Claudia was the pampered princess of the family, and she made sure everyone knew it. Her uncle had taken Heaton in after her father's passing, but living with them felt like a never-ending nightmare. Heaton had become the family's unofficial maid and punching bag, enduring physical and emotional abuse from Claudia and her aunt.
Heaton had no intention of getting involved in another one of Claudia's outbursts. She knew that when Claudia lost her temper, things tended to fly through the air. Instead, Heaton buried her head back into her pillow, hoping for a few more minutes of sleep. However, a loud, urgent knock on her door shattered that hope.
Panicked and unusual for their housekeeper, Susan's tone told Heaton that something was seriously wrong. "Susan!" Heaton exclaimed, opening her door. "What's happening? I hear a lot of noise."
"I'm sorry, miss, but you need to come downstairs and see for yourself," Susan replied, already ushering her down the stairs.
They hurried down to the source of the commotion. The noise grew louder with each step, and Heaton 's heart raced. When she reached the bottom of the staircase, she was met with a terrifying sight-strangers, seemingly gangsters, were wrecking their living room. Her heart sank. How had they managed to breach the security?
A quick glance to the corner revealed her aunt and cousin huddled together in fear, their screams echoing each time something shattered. It was clear that the intruders enjoyed terrorizing them.
Although terrified, Heaton couldn't simply stand by. This was her home too, and she'd bear the brunt of her aunt's wrath if she did nothing. She gathered her courage and approached the chaos. "What's going on here?" she demanded.
However, her question only seemed to incite the intruders further. They continued their destruction, ignoring her. Frustration and anger coursed through Heaton 's veins, and she raised her voice, quoting a legal statute she'd memorized.
"Sec. 19-77. - Entering property of another for the purpose of damaging it: It shall be unlawful for any person to enter the land, dwelling, outhouse, or any other building of another for the purpose of damaging such property or any of the contents thereof or in any manner to interfere with the rights of the owner, user or the occupant thereof to use such property free from interference. Any person violating this section shall be guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor!"
This time, her words did get their attention. The intruders turned to her, and the room fell silent. She felt their piercing gazes on her, and for a moment, she regretted her outburst.
Then, one of the men stepped forward, clapping slowly and we Heaton ng a mocking smile. "Finally, a lawyer in her midst," he said, his tone dripping with sarcasm.
Heaton lifted her chin. "I'm not a lawyer, but every citizen should know their rights. Now, what's the meaning of this madness? You can't just come into someone's home and act like you own the place."
The man's arrogance persisted. "You're right, I can't just come in. But the law should have taught your family not to take a loan without paying it back."
Heaton 's face paled as the horrifying truth dawned on her. These were not mere gangsters; they were ruthless loan sharks. She couldn't believe it.