Chapter 18
Leo leaned against a counter in the mall, idly scrolling through his phone as the group of classmates chattered excitedly around him. He had agreed to this outing on a whim, hoping it might make college life slightly more bearable. So far, though, all he had learned was how skilled people could be at orchestrating subtle traps.
As they browsed a clothing store, Leo noticed how the two other girls in the group had started being overly affectionate with their respective boyfriends. Holding hands, leaning on their shoulders, and giggling about inside jokes. It was almost sickly sweet.
Meanwhile, the last girl in the group, Chloe, kept inching closer to him, her attempts at subtlety laughably transparent. She would ask him seemingly random questions about his interests or give exaggerated laughs at his dry remarks.
Leo sighed internally. This was all part of their plan, wasn't it? He could practically hear the gears turning in their heads: isolate him, make him feel out of place, and then Chloe swoops in as the "solution" to his loneliness.
It was irritating. He didn't have time for these high school-level antics. Still, he kept his expression neutral, playing along for now. Once this cinema trip was over, he was done with this group. No second chances.
A few stores over, Emma was standing with Clara, her business mentor, who was thumbing through a rack of blazers.
"You need to project confidence, Emma," Clara said, holding up a sleek gray jacket. "Something like this says you mean business without being too intimidating."
Emma nodded, though her attention wasn't fully on the clothing. As they moved toward another section of the store, her eyes caught something—or rather, someone.
It was Leo.
He was standing a few feet away, leaning against a wall near a different store, surrounded by a group of classmates.
Emma's gaze immediately locked onto the girl standing closest to him. Chloe. She was practically glued to his side, her body language oozing flirtation.
Emma's heart skipped a beat, then sank. Why does this hurt so much?
Her chest tightened painfully as she watched Chloe laugh at something Leo said, leaning just a little too close for comfort. For a moment, Emma couldn't breathe.
"Emma?" Clara's voice pulled her back to reality.
Emma blinked rapidly, trying to shake off the overwhelming wave of emotion. "I... I'm fine."
Clara gave her a knowing look. "Something's bothering you. What is it?"
Emma shook her head quickly. "It's nothing. Let's just finish shopping."
But Clara wasn't convinced. As they walked away, she cast a curious glance over her shoulder at the scene Emma couldn't tear her eyes from.
By the time the group left the mall and headed toward the cinema, Leo had made up his mind. These people were exhausting.
He didn't care whether their setup was intentional or just a coincidental mess. Either way, he wanted no part of it. He'd play nice for the rest of the evening, but after that, he was done.
As they walked, he thought of Rebecca. She had lived in this city for years and probably knew every influential family within its borders. Maybe he should ask her to introduce him to people who were worth his time.
This city had felt like Rebecca's domain from the moment he arrived. He couldn't shake the feeling that her network of connections extended far beyond what she let on.
For now, though, he resolved to endure this outing. A few hours of pretending to care wouldn't kill him.
Later that evening, after he had finally escaped the group and was walking toward the parking lot, Leo collided with someone.
"Ah, sorry about that," he said quickly, stepping back.
The girl he had bumped into was short but striking, with sharp features and an annoyed expression. She folded her arms and looked up at him, clearly unimpressed.
"Do you not watch where you're going?" she snapped.
Leo raised an eyebrow. "I said I'm sorry."
But she didn't seem to be in the mood to let it go. Her piercing gaze made him feel like he was being evaluated and found lacking.
Before he could respond further, her phone rang. She sighed irritably, pulling it out of her pocket.
"What?" she barked into the phone.
Leo watched as her expression shifted, annoyance giving way to reluctance. Without another word, she turned and walked away, leaving him standing there, bewildered.
WTF was that?
Shaking his head, he continued on his way.
The next morning, Leo strolled into the office, feeling more at ease than he had the previous night. The events at the mall and cinema were already fading into the back of his mind, replaced by a new concern: what to do with the other two buildings he had purchased.
Ethan was leaning over a desk, his laptop open, and papers scattered everywhere. His focus was intense as he reviewed contracts and proposals for their company.
Leo knocked lightly on the doorframe. "Got a minute?"
Ethan looked up, blinking as if snapping out of a trance. "Leo! Yeah, sure. What's up?"
Leo stepped inside and leaned against the wall, arms crossed. "I've been thinking about those buildings we bought."
"'We'?" Ethan raised an eyebrow. "Pretty sure you bought those buildings, Mr. Billionaire."
Leo chuckled. "Fair enough. Anyway, the company's only using one of them. What do I do with the other two?"
Ethan leaned back in his chair, considering the question. "Well, the obvious answer is to rent them out. Office spaces, retail floors, maybe even co-working spaces if the location supports it."
Leo nodded slowly. "Renting sounds good, but I have no idea where to start. How do I figure out what businesses would want to set up shop there?"
Ethan smirked. "That's where the hard work comes in, buddy. You'd need to research the area, figure out what kinds of businesses are thriving, and maybe even hire a property management firm to handle it all."
Leo tilted his head thoughtfully. "Or, I could just ask you and Rebecca to help me figure it out."
Ethan groaned, throwing his head back dramatically. "Of course. Just dump it all on us. Why not?"
"Hey, I'm serious." Leo grinned. "You know the market better than I do, and Rebecca probably knows every influential person in this city. Between the two of you, I'm sure we can find the right businesses to rent those spaces."
Ethan leaned forward, rubbing his temples. "Alright, alright. Let's bring Rebecca into this and brainstorm. But just so you know, I'm billing you for my time."
Leo laughed. "Sure, send me an invoice. I'll pay it in Monopoly money."
Rebecca arrived a short while later, impeccably dressed as always. She exuded an air of effortless confidence that made Leo wonder, not for the first time, just how extensive her network really was.
"You called me over for this?" she asked, glancing between Leo and Ethan.
Leo nodded. "I need advice. What's the best way to rent out the other two buildings?"
Rebecca raised an eyebrow. "You don't know?"
"If I did, would I be asking?"
She sighed, sitting down gracefully. "Alright. First, you need to decide whether you want to rent the buildings by floor or individual offices. Each approach has pros and cons. Floors mean fewer tenants to manage, but offices allow you to maximize rental income if the demand is there."
Ethan chimed in, "The location of the buildings will play a big role. If they're in a business district, renting by floor might attract larger companies. If it's more mixed-use, individual offices could appeal to smaller businesses or startups."
Rebecca nodded in agreement. "Exactly. We'll also need to assess the current demand in the area. I have a few contacts who specialize in commercial real estate; they can help with market research."
Leo listened carefully, absorbing the information. "Alright. Let's start with the market research, then decide on the rental strategy."
Rebecca smiled. "Efficient as always. I'll make a few calls and set up meetings with some experts."
Ethan leaned back in his chair, stretching. "Looks like we've got a plan. Now, don't expect this to happen overnight, Leo. Finding the right tenants takes time."
Leo smirked. "Good thing I'm patient."
Ethan shot him a skeptical look. "You? Patient? That's a first."
Rebecca chuckled as she stood. "Well, patience or not, leave this to us. We'll have those buildings making money in no time."
Leo watched them both leave the room, feeling a wave of relief. With Ethan and Rebecca handling things, this might actually work out better then i thought.