Chapter 1

After I finished speaking, I handed off the last of my work to a colleague. Without even packing my bags, I went straight home.

As the car neared my neighborhood, I spotted colorful balloons drifting above the rooftops. The entire area buzzed with noise and excitement.

The villa's parking lot was packed to the brim, and a massive banner hung over the entrance.

On it was a photo of my wife, Josephine Bennett, and a man holding a baby, their cheeks pressed together. What a perfect family of three, huh?

Seeing that, I gritted my teeth and got out of the car, charging straight toward the villa.

But before I could reach the door, a man in uniform stopped me. "May I see your invitation?"

Why would I need an invitation to enter my home?

I glared at the man.

He studied me warily, as if I were some criminal. "Today, Sterling Group's CEO is holding a celebration for his newborn son. For security reasons, everyone must show an invitation."

The CEO of Sterling Group? That was me.

Back when my brother, Leonard Sterling, took over as chairman, he insisted I hold a title in the company. So, he was the chairman, while I was the CEO.

But I didn't even know I had a son.

While I was lost in thought, the man had already lost his patience. "Sorry, but you can't enter without an invitation. You need to leave now."

After saying that, he shot me a sidelong glance.

"Seriously, today's already busy enough, and now some random person thinks they can stir up trouble. Don't they even know who they are?" he mocked loudly.

I suppressed my anger and explained, "My name is Frederick Sterling, and I'm the owner of this house. I just got back from a business trip—"

"Enough!"

The man waved his hand impatiently and sneered. "Owner, huh? Then, I must be the chairman. What a lunatic! How dare you pretend to be the homeowner! Should I call the police?"

I couldn't be bothered to argue further. So, I pulled out my phone and showed him a photo of the property deed.

Yet, his contempt only grew after he glanced at it. "You think taking a photo of a deed makes you the owner? You've lost your mind!"

Without wasting another second, he grabbed his walkie-talkie and said, "Someone's causing trouble at the entrance. Send a few people over to throw him out."

In no time, several security guards came running from inside the villa.

The man looked at me smugly. "Well? Still not leaving? You'll regret this."

I smirked. The first to arrive was my butler, Nigel Fletcher. We had lived under the same roof for years. There was no way he couldn't recognize me.

I took a deep breath, forcing down my anger. "Nigel, tell him. Am I the owner of this villa or not?"

To my shock, Nigel's eyes flickered when he saw me.

"This villa was assigned to Ms. Bennett by the research institute. Her husband, Mr. Sterling, is inside with guests," he said with a frown.

Then, Nigel addressed the security guards, "Kick out anyone not invited!"

No sooner had he finished speaking than two men came up behind me, grabbing my arms on either side and trying to drag me away.

Rage surged through me, and I yelled, "Nigel, three years ago, your son owed huge gambling debts, and loan sharks were after him. I was the one who paid them and saved his life! Don't you dare say you don't know who I am!"