"No."
Ray folded his arms.
"Why not?"
"Because..."
She looked around desperately.
"Because I'm the HOA president."
Ray stared at her.
"That doesn't exempt you from parking laws."
A small crowd had begun gathering.
Someone whispered:
"Isn't that the HOA lady?"
Another person started recording.
Vanessa looked at the camera.
"Stop filming me!"
The young man didn't lower his phone.
"You've been filming everyone else for years."
Vanessa's face turned crimson.
Then Ray pointed toward the sign again.
"Ma'am, you're parked in a handicap space."
She gasped.
"I was only there for a minute!"
Ray raised an eyebrow.
"That's what everyone says."
The crowd laughed.
Vanessa looked horrified.
She had spent the entire week trying to enforce rules.
Now she was the one caught breaking one.
But what she didn't know was that the video of that moment was already spreading online.
And by Monday morning, everyone in Maple Ridge would know exactly what had happened.
Chapter 4 — The HOA Meeting
The emergency HOA meeting was standing-room only.
Residents filled every chair.
Some stood along the walls.
Others watched through the open doors.
Vanessa sat behind the long table at the front of the room.
For the first time since becoming president, she looked nervous.
Ethan sat near the back.
Beside him sat several homeowners who had been waiting years to challenge Vanessa.
The board secretary stood.
"We are here to address several complaints concerning the conduct of HOA President Vanessa Carter."
Vanessa immediately interrupted.
"These complaints are politically motivated."
A homeowner stood.
"Politically motivated?"
He laughed bitterly.
"This isn't Congress."
Another homeowner raised her hand.
"You tried to tow someone's car from his private driveway."
Vanessa straightened.
"The vehicle violated community standards."
"The deed proved otherwise."
Vanessa looked away.
Then another resident spoke.
"You threatened my husband over his wheelchair ramp."
Another:
"You fined us because our children's toys were visible from the sidewalk."
Another:
"You sent us a violation notice because our Christmas lights were three inches longer than the guideline."
The room erupted.
Vanessa slammed her hand onto the table.
"Order!"
Nobody listened.
Ethan stood.
The room gradually became quiet.
He held up the same property deed.
"I don't think this meeting should be about revenge."
Vanessa looked at him.
"Then why are you here?"
"Because you need to understand something."
Ethan looked around the room.
"Rules exist to protect communities."
He looked directly at Vanessa.
"They don't exist to give one person power over everyone else."
The room fell silent.
Ray Miller was standing near the back door.
He had been invited by Ethan as a witness.
He raised his hand.
"I'd like to say something."
Vanessa frowned.
"You don't live here."
"No."
Ray smiled.
"But apparently I'm the only person who's ever told you that you can't tow something just because you want to."
The room burst into laughter.
Vanessa's face reddened.
Ray continued.
"I've been doing this job for twenty years."
"I've seen people make mistakes."
"But the worst mistakes happen when someone believes their title makes them untouchable."
That sentence stayed in the room.
Then the board secretary placed a document on the table.
"We've reviewed the bylaws."
Vanessa stared at it.
"What is that?"