An Open Letter to Bella 白爛, My Former Landlord
(Real name is not used to protect her identity for now)
Dear Bella白爛,
This is not a letter born out of malice or revenge, but rather a moral obligation to speak the truth about the wrongs you have done—not just to me, but to the principles of justice, fairness, and humanity. From the very beginning of this nightmare, your actions have been steeped in corruption and selfishness, and they have left a lasting scar not only on me but on the integrity of the systems that allowed your behavior to flourish.
Congratulations, Bella. You got your way. You proved your point. You showed me how powerful you are. Over the course of four long, grueling years, you wielded the judicial system like a weapon, driving me into despair, stripping away my faith in the country I once loved so deeply, and dismantling my life in Taiwan piece by piece.
I came to this country with hope and love, dedicating myself to teaching Taiwanese children, helping them grow into capable, confident individuals. I believed in Taiwan—its people, its culture, and its justice system. But your actions, and the complicity of a system that should have protected me, destroyed that belief.
You sued me for sharing a rental agreement—a document you had already violated by failing to meet its basic terms, such as providing a locking door for my safety. I apologized, publicly and privately. I even paid you more than was fair for a property that was not up to standard. But it was never enough. You pursued me relentlessly, suing me criminally three times—an obscene misuse of the legal system that any reasonable person would recognize as absurd, and you waited until the statute of limitations for anything I may sue you for was over.
What did you gain, Bella? Money? Control? A sense of victory? Because all I see is destruction. You haven’t just hurt me—you’ve tarnished Taiwan’s reputation, showing the world how corruption can so easily thrive here. You’ve driven a wedge between me and a country I once called home, a place I wanted to grow old in. You took someone who cared deeply for Taiwan and turned that love into heartbreak.
Your husband’s threats, your well-rehearsed performances in court, your unwavering determination to treat me as less than human—all of it speaks volumes about who you are. And yet, despite everything you’ve done, I pity you. You’ve lost far more than you’ve gained, even if you can’t see it yet.
To the judges and the legal system that enabled this, shame on you as well. A system that cannot distinguish between right and wrong, that allows petty corruption to ruin lives, is a system in desperate need of reform. I trusted you to protect me, to uphold fairness and justice, and you failed spectacularly.
And now, as I prepare to leave Taiwan, I do so with a heavy heart. I don’t want to go. I love this country and its people. I’ve seen the kindness and generosity of so many Taiwanese, and their support has meant the world to me. But the pain you’ve caused is too great and nobody would miss Christmas as planned with family to stay and be a prisoner for at least 6 months. The hope I clung to for so long has been extinguished, replaced by the harsh reality that corruption and injustice have won.
I hope, Bella, that one day you recognize the harm you’ve caused—not just to me, but to the principles of decency and fairness. I hope you realize that your actions have consequences far beyond the courtroom. And I hope that my story serves as a wake-up call to anyone who believes that justice should be blind and impartial, free from the influence of greed and malice.
May God have mercy on your soul, because I no longer have it within me to do so.
Sincerely,
Ross Cline 柯受恩
rosscline.com
+886-975-474-889
iLearn.tw
台灣台中市西屯區
大墩二十街118號5F-1
