lipsticks, face masks, clothes, snacks, and so on. More than two thousand dollars in total.
I checked the security footage.
The tiny camera in the hallway was my only hope.
The footage was crystal clear.
It was someone in a floral shirt and loose black pants.
It was May, my neighbor.
She wore that outfit every single day.
On the footage, she crept up to my door, grabbed the package, glanced around, and then acted like nothing happened as she opened her own door and took it inside.
Once. Twice. Seventeen times in total.
The evidence was solid.
Phone in hand, I knocked on May's door.
My husband, Mark Lewis, grabbed my arm. "Claire, just let it go. She's our neighbor.
"She's just an old lady. Don't make a big deal out of it."
I brushed his hand off.
It was not something that I could let slide.
May opened the door, and when she saw me, she put on a fake smile. "Claire, what's up?"
I got right to the point. "May, did you take my packages?"
Her smile froze, and in a split second, it turned into anger.
She jabbed a finger at me and snapped, "Mind your words!
"Got any proof?
"You're just trying to scam me!"
Her voice was so piercing that it echoed down the hallway.
Mark hurried over to try to calm things down. "May, don't be mad. Claire didn't mean to offend you.
"We're just asking, that's all."
I ignored Mark.
With a stone-cold expression, I raised my phone and pressed play.
The footage caught May stealing my latest package, and every detail was undeniable.
May's face changed in an instant, but she kept insisting. "W-Who is that?
"That's just someone who happens to look like me.
"With all this high-tech stuff these days, who knows if it's real? Maybe it's just some AI fake."
I stared at her, and honestly, I almost wanted to laugh at how absurd she was being.
Even Mark couldn't take it anymore. "May, that's clearly you in the footage..."
"Shut up!" May barked at Mark.
Then she turned back to me. "I'm warning you, if you keep slandering me, I'll call the cops. I'll tell them you're harassing an old lady!"
She slammed the door shut, leaving Mark and me standing there in the hallway.
Mark sighed. "See? I told you. You can't reason with someone like her.
"Just consider losing the two thousand dollars a costly lesson."
I didn't say a word and just shot him a cold look.
A costly lesson? Why?
Why was it always me?
Back at home, I sat on the couch, not saying a word.
Mark kept rambling beside me. "It's not worth getting worked up over something like this.
"Let's be more careful from now on.
"Worst case, we'll stop having expensive stuff delivered to our home."
I stared at him. He was always so eager to keep the peace.
Whatever warmth I had left inside me was gone for good.
I'd clawed my way up in this city, all on my own.
I'd worked my ass off for every lipstick and every piece of clothing. None of it just fell into my lap.
And I sure as hell didn't bust my butt just so some thief could treat it as their freebie.
That night, I didn't say anything else. I just opened up all my shopping websites and deleted the address labeled "Home".
Then, I entered my new address, my office.
From that day on, every single package, big or small, went straight to my office.
The next morning, Mark looked a little surprised when he saw me carrying a big box as I walked out the door. "What's that?"
"Makeup remover that arrived yesterday," I said casually. "Had it sent to the office."
Mark's face was a mix of emotions. "Claire, is this really necessary?
"Isn't it exhausting to carry all your stuff home from work every day?
"Besides, it's not good to let your coworkers see you lugging packages all the time."
I stopped changing my shoes and looked at him. "Exhausting? My stuff's safe now, so I'm not stressed.
"Not good? I'm buying things with my own money. Why should anyone care?"
Mark had nothing left to say.
I didn't spare him another glance and walked out the door.
I was a jewelry designer.
My office was in a creative hub with great security. The reception took care of all my deliveries.
On the first day, I picked up four packages.
The next day, I got six.
I re-bought almost everything I'd lost before.
The girl at the front desk joked, "Claire, are you moving your home to the office?"
I smiled. "I have no choice. There's a thief at home."
My coworkers were all super helpful. When I had a ton of packages, they'd help me carry them down to the parking garage.
Sure, it was a bit of a hassle, but for the first time ever, I felt genuinely secure.
Every single thing I paid for arrived in my hands without a hitch.
It felt really good.