Chapter 9 Rhonda's Apartment Rented To A Family

"Santino!" Rhonda assumed the man was Santino. Otherwise, he wouldn't have fled at the sight of her. Seeing the elevator finally stop on the first floor, she rushed downstairs.

However, by the time she came to the first floor, the man had already left.

Just then, she received a call from the hospital, informing her that Nora's operation was postponed because she hadn't paid the full operation fee.

Rhonda had to put the issue of her apartment aside and hurry up to the hospital.

As soon as she left the company, Eliam took out his phone and called the receptionist on the first floor. He breathed a sigh of relief when he found out that Rhonda was looking for Santino. Then, he informed the receptionist that she was fired.

Later, he called the HR department and asked them to inform Santino that his salary had been reduced to five thousand per month and he had been transferred to the monitoring room as a network administrator.

Santino was already depressed because his salary had been reduced to ten thousand dollars. When he heard that he was transferred to the monitoring room as a network administrator and his salary was reduced to five thousand dollars, he couldn't take it anymore. Anger surged within him.

He wanted to smash the keyboard and quit the job right away. However, he and Cristina had bragged about his new job to many people. He wouldn't be able to face them if he left the job.

After mulling it over for a long time, Santino reluctantly went to the monitoring room.

Rhonda rushed to the hospital and called Robert, but he didn't answer the phone. So she went straight to his office.

However, as Rhonda stopped by the door, she heard a violent quarrel inside.

"The patient has paid the deposit. Why can't you arrange an operating room for her?" Robert demanded angrily.

"She hasn't made the full payment. I have the right to postpone her operation," Amanda said mercilessly.

"Dr. Kerr, I didn't expect you to be such a heartless person."

"I'm a doctor, not a philanthropist. I'm adhering to the rules of the hospital. Is that wrong? Or do you have a crush on that patient's family member? Is that why you're trying to use your power and position to win her over?"

"Amanda, what nonsense are you saying? Gosh, you've disappointed me."

Robert didn't want to argue with her anymore, so he turned to leave.

Amanda stood by the door, took a deep breath, and asked, "Robert, let's make everything clear today. Do you like me or not? If you like me, don't torture me this way. If you don't like me..."

"Amanda, please don't bring your personal feelings into work. Besides, I'm already in love with someone else. I don't like you. There's no possibility of us being together," Robert said, stressing every word.

"That's impossible. Who is that woman?" Amanda stopped Robert and refused to let him go.

"Get out of my way!" Robert's face turned red with rage.

"No! How can you not like me? Were you pretending to be nice to me before?" Amanda shouted hysterically, "Is it because of that patient's granddaughter? You just met her once. But we have been classmates abroad for three years. We have gotten along well and known each other for three whole years!"

"Enough, Amanda! Stop it! I won't like you even if we know each other for the rest of our lives."

Just then, the door flew open, and Robert bumped into Rhonda.

Robert was taken aback. When he was about to say something, Amanda caught up with him.

Her anger flared up when she saw Rhonda.

"It's you again! Why are you bothering Dr. Coyle all day long? Better hurry up and arrange the money for your grandmother's surgery instead of trying to seduce him."

"Amanda, if you don't stop this nonsense, I will complain to the director!" With that, Robert angrily stormed out of the office.

Hearing that, Amanda became furious. She ignored the people staring at her and shouted at Rhonda, "Let me make it clear to you. We won't start your grandmother's surgery unless you make the full payment!"

"Dr. Kerr, please listen to me. I will go and arrange for the money right away. Please don't cancel my grandmother's operation. Please."

Amanda didn't listen to Rhonda. She wanted Robert to understand that he wouldn't even be able to perform surgery without her support.

Rhonda begged and pleaded, but Amanda refused to change her mind. Therefore, having no choice, Rhonda went to arrange the money.

She returned to her apartment again. Since she couldn't find Santino, she squatted at the door and waited.

Soon, it became dark, and Rhonda finally saw someone.

However, it was neither Santino nor Cristina but a strange family of three.

Seeing the woman open the door with the key, Rhonda ran to her. "Hello, I'm the owner of this apartment. May I know why you have the key?"

"Are you the owner?" The woman looked at her in surprise. "No. That can't be true. Mr. Byrne said he owned this apartment and showed us the grant deed as well."

"What? He showed you the grant deed?" Rhonda couldn't believe it. "How is that possible?"

"Yes. If you don't believe me, ask my husband. We both saw it." The woman sounded certain.

"Have you rented this apartment?"

"Yes. Mr. Byrne said he was in urgent need of money and would give us a discount if we paid a year's rent. So we paid him a total of sixty thousand dollars. He signed the contract right away and gave us the key to the apartment."

Rhonda's blood ran cold; her head began to spin. Santino had created a fake grant deed and rented the apartment to someone else. It was atrocious.

"Sorry, you can't enter this apartment today." Rhonda blocked the door and took out her phone to call the police.

The woman's husband became angry and knocked off Rhonda's phone. "Who the hell are you? Why aren't you letting us in?"

"Because I am the owner of this apartment!"

"I don't care who owns this apartment. Mr. Byrne has rented it to us. If you have a problem, go to him. Stop bugging us!"

The woman's husband rudely grabbed Rhonda by the collar and pushed her aside.

Then, the family entered the apartment and quickly closed the door.

Rhonda grew anxious. She banged the door frantically.

"Listen, the grant deed that man showed you isn't real. I'm the real owner of this apartment. If you don't believe me, go to the authorities and check it for yourself. Look, my grandmother is in the hospital, waiting for surgery. I must sell this apartment to pay the operation fee and save her. The doctor said she wouldn't survive without the operation. Please. I know you were deceived and that you, too, are the victim. I understand that. You can report the case to the police and ask them to deal with it. If you occupy my apartment like this, how will I pay for my grandma's operation?"

Rhonda grew anxious and began screaming desperately, hoping her words would convince them. But the noise seemed to garner the neighbors' attention.

Finally, someone called the police and complained that a madwoman was disturbing the people in their neighborhood.

Soon, the police arrived and took Rhonda to the police station. She seemed to calm down a bit.

The police took a statement from her and asked her to call a family member to pick her up because she seemed emotionally unstable.

Rhonda had no choice but to call Eliam.

Fortunately, he answered the phone right away.

About ten minutes later, Eliam arrived at the police station.

Rhonda didn't expect him to come too soon.

"Are you hurt? Is everything all right?" Eliam worriedly examined her.

Tears welled up in Rhonda's eyes when she saw the nervousness on his face.

"My ex-boyfriend has rented my apartment to a family."

"It's okay. Wait for me in the car." Eliam gave the car key to Rhonda.

He didn't tell her what he was going to do, so she patiently waited in the car.

About half an hour later, Eliam walked out of the police station. A burly man followed him, nodding politely as if taking Eliam's orders.

Eliam looked stern the entire time. His face finally softened after he heard something.

Meanwhile, Rhonda saw the family of three stepping out of the police van.

She was confused.

She couldn't fathom what they were doing here.