Chapter 526 Buying a House
"Winnie, Melanie showed me a villa and I really like it. Are you done with your stuff? Do you want to come and see?"
It was a good distraction.
Winnie replied, "Sure."
She drove to the address Olivia had sent her. The villa was centrally located in Trento City near a shopping complex. Scanning the area from her car, she noted the solid amenities and the pristine cultural environment.
The villa community was called "Tranquil Estates," composed of dozens of low-rise villas, complete with a lake, a children's playground, a nursery, and even a golf course.
With Melanie's guidance, Winnie inspected the fourth villa, boasting the best lake view.
It was two floors, spanning over 5,000 square feet.
It would perfectly accommodate both her family and Olivia's.
Olivia, eyes sparkling, hugged her. "What do you think, Winnie? How about this place? I really dig the decor style. It's minimalist and chic with a blue and white palette. It's perfect for kids."
"You like it?" Winnie arched an eyebrow at her.
Melanie smiled. "Not to mention, it's got pastel color scheme that every girl seems to adore."
"Well, if you're into it—" Winnie nonchalantly pulled out her card. "Mel, get in touch with the property manager. We're buying this place."
"What? For real?" Olivia's eyes went wide with disbelief. "Did you even look at the price tag? It's four hundred million, not forty million. You've got to be kidding, Winnie. Even if Triton Company is sitting on some cash, we're about to relocate. You've got to think about budgeting."
"It's not about cutting corners when it comes to comfort for the kids. I can't be buying a mansion every month. Hotels come and go, but a home—that's for keeps. It's about time I settled down."
As Winnie spoke, a sudden wave of fatigue hit her, bringing an ache to her lower back. She had been feeling run down lately but couldn’t quite figure out why. She sank into the couch, and Melanie fetched her a glass of water.
"Rest up, Winnie. Sorry to trouble you."
"It's no trouble at all. I've been hoping you'd find a decent place to settle in Trento City, especially since you've wanted to avoid living in the Blanchet residence. Especially after the drama with your uncle, it's like you and Ishara are at each other's throats. It would be great to have you here. I would pop by all the time."
Melanie had always felt like an outsider in the Blanchet family, tormented by Ishara and Angela, without a single confidant. She truly valued her friendship with Winnie.
Winnie gave her a thoughtful look. Melanie was pure-hearted, and Winnie really wanted to ask if she knew Bentley. After all, there was that bombshell claim that he had kissed Melanie against her will at a bar and even fathered her child.
As Winnie was lost in thought, the property manager arrived immediately. The contracts were signed, and the full payment was wired. A staggering four hundred million was gone just like that.
Olivia watched in astonishment, clutching Winnie's credit card. "Rich people really do live differently. I wish I could experience what it's like to spend four hundred million just once in my life. You think I'll ever get that chance?"
Winnie sighed and handed Olivia the house contract, "Here, hold on to it. It's four hundred million. If you'd get your act together, the Smith Group could make a comeback soon enough."
Olivia pouted. "I've only been here for a day, and you're already giving me grief about free-loading? Fine, I'll start job hunting tomorrow!"
Winnie blinked. “If you need anything, just holler at me. Or hey, Jeremy's also available.”
“What are you talking about? He's my daughter's uncle!”
“But he seems pretty invested in you and Mia's lives.”
“You always have too much on your mind. Isn’t Lawrence enough to deal with?” Olivia snapped back.
Winnie’s face tightened in an instant.
Melanie watched the exchange, struggling to stifle a chuckle, and said, “Winnie, you and Olivia really have a great bond. Are you two planning to share a place here in the future?”
Before Winnie could answer, Olivia confidently nodded. “Absolutely! Lawrence always jokes that Winnie and I are like conjoined twins.”
Winnie shot her a withering look.
Chastened, Olivia zipped her lips. “Okay, okay, I won’t mention that jerk. Look at the time. We should celebrate. Winnie bought a house today. How about we go out for dinner? Let’s pick up Sidney and Mia, too.”
Seeing Olivia’s excitement and being new to Trento City herself, everything felt fresh and exciting to Winnie. She smiled and agreed.
They chose a fancy French restaurant for dinner.
Olivia received a text from Jeremy. “Winnie bought a house on her own?”
“How did you find out?”
Jeremy replied, “I saw your status update.”
A pang of guilt shot across Olivia's face as she surreptitiously glanced at Winnie. She had bragged about it to Laura, even sharing the address in her elation.
Olivia texted back. “You didn’t rat us out to Lawrence, did you?”
Jeremy was quick. “Already did.”
Damn it.
Jeremy was such a gossip.
Unable to help herself, Olivia typed again. “What did Jerkface say?”
“Mr. Lawrence is fuming. He was pissed that Winnie had bought a house without consulting him first.”
After all, the Rodriguez real estate empire owned more than half the properties in Trento City. Had Winnie asked Mr. Lawrence, he would have put her up in a luxury villa for free.
Taking the craziness up a notch, once Lawrence got hold of Winnie’s new address, he quickly sent over a house inspector to her place to test for formaldehyde, of all things.
Jeremy was speechless.
He sneakily peeked at the man behind the desk, his brows furrowed in annoyance. Jeremy couldn't resist adding fuel to the fire.
“Mr. Lawrence, Winnie didn’t just buy a house, she’s decided to move in with Olivia. They’re out celebrating in a restaurant as we speak.”
Lawrence's face was a thundercloud as his pen paused mid-sentence. "Did they order the red wine?"
"Huh?" Jeremy was momentarily taken aback.
The man kept his eyes on the paperwork, but his presence bore down on Jeremy like an oppressive fog. "Keep your chat with Olivia going. The moment they order any wine—red or white—you send someone to knock it over!"
Jeremy gave Mr. Lawrence a look of incredulous frustration. What a hassle.
The chances of Winnie drinking were high.
-
In the restaurant, Melanie had ordered a bottle of red wine and poured it for all three at the table.
Olivia raised her glass to toast, and Winnie was about to take a sip when disaster struck.
A waiter rushed over, tray tipping wildly, and inadvertently knocked over her wine glass.
"Oh, I'm terribly sorry, miss! I'll clean this up right away," the waiter apologized, clearly distraught.
Winnie quickly tidied herself up and shook her head. "No worries, get back to your work."
Sidney watched the waiter leave with piercing eyes.
Around the corner, Jeremy slipped the waiter some cash. He watched with gritted teeth as Olivia finished the bottle of red wine. With a grudging step, he walked away.
Before long, Olivia received a text. "Miss Olivia, you're Mia's mother. Stop drinking! You're not being a good example for Mia."
Olivia fixed her gaze on Jeremy's contact photo. 'Damn, what is up with this nosy guy? Did he have x-ray vision or something? How can he possibly know I am drinking wine? And why did he think he could tell me what to do?!'
"How I raise Mia is none of your business."
"I'm her uncle. Of course, it's my business."
"You're not her father!"
On the other end, Jeremy's face went pale, speechless from the retort. For a fleeting moment, he thought of Mia's adorable face and found himself wishing he was.
"Olivia, who are you texting under the table like that?" Winnie glanced over curiously.
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