Abby stared in disbelief. "What on earth is going on?"


    Ste frowned, picked up her phone, and dialed the property management office.


    "My apartment''s been sealed off. Can someone exin why there''s a notice on my door?"


    The property manager replied, "Ms. Cameron, the unit you''re living in is currently involved in a legal dispute regarding ownership. As a precaution, we''ve temporarily sealed the property. Once the matter is resolved, the restriction will be lifted."


    Ste''s tone turned icy. "I am the legal owner of this apartment. The title was transferred to my name years ago—there is no dispute."


    "Um... The previous owner and their family are currently in litigation over the property. Until the case is settled, I''m afraid you''ll have to find alternative amodation, Ms. Cameron."


    Abby was fuming by now. "This is ridiculous! You''re telling us there''s an ownership dispute now, after all these years? Where was all this concern when we bought the ce?"


    Ste had purchased the apartment not long after she returned to Novaris. She''d just wanted a ce to stay whenever she visited, nothing permanent, so she bought a pre-owned unit. The paperwork was clear, the sale had gone smoothly, and the title transfer had beenpleted without issue.


    Five years passed, and now suddenly there was a problem? It was absurd.


    Ste tried calling the former owner, but no one picked up.


    Abby said, “Star, just stay with me tonight, alright? We''ll figure things out tomorrow."


    Ste hesitated, then nodded in agreement.


    No sooner had they settled into a cab than Abby''s phone rang.


    "What? There''s a problem with my ce, too?!"


    She gripped her phone tightly, anger in her voice. "Are you kidding me? My apartment was brand new when I moved in. How could there possibly be an issue?"


    Whatever was being said on the other end, Abby''s expression only got darker.


    When she finally hung up, she turned to Ste with a look of utter defeat. "Ste, I can''t stay at my ce either. They''ve blocked me out."


    Abby''s apartment had been a recent windfall—a sort ofpensation from Haynes after what happened with Rachel. She''d given up her old rental and moved in as soon as possible. Renting in the city had eaten up half her paycheck every month, so having her own ce was a huge relief.


    Now, after barely settling in, she was being forced out again. It felt like a cruel joke.


    Abby''s jaw clenched. "What''s Haynes ying at? Does he regret giving me the apartment? Is he trying to take it back?"


    Ste shook her head. "The deed''s already in your name. It''s not that easy to just take it back. My guess is, he just wants to make sure we have nowhere to stay for a while. It won''tst forever-a few months at most. Abby... I''m sorry. You''re caught up in this because of me."


    Just like Mr. Burton, Abby was now suffering the fallout of Ste''s problems. If Ste weren''t involved, Haynes might have left Abby alone.


    Abby quickly protested, "Come on, don''t apologize. If it weren''t for you, I never would''ve gotten that ce in the first ce."


    There wasn''t much point in arguing further.


    Ste said, "Let''s book a hotel for now."


    Abby looked worried. "You don''t think he''ll find a way to mess with our reservations, do you?"


    Ste thought for a moment. "We''ll have to avoid any hotels owned by The Wilkinson Group or The O''Brien Group, or any of their affiliates. Let''s try one of theirpetitors for tonight, but that''s not a long-term solution. If Haynes puts the word out, nobody''s going to risk crossing him for our sake."


    Abby asked, "So what do we do? If they''re willing to go this far, who knows what else they''ll try..."


    Ste was about to reply when her phone suddenly rang.