Lionel blinked in surprise. "How did we end up here?"Miranda was about to reply when a sales representative, Wendy Thompson, approached them with a bright smile. "Here to check out some houses? We've got everything from starter homes to something more upscale."Miranda nodded. "We'd like to look a
Miranda knew that many high-end property developments required financial verification before they would consider showing the properties around. "So, what exactly are the requirements for VIP clients?" she asked."First, you need to be eligible to buy property in Lumberville—that's non-negotiable. Th
"Ms. Thompson…" Sophia sounded a bit flustered."What's with that look? Do you even know the verification process? What if something goes wrong and we let just anyone in? Can you handle that kind of responsibility?""I… think I know the steps. They covered it during training. If the verification goe
No matter what Sophia's introduction was like, Miranda had already made up her mind and was resolute.Sophia's excitement was palpable. "What will be your preferred payment method, then, Ms. Sutton?""Full payment."Lionel was taken aback. He had no idea Miranda was actually serious about buying a v
Five million dollars... To save that much, Lionel would have to work his entire life, living frugally and barely scraping by.Miranda felt a pang of guilt. "I haven't been sitting idle all these years; I've managed to save a little."At that moment, Mindy, who had been silent until now, suddenly spo
Lionel replied, "I'll place the order right now! First, we'll get the trellis since your mom loves wisteria. It'll be perfect for the vines… Then, we'll pick up a few hydrangeas. When they bloom in May, they'll make Xavier green with envy..."Xavier Scott was one of Lionel's colleagues. They taught
Jenny flashed a bright smile as she walked up to Mindy. She linked her arm with Harold's and said, "Well, look who it is! Fancy running into you here, Mindy."Mindy returned the smile. "Hey, Jenny.""So, what brings you and Miranda to the sales office? You're not thinking about buying a place, are y
Mindy forced a tight smile. If she could actually make money from her copyrights, she wouldn't have to wait for Miranda to buy them a villa.Sensing Mindy's impatience, Miranda stepped in. "Uncle Ronald, Aunt Jenny, my mom and I have some things to take care of, so we'll be heading out…""Oh, come o
Miranda glanced at her phone. It was a call from Paul. "Hello, Paul, Merry—"Before she could finish her sentence, she heard the sound of heavy breathing on the other end. Taken aback, Miranda froze for a moment. "What's…""Come outside, Mimi.""What?""I'm out front at your entrance. Come out."As
Austin stuck out his tongue at Yale. "Uncle Yale, shame on you! How can you compare yourself to little kids?" Yale was at a loss for words. Great, he thought, even the kids were bullying him.Suddenly, Susan thought of something and asked, "By the way, where's Paul?" "Oh, he got a phone call earli
Jenny was shocked. "Are they really that powerful?""Of course!" Quincey couldn't help but sigh. "I can't help but admire Miranda sometimes. Back when she needed money, she latched onto a rich young scion. Now that she's still young but craving for status, she went straight for a prominent academic
"Well, Dad and Mom still have a few jars left," Jenny said. "After thinking about it, we really shouldn't turn down Lionel's and his family's good intentions. Oh, right. Quincey, we still have to visit your maternal grandparents for Christmas. Let's head back now."The other members of the Sutton fa
Miranda walked over with a bright smile. "Aunt Jenny, the reason I gave the project to Jack back then was because we were working on a tight budget. Other smart home renovation companies were quoting too high. "Secondly, Jack's team was truly capable and qualified to handle the job. I would've like
Jenny had heard from other relatives some time ago that Jack's company was growing rapidly. His business had boomed so quickly that they could barely keep up with the demand. She had felt a little envious when she first heard the news. Jenny hadn't seen it with her own eyes and didn't know just how
Jenny's words dripped with sarcasm. It felt like someone had hit the pause button on the originally cheerful atmosphere as the smiles on everyone's faces froze. Lionel scratched his head and replied politely, "We were just lucky…""Oh please, don't be so modest! I've got terrible luck, and everyon
Mindy maintained a polite smile. "It's the thought that counts. After all, we're family. There's no need to compare."With that, Cynthia's expression softened into a genuine smile. "Mindy, you really do have a way with words. No wonder you're a famous writer."Jenny hadn't managed to gain the upper
Rena's smile widened and looked more genuine. "These are not cheap, right? You're really too much. We're just having a Christmas dinner with family, so there's no need to bring all these gifts."She wasn't like Jenny, who couldn't stand seeing others doing well. Her brother-in-law's success was a g