On my first night inside the $4.8 million Malibu beach house I bought with my own money, my mother-in-law called and said, “We’re moving in tomorrow, Marcus said it’s fine, and if you don’t like it, you can find somewhere else.”

David arrived at 7 a.m. with a briefcase full of ammunition.

“The law is very clear about trespassing, Mrs. Drexler,” he said, spreading documents across my dining table. “Your LLC owns this property outright. Only you, as the sole member, can authorize occupancy.”

The property deed was beautiful in its simplicity. Drexler Consulting LLC, 100% owned by Josephine Marie Drexler. No community property claims, no spousal rights, no ambiguity.

“What about this loan inquiry?”

I showed him the bank alert. His expression darkened.

“If Eleanor represented herself as the owner or authorized party, that’s fraud. If she forged any signatures—”

He pulled out his phone.

“I’m calling a colleague who specializes in financial crimes.”

While David made calls, I reviewed our security protocols. Whitmore Security had stationed two guards at the gate with explicit instructions: no one enters without written authorization from me personally. The biometric locks meant even if Eleanor somehow got past the gates, she couldn’t access the house.