Chapter 10
1460 Words
SIANNA LET her gaze roam around her condo unit. Just yesterday, she had decided to sell it. It was close to everything, so she could easily sell it for double everything she had spent on it since buying and renovating it—including all the furniture.
The furnishings would be included in the sale since she wouldn’t be able to take them with her when she left.
After losing her job, she thought about taking time to unwind. She felt she deserved that. Physically and mentally.
She already had a possible buyer and was meeting him at lunch in a restaurant near the condominium. It was actually amusing—after just one post on social media, she had immediately found a buyer.
“I hope the deal with my possible buyer goes well,” she said softly. “Sorry I have to let this place go.”
She wanted to move to the province. The cost of living there was low, unlike in Manila. Besides, she had no job or source of income right now. So she would go somewhere affordable. A place where it was cheap to live. She only had herself to feed anyway, so it wouldn’t be a problem.
Yesterday, she did nothing but clean the entire condo to make it more presentable—especially in case the buyer decided to visit.
When it was time to meet him, she made sure she looked presentable.
She arrived at the meeting place early. Better to be early than late.
It didn’t take long before the man she had spoken to online arrived.
“Mr. Carlos?” she asked with a smile as he approached her table.
“Yes,” he replied, shaking her hand. “Have you been here long, Miss Melendrez?”
“Not really. Take a seat,” she said, gesturing to the chair across from her. “About the condo unit—I already showed you the photos yesterday. If there’s anything you don’t like, you can tell me now so I can fix it right away. Rest assured, you can move in immediately.”
“Actually, I’m not the one personally buying your condo. My boss is,” Carlos said. “He didn’t say anything negative about it. In fact, he wants to triple the price.”
Sianna’s lips parted at what she heard. “P-pardon?” Maybe she had misheard. She didn’t want to embarrass herself, so she tried to stop her eyes from sparkling too obviously.
She felt dizzy at the thought of the triple price for her condo. Even if she never returned to the city and just lived in the province, she would be fine. She would literally be a millionaire. Even if she never worked again for the rest of her life, it wouldn’t be a problem. She could easily live off it.
“My boss wants to pay triple. That’s not an issue for you, is it, Miss Melendrez?”
“Is your boss allergic to money?” she couldn’t help asking instead. She didn’t want to look too thrilled about the tripled price. Who would refuse triple the amount?
“No. Do you want the deal?”
“Why wouldn’t I?” she asked before she could stop herself. What if he changed his mind? She gave him a sweet smile. “When is your boss available?”
“Anytime. If you agree, he’ll also handle the attorney for the deed of sale for your condo, Miss Melendrez.”
“That’s not a problem for me,” she agreed. That way, she wouldn’t need to hire her own attorney. She would just sign—and voilà, she’d be rich.
“I just need a few copies of documents for the deed of sale.”
She immediately took out a copy of her Condominium Certificate of Title from her folder. Carlos took a photo of it to forward to whoever would prepare the deed of sale. He also took a photo of one of her valid IDs.
“If you’re not busy,” Carlos said, looking at her, “we can visit my boss later so the two of you can sign. The deed of sale can be prepared quickly.”
“Sure.”
She had no problem with that. She was even ready right now. But she didn’t let it show that she was eager. She simply calmed herself.
She didn’t refuse when Carlos told her to order whatever she wanted to eat since his boss would be covering it.
“Do you want to see my condo unit in person first?” she asked while they were eating.
“No need. The photos you showed are enough. Sir already approved it.”
“Okay,” she replied with a smile and continued eating heartily.
Her day felt wonderful. It was as if it erased everything she felt yesterday. God was truly kind to her. She wasn’t being abandoned no matter what happened.
Even if she experienced pain emotionally and mentally, the happiness that replaced it was overwhelming.
After lunch, Carlos took her to where his boss was—at home, he said.
Sianna held back a gasp as the car entered an exclusive village where only the wealthy lived.
Her buyer was truly influential. Letting go of forty-five million pesos was nothing to him. She had listed it at fifteen million including everything, yet he insisted on tripling it.
She was literally becoming a millionaire. Who wouldn’t smile?
When Carlos turned the car into an open wrought-iron gate, she couldn’t stop herself from feeling overwhelmed by the wealth of her buyer.
The mansion was enormous, and the surroundings were just as impressive. It felt like she was in a dream.
Suddenly, she felt uneasy.
“Mr. Carlos, are you sure your boss really wants to buy my condo? His mansion is huge. My sixty-square-meter unit is nothing compared to this,” she couldn’t help asking.
Maybe she was celebrating too early.
What if his boss changed his mind?
“When my boss says he wants something, he’s not joking. I assure you, Miss Melendrez, you’ll receive payment today.”
Carlos got out of the car and opened the door for her.
Overwhelming—that was the only word in her mind. Just the exterior of the mansion was breathtaking. What more the inside?
The grand door serving as the entrance looked extremely luxurious.
As they approached, it opened from within. A staff member had opened it.
“Thank you,” Carlos said before gesturing for her to step inside.
She wasn’t mistaken—luxury screamed throughout the interior. There was a wide living area. Not just one—but three. The floor looked so pristine it felt wrong to walk on it with sandals. If she could float instead of walk, she would have.
Carlos escorted her to where his boss was. The deed of sale she would sign was already prepared, he said. Just like that—so fast.
They climbed the staircase, and she had to steady her breathing. She couldn’t stop her heart from feeling thrilled at stepping into such a beautiful mansion.
It was a privilege, as they say.
“You and my boss can talk inside,” Carlos informed her when they reached a large door. It was the Study Room.
“You’re not coming in?”
“No.”
“O-okay,” she said, trying not to feel nervous.
Carlos knocked three times before opening the door. His boss must have known they had arrived, because Carlos went ahead and opened it.
“You can go in,” he said.
“Thank you, Mr. Carlos,” she replied with a smile before stepping into the Study Room.
It was just as elegant. Books lined the walls. There was a refined receiving area in the center. And at the far end stood a single mahogany table with a high-back swivel chair facing the glass window—its occupant turned away from her.
She glanced back when Carlos closed the door.
She took a deep breath before turning again toward her buyer. She knew he was seated in that swivel chair.
She prepared a sweet smile as she approached the desk.
She cleared her throat to get his attention. “Good afternoon, Sir. I’m the owner of the condo unit you want to buy for triple the price. Are you sure you won’t change your mind?” she asked.
It didn’t take long for the swivel chair to turn toward her.
“You can still take time to think about—”
Sianna wasn’t able to finish what she was saying when she saw the man sitting in the swivel chair.
She blinked.
But he didn’t disappear from her sight.
That face.
- Writer
