Total pages in book: 95
Estimated words: 88879 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 444(@200wpm)___ 356(@250wpm)___ 296(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 88879 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 444(@200wpm)___ 356(@250wpm)___ 296(@300wpm)
“The property you are looking to acquire is worth more than a hundred million dollars. Her agency would not have the experience to handle such a sale.”
“What is there to handle? I am the buyer. I know exactly how much I am willing to spend.”
To this, Greta remains silent, contemplating my words.
“Two birds, one stone. The girl and the property.”
Greta’s eyes widen with shock. “You mean. Oh!” Then her face becomes blank and cold. “When would you like me to contact her?”
“As soon as we land. Schedule a showing with her before the week is out.”
“Yes, Mr. Ivanovich,” she responds promptly.
A couple of attendants in the lounge approach to inform us that my plane is ready. They take our bags and lead the way onto the tarmac towards my sleek dark plane.
I look forward to falling asleep on the flight. I’m exhausted after a week-long trip in Shanghai, so for once, I actually welcome the long flight back to New York.
Chapter Two
LARA
"Fuck. Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck."
All of these are uttered quietly under my breath because it irks me to hear them out loud. Yet, as I stare at my ringing phone on the extended tripod hanging from the top of the ceiling, there is no other way to express my frustration.
I forgot to put my phone on airplane mode and now instead of recording me, it’s ringing and interrupting me every single time I start the timer. Maybe if advertising on YouTube works out, I’ll be able to buy some proper recording equipment. The call rings until it disconnects, and once again I reach up as best as I can, stretching my arm to its limit, holding tightly onto the stair railing so I won't fall, and press the record button.
I need this shot. It will make the house look so magical. I will stroll down, and the overhead shot will capture the beauty of this apartment. Yes, it’s old and some people will think it is shabby, but for me, its charm is undeniable. It is my hope that I will be able to close the sale this month. My month so far has been rough, but with this listing, things are starting to look up.
The recording starts, and with a big smile, I begin to walk down the stairs, the steps creaking softly under my feet. But once again, my phone starts ringing, piercing the quiet.
"For fuck’s sake," I scream.
There is no one to hear so I let rip. I wait for the phone to stop, leaving me with my frustrated image and the glaring red record button. I’m pretty sure it’s only Derek from the office. The phone stops and ten seconds pass before it starts ringing again. Surely he won’t call more than three times. Silence descends and I am sure that he has given up on me, but as I try to reach for the phone once again to start recording, yet another call comes in. My frustration boils over and I rip off the duct tape and answer the call.
"Are you freaking kidding me?" It is so noisy in the background, and I can't understand why.
"Derek! Stop freaking calling me; you're going to make me lose my mind."
"Why aren't you picking up?" he asks. "I've been trying to reach you."
"I'm working," I reply. "I'm freaking recording, and I need my phone, and you've been interrupting me for the past thirty minutes."
"I'm sorry, but this is a hundred times more important."
"What is it?" I ask, realizing for the first time how noisy the background on Derek’s end is.
"Well, something big, really big has just happened at the agency, and your dad wants you back right now."
I frown. "What’s happened?"
"I can't tell you why. It's a surprise."
“Look. Stop playing games with me, Derek, and just tell me. I want to finish this video before I get back to the office.”
"Lara, I'm not kidding," he says. "This is serious and huge. You won't believe it even if I told you over the phone, but regardless, you need to get down here within the next thirty minutes tops. Plus, we’ve ordered pizza—the good kind, not the cheap stuff from around the corner. If you're not here, I promise you it will be gone."
"Derek, I don't care about—"
"Oh my God, just get here now," he snaps. "You can go back to your videos or whatever afterwards. Hurry up."
He hangs up then, leaving me staring at the phone in disbelief. He wants me to leave the video unfinished and go back to the office without even knowing why. The thought of wasting time commuting back and forth is stupid so I call my dad.
"Hey, Dad. Why is your office manager insisting that I get back to the office right now?"
"It's huge," he says excitedly, and once again I notice the ruckus going on in the background.