Chapter 4

Sarah's POV

I stood in the centre of the living room, my hands planted firmly on the edges of a blueprint spread across the table.

"Double the thickness of the thermal insulation on the west wing," I instructed the head contractor, tapping the paper and circling a large section with a red marker.

"And the bulletproof glass for the ground floor windows needs to be fully installed and sealed by tomorrow morning. We waste no time.”

"Understood, ma'am," the contractor nodded, wiping sweat from his brow before turning to shout orders at his crew.

I looked up, watching the chaos. Workers were rapidly scattering to execute my commands.

The transformation of the Silver Peak Resort Villa from a billionaire's luxury playground into an impenetrable doomsday fortress was happening right before my eyes.

Just as a team of electricians began wiring the solar grid, my tablet on the counter chimed with an alert.

It was a live feed from the villa’s newly upgraded front gate security cameras.

I tapped the screen, and turned the audio output out loud.

John’s car was parked just outside the gates. Through the windshield, the camera’s lens perfectly captured the chaotic scene inside the vehicle. Lily was curled up in the passenger seat, burying her face in her hands, her shoulders dropped as she sobbed uncontrollably. Her make up was smeared down her cheeks, ruining her beautiful image.

"I've already sent my executive team to investigate why the investment firm suddenly pulled out," John said, his voice heavy with exhaustion as he forcefully unbuckled his seatbelt. He rubbed his temples and sighed heavily. "They'll find the leak. They'll track down the capital. I'll fix this, Lily."

"What does that matter right now?!" she wailed, lifting her head to stare at him. Her voice was raw with disgust, completely devoid of the sweet tone she usually used to manipulate him. "The mansion is sealed! My clothes, my jewelry, my bags, everything is gone! The bank locked us out! I have nowhere to live, John! Are we going to sleep on the streets like beggars? I don't want to live anymore if I have to be poor!"

"Stop crying," he urged, though his patience was clearly wearing out. His jaw clenched as he tried to maintain his composure. "I told you, I still have this resort villa. The environment here is even better than the mansion, and it's completely secluded. We'll stay here for the night, get some rest, and I'll handle the bank and the lawyers tomorrow."

He rolled down his window, the mountain air blowing into the car. He stepped out confidently, holding his access card, and swiped it against the sensor mounted on the pillar.

Beep. Error.

Oops. A dry chuckle escaped my lips.

A red light flashed brightly in John's face. He frowned, his eyebrows furrowed in confusion. He pulled the card back, wiped it on his shirt, and swiped it again, harder this time.

Beep. Error.

The gates didn't open, instead, the door of the guardhouse opened. The head of my newly hired security team stepped out. He was dressed in full gear, his face stern and entirely unbothered by the luxury car parked in front of him.

"Step away from the scanner, sir," the guard ordered.

John rolled his eyes, his CEO arrogance instantly flaring up to mask his deep humiliation in front of his mistress.

"Open this gate immediately," John barked, pointing a finger at the guard. "Look carefully at who you are talking to. I am the owner of this property. I paid fifty million dollars for this estate. I can have you fired, blacklisted from this city, and thrown in jail for trespassing in five minutes!"

The guard didn't even blink and I loved it.

"Sorry, sir, but you're not the owner anymore," the guard replied, his tone flat. "I won't tell you a second time. Step away from the gates and turn your vehicle around, or I will authorize the use of force to remove you from the perimeter."

Before John could scream in rage, before he could demand to speak to a manager that didn't exist, his phone rang.

I watched through the screen as he spun around and snatched it from the car screaming "What?!" into the phone.

Whatever his lawyer on the other end of the line said, it made him pale. His jaw dropped, his hand trembling so violently that the phone nearly slipped from his hand.

"John? What's wrong?" Lily asked, her crying abruptly pausing as she noticed the terror on his face.

"The villa..." John whispered, his voice cracking. His eyes were wide and empty as he stared through the gates. "They just transferred the deed. The clawback clause was activated the second the accounts froze. It belongs to her now. It belongs to Sarah."

I locked the tablet screen, a cold, deeply satisfied smile crossed my lips.

I walked over to the list, picking up my pen to check off the final delivery of our supplies at the warehouse.

And just as I expected, my phone began to vibrate on the counter. It was John.