Chapter 9 Paradise Villa

"He must've stolen the access card!" Austin exclaimed.

"Exactly!" Khloe chimed in. "There's no other explanation. He's been mooching off my family for three years and hasn't brought in a dime. There's no way he can afford a place here!"

The head of security shifted his gaze back to Declan. "Well? If you're really the owner, then prove it."

"Look, it's a bit complicated. A friend lent me the place. I'm only staying for the time being. I can't show you any proof," Declan explained.

Austin, who was now bandaged, scoffed, "A friend? Please. How could a useless guy like you have a friend living here?"

Khloe seized the opportunity and laughed with derision. "Your friend should know about this, right?"

As Declan could not prove himself, the head of security was unconvinced. "If that's the case, we'll need to look into it further."

Khloe chuckled, unable to contain her glee. "Oh, Declan, I can't wait to watch you go down in flames."

Austin did not waste any more time. He called the police and even made sure everyone heard. "Hello, is this the police? This is Austin Watson. Someone stole an access card at Cloudside and assaulted me! I need officers here ASAP! Do you hear me?"

Khloe, always one to stir the pot, said, "I wonder whose card that cripple's using. Let's figure out who this mysterious friend is."

The security chief nodded in agreement. With that, he led the way, and they ventured deeper into the upscale community. Then, they came to a halt in front of an incredibly opulent villa.

This villa outshone all the others and even hosted its very own state-of-the-art security system.

And this was not just any villa. It was one of the most expensive villas-the Paradise Villa!

Security guards gaped at the villa in question, their faces a picture of shock.

Austin and Khloe doubled over in laughter when they realized it was the famed Paradise Villa they were looking at.

The person who owned the Paradise Villa was shrouded in mystery. The fact they had splurged over three hundred million dollars on the place meant that ordinary people would not dare cross them. Declan trying to steal from such a place was like digging his own grave.

At that moment, Khloe and Austin burst into laughter. It was as though they could see Declan's unfortunate end playing out in front of them.

Soon after, the sound of sirens announced the arrival of the police outside the Paradise Villa's exclusive corridor.

A stern middle-aged man stepped out. Without any emotion on his face, he assessed the security guards, Declan, and the rest.

He was a police detective. Given the involvement of the Paradise Villa, he was here to handle the matter.

Austin wasted no time and pointed at Declan. "There's your guy, officer."

Hearing Austin's words, the detective looked at Declan and noted his ordinary appearance. The latter appeared out of place, so the detective did not think twice and dismissed him. Besides, Austin was the one making the claim.

So, without even questioning Declan, the detective gestured to his subordinates and commanded, "Take the suspect into custody!"

Police officers cautiously approached Declan with their hands hovering near their guns.

Declan figured that resisting would only escalate the situation, so he stayed still.

Meanwhile, Khloe watched with increasing delight as Declan was apprehended. "That's what happens when you mess with Austin!"

"I'll offer you a way out. Admit you stole the card, and maybe we'll go easy on you. If not, I'll just check with the villa owner. If you've indeed stolen it, you'll be facing grave consequences," the detective said, his voice dripping with condescension.

The head of security interjected, seemingly concerned. "Hold on, sir. We can't just barge into the Paradise Villa. It's against the rules."

"Then get your manager on the line. I'm going in, and you'll handle the consequences," the detective shot back.

Not long after, the call connected.

"Hello? We've got a guy here who says his name's Declan. He's insisting that the owner of the Paradise Villa gave him the access card. Now, the police want to take a look inside the villa. How should we handle this?"

"What did you say? Paradise Villa? I'll be right there. Don't disrespect that gentleman!" the manager replied, his voice laced with anxiety.

Gemma had already given him a heads-up that Declan would be a guest at villa in question. And now, hearing that the security team apprehended Declan, he wondered how he could smooth things over and explain himself to Gemma.

Everyone heard the conversation. Khloe and the others assumed the manager was cautioning them against entering the villa without consent.

"Declan, did you hear that? The manager is coming, and you're done!" Austin smirked.

"Paradise Villa is worth a whopping three hundred million dollars! Only the cream of the crop live there. You've really gotten yourself in big trouble!" Khloe chimed in.