Chapter 67: Twenty-Five Million, Paid in Full
Lucas leaned back in the gaming chair and tapped his fingers lightly against the armrest. Debbie and Daisy both looked at him curiously, sensing that something was on his mind. After a brief moment of silence, Lucas finally spoke. "I’ve been thinking about something."
The two sisters immediately became attentive. Lucas slowly glanced around the small apartment, taking in every detail. The peeling walls, the dim lighting, the rusted window frame, and the cramped living room that barely had enough space for three people to sit comfortably.
His thoughts drifted back to the gunshots from earlier. He remembered how quickly Debbie and Daisy had dragged him into the bathroom and how practiced they had looked while doing it. That wasn’t the reaction of people experiencing danger for the first time.
A slight frown appeared on Lucas’s face. "I want to invest in a property," he said calmly. "But because of some personal reasons, it wouldn’t be convenient for the property to be registered under my name."
Debbie’s eyes narrowed slightly. Her professional instincts immediately kicked in. Lucas continued, "So I was wondering... if it’s convenient for you... after I buy the property, I can register it under your name."
The room instantly fell silent. Even Daisy froze. Lucas pretended not to notice their expressions and continued speaking as though everything was perfectly normal.
"Of course, I won’t ask you to help me for free. You and Daisy can move in and live there. I’m treating it as a long-term investment anyway, and I don’t plan on selling it anytime soon."
He casually pointed toward the window. "And honestly, the conditions here are too poor. What if something like tonight happens again? The next gang fight might not end with a few gunshots. If you move into a proper residential complex with security, at least you’ll be safer."
Lucas spoke seriously, but inside he was practically praying. Please agree. A property worth several million dollars, maybe even ten million. If the system recognized the purchase, the rebate alone would make him rich all over again. Just imagining it made his heart beat faster.
Meanwhile, Debbie had gone completely silent. As a lawyer, she understood exactly what Lucas was proposing. On paper, he was calling it an investment, but in reality it sounded suspiciously like a wealthy man buying a house and handing it to her for free.
Her heartbeat suddenly sped up. Why? Why would he do this? Could it be... No. Impossible. Her eyes unconsciously drifted toward Lucas. Could he actually like her? The thought made her ears grow warm.
Almost immediately, she rejected the idea. No. That didn’t make sense. Lucas obviously liked Daisy. He had gifted over a million dollars during her livestream, spent another million during today’s meeting, and paid for their mother’s surgery without blinking.
Any fool could see where his attention was focused. So why buy a house under her name? Debbie became even more confused. Maybe he really was just investing. And because she was a lawyer, he trusted her more. That explanation sounded much more reasonable.
Realizing what she had been thinking moments ago, Debbie almost wanted to bury her face somewhere. Goodness... what was wrong with her? Why would she suddenly think Lucas liked her? After calming herself down, she coughed awkwardly. "Ahem... I can help you with that."
Lucas immediately brightened. "Really?" Debbie nodded. "Of course. Though I think we should prepare a legal agreement. A contract stating that the property doesn’t belong to me. It’ll protect both parties."
The moment she finished speaking, Lucas nearly jumped out of the chair. "No! Absolutely not!" Both sisters blinked in surprise. Realizing his reaction was a little too strong, Lucas quickly cleared his throat.
"Ahem... I mean... there’s no need for that. I trust you." Debbie stared at him strangely. The more she looked at Lucas, the more unusual he seemed.
Normally, the buyer was the cautious one, while the person receiving the property was the nervous party. Yet somehow everything was reversed.
Lucas looked more afraid of signing a contract than she did. What exactly was going on inside this man’s head?
Even Debbie couldn’t figure it out. Before either sister could ask further questions, Lucas quickly changed the subject.
"Forget all that. Let’s eat first." He stood up and stretched lazily before asking, "Are you free afterward? If you are, let’s go look at houses tonight."
The sisters exchanged looks. Lucas immediately added, "I’m serious. It’s too dangerous here. What if those gangs come back tomorrow? I can’t exactly move in and protect you myself, can I?"
The moment those words left his mouth, both sisters blushed. Especially Daisy, whose face instantly turned red.
No man had ever stayed in their home before. Seeing their reactions, Lucas couldn’t help laughing. "Alright, alright. Let’s eat."
Unexpectedly, Debbie shook her head. "No need to go out. We still have food at home." She hesitated briefly before adding, "If you don’t mind."
Truthfully, she was worried. Lucas was obviously rich. Would someone like him really eat ordinary homemade food?
To her surprise, Lucas smiled immediately. "Why would I mind? I’m starving." Hearing that answer, Debbie’s nervousness eased considerably.
A few minutes later, she brought over a bowl of steamed rice and homemade stew. The aroma quickly filled the room. Lucas took one bite and his eyes lit up.
"This is amazing. I didn’t expect your cooking to be this good." The simple compliment instantly made Debbie’s face turn red. She lowered her head and focused on her food, while across the table Daisy kept secretly glancing between the two of them.
After dinner, and after another round of persuasion from Lucas, Debbie finally agreed. Although she still had reservations, she couldn’t deny that Lucas’s concerns about their safety were reasonable.
An hour later, the three of them left the apartment together. A taxi slowly disappeared into the night as it carried them toward their destination.
By the time Lucas, Debbie, and Daisy arrived at Willow Residences, it was already past eight in the evening. Despite the late hour, the sales center remained brightly illuminated.
Golden lights shone through the massive floor-to-ceiling windows, making the entire building look luxurious and inviting. Unlike ordinary businesses, real estate sales offices often stayed open late since many people only had time to view properties after work.
As they stepped out of the taxi, Lucas raised his head and looked toward the sprawling residential complex in the distance. He had seen this place online before.
A few days ago, while searching for a home for his parents, he had spent hours browsing property listings on TikTok and various real estate websites. Among all the developments in Silvermont City, Willow Residences consistently ranked among the top five.
The location alone was enough to make countless people jealous. The complex sat between a mountain and a lake, creating a perfect balance between nature and modern living.
Along the lakeside stood rows of luxurious detached villas. Behind them rose several elegant high-rise towers that overlooked both the city and the water.
Every apartment featured enormous balconies facing the river. The higher the floor, the more breathtaking the view became.
Residents could enjoy the city skyline on one side and peaceful natural scenery on the other. It was the definition of luxury living.
Most importantly, the development was less than twenty minutes from downtown Silvermont and was also very close to Ashford University. The concept of finding peace within the city had attracted countless wealthy buyers.
Unfortunately, the prices scared away nearly everyone else. For ordinary people, buying a home here was something they could only dream about.
As they entered the sales center, both Daisy and Debbie couldn’t help looking around. The interior looked more like a five-star hotel lobby than a real estate office.
Crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling while polished marble floors reflected the warm lights above. Even the scent in the air seemed expensive.
Daisy subconsciously lowered her voice. "This place must be unbelievably expensive..."
Debbie silently nodded. She had researched this development before. The cheapest apartment here cost more money than most families would earn in decades.
Yet Lucas had brought them here as casually as if he were taking them out for coffee. The difference between rich people and ordinary people really was terrifying.
Before they could continue thinking, a young man wearing a fitted suit and gold-rimmed glasses approached them with a professional smile. "Good evening. Welcome to Willow Residences."
"Is this your first visit?" he asked politely. "If so, I’d be happy to show you around."
Lucas nodded slightly. The young man immediately extended his hand. "My name is Mason Brooks. You can call me Mason."
Unlike many salespeople Lucas had encountered in the past, Mason showed no trace of arrogance or judgment. His attitude remained professional from beginning to end, earning several points in Lucas’s mind.
Mason guided them toward the massive model display in the center of the showroom. As they walked, he introduced every aspect of the project in detail.
The school districts, transportation network, security systems, surrounding commercial facilities, and property management company were all explained clearly and professionally. It was obvious he knew exactly what he was talking about.
What Lucas didn’t know was that Mason wasn’t an ordinary sales consultant. The entire Willow Residences project belonged to Empire Group, and Mason Brooks was actually the son of Tom Brooks, the chairman of Empire Real Estate.
Unlike most wealthy second-generation heirs who spent their days partying and showing off luxury cars, Mason had chosen to start from the bottom of the company. He wanted to understand every department before eventually taking over the family business.
As Mason spoke, he quietly observed Lucas. His instincts told him this young man wasn’t ordinary. After all, very few men could casually walk around with two beauties like Debbie and Daisy beside them.
The richer people became, the more they understood a simple truth—beautiful women were often the easiest way to measure a man’s status.
Lucas listened patiently for nearly ten minutes before his gaze settled on the tallest building displayed on the model. More specifically, he was looking at the penthouse occupying the very top floor. His finger lightly tapped the model.
"What about that one?" he asked.
Mason immediately smiled. "Excellent choice. That’s our flagship unit. Over four hundred square meters, private elevator access, panoramic river views, and one of the best apartments in the entire development."
Lucas nodded once. "Good. I’ll take it."
The entire showroom suddenly became quiet. Even Daisy nearly choked, while Debbie blinked twice in disbelief. Mason’s smile froze for a moment as he wondered if he had heard wrong.
Take it? Just like that?
He had spent less than five minutes explaining the property. Most customers needed weeks to make a decision. Some needed months. Others brought entire families to argue endlessly over floor plans.
Yet Lucas looked as though he was buying groceries.
Mason stared at him. "...Sir? You’ve decided already?"
Lucas looked confused. "Is there a problem?"
"No," Mason quickly replied. "No problem at all." However, he couldn’t hide the shock in his eyes. The penthouse cost over twenty-five million dollars. Even many successful business owners couldn’t pay that amount in cash, yet Lucas seemed completely unconcerned.
After a brief pause, Mason asked carefully, "Would you like to place a deposit first?"
Lucas shook his head. "No need. Full payment. Let’s finish everything tonight."
As he spoke, he casually pulled out his bank card. Mason felt his heart skip a beat. Even after years of growing up around wealthy people, this level of decisiveness was rare. Very rare.
Quickly recovering his composure, Mason brought over the purchase contract. "Sir, please review the contract. If everything looks good, we can proceed immediately."
Lucas took the contract. Then, without even looking at it himself, he handed it directly to Debbie.
"Put her name on it."
The world seemed to stop.
Mason froze. For several seconds, nobody spoke. A twenty-five-million-dollar penthouse... registered under someone else’s name? Just like that? No hesitation whatsoever?
As the future heir of Empire Group, Mason had met countless rich young masters. He had seen them buy watches, buy sports cars, and buy designer bags.
But buying a luxury penthouse and casually handing it to a woman?
