She felt sick to her stomach as her eyes wandered around her "new home". How could she have been so foolish? A chill traveled down her spine as she glanced at the red stain on the floor.
When something in the corner of the room caught her eye, she couldn't help but let out a gasp of horror. She couldn't believe her eyes. Louisa finally understood why this house had been offered for free. She knew that there was no way to turn back from this.
A Fresh Start
Lousia Johnson was mother to her three-year-old daughter and hoped to find a fresh start in a small town just south of Louisiana. It was perfect for them.
She was over the moon when she found the ideal house for her and her daughter. But things aren’t always what they seem and Louisa realized there was a big catch she had never anticipated. Could this have been the biggest mistake of her life?
Running Away
It was a cold night when she fled from her husband. She packed her buggy with her and her daughter’s belongings and drove 200 miles to a small town.
When Louisa reached the new town, her daughter was fast asleep. She felt hopeful again, but it was perhaps too soon for her to breathe easy.
The To-Do List
Louisa needed to find a job and a place to live but was grateful to have a friend to stay with for the time being. She found a job working at a local diner a few weeks later.
The next step for her and her daughter was to find a home. But she had no idea what was waiting for her around the corner.
House Hunting
Finding a suitable home wasn’t easy. A few were out of her price range, but others weren’t well-kept. They needed something simple. All they needed was a house with a backyard and two bedrooms.
Louisa had no idea that she would soon meet a stranger who offered to help. But would they turn her life upside down?
Urgently Searching
Louisa went to the town’s estate agency to look for houses on sale. She couldn’t help but be surprised by every house listing she saw.
She was urgently looking for a house because she didn’t want to be a burden to her friend anymore. She also needed to give her daughter a stable home life. But she hadn’t found anything worthwhile yet. Louisa suddenly felt someone tap her to get her attention.
A Stranger
When Louisa turned around, she found an old woman with a wrinkled face. Her hair was snow white, and she was looking at Louisa expectantly.
Louisa felt uneasy but asked, “Can I help you?” The old lady replied by asking if Louisa was looking for a house. The woman smiled when Louisa nodded. Louisa could see she didn’t have many teeth but took the piece of paper handed to her. She wondered what she would read as the woman walked away.
What She’d Been Looking For
Louisa hastily unfolded the piece of paper and was surprised by what she saw. Underneath the image of a gorgeous house was “$0.” How could a house be for free?
Louisa had been looking for a house like this - it had a massive backyard, a large kitchen, three bedrooms, and two bathrooms. There was much more to this house than Louisa realized.
Feeling Excited
She saw a cell phone number underneath the image, but Louisa felt torn. Why wasn’t the house listed at the estate agency? The lady who had handed her the paper was a stranger. Could she trust her?
She decided to call the number and give this house a chance. She began to feel excited as she listened to the ringing. Her tummy was filled with butterflies, but they may have been a sign to end the call and put her phone away.
Mikey
She waited a minute for someone to answer with a “Hello.” Before she told the other person on the phone that she was interested in the house on the paper, she quickly introduced herself.
Mikey was ecstatic to hear that someone was interested in the house he was selling. He asked Louisa to look at the house right away. She was desperate to find a home and rushed over. She had no way of knowing that she was walking into lies.
A Long Drive
As she drove to the house's address, Louisa’s tummy was still full of butterflies. She ended up driving for a lot longer than she had thought but told herself it was worth it if she found a home.
Louisa’s eyes widened when she pulled up in front of the house. Her heart was already set on it. She couldn’t find anything wrong with what she saw. But Louisa had a lot more to see before she found out.
House Tour
Her eyes eventually landed on the man in front of the house, and he started walking towards her when she opened her car door. His smile was blinding.
He introduced himself, and Louisa replied, “Hi, Mikey! I’m Louisa.” It wasn’t long before Mikey took the lead for the house tour. Louisa was excited to see more of her potential home but had no idea what was coming next.
Her New Home?
Louisa was excited as they walked through the house. She loved the Victorian kitchen and pictured herself baking cookies while her daughter played in the backyard.
Mikey followed her, and Louisa knew he was glad to see how optimistic and excited she was about the house. She assumed he was happy for her but little did she know he was hiding something up his sleeve.
Falling In Love
Louisa took note of some spots that needed paint and cleaning but wasn’t too worried about it. She made a mental note to buy bleach to fix the dark red stain she spotted on the living room floor.
Louisa fell more in love with every inch she saw of the house. But she had no idea how big of a mistake she was about to make.
Talking Over Coffee
Mikey explained the house's history to Louisa once they finished the tour. Before she passed, his grandmother owned the house a few years ago.
Louisa sympathized with Mikey because she lost her grandfather a few years ago. It made her sad to think about what he had gone through. They sat down for a cup of coffee in the living room while they discussed the house. Something was about to happen that Louisa would never have expected.