Chapter 1

My garage became my neighbor's free parking spot.

The roller shutter door was broken for three months, and Marcus's black Audi sat in my garage for those entire three months.

"Sweetheart, your door won't close anyway. And I see you don't even have a car. It's just sitting empty."

He patted my shoulder, ash from his cigarette falling onto my shirt collar.

"Once this batch of goods sells, I'll buy you dinner."

I just smiled and said nothing. The next day, I called the repairman.

A month later, Marcus was jumping mad in my garage.

His Audi, along with a ten-million-dollar contract inside it, was locked tight by my newly installed smart roller door.

When the HOA manager called, I was boarding my flight.

"Chloe, where are you? Marcus is losing his mind! He said he'd get down on his knees and beg you!"

I walked through the boarding gate, sounding completely surprised:

"My garage? I haven't used it in forever. How could anyone else's stuff be in there?"

I stood in front of my garage. There was a car parked inside, but it wasn't mine.

It was shiny and clean, obviously just washed.

The wheels were resting right on top of the renovation materials I had stored inside. A few PVC pipes had cracked under the weight.

I couldn't even count how many times I had called him about moving his car.

Every time, he either ignored the call or gave me the same entitled excuse: "Your garage is empty anyway. We're neighbors, what's the big deal?"

But now, I had a better plan.

"Hey, sweetheart, you're back?"

Marcus, who owned the custom furniture workshop next door, strolled over. He was jingling his keychain.

"Marcus," I said, pointing at the garage. "My materials..."

"Oh, that's nothing!" He waved his hand dismissively. "Your door is broken anyway, right? It's just wasting space. My shop has been crazy busy lately, and I had nowhere to park. So I used your spot."

There it was again.

He said it so naturally, like it was the most normal thing in the world.

I stared at him in silence.

Seeing that I didn't speak, he took a step closer and lowered his voice.

"Look, Chloe, you're letting good space go to waste. I'm doing you a favor by keeping it in use. You should be thanking me."

I almost laughed out of sheer anger.

"I actually need to use those materials."

"Oh, come on!" He patted my shoulder roughly. "You young people take things too seriously. How much could that cheap plastic be worth? Once this new inventory sells, I'm making this much." He held up five fingers.

"When that happens, I'll buy you the best materials, and I'll take you out to any restaurant you want. My treat."

With that, he actually opened my storage cabinet inside the garage, took out a bottle of mineral water I had left there, unscrewed it, and took a drink.

"Nice water. Sweeter than the stuff I have at home."

Looking at his smug face, I swallowed my words.

With people like him, arguing is a waste of breath.

He lived in his own world where everything he wanted belonged to him, and everything he took was his right.

"Alright," I nodded. "You have a point."

Marcus blinked, then burst into a loud laugh, slapping my back hard. "That's what I'm talking about! Good girl! You get it!"

He walked off, satisfied. Before leaving, he even swiped a fresh pack of screws I had left on top of my toolbox.

The moment I got inside my house, the smile wiped off my face.

I opened my laptop and booked the best storage service in town to move all my valuables out of the garage.

Finally, I booked a flight to New York.

Since you love that garage so much, I'll let you enjoy it.

The trap is set.

I hope you like the game.