Final Offer (Dreamland Billionaires, #3)(138)

“But—”

“This is the best-case scenario.”

For him or me? Based on how much he is charging, the agent will walk away with a pretty penny once all the paperwork is done, especially if the buyers are driving up the price.

My phone vibrates with a new message from Cal.

Cal



I just heard one of the buyers mentioning how they plan on bringing the house down to the foundation and completely rebuilding it because they prefer a modern open-floor plan. Are you sure you don’t want to meet with them?





I jump up.

Hell no. I refuse to let anyone who wants to buy the house tear it down.

Violet peeks up at me. “What’s wrong?”

“Can you all watch Cami for a little bit? I need to handle something back at the house with a buyer.”

Wyatt waves me away like it’s no big deal. “We’re going to do an ice cream run in a little bit if that’s fine with you.”

“Yeah, sure. She has a set of clean clothes laid out on her bed,” I reply over my shoulder before stomping toward the main house.

Over my dead body will someone purchase the house only to tear it down. Cal and I did not go through the process of renovating the whole thing for someone to erase all the history and charm we worked so damn hard to keep.

I’d rather pick the person with the cheapest offer who might actually love the place than give it away to someone who won’t appreciate the property.

I walk into the house with every expectation of finding people roaming the property. Except when I arrive through the back door, the only person around is the real estate agent, who stands at the kitchen counter with his phone pressed against his ear and a folder with sheets spread out in front of him.

“What’s going on?” I stop to catch my breath after powerwalking over here.

He hangs up the phone with a smile. “We just received another offer.”

“Really?”

“Yes.”

Ugh. “So, there are four in total?”

“Correct.” His gleeful clapping grates on my nerves.

“Where are they?”

“Two had to go check out another house having a showing at the same time, but the other two are waiting in the living room for our final decision.”

“Perfect.” I walk past the real estate agent, ignoring his shouts.

I follow the long hallway toward the low murmurs of two people talking, although I can’t make out what they’re saying.

I enter the living room. “Cal? Where did the other buyer go?”

He turns at the sound of my voice. “You came.”

“Of course I came. No way am I going to let some asshole tear down the house.”

A tall man almost the same height as Cal walks around him. He wears an expensive-looking suit with an equally fancy watch, looking out of place compared to Cal’s relaxed look of jeans and a linen shirt.

“And who are you?”

“The asshole who wants to tear down the house.” He holds out his hand. His fingers are long like that of a pianist, lacking any kind of callouses that would suggest hard work. “I prefer to go by Lorenzo Vittori, though.”

Lorenzo Vittori. The name sounds familiar, but I can’t place it. He doesn’t look like someone I know, but there is something about his dark gaze and eye shape that sparks recognition.

“Vittori?” I grip his hand and give it a quick shake.

“Yes.”

“Was your mother the one who used to work at the Hawthorns’ house by chance?”

His jaw ticks. “She was.”

“You two know each other?” Cal’s head tilts.

“Our mothers were friends before my family had to move away,” Lorenzo replies.

“How is she?” I ask out of politeness.

“Dead.” His voice is flat and void of any emotion.

Cal’s eyes widen as he looks over at me.

“I’m sorry to hear that,” I offer.

Lorenzo doesn’t even blink. “Have you considered my offer, Ms. Castillo?”

Okay then. Safe to assume Lorenzo likes to get to the point.

“Not really, seeing as you want to destroy my house.”

“I prefer to describe it as tapping into a property’s true potential.” He smirks in a way that seems well-practiced, as if he trained himself to charm others. If it weren’t for his lifeless eyes, I would have believed it.

“I’m going to have to pass.”

His brows crinkle for a second before smoothing out. “What if I match the highest offer?”

“Which is?”

“Three million.” Cal tucks his hands into his pockets.

Wait. What? Last time I spoke to the agent, he said two million.

Lorenzo blinks twice in the most human display of emotion I’ve seen. “You’re joking.”

Cal grins. “Unless you want to counter, it looks like mine is the best and final offer.”

Mine is the best and final offer?

Mine?

Mine?!

Cal made an offer on his own house? Why would he do that?

The room spins around me as I try to wrap my head around what the hell is going on.

Lorenzo’s eye twitches. “You’re insane to pay that much on a place like this.”