“What’s going on?” Myra was startled.

Dexter tried to comfort her. “Stay in the room. I’ll go take a look.” He felt aggrieved. The Fuller family had once been the wealthiest in the region, with a legion of bodyguards. However, he’d recently dismissed most of them.

Now, the sprawling villa had only a handful, insufficient to provide effective protection. That’s how their door was broken down.

When Dexter rushed out, he was met by a large, vaguely familiar mob. Recognizing them, he furrowed his brows and asked icily, “What’s the meaning of this?”

The leader demanded, “Dexter Fuller, hand over the map!”

“What map? I donated it! If you want it, you should have gone to the auction! Don’t harass me just because you’re too broke to outbid others!” Dexter retorted, controlling his anger.

Their next words shocked him.

“That map is a fake! The coating is paint; the material is plain cowhide! Dexter Fuller, you’ve fooled everyone!”

“Where’s the real map? Hand it over before we resort to violence!”

Dexter was caught off guard. “I handed it over myself! How could it be a fake?”

The mob tossed the fake map at his feet. “See for yourself!”

He examined it, his mind reeling. The map had been swapped! The texture, material, and drawings were all different.

Chapter 14

“This isn’t the map I handed over…” Dexter muttered.

Before he could explain, someone shoved him, sending him staggering backward into a piece of furniture. He gasped in pain.

“Where’s the real map?”

One trespasser, a desperado who’d suggested breaking down the door, grabbed Dexter by the collar. Unlike the well-dressed businessmen, this man was furious.

Dexter said, “I already handed it over! There must be a misunderstanding! This has nothing to do with me!”

“Stubborn, are you? Let’s see how long you last!”

The man punched Dexter in the face. His old head wound reopened, and blood streamed down. The other trespassers watched, offering only mockery.

“Come on, Dexter. Just hand over the map. Why keep it all to yourself?”

“That’s right. Don’t be so greedy. Share it! It’ll be a win-win!”

“If you don’t cooperate, we’ll search your house. Letting this go out of hand will only make things awkward for everyone.”

Their actions belied their words. With a wave from the leader, the mob rushed into the villa, ransacking it. Dexter felt his vision darken as he muttered, “You thugs!”