Chapter 8 - THE HUNGER TEST THEY STAGED.
Margaret claimed the eviction was automatic because Ethan’s rent was late.
He had missed one payment after taking unpaid leave to care for an injured coworker.
Rosa placed corporate statements beside his notice.
“Your company was twenty years late paying him.”
The worker council froze every eviction tied to stolen pension property and notified tenants that their rent had financed Hayes family dividends.
Margaret accused them of destroying property rights.
Sarah answered, “You purchased those rights with deductions hidden from people who could not afford lawyers.”
Richard Collins offered evidence against Margaret in exchange for keeping his job.
The employees voted to suspend him while his role was investigated.
“You made hunger a disciplinary offense,” a waitress told him. “One confession does not repair that.”
Collins surrendered footage showing Margaret ordering managers to remove visibly poor customers before peak hours.
One clip showed Walter practicing his diner arrival with Collins the previous week.
Ethan stared at them.
“The empty wallet was staged.”
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Walter admitted the breakfast had been a test.
But he had chosen Ethan long before that day.
