Although I was suffering from labor pains, my mother-in-law and my husband’s entire family closed the door and went on a trip… when they returned the next day and didn’t find me, they were distraught to see a sign that said: “house sold”.

He had to beg a friend for a wire transfer just to get them three economy seats on a red eye flight back home. They landed at the regional airport looking haggard and broken, dragging their extra suitcases into a taxi.

When they arrived at the villa, Dominic tried his key, but it wouldn’t even fit into the lock. I had replaced the entire system with a high tech digital keypad that glowed with a mocking green light.

“What is this? Why won’t the door open?” Gertrude shrieked, banging her fists against the wood.

Then they saw it; a massive “SOLD” sign was bolted to the gate, with a notice stating “Private Property: No Trespassing.” A burly man named Silas, whom the new owner had hired for security, stepped out of the shadows.

“What are you doing on my property?” Silas growled, his arms crossed over a massive chest.

“Your property? This is my son’s house,” Gertrude yelled, but Silas simply shoved a copy of the deed into Dominic’s shaking hands.

“The owner is Arthur Sterling, and he bought it from a woman named Valerie five days ago,” Silas stated coldly. “Now get off this land before I call the police.”