Chapter 4

Megan had discreetly called the police earlier and even tipped off some reporters.

As the officers arrived, the guests who had quieted down started murmuring again, “She’s done for now. If Mr. Delgado decides to press charges, he could have her put away for life!”

Amid the chorus of schadenfreude, I swiftly went upstairs. Then, I retrieved the property deed and presented it to the officers along with my ID.

The crowd stared in utter confusion. “There must be some kind of mistake. She was the one who called the cops?”

The guest who was standing closest to me was the first to recover. He pointed at me and mocked me, “Did I hear that right? What kind of absolute fool calls the police on themselves? It’s like she’s begging them to put her behind bars.”

The officer ignored him. After motioning for the reporters to step back, he examined my documents.

“The registered homeowner is Abby Beran. The ID matches. Thank you for your cooperation, Ms. Beran.”

“That’s impossible!” Melanie lunged forward and shoved a property deed in the officer’s face.

“Officer, don’t be fooled by this woman! I’ve lived here for over a decade! This house is mine!”

She immediately turned to Richie. Her voice was trembling as she said, “Honey, tell them! You yourself put it in my name!”

Richie’s fists tightened as he forced a stiff smile.

“There has to be some kind of mistake. The deed has an official stamp. It’s our house.”

The guests quickly rallied to their defense.

“That’s right. Ms. Vallejo was hosting a party here tonight. We all saw this woman trying to break in.”

Crystal came rushing out with a stack of papers. She was desperate to prove something. “Look, Officer! All these properties are under my dad’s name! He built his business on honesty and hard work! He would never steal someone else’s house!”

The officer patiently took the documents. After examining each one, he sighed and said, “I’m sorry, young lady, but these have all been forged. They’re just like the one your mom just showed me. The stamps on these are invalid.”

He then held up my deed for comparison.

“The stamp on Ms. Beran’s document is the actual official stamp.”

Melanie’s body jolted, and she collapsed into Richie’s arms.

“All these properties… How could they all be fake?”

When Richie remained silent, she began pounding her fists against his chest.

“Say something! Tell me this is all part of an elaborate surprise for our daughter! Tell me these are just actors you hired!”

Richie stood there with his head bowed in silence.

The guests, who had been chirping moments before, dared not say another word.

The woman they had dismissed as a shameless and penniless gold digger had turned out to be the verified owner of this billion-dollar estate.

“Officer, Melanie and her daughter broke into my home. They wore my clothes and jewelry and destroyed the necklace my daughter had received as a gift,” I said. I was ready to bring this farce to a close.

“Taking something without permission is theft. Everyone here is a witness. The premise has full surveillance. If you need footage, I can—”

Before I could finish, Melanie cut me off. “No need for that.” She wiped her tears and pulled away from Richie.

“My husband is the president of a major corporation. If you want money, just put his name on the check.”

Even with her proposed solution, the people around us still exchanged doubtful looks.

“Is this some kind of kink the rich enjoy? They’ve got their own mansion, but they broke into someone else’s to feel something?”

“I just looked it up. Mr. Delgado really is the CEO of Beran Corp. Looks like we just got caught up in their game.”

Suddenly, every expression in the crowd darkened. All eyes turned to Richie to see his reaction.

He kept shooting desperate looks in my direction. When I did not react, he grabbed my sleeve and pulled me aside.

He whispered, “Abby, I know you’re angry, and you have every right to be. But Melanie has cancer. I was just trying to fulfill her dying wish. Are you really going to hold a grudge against a dying woman? Just do me this favor. Tell the officers to leave, and I’ll make it up to you any way you want.”

When he saw the sheer mockery on my face, his expression darkened.

“Abby, don’t push this. I know you gave me my start! But ask yourself how much money I’ve made for you over the years. Would your family’s business have become this big if it weren’t for me? Don’t be so short-sighted. What good will it do for you if this becomes a public scandal? If word gets out that you couldn’t even keep your husband faithful, what will everyone at the company think of you?”

I shook him off coldly and raised my voice for all to hear. “If I recall correctly, the maximum sentence for trespassing is five years in prison. Add on the theft of my clothing and jewelry, you’re probably looking at a decade or more behind bars.”

The word “prison” made Melanie’s face turn ashen.

She turned and clutched at Richie’s hand. She was desperate for a different answer.

“Honey, you gave me these clothes and this house! You’ll fix this for me, right?”