Chapter 31 – No Place Like a New Home
Jake didn't expect to feel uneasy when he got home.
After a packed weekend at Charlie's—filled with FaceWorld updates, Alan's failed love life, and an uncomfortably loud Friday night—he was looking forward to a quiet evening.
Instead, he stepped into a house that felt... wrong.
"Mom?" he called out.
No answer.
He took a cautious step into the living room—and immediately froze. The back sliding door was wide open. A drawer was pulled out and dumped across the floor. Judith's purse was turned inside out on the couch, and the house had a stillness to it. Not the peaceful kind. The emptied kind.
Jake's stomach dropped.
He backed up slowly, heart racing, eyes darting to every corner. "Mom?"
A voice from upstairs answered, tense and breathless. "Jake?! Don't come up! Stay downstairs!"
Judith came rushing down moments later, phone in one hand, pepper spray in the other. Her face was pale and alert.
"There was a break-in," she said. "I just got home twenty minutes ago and the back door was already open. I called the police."
Jake's mind went into overdrive. This wasn't just a random burglary. It was a message. A crack in the illusion of control.
---
An Hour Later
The police swept the house. Nothing major was taken—just drawers rifled through, some old electronics gone. No one was hurt. But the house didn't feel like a home anymore.
Judith sat on the couch, arms folded, trying to stay calm. Jake stood nearby, silent and focused.
Then he said it.
"We can't stay here."
Judith looked at him. "It was one break-in."
Jake shook his head. "It won't be the last. I'm not just some genius kid anymore. I run a company. We're in the news. People know where we live. You know this isn't safe."
She hesitated. "It's just—this is our home."
Jake sat down beside her. "Then let's find a new one. Safer. Gated. More private. And I'll pay for it. I've already talked to my financial team. The money's there."
Judith looked like she wanted to argue—but the break-in was still fresh in her mind.
"You're serious," she said.
"Dead serious."
She sighed. "Alright. Let's see what's out there."
---
Two Days Later – Brentwood
Their SUV rolled through the polished streets of Brentwood. Jake sat in the back seat flipping through a printed report binder from his product team—highlighted sections, paper-clipped user growth graphs, and post-it notes with feature requests scribbled in his own handwriting.
Judith looked out the window, still a little tense. "This place better be as secure as they say."
Jake nodded. "It's one of the safest areas in the city. Celebrities live out here for a reason."
The SUV slowed in front of a beautiful Spanish-style house with a red-tiled roof and thick green hedges. And standing there waiting was a man in a suit that screamed confidence... and salesmanship.
Jake squinted.
The man stepped forward, arms spread. "Jake Harper and the ever-stylish Judith! Welcome to your future! I'm Gil Thorpe—and I'm about to blow your minds with bricks and square footage!"
Jake froze.
"Wait a minute…"
Same tan. Same hair. Same voice. Same stupid name.
"That guy looks exactly like Gil Thorpe from Modern Family," Jake whispered. "And he's actually named Gil Thorpe?"
Judith leaned toward him. "He looks like someone who keeps a mirror in his glove compartment."
Jake shook his head. "No, something's not right. That's… that's not just a lookalike. That is him."
But he kept it to himself—for now.
---
Inside the House
The place was perfect. Open layout. Reinforced windows. Private study. Jake could already imagine converting it into a secure operations center for FaceWorld development.
Gil gave the full Thorpe treatment, practically bouncing from room to room like a real estate motivational speaker. "This kitchen? Chef-certified. This backyard? Celebrity-tested. That office? Perfect for a little mogul-in-the-making like my man Jake here!"
Jake followed silently, occasionally stealing glances at Gil with narrowed eyes.
Same face. Same voice. Same ridiculous catchphrases.
---
Back Outside
Gil clapped his hands together and handed over a folder. "This home? It's a Thorpe-certified fortress. You want privacy, style, and bragging rights on your street? This is your stop."
Jake looked at Judith. "I like it."
Judith hesitated. "It's… big."
Jake shrugged. "It's secure. That's all that matters."
Judith sighed. "Let's make an offer."
Gil beamed. "Thorpe-tastic!"
Jake winced. "You even say the exact same lines…"
But he let it go.
For now.
Jake glanced at the price listed in the folder: $3.95 million.
He didn't even flinch.
"I've made over $12 million already from investing," Jake said calmly. "Between that and what Nolan put into FaceWorld, I can cover this easily. I'll have my attorney set it up under a trust."
Judith turned to him, stunned. "Jake, you're eleven."
Jake smirked. "And already have a more diversified portfolio than half the city. This isn't a splurge, Mom. It's a security investment—for both of us."
She blinked. "You're seriously going to buy a four-million-dollar house in cash?"
Jake nodded. "No mortgage. No interest. No waiting. We get in, we get safe, and I keep doing what I'm doing without worrying who's lurking in the backyard."
Judith didn't say anything right away. She just looked around at the house again—at the hedges, the quiet, the space. Then she exhaled.
"Alright. But I'm still the one who picks the curtains."
Gil beamed. "We'll get this offer submitted ASAP. Thorpe-style!"