The officers exchanged a glance. The older one let out a slow breath.
"Ms. Bennett, I'll be straight with you. This kind of situation—it's not the first time we've dealt with it."
"Last week we hauled in an ex-boyfriend camped outside some girl's door, wouldn't leave her alone."
"Day later, she shows up at the station to drop the charges. Files a complaint against *us*—excessive force, hurt her fiancé."
"Yours is trickier. You've got a family elder here. Best case, this is a domestic dispute, and all we can really do is talk it through."
My aunt gave me a triumphant shove.
"Hear that? The police themselves say you're blowing this out of proportion! Bow your head and apologize before you dig yourself in deeper."
The edges of my vision went black.
I looked up. The two security guards were leering at me, pointing and muttering between themselves.
I swung toward the officers and pointed straight at the guards.
"Fine. Then I'm filing a report. Someone tampered with my property registration records to take my home."
"That's not a family dispute."
Both officers' expressions sharpened.
Sebastian, his mother, and the two guards all went pale at the same time.
The officer's face was grim. "That's a criminal matter. We'll need everyone to come back to the station for questioning."
Some of the pressure in my chest loosened. I was about to exhale when my aunt grabbed me and yanked me behind her.
"Officers, don't listen to her nonsense. I'm the one who had the property office update the records. It's not that serious."
"Women get married and have babies—that's how it works! What kind of girl sits on a property like she's never giving it up?"
"You tell me—every family out there, isn't it the man who runs the house?"
She turned and glared at me. "Even if you won't transfer the title right now, this place will end up being Sebastian's sooner or later. I had his name added. What's the problem?"
Every word out of her mouth left me more stunned than the last. None of it made sense—none of it was supposed to make sense.
She read my shock as surrender and rolled her eyes.
"And you keep saying you've only met him once. I can't even be bothered to call you out on that!"
"The security footage is crystal clear. Sebastian's been staying the night here every few days."
"I was trying to save you some face. If you don't want it, don't blame me."
"You're lying!"
My own voice came out so shrill it hurt my ears.