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
“Alright, alright, no more excuses! Save it for the police!” Her relentless accusations left me no room for deeper thought at the moment. All I wanted was to shove the deed in her face and prove I was telling the truth. As we stood there in a deadlock, the commotion outside must have woken the person inside. The door I couldn’t open slowly creaked inward. Mrs. Rodriguez, hands on her hips, pointed at the handsome, curly-haired man who emerged. “See? How are you going to argue now? The man of the house is right here!” I looked over, and through the partially open door, I saw him. He was wearing silk pajamas that I’d paid a fortune for, asking a friend to buy them for me from abroad. His face was fair and striking. He seemed to have just woken up, looking annoyed at being disturbed. He sneered, sizing me up, and then let out a lazy yawn. “I’ve seen plenty of people like you. Trying to use these pathetic methods to latch onto someone wealthy? You’ve got it all wrong.” “You think a pretty face can give you a shortcut? It’s time you paid the price and learned your place.” Then he pointed a finger at me. “Mrs. Rodriguez, I don’t know this person. He’s trespassing. Call the police.” 2 Being called an “intruder” by my own wife was a truly bizarre sensation. But standing there, watching my wife pour out syrupy tenderness and concern for another man? That feeling was beyond words. Caleb looked at her, his eyes brimming with tears, playing the part of the poor, wronged victim. He shook his head, a single tear tracing a path down his cheek. Only when she was absolutely certain he was unharmed did Serena let out a relieved breath. She tenderly stroked his hair, a soft smile on her face. “You rest here. I promise I’ll make that intruder pay for what he’s done…” She vowed, her voice dripping with conviction. But when she turned and her eyes met mine, her words caught in her throat. A faint tremor, one she hadn’t even noticed herself, laced her voice. I curved my lips into a cold smile, watching her calmly. “Ah, Serena Vance, the famous attorney. You certainly have the right to make such grand boasts.” “But even if you’re renowned in the legal world, shouldn’t justice be based on complete evidence and fair judgment? Or do you just make up facts as you go along?” She opened her mouth to speak, but was cut off by the police officer who had just finished verifying my information. Once they confirmed I was the mansion’s owner, I was released without charge. As I walked out, Serena grabbed my arm, her voice urgent. “Julian, please don’t misunderstand. Caleb is a new intern at my firm. Fresh out of college, his meager salary wouldn’t even cover a decent place in Veridia City. I was worried about him being alone in a new city, so I let him stay at our place temporarily.” “He’s young, so he can be a bit reckless. Just try not to hold it against him, Julian.” My gaze swept calmly over both of them, finally settling on Serena’s pale face. I didn’t answer. I just turned and walked away. The moment I got into a taxi, I dialed my best friend, Blake Carter. Blake and Serena were considered Veridia City’s legal powerhouses, their skills equally matched. His casual, teasing drawl answered. “Well, well, if it isn’t Mr. Busy-Man himself. What makes you finally reach out?” My voice was chillingly calm. “Blake, I need you to dig into Serena and a guy named Caleb Reed. Everything from the past year I was abroad. And I need it fast.” Blake muttered a few sarcastic remarks, then hung up. About an hour later, the taxi pulled up to my mansion. Almost as soon as I stepped out, Serena and Caleb followed close behind. Serena hurried forward, taking my hand. “You must be exhausted after a thirteen-hour flight. I know this amazing restaurant. Let’s invite our friends and have a welcome-home dinner for you.” She pulled me forward, but I paused, glancing back at Caleb. “You should come too.” Caleb immediately plastered a bright smile on his face. Fresh out of college, he exuded a youthful charm, and just a curve of his lips was enough to make people stare. He was incredibly bold, joining us without a care, despite the animosity between us just moments ago. As we walked into the bar, I lagged slightly behind. Blake called, saying Serena had invited him to a gathering, and he was already waiting in the private room. He scoffed. “You finally finish a huge project and come home, and she can’t even give you a proper welcome home or stay home with you? What kind of stupid party is this? Seriously…” I didn’t answer. Serena pushed open the door to the private room. Cheers erupted inside. “Well, well, Serena! You usually hide him away like he’s your most precious treasure. What makes you bring Mr. Julian to a bar tonight? Didn’t you say he couldn’t stand smoke or alcohol?” The speaker was one of Serena’s good friends. I was a step behind them, still on the phone with Blake. The people in the room only saw Serena and Caleb. From behind, I saw Serena’s body stiffen. Her face turned cold as she snapped at him, “Are you drunk? What nonsense are you spouting?” “This is my assistant! My husband is Julian Hayes!” 3 Anyone who made it in Veridia City was sharp, and the friend immediately realized his mistake. “My apologies, Serena! The lights in here are so blinding, I couldn’t make out faces.” He quickly stood up, walked to the door, and offered me an apology. I smiled, but the warmth didn’t reach my eyes. With the “misunderstanding” cleared, Serena pulled me to a seat. Caleb, sensing the mood, found an inconspicuous corner to sit in. Blake gave me a knowing look from across the room. I checked my phone and, sure enough, found a message from him. “You need to see this, man. Serena is truly something else!” It was thirty gigabytes of videos and files. I took a couple sips of my drink and left the room. As I scrolled through the screen, the coldness in my eyes deepened. Serena had moved Caleb into *my* mansion not long after I’d left the country. There were videos of them frequently entering and leaving hotels, bank statements showing over ten million spent on Caleb, and their Ins accounts, full of flirtatious posts. “My little Roo is so cute. I wish you were here with me right now.” This post was from two months ago. I’d initially thought Serena was referring to the actual kangaroos I’d seen on my business trip, subtly telling me she missed me. I’d worked day and night, compressing six months of work into two, just to surprise her. Now, looking at Caleb’s Ins, I knew. Roo was *their* dog. After seeing how Caleb and Serena first met, I couldn’t help but let out a bitter laugh. No wonder Caleb’s first reaction, when I couldn’t open the door, was to assume I was some gold-digger trying to scam a wealthy person. That’s exactly how *he* had gotten close to Serena. Back in the private room, Serena put her arm around my waist, asking intimately, “Where did you go?” My brow furrowed, and I tried to shrug her hand off, but just then, Caleb walked over with a drink. He bent slightly. His fair skin, glimpsed from beneath his collar, was so pale and delicate, almost feminine, that it made you want to look twice. And those two glances froze me completely. I couldn’t maintain my composure any longer. I tore the engraved silver locket from Caleb’s neck with such force that it left a striking red mark. Everyone in the room was stunned by my furious expression. I was known in our circle for being incredibly even-tempered; no one had ever seen me lose control like this. I gripped the locket tightly, my fingers tracing the familiar inscription carved into my heart. Then I turned, my voice a dangerous growl, and demanded of Serena, “This was Grandma’s last possession, her final gift to me. I kept it carefully in her memorial shrine. Serena, explain to me why this locket is on Caleb Reed’s neck!” Serena stammered, unable to form a coherent sentence. Finally, under my relentless glare, she lost her composure. “It’s just a locket! So what? I’ll buy you a new one. Caleb’s been feeling unsettled lately; a spiritualist said he might have picked up something negative, so I lent it to him for protection. Why are you reacting so dramatically?” Our friends chimed in, trying to calm me. “Julian, I didn’t realize you were into lockets. Look, I have a friend who specializes in antiques. If you like, I can have him bring you ten or twenty of them. You can pick whatever you want.” “It’s just a piece of jewelry, Julian. No need to get upset with Serena over such a small thing…” Their chattering faded into background noise. My mind was fixated on Serena’s words: *something negative*? My thoughts immediately flew to the small memorial shrine I’d set up for Grandma in the mansion. 4 Ignoring everyone’s pleas and attempts to stop me, I hailed a taxi and sped towards home. Outside, a sudden, fierce rainstorm broke, coming down hard and fast.
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