Chapter 3: Legal Dead Ends

After hearing my story, my friend suggested I get a lawyer first. He’d help me find the people involved.

I rushed to a law firm.

But after consulting, my heart sank. The waiting room was silent except for the hum of the AC, and the attorney across from me wore an expression somewhere between sympathetic and resigned.

The lawyer said this kind of school spot abuse wasn’t rare. Even if I won the case, compensation would be nowhere near my actual losses.

“This isn’t something that can be solved overnight in court. I suggest you contact other schools for your daughter right away—at least make sure she can attend somewhere.” His tone was gentle, but I could hear the defeat behind it.

I fell silent.

To help pay the mortgage, my wife had taken a tougher job. Our daughter was excited every day, bragging that she’d soon be a first-grader. Both sets of grandparents had chipped in their savings.

How was I supposed to explain this to them now? I pictured Emily’s smile fading when we told her she couldn’t start at Lincoln, my wife’s tired eyes when she got home after a twelve-hour shift. My chest felt hollow.

A fire raged in my chest, but there was nowhere to vent it. I drummed my fingers on the table, teeth clenched.

But no matter how upset I was, I had to act.

I called my wife.

“Honey, I have some bad news. Please prepare yourself.”

She sounded worried. “What’s wrong? Don’t scare me.” I could hear clattering in the background—maybe she was cooking, or maybe her hands were shaking.

I briefly explained the situation.

She was just as anxious and angry. “How could this happen? That spot is ours! How can someone else use it?” Her voice cracked, and I heard her sniffle softly.

A memory flashed through my mind—the night we signed the contract, how we’d danced in the empty condo, believing we’d finally made it. Now, the dream felt like it was slipping through my fingers.

“The urgent thing is to solve Emily’s schooling. I’ve already called the police and talked to a lawyer. No matter who stole our spot, we won’t let them get away with it.”