Warren's POV
I had planned to be away on a business trip for a year.
Right before I left, my fiancée asked for the keys to the newly renovated villa. She said she’d pay me a buck a month as “rent.”
I laughed at her offer, but then still agreed.
But things went better than expected. Business wrapped up in less than six months, and I headed back home early.
I didn’t tell her as I wanted to surprise her.
But when I rang the doorbell, a stranger opened the door.
He had a cat in his arms, and several dogs crowded behind him.
He glanced at me, then waved dismissively. “Go on, go. This villa’s occupied, not for sale.”
——
I froze, thinking maybe I had the wrong place.
But the house number was right. This was my villa.
“Still not leaving? I’ll call security!”
Before I could say a word, he shut the door in my face.
Being chased away from my own house, a heavy weight settled in my chest, and the gift box I’d carefully packed inside my briefcase suddenly felt unbearably heavy.
“Hey! This is a private estate. Strangers aren’t allowed to hang around here.”
Shortly, a security guard jogged over, eyes wary.
I quickly explained, “My name’s Warren Lambert. I’m the owner of this house.”
But the guard frowned and shook his head. “Impossible. Mr. Cantrell’s been living here for half a year. Property records also list only him and a Miss Bandman as the owners.”
My stomach sank.
Before I could respond, a BMW pulled up nearby.
From there, Elvira Bandman stepped out, arms full of shopping bags.
The moment she saw me, she froze, then a lipstick tumbled out of her paper bag, but she didn’t even notice.
“Warren?” Her voice cracked. “What… what are you doing back?”
I bent down and picked up the lipstick. It was a bold red shade, meant to turn heads. That was when I noticed her engagement ring was gone from her finger.
Then I heard the door behind me open, and that same man from just a while ago leaned out.
“Elvira, you’re back?”
The security guard wisely stepped aside.
The three of us stood there in silence, the air thick and suffocating.
Finally, I forced out the words in a hoarse tone, “Elvira, what’s going on here?”
She hesitated, then pasted on a brittle smile. “Warren, let me introduce you. This is Ray Cantrell, my junior from university. He just moved here and hasn’t found a job yet, so I let him stay here.”
I locked eyes with her, my tone like ice. “Stay here? For half a year?”
Her fingers twisted nervously, her gaze flickering away. “N-No, not that long. Two, maybe three months at most.”
Ray suddenly switched his demeanor, plastering on a wide smile as he hurried toward me. “Ah, dude! My apologies earlier. I didn’t recognize you. That was all on me. Please don’t take it to heart.”
His voice dripped with fake sweetness, as if the arrogant man who tried to kick me out moments ago had never existed.
I stared at him coldly.
He was dressed in expensive loungewear, and on his wrist gleamed a watch worth eighty grand.
I knew that watch well.
It had been my birthday present from Elvira last year, which was bought with my credit card.
“Warren,” Elvira spoke softly, “Ray always looked after me in college and treated me like a sister. Now that he’s here, of course, I want to return the favor until he finds a job.”
“Return the favor by letting him live in my villa?” I sneered. “And by removing my name from the property records?”
Ray’s eyes darted around, then suddenly he slapped his forehead.
