"Hi. We're here for the pool party."
I stared at him.
"There isn't a pool party."
His smile disappeared.
"But Karen said—"
"I know what Karen said."
I explained that the pool was private.
They apologized and left.
Twenty minutes later, another family arrived.
Then another.
That was when I realized Karen hadn't merely invited a few neighbors.
She had announced access to my property to practically the entire neighborhood.
I called her.
She didn't answer.
I called the HOA management company.
They told me they had no record of authorizing the event.
That was the moment I stopped thinking this was a misunderstanding.
It was deliberate.
Chapter 4 — The Party
By Saturday afternoon, the backyard looked like a public recreation center.
Karen had brought folding tables.
Someone had placed balloons along the fence.
There were coolers, chairs, towels, food containers, and children's toys everywhere.
The worst part wasn't even the crowd.
It was the attitude.