The Neighbors Accused Me of Child Abuse, But I Live Alone Chapter 2

“Honey, it was wrong of me to call you out in the group yesterday instead of messaging you privately. It’s all my fault, and I apologize.”

Her words were slurred, and she sounded like she was crying.

“I’m an old woman. If I drop dead, I deserve it. But my little grandson is only five years old! When he can’t sleep, my life is a living hell!”

“Please, I’m begging you, have a heart! Stop beating your child and smashing things every night!”

Then, Brenda’s son, Rick, started spewing filth in the chat.

“1207, you bitch! You dare hit my mother?”

He posted a photo of Brenda. There was a clear handprint on her face, swollen to half an inch high.

“Everyone look at this! The psycho in 1207 doesn’t just abuse her own kid, she hit my mom too!”

“My mom was just walking my son downstairs, and this woman came out of nowhere and slapped her!”

“She even threatened my son! Said if he ever dared to squeak in the group chat again, she’d make sure our family never gets another full night’s sleep!”

The group chat erupted in righteous fury.

“Is this woman even human? She disturbs her neighbors, and instead of apologizing, she slaps them?”

“Who does she think she is, acting so high and mighty?”

“Threatening a child is unforgivable! Get out here and apologize! @12-7 Ms. Grace.”

BANG, BANG, BANG.

Someone was pounding on my door with incredible force.

It was Rick, Brenda’s son. His face was a mask of rage, and he was holding a meat cleaver.

“Get out here and apologize, you bitch!”

The cleaver struck my door, making a sharp metallic clang.

My heart hammered against my ribs. I scrambled to call property management and the police. I dragged the door jammer into place before I dared to speak.

“Please, calm down and listen to me. I didn’t hit your mother. I don’t even know what she looks like. There must be a misunderstanding.”

Silence for two seconds, then the pounding started again, even more violent than before.

“You fucking bitch, you hit my mom and you won’t even admit it! Get the hell out here!”

Seeing that Rick was beyond reason, I had no choice but to find my lease agreement and post a picture of it in the chat, showing I was the sole occupant.

“I am single, I have no children, and I have never laid a hand on any neighbor. This is all a huge misunderstanding!”

“If I really had a child, wouldn’t one of you in this building have seen them? Has anyone, any single one of you, ever seen me with a child?”

The residents, who had been waiting for me to respond, flooded the chat with dozens of messages.

“Who knows if that document is real or photoshopped.”

“Besides, there are plenty of young women these days who mess around and have a baby they keep secret. If they have it at home and don’t register it, who’s to know?”

“I’ve never seen her with a kid, that’s true. But I know one thing: criminals always hide their crimes. You probably just make sure to sneak the kid in and out when none of us are around.”

Then, Doris from upstairs posted a video.

“Have a look, everyone. I recorded this at 1207’s door. This old lady doesn’t lie!”

The video was shaky and a little blurry, as if filmed on a handheld phone.

The camera started at the elevator and moved down the hall to a door. As it got closer, a faint crying sound became clearer. When the phone was pressed against the door, the sound exploded, filling the speakers with the piercing screams of a small child.

The world spun around me. How was that possible?

It was undeniably my apartment. The number was clear, as was the fingerprint lock and the anime character sticker I’d put on it myself.

The group chat went into a frenzy.

“Haha, you asked for proof, you got proof.”

“OMG OMG OMG the drama!”

“Everyone be quiet, I want to hear 1207’s excuse for this one.”

“@12-7 Ms. Grace, is that your apartment?”

I braced myself and typed.

“Yes, that’s my apartment.”

Just as I was about to explain further, a telemarketer called. I rejected the call, only to see that my unfinished message had sent. I quickly deleted it, but the vultures watching the chat had already seen it.

Rick clearly saw it too. He became even more agitated.

“What do you have to say for yourself now?”

“I might not have much, Rick, but I’ve got brute strength! I swear I’m going to drag you out of there and beat you to death today!”

He started ramming his shoulder into the door. The small chandelier above me swayed with the vibrations.

“Get out here, you bitch!”

Forgetting about the group chat, I checked the door jammer with trembling hands, terrified he would actually break the door down. Just as I was about to call property management again, I heard voices outside.

“Sir, please calm down! Don’t do something you’ll regret.”

“Give me the cleaver first. We promise we will handle this properly!”

Property management was here!

I let out a breath I didn’t realize I’d been holding. My back was soaked in cold sweat.

Once I was sure they had the cleaver from Rick, I opened the door.

Three property managers were holding Rick back, though he was still cursing at me. I was about to explain when two police officers stepped out of the elevator, their sharp eyes fixed on me.

“Are you Ms. Grace, the resident of 1207?”

“We received a report that you are a suspect in a child trafficking and abuse case. Please come with us to cooperate with the investigation.”