Chapter 5 - Justice and a Clean House
The process of clearing out the squatters took less than three hours.
With two local deputies standing by to ensure no property was damaged and no violence erupted, Vance and Chloe frantically hurled their clothes, baby cribs, and television sets back into their rented moving truck. Chloe didn't look at me once as she slammed the passenger door shut, her face twisted in childish resentment as the truck rumbled down the driveway and disappeared around the corner.
My parents had already retreated to their own suburban home across town, realizing that staying any longer would implicate them further in the impending financial fraud investigation.
By evening, the house was finally quiet.
I walked upstairs to the master bedroom, stripping off the sheets Chloe and Vance had slept on and tossing them straight into the washing machine. I brought my combat boots back inside, setting them neatly in the closet where they belonged.
My phone buzzed on the kitchen counter. It was an update from the bank’s fraud recovery unit, confirming that the initial asset freeze on the external account had successfully secured thirty-eight thousand of the stolen funds, with the remainder slated for mandatory restitution through the upcoming court proceedings.
I poured myself a cup of black coffee, walked out onto the back patio, and sat down in my own patio chair.
The sun was setting behind the treeline, casting a brilliant orange glow across the freshly mown lawn. The air was crisp, quiet, and entirely my own.
May you like
I had spent nine months overseas fighting for a country that valued duty, honor, and integrity. Returning home had forced me to wage a very different kind of battle—one against the very people who were supposed to have my back. But I had won. The house was mine, my finances were secured, and the parasites who had tried to consume my life were finally gone for good.
I took a slow sip of coffee, smiled into the evening breeze, and finally felt like I was home.
