Chapter 4

Outside, the rain was pouring.

I didn't have an umbrella. I was soaked to the bone, the icy wind cutting straight to my chest.

I called an Uber and went back to the luxury villa Chloe and I owned downtown.

We bought it on our third anniversary. The down payment came from selling the old house my father had left me.

I walked to the front door and scanned my thumb.

Beep. Fingerprint denied.

I froze, then typed in the passcode.

Incorrect passcode.

I began banging on the door furiously.

"Open up! Open the door!"

After a long minute, the door cracked open.

It was Chloe’s father, Marcus.

He was wearing a silk robe, holding a glass of Cabernet, looking at me with pure disgust.

"Screaming in the middle of the night! Shut up!"

When he realized it was me, he rolled his eyes and tried to slam the door.

I jammed my foot in the frame, staring at him coldly.

"This is my house. Let me in."

Marcus sneered, looking at my soaking wet, miserable state.

"Your house? The deed has Chloe’s name on it!"

"You're a useless loser. How dare you call this your house?"

"Chloe told me everything. You’re getting divorced, and Asher is moving in tomorrow!"

"Get lost. Don't bring your trashy energy into our home!"

Footsteps echoed from the living room.

Asher, wearing my limited-edition slippers and wrapped in my cashmere throw, walked over lazily, biting into an apple.

"Marcus, who's making all that noise? I can't sleep."

Marcus’s face immediately shifted into a fake, sycophantic smile. He turned to greet him.

"Asher, it’s just a beggar. I’m throwing him out."

Asher walked to the door, pretending to be shocked.

"Oh, Ethan! Why are you so wet? Didn't Chloe book a hotel for you?"

"Look at this place. Chloe said the master bedroom's decor is too old-fashioned. We're gutting it tomorrow to build my walk-in closet."

"By the way, I had the housekeeper pack all your cheap clothes and old junk. They're in the trash bin in the basement garage."

I shoved Marcus aside, forced my way through the door, and ran straight up to the second-floor study.

My father’s last notebook—his handwritten programming journal—was kept there. It was my most precious possession, the only thing I had left of him.

I burst into the study. The room was a complete disaster.

My desk was cleared out. The bookshelves were empty.

I spun around, glaring at Asher, who had followed me up.

"Where is my dad's notebook?!"

Asher covered his mouth, letting out a chuckle.

"That dusty old book? The pages were yellow and filled with weird scribbles."

"I thought it was dirty, so I told the maid to burn it with the trash."

"Ethan, you're not going to get mad over a piece of garbage, are you?"

Burned...

My mind went blank. Every ounce of sanity I had left snapped.

I lunged forward, grabbing Asher by his collar, and slammed my fist into his face.

"You burned my father's legacy! I’ll kill you!"

Asher shrieked like a pig, struggling wildly.

Marcus screamed, rushing over to tear at my clothes.

"You animal! How dare you strike Asher! Get off him!"

I kicked Marcus back, throwing him to the ground, and slammed Asher’s back hard against the drywall.

"Give it back! Give me back my father's notebook!"

Asher’s forehead was bleeding. He began to sob hysterically.

"Help! He's killing me! Marcus, help!"

Suddenly, loud footsteps rushed through the front door downstairs.

Chloe burst in with several beefy bodyguards.

Seeing the scene, she roared, "Ethan! Stop!"

She ran up and shoved me away with all her strength.

I stumbled back, hitting my spine against the wooden banister. A sharp pain shot through my back, leaving me breathless.

Chloe frantically helped Asher up, wiping the blood from his face.

"Asher, baby, are you okay? Where does it hurt?"

Asher clung to her, trembling. "Chloe, it hurts so bad... Ethan tried to kill me..."

Chloe turned to me, her eyes venomous.

"Ethan, you are a literal psychopath!"

"I swear, for what you did to Asher today, I will make you pay!"

"Throw him out! And make sure he never sets foot near this property again!"

The bodyguards dragged me up from the floor and threw me out onto the wet driveway.

Bam! The heavy door slammed shut in my face.

I stood in the freezing rain, my back throbbing in pain.

Water mixed with dirt ran into my eyes, blurring my vision.

I clenched my fists so hard my nails drew blood.

Chloe. Asher. Marcus.

Everything you owe me... I will make you pay back a thousand times over.