Chapter 34 Susanna, Are You Out of Your Mind?
Susanna thought it over. She was planning to buy a second-hand house; maybe Edward could help her find one close to the hospital, which would be easier for Madison to get treatment.
After dinner, Susanna called Edward and mentioned she wanted to use her bonus to buy a house.
Edward excitedly replied, "Leave it to me! I'll find you a cheap and good house."
After hanging up, Edward posted on Facebook: [Susanna wants to buy a house. Should we get her a single-family home or a townhouse?]
Arthur: [A single-family home is too flashy. How about a large flat?]
The group chat buzzed with discussion until Aviana walked over and looked at Edward. She said, "Neither."
"Why, honey? I can just say the house is on sale. Susanna will believe it," Edward said.
"Do you think Susanna is stupid? She has a budget of only a million dollars and needs a loan to buy a house near Lindwell City Center Hospital. How could she afford a single-family home?"
Edward snapped back to reality. "Okay, I'll have my secretary filter out some suitable apartments in good neighborhoods with decent security. We can upgrade later."
Aviana nodded. "That works. Actually, the house is just one part. Renovation and appliances are also big issues. Why not pick a few places with decent renovations and get her all the appliances she needs before she see the house?"
Edward thought it made sense and agreed, though he still felt a bit disappointed looking at the single-family homes he had picked out. He asked Aviana, "How about we buy two? We can give her the single-family home later."
"Fine, but make sure everything is arranged properly. Don't let her find out," Aviana agreed.
After finalizing their plan, Edward eagerly video-called Susanna. As soon as the call connected, Edward's excited expression turned serious. "Susanna, what happened to your face? Are you hurt?"
Hearing this, Aviana also leaned in. "Susanna, did someone hit you?"
Susanna froze, realizing she hadn't treated her face injury yet.
"Susanna, who did this? Tell me, and I'll come over right now!" Edward was furious.
Susanna quickly explained, "Edward, calm down. No one hit me. I got hurt supervising the site today. It's nothing."
"How could you be so careless! Susanna, maybe you should quit. This job seems really unsafe," Edward said, clearly upset.
"I'm fine. Edward, are you calling me about the house?" Susanna didn't want to drag them into her problems and quickly changed the subject. She didn't want to cause trouble for them.
Edward stayed silent, still looking serious.
Susanna knew she couldn't fool him and turned to Aviana for help. "Aviana, look at Edward. He's ignoring me."
Aviana understood but also looked worried. However, she knew Susanna well enough to realize that if Susanna didn't want to talk, they wouldn't get anything out of her. She nudged the still-angry Edward and said, "Alright, Susanna, if anyone bullies you, you have to tell us, okay?"
"I know," Susanna replied.
Seeing Edward still silent, Aviana took the phone and spoke for him, "Susanna, don't worry about the house. We'll send you the options tomorrow. I know you want a place close to the hospital for Madison, but good neighborhoods aren't cheap. The six of us pooled some money together. You can buy the house now and pay us back when you can. We think since you’re looking for a house, we recommend finding a good one."
Susanna hesitated for a moment, but Aviana's words were tempting.
Edward finally spoke up, "Susanna, just take it."
Hearing Edward finally speak, Susanna quickly agreed, "Alright, I'll work hard to pay you back as soon as possible."
After chatting a bit more, Susanna ended the video call, feeling a mix of excitement and gratitude.
She looked at herself in the mirror and smiled. "Work hard, buy a new house," she told herself.
The next afternoon, Susanna received a message from Edward with some house options, all at great prices. She excitedly called Edward, "Where did you find these houses?"
"I'm in the real estate business; I have got connections. Don't worry, I negotiated all these prices. Pick one, and I'll have my friend from Dreamshire handle it for you," he replied.
"Thanks, Edward. I'll go see the houses after work tomorrow." Susanna was thrilled by Edward's quick work and planned to leave work early.
Allison, overhearing Susanna's conversation, quickly messaged Elaine: [Ms. Abbott, I just heard Susanna is buying a house.]
Elaine replied instantly: [Find out what kind of house she's buying.]
Allison's eyes gleamed with malice. Susanna had dared to mess with her last time; she wouldn't let it slide.
That afternoon, Susanna toured several houses with Edward's arrangements and finally chose a spacious, well-decorated new home. The agent mentioned that the previous owner had suddenly moved abroad with their family, leaving all the appliances behind. As a bonus, the furniture and appliances are included in the purchase price.
Hearing this, Susanna immediately agreed to buy the house. She posted on Facebook to update her brothers about the purchase. The total price was six million dollars. Her brothers pooled three million, and with her own one million, she had four million. She took out a loan for the remaining two million, with a monthly payment of $20,000 for 10 years. Encouraged by her brothers, she signed the contract with the agent that day. From now on, she knew she had to work even harder.
Just as she got home, she received a call from Aaron. He said coldly, "You took the deposit but didn't follow through? When will the furniture be delivered?"
Susanna was stunned. "I thought you'd switch designers."
After all, she had fought with Erica yesterday, and knowing Erica's personality, she expected her to complain. She didn't expect Aaron to call and keep her on the project. Were they planning to humiliate her further?
"Why would I switch?" Aaron's tone was calm. Susanna glanced at the deposit contract in her hand and quickly adjusted her tone, "Do you have any more requirements for the design? If not, I'll start picking out furniture tomorrow. There's a sale going on, so we can get discounts if we order now."
Aaron's frown deepened. "Do I dare have an opinion on the design?"
Last time, she had deliberately designed it to annoy him.
"Our studio's mission is to serve the customer. We welcome your feedback!" she said formally.
"Susanna, are you out of your mind?" Aaron asked.
Susanna cleared her throat and said, "Alright, is there anything else you need?"
