Chapter 1

After a year of working abroad, I secretly returned, planning to surprise my wife.

Arriving at the front door of our mansion, I confidently entered the smart lock’s code.

Strangely, it kept displaying "incorrect password," even after dozens of attempts.

Just as I was about to call Serena to ask if the smart lock was broken, a sharp voice pierced the air behind me.

A dark-skinned middle-aged woman, Mrs. Rodriguez, grabbed my collar without a word. "Hey, you little thief! You dare to act in broad daylight? Are you picking on Caleb Reed because he’s young?"

Her spit splattered all over my face.

My mind reeled with confusion. Caleb Reed? Who was that? This was *my* house, the one I’d paid for in full!

This woman was acting like she’d just escaped from a bizarre reality TV show. I tried to explain, over and over again, that I was the owner of this mansion.

But the more I explained, the more she stared at me with an expression that screamed, "I knew it!"

"You picked the wrong day to show up here. I live right next door, and I’ve seen the man of this house countless times," she declared. "If you’re going to be a thief, at least be smart. You should have come up with a decent excuse, like being a relative or a friend."

The man of the house? This mansion was the home Serena and I had bought together when we got married. How could there be another man coming and going?

As I stood there bewildered, Mrs. Rodriguez pulled out her phone, ready to dial 91