Hollyhock Brokerage thought that after Emerald Drive withdrew their property, it wouldn’t create a huge impact on their image. Which business did not experience this kind of mishap before? Anyway, it’s just one property withdrawal. But because they bragged about it from the very beginning there is no way they can keep people from talking.

“Karma’s a bitch.” Elia laughed while poking her fingers on her phone. 

The agents' forum exploded into various arguments, satirical comments mainly directed to the rival company. Those who wanted to put in their two cents joined, those who wanted to mock did so freely. Yi Ran is drowning in spittle not only because he failed to close the transaction, but also because of his previous misdemeanours. 

Jue said, “My, my how the wind changes so fast.”

“Serves them right,” Rui snorted. “Now Eaton is fuming with rage when the deal was suddenly terminated. He swore not to work with Hollyhock again.”

He, Elia, Katya and Rui went to cool down in their favourite bar Blue Esquire not far from the HQ. It’s a neat place owned by Rui’s friend where they can relax during the middle of the week to ease some tension. The atmosphere is quite isolated from the city noise because of the trees enclosing the place.   

“Didn’t Eaton call boss this morning? The client’s wife went to our page and had her eyes on that twenty-five-million mansion in 0310 Emerald Drive. It’s only a hill away from that failed deal Yi Ran lost.” Katya said. She happened to pass the lounge area earlier and heard the boss speaking to Eaton, some of their colleagues were there as well.    

Elia clapped her hand, “I didn’t know about the offer but I do know that house. That’s one in our newest listings, it uses high-end home automation, very convenient and secure. Other agents shied away from representing it because it’s new and feared it wouldn’t sell but Boss suddenly took it. See, barely a month in the market but already has a buyer.”  

The four of them sat on the counter engrossed in their conversation unaware that a furious Yi Ran was only a few meters away. He failed, dammit but Eaton easily found a replacement in the same location with a much higher asking price. Worse, it was the house no one wanted because they said it was ‘too expensive’. 

How did they do it? 

No one can describe the kind of regret gnawing at him right now, not even him. Everything was going smoothly not long ago but suddenly someone pulled the rug under his feet. His boss blamed him for dragging along the name of the company while his fellow agents laughed behind his back, then there is Niko who kept pestering him about the list she gave him. The damn woman, does she think he would spit out what he already swallowed? 

Yi Ran slammed his palms on the table and glared at the four. Selfish people like him can make thousands of excuses and would blame anyone else except for themselves even when the truth was already there staring at their faces. He is in this situation because of his own doing. He flaunted his skill of stealing other people’s business while at the same time mocking them for being incompetent. 

He couldn’t accept it. He doesn’t want to! 

While he brooded over in the corner his boss Miss Pam is currently flushed with anger inside her house. The floor is littered with papers, pens and a broken vase but still, the suffocation she felt wouldn’t go away. None of the maids dares to come near until she’s done throwing a fit. 

They lost it! 

What she was after was not the damn house but the buyer of that house. The person is a businessman from the Middle East who owns a yacht club. Recently, there is a rumour circulating about the government planning to open an extension of Rapid Transit on the east side of Capital and Pearl Marina City. Once it is implemented the underdeveloped district will surely face tremendous change. 

They received private news that a certain businessman and several other partners will open a yacht club in that same place. Mr Luz had been itching to create connections with that person to enter the club, from there he will get to know a wide range of people in the upper circle and expand his network.

   

On the other side of the world, the couple who are happily sunbathing above the blue pools of Indian Ocean have learned the progress of Sena's management and are quite impressed. Even before these changes, they are confident that she is capable of handling high profile deals. What surprised them is her decision to stay at the top of things and continue supervising each step. 

“This makes me feel at ease,” Linda signed. “Aunt Paula may have left early but her education to Sena remains.”

“The tigress’ cub is slowly shedding her cute and cuddly side. I’m a little lonely.” 

Both of them have watched Sena grow from that quiet six-year-old to a cheerful and innocent teen and later her rebellious phase. Thank the heavens it was only a short episode. They say smart people are very quirky, their tempers fluctuate easily but as long as you keep on guiding them right they will not go astray.

Leo has seen many children grow crooked either of neglect or overindulgence. He didn’t want to watch their little sister go down that path and suffer. That will be heartbreaking for him and Linda.

“You’re a total softie,” Linda teased, popping a black grape in his mouth. 

They were lounging opposite of each other on a pair of woven rattan chaise when the topic came up. Leo wore black swimming shorts while she opted for a skimpy bikini to avoid huge tan lines. 

“If I don't know any better I would believe you are her real father. You’ve done a better job than the real one actually. Him? What did he ever do aside from donating his gene?” 

“Meanie, you’ll hurt the bastard trash’s feelings. You see, we may not like him but the old turd made Sena exist.” 

Bastard. Trash. Old turd. Who’s the mean one then?

“Aunt Paula made a great decision by divorcing him early. Her initiative was a great slap to his egoistic sexist face.”

Leo ran his hand through her silky smooth calf and said, “He wouldn’t do Sena any good. He will only control and oppress her since she is Aunt Paula’s daughter.”

Sena’s father is a person who made his fortune in the seafood business. He was proud of his origin and is not ashamed to admit he came from poverty, however, once he came in contact with people from old money he did not get the enthusiastic welcome he had been dreaming of. 

Old rich families have high pride, their interactions have a subtle alienation when dealing with new acquaintances even with those in the same circle. Not because you have money and a good track record you will be treated with the same ardour and on equal ground.

That was a misconception Sena’s father believed to be a fact. 

No one knew where he got the notion that once you make your fortune you ultimately belong with the elites. He paid no heed to nuances between comrades and ordinary acquaintances. For him, as long as there is business everything else should follow. Money makes everything tick. 

These top families are all highly educated, they do not even easily acquaint themselves, they assess first. They are people who only look at peers they have known for a long time. They have their own arrogance. But those who don't understand this rule would harbour resentment. They would take it as an offence. 

Which Sena’s father took to heart. He was known to be open about his origin but the truth is that he is particularly sensitive about it because he assumed it served as the last unshakable barrier to cross his most desired place. 

He hated people with old money because they are too austere in their tradition. Old families were easily stereotyped as unbending. Too proud. The pretentious snobs who had their noses high up in the air. He felt they were always mocking him for his humble origins. He always thought it was the reason why they couldn’t make adjustments for him. 

To spite them, he purposefully pursued Miss Paula Erde. An heiress. A queen. 

Paula that time greatly admired driven and hardworking people like him so he weaved romance for her. But the marriage founded in hate would, of course, lead to a disaster. Paula later realized that no matter how smart a person is, they would still make mistakes and she’s the best example of it.

She liked a self-made gritty person, yes but she never thought she married a self-made asshole instead.   

Sena’s father did not get the satisfaction he wanted on tying and suppressing Paula. She was nobler than him and she was stubborn and opinionated just like the rest of her ilk. 

There was not a peaceful day since they lived in the same house. As proud as Miss Paula was, he thought she would never resort to a scandalous divorce to keep her reputation. With that in mind, he gloated greatly but who knew she would decisively go for a divorce one day and even snorted on his money?

Paula is a mother. She would kill anyone who would dare hurt her daughter. Sena’s father stepped on her bottom line when his abusive behaviour extended to her child. No, he did not hurt her physically. But he tortured her emotionally and mentally. Despite his pleading that he would change for the better, her heart has already turned cold. 

She knew he was only afraid to lose his trophy from his imaginary battle with society.

“He’s deranged.” Linda huffed.  

Leo couldn’t agree more. Every time he is reminded of that poor baby sitting at the edge of the couch hugging her puppy plushie his heart would ache. She was so timid and wouldn’t even talk if no one asked. She would just sit in the corner all day and sometimes would even forget to pee.  

He was fifteen and Linda was ten, both of them had a clear understanding of what the little girl had gone through to become like that. 

It was because her father is a monster.

“We wouldn’t be able to meet Sena if she stayed in that place because he would never allow her to mingle with us.” 

Leonard Tang’s face darkened. “His kind should be locked up in an asylum and get a long lecture about life. Until now he suppressed the genuine princess but let that fishwife’s daughter enter the wealthy children’s circle.” 

“You’re angry again.” Linda joked to lighten the mood. 

Leo breathed deeply and expelled the dark mood. He threw his sights to the turquoise ocean and counted to ten. 

“Yes, I’m angry. So angry,” he said after a while then pulled her ankle. “So my little sticky rice, isn’t it about time to soothe me?”

Linda was aware he was making an effort to steer away from the offensive topic so she let him. “What do you have in mind?”

His voice dropped lower, a lot slower, “Something that’s got to do with sticking. A lot.”

Linda tried to pull back her ankle, “Can’t. We are going to see the fishes.”

“Then let’s do it after we see the fishes.” 

“Aiya, pervert!” 

“I have the one-month privilege.” he laughed evilly. 

At this moment, the person they are mocking is banging his fist on the tabletop upon receiving the news of the failed deal.

He was ecstatic when he learned that the foreign businessman was interested in the Emerald Drive house and already made up several scenarios on how to meet them face to face. Now he was furious he could barely breathe.

What more if he learned that the person he was aiming for went into Sena’s company to purchase a new property? He would probably froth at the mouth.  

Maya was on the balcony not far from her father's study when she heard her father curse fiercely multiple times.

“Is something wrong?” The man on the other line asked. 

Maya hurriedly went to the other side. “Uh, nothing. I was just thinking about what gift to give Madam Muller. I was asked by my etiquette teacher to come because she was also her mentor.”  

“You have nothing?” The voice did not sound impressed nor mad but it still made her uncomfortable. 

She couldn't tell him she had never even thought about it. What if he got turned off? “I couldn't make up my mind while choosing a gift. In the end, I got delayed.”

“Is that so? Oh well, don't worry about it. Leave it to me.”

Maya lowered her voice, “B-But aren't I inconveniencing you?”   

“I'll handle it.” He said hinting not to argue further. 

Maya gripped her fingers tightly and said softly. “Thank you Dresden.”

“I will be coming late by the way.” After that, he hung up the phone.

She sighed in relief after that, however her expression abruptly turned sullen. She had planned to come to the party with him but it seems he was more cautious of his image. If he can enter the Muller's mansion by himself that means he has a good connection with them. 

Maya's face changed again into a smug smile she would never dare show outside. The more mysterious he is, the better. Based on his movements alone she can tell he came from a good background. Different from those young masters of her generation. 

Maybe it's better that she takes this relationship to another level.

Her mood turned for the better but then her father made a noise in his study spoiling her evening.

Mr Luz could not accept failure.  

Sena, on the other hand, had no idea what big fish she had reeled in at the expense of her estranged father. She leisurely strolled along her wardrobe looking for an appropriate dress and accessories to wear for the party tomorrow night and also on Saturday night.