In the building’s WhatsApp group, Marcus Stone, the property manager, suddenly posted several messages: 【”Beauty Chic Rent-Free Offer”】 【All single female residents in this building are eligible for full rent waiver with this voucher.】 【Terms: Must perform all household duties for male residents, including but not limited to hand-washing undergarments.】 【Must keep bedroom doors unlocked overnight to facilitate “emotional connections” with male residents.】 【In the event of unintended pregnancy, all male residents will crowdfund baby formula and assist with childcare.】 The messages were followed by repulsive comments from male tenants: 【Marcus is such a legend—this’ll help the ladies save up for those designer purses.】 【Girls these days are too lazy to do chores anyway—this’ll be good exercise for ’em.】 An agreement treating women like communal property and posted openly in the group chat? I screenshotted everything and immediately called 91 I never expected that right after the police left, Marcus’s goons would kick in my door. “Think you’re better than everyone else? Ruining the building’s vibe, huh?” My belongings were scattered everywhere. My undergarments were kicked all the way down the hallway. “Since you refuse to cooperate, you’re the new janitor! Get your ass to the storage closet. Every toilet in this building is your responsibility to scrub!” After I’d dutifully cleaned the toilets for weeks, the property manager came crawling back, begging me to move back into a proper unit. 1. “Claire Bennett, I’m offering you a second chance.” He blew smoke rings in my face. “The storage closet doesn’t have windows, but at least it’s private. I’ll waive your rent if you keep the bathrooms spotless daily.” The male tenants nearby snickered and catcalled. “Marcus is such a stand-up guy, still letting her crash here.” “Women like her who don’t know when to keep their mouths shut deserve to be homeless.” The speaker was Derek Walsh from apartment 302. His leering gaze always made my skin crawl. I crouched down and picked up my belongings one by one. My hand brushed against the shattered perfume bottle. Blood started oozing from the cut. I didn’t make a sound. I didn’t shed a tear. Showing vulnerability now would only egg them on more. “What’s the matter? Got something to say?” Seeing me stay silent, Marcus kicked over my storage bin. My underwear spilled across the floor. Derek picked up a lace bra, held it to his nose, and inhaled deeply. “Fancy brand too. Smells just like a little slut.” “Give that back to me!” I lunged forward to grab it back. Derek tossed the bra to the guy behind him. They tossed my intimate clothes around like a game, cracking crude jokes the whole time. “Want it back? Beg for it.” Marcus blocked my way. “Marcus, this is an illegal eviction.” I locked eyes with him. “I have a signed lease agreement. It’s legally binding. I still have six months left on it.” “Agreement?” Marcus pulled my lease out of his pocket and ripped it to pieces. “In this building, I make the rules.” “Either you move into that storage closet, or get the hell out with your garbage right now.” “But let me warn you—no security deposit refund. And I’ll make sure every landlord in this neighborhood knows you’re a destructive tenant who trashed the unit.” I work as an auditor. This is crunch time for my current project. I can’t afford to hunt for a new place right now—it would derail my work completely. If I leave now, both my professional reputation and career could be ruined. “Fine. I’ll take the storage closet.” Marcus looked surprised that I caved so easily. “Should’ve just cooperated from the start.” “Everyone clear out. Let our new cleaning lady tidy this mess properly.” They left snickering, leaving total chaos in their wake. I gathered my trampled clothes and walked toward the storage closet at the end of the hallway. The door had no lock—just a rusted latch. Inside were stacks of discarded cardboard boxes. The air smelled like mildew and rot. This was going to be my “home.” I pulled out my phone and stared at a familiar profile picture. Ryan Cooper. We went to college together. He lives in this building too. Earlier, he’d stood at the back of the crowd, saying absolutely nothing. I texted him: 【Why didn’t you say anything?】 After a long while, he finally responded: 【Claire, you overreacted. Marcus was just messing around. You had to call the cops and make everything awkward for everyone.】 I didn’t bother replying. I turned off my phone and tried to sleep.
The storage closet had no windows. I couldn’t tell if it was day or night. I woke up to someone pounding on the door. “What time do you call this? Still sleeping? The bathroom stinks so bad nobody can use it!” It was Marcus’s voice. I checked my phone. It was only 6 AM. I forced the door open. Marcus kicked a filthy bucket toward my feet. “Go clean it! If you mess up our morning routine, you’ll regret it.” I picked up the bucket and headed to the shared bathroom on the second floor. Before I even stepped inside, the pungent smell of urine hit me. The toilet seat was covered in yellow stains. Cigarette butts and used tissues littered the floor. There was dried white residue on the sink. These assholes did this on purpose. Before, everyone at least tried to keep things somewhat clean. Now they were dumping all their filth here just to humiliate me. I put on rubber gloves and grabbed the toilet brush. “Well, look who it is—our fancy auditor.” Derek walked in wearing nothing but his boxers. He stood at the urinal, completely unashamed, and unzipped right in front of me. The sound of him peeing echoed, accompanied by his intentional whistling. I turned my back to him and scrubbed the inside of the toilet bowl vigorously. “Claire, why do you have to make this so hard?” Derek finished, zipped up, and walked over. He leaned against the doorframe, checking me out from behind. “Just sign that ‘Beauty Rent-Free Agreement.’ You won’t have to do this crap work, and you’ll get free rent too.” “We might be a little rough around the edges, but we’ve all got skills. We’d definitely make you feel good.” I tightened my grip on the toilet brush. “Get out.” “Bitch, quit acting like you’re pure.” Derek sneered and spat a thick glob of phlegm onto the sink I’d just cleaned. “I’m waiting for the day you get on your knees and beg me.” He strutted out. I turned on the faucet and washed his spit down the drain. After cleaning three bathrooms, my back was killing me. Back in the storage closet, I was about to change clothes when the door pushed open again. It was Ryan Cooper this time. He was wearing a suit, looking like some corporate hotshot. Too bad looks are deceiving. Deep down, he was just another asshole. “Claire, I brought you breakfast.” He handed me a couple pieces of dry toast. “I don’t want it.” “Don’t be like that.” Ryan set the toast on a cardboard box. “I know you feel wronged, but if you’re going to live here, you need to go along with them.” “Marcus is actually a decent guy. He just cares about his reputation. You calling the cops yesterday embarrassed him.” The man I once had a crush on could actually say something like this. “That was sexual harassment! It was degrading!” I kept my voice down. “What sexual harassment? It was just a joke.” Ryan scowled. “I saw that post in the group too. It was just a joke to lighten things up.” “Besides, that rent-free thing? If you don’t want to sign it, don’t sign it. Who’s forcing you?” “Now look what you did. Everyone treats you like the enemy. I’m embarrassed by association.” I let out a bitter laugh. “You’re embarrassed? What do you have to be embarrassed about?” “I’m the one who told you about this place. Now you’ve created this mess, and Marcus is giving me grief because of it.” Ryan self-righteously pointed the finger at me. “Claire, you’re so selfish. You never think about how your actions affect others.” “If you really want to fix this, buy a couple bottles of wine tonight and apologize to Marcus.” Looking at Ryan’s hypocritical face made me realize how blind I’d been. This was the “nice guy.” This was supposed to be “looking out for me.” When push came to shove, he had the backbone of a wet noodle. “Take your toast and get out.” Ryan’s expression soured. “Claire, don’t be ungrateful! I came here to help you as a friend.” “If you want to play janitor so badly, don’t come crying to me later!” He grabbed the toast, threw it on the floor, and stormed off. I checked my phone. My supervisor had messaged me in the work group: 【Claire Bennett, where’s today’s report? Do you still want this job?】 I took a deep breath and replied: 【Sending it now.】
That evening when I got back to the apartment, the vibe was even more hostile. In the first-floor lobby, several guys were sitting around drinking. When they saw me walk in, the noise died down. Marcus held up a bottle, his face flushed. He was clearly drunk. Next to him sat a woman in skimpy clothes, draped in his arms. “Marcus, is this the chick who talked back to you?” “She’s not even that hot. Not like me.” “That’s right, nobody’s as hot and compliant as you.” Marcus squeezed the woman’s butt, making her giggle. “Babe, tell her the perks of signing the agreement.” The woman smugly tilted her chin and dangled her room key. “My rent’s completely free, and Marcus even bought me a new designer bag.” “We’re all adults here. It’s a win-win. Why act so prissy?” So someone actually signed that disgusting agreement. This woman was Marcus’s “poster girl.” “You hear that, Claire?” Derek spoke up from the side. “Jasmine here knows how to play ball.” “It’s not too late to change your mind. Just come over, chug this bottle, let us kiss you a little, and we’ll waive your rent too.” He pointed at the whiskey bottle on the table, eyeing me with ill intent. I ignored them and headed for the storage closet. “Hold it right there!” Marcus slammed the bottle on the table. “I’m talking to you. Are you deaf?” I stopped and turned to face him. “I’m only here to clean, not to drink with you guys.” “Still got that attitude, huh?” Marcus stood up unsteadily and staggered toward me. “Cleaning? Perfect timing. The toilet’s clogged. Go fix it.” “Now?” “Duh! Right now!” Marcus pushed me. “Don’t even think about sleeping until it’s fixed!” I clenched my jaw and headed to the bathroom. The second I opened the door, I nearly gagged. The toilet was stuffed with toilet paper, and sewage had overflowed everywhere. This wasn’t an accident. It was intentional. They’d crammed entire rolls of toilet paper in there and dumped leftover food. “Look at her face!” Derek and Ryan were laughing outside the door. They stood in the hallway, holding up their phones to record me. “Claire, do a good job. If this video goes viral, you’ll be famous.” Ryan said maliciously. “I already got the title: ‘High-Class Career Woman Unclogs Toilets at Night – What a contrast!’” I picked up the plunger and got to work. Sewage splashed onto my pants, but I was beyond caring. No matter how I fought back, they just saw it as entertainment. They got off on trampling my dignity. If that’s how they want to play it, they asked for what’s coming next. Half an hour later, the toilet was finally unclogged. I stood up straight and looked at my sorry reflection in the mirror. The laughter outside continued. There were even sounds of… things I can’t describe. That woman Jasmine and Marcus had gone into a room and left the door wide open on purpose. The noises were loud enough for the whole hallway to hear. This was their way of showing me what happens when you follow the “agreement.” I splashed water on my face, which helped clear my head. Back in the storage closet, I noticed the door latch had been messed with. It was just a simple latch, but it was definitely out of place. My heart dropped. I immediately checked my things. Someone had stepped on my blanket—there were clear footprints on it. Cigarette butts were floating in my water cup. My laptop, which I’d left under my pillow, was gone. It had the audit report I needed to submit soon, plus lots of important client data. “Where’s my laptop?” I rushed to the lobby and shouted at Derek, who was drinking. “What laptop? Didn’t see it.” Derek spread his hands, looking like a total jerk. “Quit playing dumb! It was there when I left!” “You didn’t keep an eye on your stuff. How is that our problem?” Marcus stuck his head out of the bedroom, his clothes all messed up. “Maybe you’re broke and sold it yourself to pay rent.” “Yeah, trying to frame us?” Ryan chimed in. Suddenly, I heard running water from the laundry sink in the backyard. I ran over and found my laptop submerged in the laundry sink. There was even a rock weighing it down. It was all over. My report. My data. My career. Completely ruined by these assholes. “Oops, my bad.” Derek stood behind me. “I was doing laundry earlier. Didn’t notice there was a laptop in there. Just tossed it in, I guess.” “But don’t sweat it. You’re a janitor now anyway. Why do you need a laptop?” “Maybe you should beg Marcus to buy you a new one.” I stood there, staring at the laptop in the water. My anger hit a boiling point, then suddenly turned ice cold. I wanted to scream, to fight, to destroy something. But I couldn’t. I couldn’t take them all on alone. You want me to be a janitor? Fine. I’ll be the best damn janitor this place has ever seen. I turned and gave Derek a cold smile. “It’s cool.” “Out with the old, in with the new, right?” Derek looked confused. He clearly expected me to lose it. “Are you nuts?” I ignored him and headed back to the bathroom. This time, I didn’t pick up the toilet brush. My eyes landed on the sink counter, on that row of colorful toothbrushes. I knew exactly whose each one was. I grabbed Marcus’s blue toothbrush and walked over to the toilet I’d just unclogged, still stained with filth.
The next day was Saturday—their so-called “party day.” Marcus announced they were throwing a cocktail party tonight to celebrate the building’s “new policy initiative.” All tenants had to attend. And of course, I was the server. First thing in the morning, they put me to work. They’d bought tons of burger patties, sausages, and cocktail ingredients for me to prep. “Claire, get these glasses spotless. If there’s even a smudge, you’ll be licking them clean.” Derek dumped nearly a hundred glasses in front of me. “Got it.” After last night, they thought I’d finally broken. That false sense of victory made them drop their guard around me. I knelt by the sink, washing glass after glass. Ryan walked past and stopped. “Claire, that’s better.” He sighed dramatically. “Women shouldn’t try to be so tough. See how much nicer things are now? Everyone’s getting along.” “If you play your cards right tonight, I’ll talk to Marcus about moving you back to your real room.” I looked up at him. “Thanks, Ryan.” He nodded approvingly and reached to pat my head. I ducked and picked up another glass. “Ryan, I don’t need your help. Go enjoy the party.” Ryan awkwardly pulled his hand back and forced a smile. “Alright then. Such a hard worker.” That evening, the party got underway. On the rooftop, the air reeked of smoke. Guys were shirtless, yelling and hooting. Jasmine and the other girls who’d signed the agreement wore skimpy outfits, moving between the men, pouring drinks and feeding them snacks. I brought up a tray of mixed drinks. Marcus grabbed my wrist. “C’mon Claire, dance for us.” “I don’t know how.” I pulled my hand free and set down the tray. “Don’t know how? Then what are you good for?” Marcus reeked of booze, his eyes glassy. “Oh right, you’re good for scrubbing toilets.” The whole rooftop erupted in laughter. “To reward our star cleaner, here’s a cocktail just for you.” Derek picked up a strong-looking cocktail and forced it toward my mouth. The straight whiskey burned my throat. “Drink up!” he yelled in my ear. I had to take a sip. The bitter taste hit my tongue hard. “Taste good?” Derek slapped my cheek. “It’s good.” I swallowed, fighting back the nausea. “Atta girl.” Derek seemed satisfied and turned to grab another bottle. Then Marcus suddenly shouted, “Hold up!” Everyone turned to look at him. He stumbled onto the table, holding up his bottle. “Tonight’s been great.” “To celebrate the success of our beauty rent-free program, I’ve got a special reward for Claire.” He pointed at me with an evil grin. “Starting today, Claire isn’t just cleaning. She’s also doing our laundry—including underwear!” “Hand wash only! I’ll check every morning!” “If they’re not spotless, or if even one goes missing, you’ll pay a $500 fine!” The crowd went wild again. Ryan joined in: “Claire, this is a privilege. Not everyone gets this chance.” I stood in the middle of the crowd, being watched and humiliated. Their twisted faces looked even more grotesque in the firelight. Was I angry? Absolutely. “Sure.” I lifted my head. “I’ll make sure they’re extra clean.” Marcus didn’t catch the sarcasm in my voice. He just thought I’d finally accepted my fate. “Now you’re getting it!” He hopped off the table and went to make out with Jasmine in the corner. The party lasted until the early hours. They got completely wasted. Some passed out on the floor. Others stumbled back to their rooms to keep partying. And I got stuck cleaning up the mess. I picked up the bottles one by one and bagged the trash. Finally, I made my way to the second-floor bathroom. Their dirty laundry was piled up there. Underwear formed a small mountain, reeking horribly. I looked at the pile and smiled coldly, taking photos with my phone. I put on gloves and picked up Marcus’s underwear. But I didn’t head for the sink. I walked over to the toilet that countless people had just vomited in. I threw the underwear in and used the brush that had scrubbed who knows how many layers of filth to stir it around. Once. Twice. Watching the underwear swirl around in the yellow sewage, soaking up all that filth. The tightness in my chest eased a little. But this wasn’t enough. Not even close. My eyes went back to the sink. They’d drunk so many cocktails and eaten so much food tonight. Their teeth must be full of gunk. Tomorrow morning, they’d brush extra carefully. I grabbed Marcus’s toothbrush and scrubbed it hard against that sewage-soaked underwear. The bristles worked their way into the fabric, picking up invisible bacteria and viruses. Then I stuck the toothbrush deep into the toilet bowl and scraped it against the thick layer of grime. When I was done, I put the toothbrush back where I found it. Then Derek’s. Ryan’s… Every single one got the same special “treatment.” Moonlight streamed through the window, hitting those colorful toothbrushes. They looked so clean. So innocent. Who would ever guess they were covered in their owners’ own filth? “Enjoy.”
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