“Mrs. Hartley? Brian Holloway speaking.” His voice had lost every trace of the smugness I remembered. “Ma’am, please! You have to stop this! Eleven groups have cancelled since last night, and the owner is standing in my office!” I told him calmly that I had filed no complaint and made no calls. “I only asked for the truth in writing, Mr. Holloway.” A deeper voice took the phone.

“Mrs. Hartley, this is Martin Castellano, owner of Lakeshore Manor. I have read your documents three times. Please open your contract to page four. And you should know that Brian has been renting my terrace to influencers for cash all summer. You are the first guest who kept proof.” I reached for the signed agreement he had been so quick to disregard, turned the pages with trembling fingers, and found the clause I had insisted on adding ten weeks earlier.