Chapter 10: Chapter 10: Point-Blank Ultimate
"Shawn Lane, I actually..."
Cindy Underwood had wanted to use this chance to confess her feelings to Shawn Lane. A person is most vulnerable right after a breakup, making it the perfect opportunity to make her move.
But to her surprise, Shawn Lane forcefully pushed her away and left without even giving her a second glance.
"Shawn..."
Watching his retreating back, Cindy Underwood swallowed the words she was about to say. She bit her lower lip in frustration as tears welled in her eyes, making her look utterly pitiful.
Shawn Lane had calmed down a little by the time he got back to his dorm, but the moment he pushed open the door and saw Sean, his anger flared up again.
Cecilia Sterling gifting Sean that "Carnival" was a slap in his face.
That’s right. The reason he was so furious was entirely about his own pride. Cecilia Sterling had trampled on his dignity as a man.
’But Sean probably doesn’t know that person was Cecilia Sterling, right?’
’No one besides me would recognize Cecilia Sterling’s account. After all, it has none of her personal information on it.’
The thought made Shawn Lane feel slightly better. ’Otherwise, wouldn’t I be a total laughingstock in front of my roommates?’
But in the next second, Sean timidly spilled the beans. "Shawn Lane, I didn’t know that person was Cecilia Sterling! I really didn’t!"
Those words made Shawn Lane’s eyes fly open.
Yannick, who was sitting at his desk, was rendered speechless. ’Did he really just run right up and press the self-destruct button?’
"Then how do you know now?" Shawn Lane demanded, his voice dangerously low.
"I..." Realizing his mistake too late, Sean slapped a hand over his mouth and shot a pleading look at Yannick.
Yannick stood up and explained softly to Shawn Lane, "I was the one who recognized her. I’d stumbled upon her account before, so it looked familiar."
"Hah..." Shawn Lane let out a laugh of pure fury. He nodded at them, his voice laced with a threat. "Don’t let a fourth person hear about this. If you do, don’t blame me for what happens next."
Yannick’s eyes turned cold. He despised Shawn Lane’s condescending attitude more than anything.
Still, he didn’t argue. He wasn’t interested in Shawn’s affairs to begin with and certainly wasn’t one to gossip.
Sean, on the other hand, nodded quickly in assurance. "Don’t worry, Shawn Lane. We definitely won’t say a word."
The next morning, Cecilia Sterling appeared at the sales center for Hearthstone Villas.
The Hearthstone Villas development wasn’t just considered the most luxurious in Lorcain; it was renowned throughout all of Cathay, a household name to almost everyone.
Unlike other villa developments, which were mostly built far from downtown, Hearthstone Villas was a tranquil oasis built in a prime, bustling area of Downtown Lorcain where every inch of land was worth its weight in gold. Rumor had it that over a dozen Feng Shui Masters had been consulted to verify the auspiciousness of the location. The properties were pre-booked by powerful figures from all sectors long before the official sales launch.
As a result, there weren’t many new homes still for sale in the development today.
The staff in the sales department saw Cecilia Sterling in her casual attire and didn’t pay her much mind. A male salesperson in a company uniform approached perfunctorily to assist her.
He answered her questions mechanically, his gaze frequently drifting toward the main entrance, clearly distracted.
"Is there something else you need to be doing?" Cecilia Sterling asked, her displeasure evident. She had already gone through this yesterday and had no intention of tolerating it again.
"Not at all, ma’am. Do you have any other questions?" the salesman asked, feigning attentiveness.
Unlike the salesperson at the luxury store yesterday, whose contempt was blatant, this salesman’s condescension was subtle, hidden in his attitude, which Cecilia Sterling found even more nauseating.
Just as she was about to speak, the salesman’s eyes lit up. The source of his distraction had apparently arrived. He immediately abandoned her and hurried toward the main entrance. "Mr. Warner, Mrs. Warner, you’re finally here! I was starting to think you weren’t coming today."
He then escorted the couple to a sofa in the lounge area, grabbed a stack of brochures, and, with an obsequious smile, began an enthusiastic, non-stop presentation.
It was a night-and-day difference from how he had treated her just moments before.
Cecilia Sterling let out another exasperated laugh. ’This is unbelievable,’ she thought. She was starting to wonder if the problem was her. How could she run into such ridiculous, frustrating situations two days in a row?
She instinctively glanced down at her outfit. ’I’m dressed for comfort, sure, but these are designer brands. They’re not cheap!’
’The only explanation is that he doesn’t recognize the brands and had no idea this outfit costs nearly twenty thousand.’
"Hello, ma’am. Do you need any help?"
Just then, a neat-looking young woman with fair skin and glasses approached and asked timidly.
Cecilia Sterling looked at her. Although she was also wearing the company uniform, she wasn’t wearing a name tag like the previous salesman.
"An intern?" Cecilia Sterling asked.
The young woman nodded, looking a little awkward and self-conscious. "Yes. But please rest assured, I’m very familiar with all the properties at Hearthstone Villas. I can help you if you’d like."
Cecilia Sterling smiled slightly. "Alright."
With that, she walked straight to the lounge area and gracefully took a seat next to Mr. and Mrs. Warner.
The first salesman certainly noticed Cecilia Sterling, but he said nothing, continuing to patiently engage with the "potential major clients" before him.
"What is your surname, ma’am?"
"My surname is Sterling."
"I’ll call you Miss Sterling, then. Miss Sterling, have you had a chance to look into the specific floor plans for Hearthstone Villas?"
Cecilia Sterling shook her head. "I’ve only done a quick search online."
Then she added pointedly, "If I find a house I like today, I’ll be paying in full."
The intern was taken aback for a moment, then nodded quickly. "Of course. In that case, let me give you the detailed information on the new homes we currently have for sale."
The people nearby had also overheard what Cecilia Sterling just said.
The Warner couple and the male salesman all glanced sideways at her at almost the same time, their expressions filled with unconcealed doubt.
A villa at Hearthstone Villas, even the smallest one in the worst location, cost nearly eight thousand dollars. She was going to pay in full?
’What a boast!’
For the next half an hour, the intern patiently and professionally gave Cecilia Sterling a comprehensive overview, covering every important piece of information and detail, making everything perfectly clear.
"Miss Sterling, the situation is this: these villas are in extremely high demand. The ones in prime locations were sold long ago, and we don’t have many new homes left. Even if the remaining ones don’t have the best positioning, they won’t stay on the market for long. If you’re considering one, I’d advise you to decide as quickly as possible."
The intern’s advice was very pertinent. She wasn’t being pushy, simply suggesting that Cecilia Sterling could take some time to think, but would need to make her decision soon.
Cecilia Sterling held the property brochure and pointed to one of the listings. "I quite like this one. The living room is a sunken design, isn’t it?"
"That’s right. Each of our villas has a different designer. This particular one was designed by Draven Lynn. His specialty is modern garden-style architecture, so the landscaping on this property is perfect. The design envelops the entire villa in greenery without obstructing sunlight, which is excellent for protecting the owner’s privacy."
"It also comes with a state-of-the-art, international standard insect-repellent system, so you won’t have to worry about mosquitoes or other pests."
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