Chapter 2

But this time, I stopped my dad before he could say anything.

I guided Mia to the couch in the living room and poured her a cup of warm water.

I calmly said, “Mia, you can stay here. You’re my friend, and I can’t just leave you with nowhere to go. But I need to make something clear first. If you stay here, you have to follow my family’s rules.”

Mia was stunned for a moment. She had clearly not expected me, the person who was usually very easy to talk to, to act so serious and formal. However, she quickly nodded. “Charlotte, tell me. I promise I won’t cause you any trouble.”

“First, my dad has severe neurasthenia. The doctor said he needs complete rest. So, except for meals and bathroom breaks, please stay in the guest room as much as possible. Don’t make noise in the living room, and don’t yell or make a scene.

“Second, my dad is too honest and trusting. If you need anything, even something as small as changing a light bulb or getting a tissue, call me or send me a message. Don’t bother my dad.

“Third, don’t go through things that don’t belong to you. Especially the master bedroom. You’re absolutely not allowed inside. Can you do that?”

A flicker of surprise and displeasure crossed Mia’s eyes, but she was still a natural actress. She immediately bit her lip and nodded. Her expression was full of hurt and innocence.

“I understand, Charlotte. I’m sorry for disturbing your dad’s rest. I’ll keep quiet.”

My dad frowned as he listened. He tugged at my sleeve. “Charlotte, how can you talk to her like that? Mia is already having a hard time—”

“Dad.”

I turned to look at him. My expression was firm and left no room for discussion.

“Rules are rules. Without rules, there is no order. Go back to sleep. Don’t worry about this.”

After I settled Mia in, I made an excuse to go to the kitchen for some water. I stood behind the door and watched coldly as Mia locked herself inside the guest room.

I did not know this in my past life, but this time, I knew exactly what was currently happening. At this very moment, behind that door, the girl who kept saying she was afraid of a creep was frantically texting her unemployed boyfriend, Kyle Walker.

If I was right, her message was probably something like this.

[Done. I’m already living here. This old man looks so stupid and easy to fool. Charlotte is acting weird today, though. She’s such a pain.]

I stood in the darkness of the kitchen with a glass of water in my hand and laughed quietly.

I thought, “Lie all you want. Go ahead and scheme as much as you like.”

The plans they had used against me in my past life could happen all over again. But this time, the roles of hunter and prey would be reversed.

On the second morning after Mia moved in, I requested three days off from work.

As soon as Mia left the house for “work,” which was actually just an excuse to meet Kyle and discuss how to set me up, I immediately contacted the most reputable security company in the city.

“Sir, I want the highest-definition hidden cameras you have. They need night vision and audio recording. They have to be small and discreet. No one should be able to find them easily.”

I pointed out several important locations in the apartment.

The technician was clearly experienced. He worked quickly and efficiently.

In less than half a day, tiny cameras no bigger than black dots were installed in the shadow of the living room chandelier, behind the plants in the hallway where no one usually looked, and inside the face of the antique clock that faced the guest room door.

The three cameras covered every corner of the shared areas except the bedrooms and bathroom. There were no blind spots.

All the footage was sent in real time to a newly purchased encrypted hard drive with a large storage capacity and my backup phone.

My dad watched the workers move in and out of the apartment. His face was full of confusion. “Charlotte, why are we installing all this? It looks like we’re trying to protect ourselves from thieves.”

“Dad, that’s exactly what we’re doing.”

I pulled him down onto the couch. My expression was serious.

“Recently, there have been three break-ins in this old neighborhood. Some of them even involved knives. The neighborhood committee sent out a notice this morning. I’m scared. You’re home alone, so how could I possibly feel at ease?”

People from my dad’s generation were especially worried about safety issues. After hearing that, his expression became serious too.

I took his hand and carefully set the rules he needed to follow.

“Dad, this is for your safety and for the sake of our family. You have to promise me a few things. This is a matter of life and death, so please don’t brush it off.

“First, whenever I’m not home, lock the door to the master bedroom immediately. No matter who knocks, no matter what Mia says outside, even if she says the house is on fire, do not open the door or respond. Call me right away.

“Second, when I’m not home, you must never be alone with Mia in the same room, whether it’s the living room or the kitchen.

“Third, never accept any food or drinks from Mia. Even if it’s just a piece of candy, you absolutely cannot eat or drink anything she gives you.”