Chapter 100: Chapter 100
(Dmitri’s Thoughts)
“You will meet them today? I see. Just go with our plan, okay? Remember, never say a word until I say so. I’ll be going back soon, try to stall the agreement, bring the best lawyers, negotiate or whatsoever, until they agree to have another meeting, this will be your last meeting as the owner,” I instruct the person I am talking on the phone with.
“Understood, sir,” he says. And I hang up. I then, rest my back at the backrest of my office chair.
He’s one of my employees and I promise him a promotion if he will take care of everything.
“I am sorry, Avery. I will take you by force, you are mine and mine alone!” I clench my fist as I remember how Avery left me in Germany a month ago.
Now that she’s back at the States, I won’t let her out of my sight every again.
“I hate to be like this, but I can’t let you go, I can’t live iwthout you. Wait for me, I will be coming home soon. I am the one you love, not him,” I told myself.
I close my eyes, but seconds after, someone disrupt my peace, my phone rings once again.
Upset, I pick it up and scowl at the person calling, “What now?”
“What do you mean what now! I’ve been trying to call you and you were unattended,” the voice scowls at me. The high-pitch on that voice really irritates me everytime.
“What do you want?” I shout back.
“Well, how’s my apartment going? Have you closed the deal? It’s been a month Dee, why haven’t you closed the deal? You are a billionaire for fuck’s sake, I can’t wait any longer,” the litany of the voice almost burst my eardrums.
“Can’t you just wait for a little longer, I am doing this for you! Just remember we have a deal, okay?” I remind the voice of what we talk about few months ago.
“Fine! Just close the deal and then we will talk again!” the voice rises, followed by the disconnecting sound.
“That bitch!” I curse.
***
(Avery’s Thoughts)
I am so excited to meet the potential new owner of my apartment. I want to meet him in person so I can conclude myself whether he is worthy of it or not, after all this apartment is the fruit of my labor. I just can’t hand it over to just, anyone.
Still, I am looking forward for a positive outcome. Speaking of which, I check the time, and we don’t have much left.
“Babe, are you ready?” I shout at Jeff who is still at the shower.
“I am about to finish, for a second, babe,” he answers.
“Come on, I am so excited, and I don’t want to be late, either,” I express the blissful feelings I have right now.
“Coming…” he says while humming out of the shower.
***
We meet Seid at the hotel entrance. Jeff is walking sluggishly behind me, so I run towards Seid and give him a greeting kiss, “How’s your head, huh?”
He just glares at me, “Don’t even start,” then he chuckles.
“Well, who told you to get wasted a night before our appointment,” I scold him with my hands on my waist.
Sarcasm draws over his face, “Ask your groom-to-be who escaped in the middle,” he says.
Jeff who is now behind me, “Who ranaway? I was abducted by this gorgeous lady,” he continues with his jokes.
The three of us laugh.
“So, are you ready to do this?” Seid looks at me with seriousness in his eyes.
Jeff holds my hand, and I look at Seid and nods.
We hop in Seid’s car brought by the valet boy, and hit the road to the buyer’s place.
It is half an hour drive, and we finally reach the buyer’s chosen place.
It is a secluded fine-dine restaurant in the outsirt of our city. Only few people are here at this hour, so we easily park the car, and go straight.
I notice the good ambiance inside and out, and I manage to guess right who the buyer would be.
A specific spot enclosed in glass panes catches my eyes. A man in his navy blue suit, with two attorney-looking men on both his sides, wearing a uniformed balck suit and necktie, with messenger bags on their sides.
“Bingo!” I tell myself.
I try to compose myself as I walk in the restaurant. Then a receptionist approach us, “Good morning, miss, gentlemen. My name is Courtney, may I know about your reservation?”
I look at Seid who manages everything, then he steps forward and handover his business card to Courtney, “Hi Courtney, we have appointment with Mr. Summers today, we would like you to take us to him.”
Courtney immediately takes us right on the spot, where I expected it to be. She then gets in and announces our arrival to the three gentlemen sitting inside, then she holds the door for us and invite us in,
“Miss Anderson, gentlemen, you may now enter,” she says with a wide smile on her face.
Seid is the first one to enter, “Good morning Mister Summers, gentlemen,” he greets them and hands over his business card using his right hand.
Then before sitting down, he introduces us to them. All of us exchanges names and then we sit down.
Before we begin with our discussion, we decided to order first, so we call Courtney. She left after taking all our orders.
***
Seid, who aims to be a lawyer, and the best accountant in their firm, knows a lot about this. He is also knowledgeable in terms of laws, regulation, and condition about purchasing and selling real estate property, taxt and more.
So in short, Jeff and I let him do the talking with these two lawyers. Speaking of which, it seems that they are somewhat familiar, I mean I think I’ve seen them before somewhere else.
We continue to listen to their conversation while reviewing all the legal matters.
I try to talk to Mister Summers instead.
“Uh, sir? How did you learn about the ads?” I ask him.
His reaction seems perplexed with my question. He gulps and then takes time to answer, “Well, I, uh, I ask my people to search a good apartment for me,” he says with uncertainty.
A hint of doubt hits me when I hear him answer. Is he really like that, or did I just expect too much from him?
I fake a smile and continue to talk with him, “I see, well, you are never going to regret buying my apartment. So how many of you will live inside my apartment? I am sure your wife will like it.”
As I continue to talk to him, his eyes become disfocused. They roam around the room and never meet mine. He seems to be avoiding my gaze. He keeps on drinking water, gulping, and his face is now covered is sweat.
Right there and then, I realize something is wrong, “You’re not Mister Summers, aren’t you?” I bluntly corners him.
The two attorneys suddenly stop conversing with Seid, and they look at me with bewilderment. Seid grabs me on my arm, “Hey, Ava, what are you doing?”
“Babe, maybe we can–” Jeff tries to stop me. Both of them did. But my hunch is always right. I was never wrong.
One of the attorneys speaks to me instead, “Uh, Miss Anderson, it is just that, Mister Summers isn’t good talking to people, let alone answering personal questions, so I hope we can refrain from–”
“–But he can’t answer me, can he? He can’t even say I was wrong. So, I am convinced he isn’t the real buyer,” I acclaim, convinced and certain about my speculation.
“Miss Anderson, I believe accusations like that are–” the attorney loses his patience and raises his voice at me, when the other one, squeezes his arms, and then begins to speak.
He smiles at me, “Miss Anderson, please excuse me, I will call our boss.”
“Feel free or else I won’t sell,” I announce and it made them panic.
“Ava!”
“Babe!” both Seid and Jeff calm me down, but they know I’ve already made my decision.
***
(Dmitri’s Thoughts)
I just finish off my shower and is about to prepare to the airport when my phone rings and it isn’t from Summers but from one of our company lawyers.
So I thought the deal is already closed, so I pick up right away, “Yes, John, is the deal closed?”
It takes for him to respond so I realize something is off, “Sir, it is quite the opposite, Miss Anderson didn’t want to sell off her apartment to Mister Summers.”
I put the phone in loud speaker, and continues drying my hair and my body, “Brief me.”
“Well, while we were discussing our terms with Mr. Cohen, she began throwing questions to him out of the blue. And–”
“–And Mister Summers bites him tongue and couldn’t even answer properly,” he says worriedly. His voice shivers afraid of what I am about to say.
But instead of being mad, I laugh it off, “Sir?”
“She caught you, didn’t she?” still trying to hold off my laughter.
“Yes, sir. We are truly sorry,” he says.
“She’s Avery Anderson, she can’t be fooled easily. So, what’s her condition?” I ask him while wearing my clothes.
“Well, she says she will void the temporary stamped documents unless she sees the real owner,” John says, still worried.
“Fair enough, schedule another meeting with her in tw days,” I instruct him.
“Sir? You will go by yourself? I thought you said–”
“–I think it is time to surprise her, and she asked for it. Is her fiance there?” I don’t know why, but I ask out of curiosity.
“Yes, sir, There are three of them, so are you sure about meeting her, sir?” John asks for confirmation.
“Yes, thank you for your hard work, and tell Mister Summer not to worry, he will still get the promotion I promised him,” I send a comforting message to the three of them and hangs up.
Then I smile, “You are really something Avery, I can’t wait to see you again, my love.”
***
(Avery’s Thoughts)
The attorney who went out awhile ago, finally comes back wearina smile on his face.
“Forgive us, we didn’t mean to deceive or trick you, it is just that our boss really wants his identity to be confidential. But since you ask of it, he’ll be meeting with you in two days. Would that be okay?”
I sigh, “That sounds good. May we leave now?” I ask.
Then he opens the door for us. Seid is about to take his card out when the attorney says, “It’s on us. We are sorry for causing you inconvenience.”
Then we leave the restaurant, and go back straight to the hotel.