CHAPTER 30: PRS 30

Isabella Clark stared at her phone screen, filled with transaction confirmation messages. That evening, she had just purchased four shophouses at once from Sophia, a young, enthusiastic property agent. They were sitting in a private room at a Japanese restaurant in XX City, the aroma of food wafting softly.

"I’m taking all four of these shophouses, Sophia. Please contact the owners right now, because I want to finalize the transaction tonight," Isabella said in a firm yet polite tone. Her fingers tapped lightly on the table, signaling that she wanted everything done quickly.

Sophia paused for a moment, her eyes widening in surprise. "Four shophouses at once? Are you serious, Isabella? You mean those four shophouses we saw this afternoon? The ones in the downtown business district?" she asked, even though she knew Isabella rarely joked about business.

"Seriously. I don’t like to beat around the bush. I’ve calculated all the potential, and I think the location of these four shophouses is very strategic for the business I’m developing," Isabella replied with a faint smile. "This is a great opportunity, and I want to lock it in immediately. Don’t let anyone else get it first."

Sophia nodded quickly, then swiftly contacted the shophouse owners one by one. Fortunately, she had a good feeling since morning, so she had already reminded them to stay prepared tonight. It didn’t take long for them all to respond, eager to meet this extraordinary prospective buyer.

At the table, Mr. Krisna, Jery’s notary partner and frequent assistant to Isabella, was drafting the transaction agreement. "Everything is ready, Miss Isabella. I’ve checked the documents for completeness, and everything is in accordance with procedure," he said calmly, examining the stack of documents. "We can start signing as soon as the shophouse owner arrives."

Isabella nodded, sweeping her gaze over Krisna. Since her first transaction with Ardan, she had felt comfortable with the 45-year-old notary’s performance. Professional, fast, and trustworthy.

"Thank you, Mr. Krisna. I need someone who can work quickly like this. Especially for this many property transactions, I really appreciate your dedication in coming in so late at night," Isabella said, sipping her warm tea.

"As long as the client pays as agreed, we can definitely fulfill all requests. Besides, this isn’t the first time you’ve contacted me at this hour. I’m used to your fast-paced work schedule," Krisna replied with a polite smile. He was secretly amazed at how easily Isabella disbursed such a large sum of money.

Shortly afterward, the shop owners arrived. The transaction proceeded smoothly. Isabella paid in cash without any drama, a rarity in the property world. The satisfied faces of the shop owners were evident that night.

Sophia, watching everything, was moved. In addition to receiving commissions from the shop owners, she also received a large commission from Isabella. Tears welled up in her eyes. "Sis Isabella, thank you for everything. This is the first time I’ve received a commission this large. I couldn’t believe it when I saw the amount in my account," she said softly.

Isabella smiled slightly and held out a tissue. "You achieved this great result because of your hard work, Sophia. You deserve it. I saw how hard you worked to find the best properties for me. Keep up the good work, okay? There are many other projects we’ll work on together."

Sophia held Isabella’s hand tightly, her eyes sparkling. "If you need a shophouse, a house, or land, as long as I can, I will help you. Whatever you need, I will find it and make sure it’s the best. You’re like a guardian angel to me. Thanks to you, I can help my family in their hardships."

Isabella looked at her gently. "Perhaps this is what’s called destiny. As long as a person works hard and never gives up, they will surely reap the rewards. You’ve proven it, Sophia," she said softly. These words made Sophia respect her even more.

Krisna, who overheard the conversation, was even more impressed with Isabella. She was young, wealthy, ambitious, yet kind-hearted. This was also evident in the way Isabella treated Siva, her bodyguard and driver, whom she treated like a friend.

After all the signatures were completed, Krisna took his leave. "Thank you very much, Mr. Krisna, for bothering me so late at night. I hope you have a safe journey home," Isabella said sincerely.

"It’s okay, Miss Isabella. As long as I’m free and can help, please feel free to contact me anytime. It’s part of my job, and I’m happy to serve clients like you," Krisna replied before leaving the restaurant.

Isabella then glanced at her phone, seeing the constant stream of notifications from Bank N. A satisfied smile spread across her lips. The four shophouses were now hers, and one of the combined shophouses would become the new Royal Scott Bakery.

"Let’s go home, Sis. I’m so tired today. It feels like my bones are all broken after a day of wandering around the city," Isabella said to Siva with a yawn. Siva nodded and immediately drove her brand-new Mercedes Benz to The Imperial Residences Complex, where Isabella’s apartment unit was located.

Upon arrival, Isabella handed over the access card. "I bought unit 12 for you, Siva. So you don’t have to go back and forth between boarding houses. You can sleep there tonight and pack up tomorrow. Consider it a bonus for all your hard work."

Siva was stunned. "You’re such a rich person, buying a luxury apartment like this is like buying crackers. But thank you so much, Miss. I don’t know how to repay you," she muttered with a smile. However, she was grateful and intended to repay Isabella’s kindness with wholehearted devotion.

Meanwhile, at Mahendra’s residence, Margaret, Scarlet’s mother, couldn’t sleep. She tossed and turned restlessly. Joseph Mahendra, her husband, had been forced to move to another room to avoid a middle-of-the-night argument.

"What’s going on? Why does my heart feel so uneasy? Has something bad happened to Scarlet? This is so awful," Margaret muttered anxiously. She reached for the phone beside her pillow and tried to call her daughter. But Scarlet’s number was inactive. She tried repeatedly, but the result was the same. The messages she sent only received one tick.

"What’s going on? I don’t even know Scarlet’s address in the capital. She never told me her exact address since moving there. Why am I feeling so scared?" she asked frantically, pacing back and forth. The bond between mother and daughter is indeed strong.

Meanwhile, Scarlet was in a slump. Her wounds had become infected, giving her a high fever. Several people had tried to help, but when they saw the medical records, which indicated she had early syphilis, they decided against it, fearing infection. Scarlet could only lie weakly on the porch of an abandoned house, having been chased away by children who threw stones at her and shouted "crazy."

Scarlet stared blankly at the shards of glass from the window. "I never thought my life would fall this far..." she muttered softly. Her body trembled, her thoughts a mess. She picked up a rock and smashed the glass until the shards fell. With determination, she picked up one of the large shards.

"I’d rather die than endure this suffering..." her voice trembled. She slowly sliced open her veins. Blood seeped, then spurted out as the cut deepened. Scarlet leaned against the wall, feeling a relief she couldn’t express. For the first time, she felt free.

"I’m sorry, Mama..." she murmured before her eyes closed.