Chapter 1

My name was Carlos Aguilar, and I had worked my way up in the IT industry for eight years, rising through the ranks from a low-level employee to the department director that I was today.

Instead of spending my first pot of gold on a luxury car or using it for investments, I bought a huge lakeside luxury apartment in Lakeview Heights in the city center of Dunnington with cash instead.

Just the renovation alone took me another six months, and I cherished this apartment with all my heart, never letting anyone other than my closest family set foot in it.

Felix Madden was an intern who had just joined the department three months ago. He was in his early 20s, and he was very good at sweet-talking and getting things done. He fawned over the senior employees the moment he joined the company, especially me, affectionately calling me "Carl".

His actions and attentiveness bordered on being forced and deliberate. At first, I thought that he was just a young man trying to curry favor with his seniors at the workplace just to gain a foothold in the industry, so I didn't pay much attention to him and even offered him a few work-related tips occasionally.

One day, during a department dinner before the long Thanksgiving weekend holiday, someone asked about everyone's holiday plans, and I casually replied that I was going back to my hometown to visit my parents.

As soon as I said that, Felix leaned over and said, "Since you're going home for the holidays, that means your apartment is going to be vacant for a few days, right?

"My parents happen to be coming to Dunnington then. I've called up the hotels nearby, and the prices are three times as expensive as usual.

"Since your place is going to be vacant anyway, why don't you just let us stay there in the meantime? Don't worry, we'll put everything back in place once we're done."

I rejected it without any hesitation.

"It's not that I don't want to let you stay, Felix, but there are too many personal items of mine and quite a number of valuables there. I think you should book a hotel room as soon as possible before they actually run out of rooms."

Felix's smile froze on his face at once. He didn't say anything more and just got up and left. While turning the corner, I clearly heard him mutter under his breath, "Fine, don't let us stay, then, you selfish bastard. I have my ways."

I didn't take it to heart and just assumed that he was being a sulky brat.

I had taken an extra day off before the actual Thanksgiving weekend. After checking the water and electricity meters, I locked up all the doors and windows. Then I locked the main entrance door and went all the way back to my hometown.

My hometown was very far away, and the drive alone would take an entire day. That was also why I seldom went back at all.

After reaching my parents' home, I'd only just sat down to take a sip of water and rest when I received a call from my apartment management.

"Mr. Aguilar, a young man just led a group of people into your apartment. They have your door passcode and said that they were your relatives, so we didn't have to tell you about their arrival, but we still decided to report it to you."

My heart sank, and I quickly turned on the security camera app linked to my phone.

In the video, the young man leading the group was none other than Felix.

Behind him was a middle-aged couple, presumably his parents, who were dressed simply and carrying large suitcases behind them. Their faces were filled with excitement and curiosity.