Chapter 3 - The Return of the "Owners"
Four Days Later.
The sun was shining brightly over the Rocky Mountains, melting the last remnants of the winter rain. A sleek black SUV pulled up to the security gates of the Redwood Crest estate.
Brent sat in the passenger seat, wearing a linen shirt and designer sunglasses, a smug smile plastered across his face. Beside him, his mother, Diane, was adjusting her diamond earrings in the vanity mirror, while his sister, Karen, hummed happily in the backseat, clutching shopping bags from their high-end Miami spree.
"I’m telling you, Mother, she’ll be waiting on the porch like a stray dog," Brent laughed, pressing the button on his visor to open the iron gates.
Nothing happened.
Brent frowned, pressing the button again, harder this time. The gates remained firmly shut.
"Is the battery in the remote dead?" Diane asked, peering over her glasses.
"No, I just replaced it," Brent muttered. He put the car in park, stepped out into the crisp afternoon air, and walked up to the pedestrian keypad. He punched in his newly created master code: 1989—his birth year.
A harsh, red light flashed. ACCESS DENIED.
"What the hell?" Brent muttered, punching the keys again. ACCESS DENIED.
Suddenly, the security intercom crackled to life. A deep, professional voice boomed through the speaker. "Identify yourself."
"This is Brent Vale," Brent said, his chest puffing out with his usual arrogance. "I live here. Open the gate. My remote isn't working."
"Mr. Vale, you do not reside at this address," the security officer replied calmly. "This property is private commercial asset. You are currently trespassing on private property."
May you like
Diane opened the car door, her face twisting into an expression of aristocratic outrage. "Excuse me? Do you know who I am? This is my son's estate! We just returned from vacation. Open these gates immediately or we will have you fired!"
"Ma'am, the owner of this property is Apex Holdings LLC," the voice on the intercom explained, entirely unfazed. "The property was sold four days ago in a cash transaction. A private security team has been stationed on-site. Any attempt to bypass the perimeter will result in immediate police dispatch."
