I was forced to live under the same roof as the man trying to strip away my inheritance.

I put the car in gear and drove to my shift, my mind spinning with dread.

I knew Rylan wouldn’t stop here.

He had mentioned his family earlier, hinting that his cousin Pax was looking for a place to stay while transitioning jobs.

At the time, I had firmly said no.

Now, staring at the road ahead, a terrible realization washed over me.

With Rylan claiming co-ownership, what was stopping him from doing whatever he wanted while I was away at work?

The thought haunted me through every hour of my twelve-hour shift.

By the time my shift ended, the darkness felt suffocating.

I pulled back into the driveway, my headlights sweeping across the front porch.

A strange car was parked in the shadow of the old oak tree.

I turned off the ignition.

The headlights cut out, plunging the driveway into deep shadow.

The strange vehicle was a battered blue minivan, its rear bumper dented and held together with silver duct tape.