Chapter 166 Give Kyle Another Chance?
Ryder nodded. "Yeah, it's my house. What about it?"
"Nothing...nothing at all!" George still seemed a little shocked as he answered. He knew Ryder was wealthy and could easily drop a cool hundred million dollars on a house. But within the Houston elite circle, villa number one was truly exceptional! It was common knowledge that, years earlier, the villa had been scooped up by some mysterious buyer, sparking endless speculation.
Initially, most speculations leaned toward Houston's wealthiest tycoon, Scott Brown. But that didn't quite add up. Brown's stature meant that he didn’t have to be so secretive when he was buying property. And the Brown empire had long expanded beyond Houston, sprawling across Texas. They had properties in the capital, so there was no pressing need to snatch up the coveted villa number one in Houston.
But aside from Scott Brown, it was hard to picture anyone else in Houston capable of such a feat. It wasn't just about the price tag. ZD Group, the developer behind Platan Villas, had stringent requirements for the villa's homeowners. To put it bluntly, if ZD Group didn't approve, all the money in the world wouldn't get you in the door. And in the eyes of ZD Group, only the Browns of Houston were worthy. The rest of those so-called wealthy folks? They just didn't cut it.
This was why the identity of the owner stirred so much debate. Some rumors said a business magnate from the capital had bought it for his Houston mistress! Others speculated it was a secret child of a ZD Group executive.
It was no surprise that George was in shock. He never imagined that his boss, Ryder, would be the owner of villa number one. That implied that he must have had some incredible connections and status. He wondered why Ryder had kept such a low profile these past years, of course, but that didn't seem to matter much now. His heart raced with excitement, cementing his determination to serve Ryder loyally from now on.
...
After half an hour, Ryder finished inspecting the newly renovated villa. He had to admit that the Platan property management's standards were impressive. The renovations were exactly to his liking and flawless in every way. He was confident that Sarah would be in for a big surprise when he celebrated his anniversary with her. As he was about to leave Platan Villas, Dylan suddenly called out to him. "Mr. Clark, could you wait a moment? I've got something to discuss with you."
"Go ahead,” Ryder responded.
Dylan pulled out a golden card from his pocket and handed it to Ryder, saying, “Mr. Clark, this is an exclusive VIP membership card for our ZD Group clients. With this card, you'll receive a 20% discount on any purchase from our group's brands. You'll also get VIP box seating at our upcoming villa auction!”
“A villa auction?” Ryder furrowed his brows in confusion.
Dylan quickly clarified, “You see, Platan Villas are high-end residential properties, so they’re sold through auctions, not the usual real estate market. An auction is held whenever a new villa opens up in the community. Anyone in Houston’s elite who needs a new villa or are simply interested can join the bidding. It's a form of entertainment for the wealthy. I'm sure you’ll enjoy it, Mr. Clark. There’s an auction the day after tomorrow. I hope you can make some time to attend!”
Ryder nodded in agreement, “Sure! I'll definitely find the time to be there.”
Since it was getting late, Ryder accepted the golden membership card and, after saying goodbye to Dylan, left the Platan community with George.
On the way back, Ryder asked George if he was interested in the Platan Villas auction.
“After all, it's just an ordinary villa, and with that funding at your disposal, you could easily afford it,” Ryder pointed out.
But George shook his head, indicating his disinterest.
His reason was simple. As someone who thrived on the bustle of the streets, the tranquil life of a villa didn't suit him. Plus, with his many underlings and constant social obligations, Platan Villas weren't ideal for entertaining his streetwise associates.
Not one to push the matter, Ryder let it be. He was content, as long as George was happy.
Ten minutes later, Ryder dropped George off at Boss Security and rode his motorcycle back to Bayview Gardens.
When he arrived at his apartment and opened the door, he found that Ernest and his family had returned from the hospital.
Kyle was playing a video game on the couch. Karen was watching TV. Ernest had already prepared dinner and was placing dishes on the table.
When Karen saw Ryder return, she didn’t lash out, which was unusual for her. After all, the harrowing episode at the hospital the day before was still fresh in her mind.
Instead, she glared at Ryder and kept to herself.
Sarah emerged from the bedroom in comfortable home clothes. She greeted Ryder with a warm smile and asked, “Was work hard today?”
With a laugh, Ryder replied, “Not at all!”
He felt a warm glow. It was the first time in almost three years of marriage that Sarah had shown such concern after his workday—a clear sign of the recent upswing in their relationship.
Karen's eyes flickered with irritation as she deliberately coughed to cut through the chatter. "Ahem! Let's eat, shall we? There’s no need for all this pointless talk!"
With that, she grabbed Kyle who was sitting next to her and led him to the dinner table.
Ryder and Sarah exchanged a look, both managing a wry smile before joining the others at the table.
At first, all five of them ate in silence and said not a word.
Though yesterday's hospital ordeal seemed like history, everyone at the table was acutely aware that the issue hadn't really been resolved.
As they were about to finish eating, Kyle stealthily kicked Karen under the table and shot her a meaningful glance.
Nodding, Karen placed her bowl down on the table and turned to Sarah, "Ahem! Sarah, dear, I have something to ask you."
"What is it?" Sarah inquired.
"Now that Kyle's out of the hospital, when does he plan on returning to work at the company?"
"Work? What work?"
"Tsk, I’m obviously talking about the Marketing Director position. With all the drama at the company lately, they’ll surely need all hands on deck. It would be a shame not to utilize Kyle's talents, right? He could help out a lot at work."
Sarah cut in firmly. "There's no need for that. The company's back on its feet now. Nothing pressing requires his help."
Karen's face twitched. "What are you saying? You don’t plan to let your brother be director anymore?"
Sarah nodded. "First of all, Kyle has to own up to his part in the recent company crisis, and we’re already being generous by not pursuing that. Besides, Kyle is too young for that position. It's not a good fit."
P
That response got under Karen's skin, but she tried to keep her tone in check since she needed Sarah's help. "I know Kyle didn't handle things perfectly, but he’s your brother. Can’t you give him another chance? I promise he won't make the same mistakes again."
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