Laravel API REST for index() returns a json html string to the home page

Question

I'm using Laravel api with a resource controller. My api route

Route::apiResource('todos', TodoController::class)->middleware('auth:api');

Controller

public function index(TodoRequest $request): JsonResponse
{
    $response = new Response();

    // $withDeleted = $request->has('withDeleted') ? true : false;

    $todos = $this->todoService->getAllTodosWithLists($request->query('withDeleted'));

    $response->setMessage(ServerMessages::TODOS_RETRIEVE_SUCCESS);

    return response()->json(
        $response->build($todos),
        $response->getCode($todos)
    );
}

class TodoRequest extends FormRequest {

/**
 * Determine if the user is authorized to make this request.
 *
 * @return bool
 */
public function authorize(): bool
{
    return true;
}

/**
 * Get the validation rules that apply to the request.
 * Must match with FrontEnd fields
 *
 * @return array
 */
public function rules(): array
{
    return [
        'content' => 'required'
    ];
}

/**
 * Get custom messages for validator errors.
 *
 * @return array
 */
public function messages(): array
{
    return ['required' => 'The :attribute must not be left blanked.'];
}

}

My problem is everytime I add the TodoRequest in my parameter's it always return a response redirecting back to the default Laravel homepage.

Note: I am passing a query parameter inside my $request i.e withDeleted and probably will add more filters. This app was originally made in Lumen which perfectly well, and I did some migration to the latest Laravel 9 framework.