Chapter 1

I had just landed at 2:00 a.m. when my smart mattress app sent an alert.

[Privacy Mode updated.]

[Dual-occupancy weight detected.]

[Sleep report upload paused.]

I froze.

Neither I nor my wife, Chloe, was home, and our housekeeper, Martha, was off for the week.

Who was sleeping in my bed in the middle of the night?

I checked the app again to confirm.

Then I dialed Chloe. "Chloe, you came back home? Why didn't you tell me?"

She sounded utterly confused. "Babe, do you miss me? But this project is huge. The earliest I can get back is tomorrow night."

I pressed a hand to my forehead and sighed. "Sorry, I must be exhausted and mixed up the days. See you tomorrow night."

Right after hanging up, another smart-home app pinged.

[Master Bathroom Aromatherapy Bath Mode: Activated]

I quickly shot Martha a text, then drove straight home.

Thinking about news stories of housekeeping thefts, I pulled up Martha's number.

My thumb slipped and hit the call button, but I hung up immediately.

She had worked for my family for over ten years. She treated me like her own son. She would never do something like this.

Reaching the gated community's entrance, I rolled down my window and looked at the security guard.

"Hey, a friend said he was coming over to see me. Did you guys let anyone in?"

The guard shook his head, puzzled. "Mr. Hayes, no guests have checked in today. Are you sure you didn't mix up the date?"

I gave a slight nod and forced a smile. "Maybe he decided it was too far. Thanks anyway."

Just then, Martha called back on FaceTime. She was sitting with her grandkids, having a peaceful family dinner.

"Martha, I'm adding a bonus to your check this month. Take a few extra days off and enjoy your family."

"Oh, thank you, sweet boy!"

I hung up, and my smile vanished.

Martha definitely wasn't there. Was there really an intruder in my house?

But why would an intruder be sleeping in my bed?

I pulled up to the driveway. Looking up at the master bedroom's glowing window, my stomach dropped.

Someone was in there. But who?

I unlocked the front door quietly. Before flipping the lights, moonlight caught Chloe's slippers. They had been moved.

I distinctly remembered that she had left for her business trip a day before me. When I stepped out, I had deliberately aligned our shoes side by side.

Could this be one of those squatters from the news, sneaking into empty houses because they couldn't afford rent?

Afraid an intruder might get violent, I grabbed the baseball bat hidden behind the front door.

I started creeping upstairs. Suddenly, Chloe appeared at the top of the landing wrapped in a bath towel and flicked on the foyer light.

"Ryan, what are you doing back?"

She dried her hair with a small towel, looking at the bat in my hand with an amused smirk. "And what's with the weapon?"

I let out a massive sigh of relief. "I just got back from work and saw your slippers moved. I thought we had an intruder."

"Chloe, you didn't tell me you were home. You scared the hell out of me."

Then, reality hit me, and I stared at her. "Wait. Didn't you say the earliest you could get back was tomorrow night?"

Chloe hurried down the stairs and wrapped her arms around my neck. "That was the plan, but you called sounding like you missed me. I caught the earliest flight out."

"I wanted to surprise you."

Her expression of joyful surprise was flawless. Her words were dripping with sweetness.

Yet, as I breathed in the scent on her skin, my heart turned to ice.

The bathroom lights had been turned on hours ago.

She claimed she had just gotten home. She was lying.

The aromatherapy bath setting infused the skin with a very specific, heavy scent. But she only smelled like her everyday body wash.

Chloe was lying to cover for someone who was stealing my tub.

She was cheating on me.

I pulled out my phone and checked when the bath cycle had finished. It was right when I pulled up to the front gate.

My house had only one front entrance, which meant whoever used my bathtub was still inside!

I forced a smile, gently peeling her off me, and headed upstairs. "Thanks, Chloe. I'm dead tired. I need to wash up."

Chloe pushed open the master bedroom door, looking like a puppy waiting for praise.

"The second I heard your car, I knew it was you. Look, I even drew you a bath."

I walked into the bathroom and glanced at the wall panel—Bath Mode.

She used the aroma mode occasionally, but never this particular sandalwood-scented oil.

Right then, a dull thud echoed from the bedroom. I rushed back in and glared at the large walk-in closet, my brows furrowing.

Behind me, Chloe spotted a collectible action figure on the nightstand and let out a quiet, barely audible breath of relief.

I didn't care about the toy. My eyes were glued to the custom walk-in closet.

It was massive. A grown adult could easily hide inside.

Just as my fingers touched the handle, Chloe grabbed my wrist.

"Wait."