Chapter 31*Mansion
It had been a while since I'd taken a look at my finances. I opened my bank app and almost laughed out loud. "Wow, I have over $740 million in my account, hahaha." It was surreal. I make over $7 million a month—$6 million, 970,000 to be exact. That's a ton of money. With just one month of that, anyone could live the rest of their life in peace, never having to work again.
"Hmm, why don't I splurge a little?" I thought, drumming my fingers on the table. "I could buy a Ferrari… or maybe a Pagani. No, wait, I think I need a house first. There's no point in having a supercar while living in a simple apartment like this, hahaha." I decided on the spot. "That's it, I'm going to buy myself a mansion today."
I left the house with the idea fixed in my head, already imagining something grand. About 45 minutes later, I arrived at a real estate office, the building glistening in the Los Angeles sun.
"Hello, sir," the broker greeted me as I entered, adjusting her glasses with a professional smile. "What do you need?"
"Hi," I replied, directly. "I want to buy a mansion."
"!!!! A mansion, sir?" She stared at me in surprise, her eyes roaming from my apparent age to the leather jacket and scuffed boots I wore. "Right…"
"Yes," I confirmed, leaving no room for doubt.
"I'll get the catalog with pictures of the houses and mansions," she said, still a little dazed. "One moment, please."
"Okay," I said, leaning back in my chair.
A few minutes later, she returned with a folder full of glossy photos. I flipped through the options until I stopped at a mansion that caught my eye—a 7,000-square-foot, luxurious monster. "I want to see that one," I said. She nodded and immediately took me on a tour of the place.
The mansion was a dream. A giant Olympic-sized swimming pool gleamed in the backyard, reflecting the clear sky. It had 8 spacious bedrooms, 4 bathrooms with marble finishes, an equipped games room, a cozy living room, a modern kitchen, a laundry area and a huge garden that seemed to have no end. It was perfect.
"So, Clark, what do you think of the house?" Lucy, the realtor, asked as we walked across the lawn.
"It's perfect, Lucy," I replied, smiling. "She's mine. Now, let's talk about the price."
"Yes," she said, hesitating a little. "The price is a little high, but considering the location—near the beach, with that view—and the size…"
"I see," I said. "I want this house. Let's negotiate."
"Sure, okay," she replied cheerfully. "We have several promotions and payment options."
The mansion cost 40 million dollars. I could pay in cash, but that would be a burden on my pocket later. It would be better to pay in installments. We went back to the brokerage to work out the details.
"Clark, I'm going to call the manager," Lucy said, already typing on her phone. "I can't sell this house by myself."
"Okay," I said, sitting down in a comfortable chair. "I'll wait here."
"Make yourself at home," she said, before disappearing through a back door.
A few minutes later, she returned accompanied by a man of about 44 years old, with gray hair and a serious air of someone who has already closed many deals.
"Hello, Mr. Clark," the manager greeted, extending his hand. "Miss Lucy tells me you want to buy the mansion on the beach in Los Angeles."
"Exactly," I confirmed, squeezing his hand. "She said the price was too high for her to handle on her own. She also wanted to know if she could pay in installments."
"Of course, sir," he replied with a slight smile. "The price is negotiable and can be paid in installments. How would you like to pay?"
"How about 10 payments of 4 million?" I suggested. "It won't be too tight for me in 10 months."
"!!!" He looked at me, surprised. "Mr. Clark, may I ask what you do for a living?"
"Actually, I don't work," I explained calmly. "I earned this money through deals with some people and profits on the stock market."
"Ah, I see," he said, nodding as if putting the pieces together. "Yes, that kind of payment is possible. In fact, it's one of the best options. I was going to suggest something like 44 installments, but…"
"Hahaha, I can't wait that long to have something of my own," I interrupted, laughing.
"I understand," he replied with a friendly smile. "Mr. Clark, I'm going to need you to hire a lawyer and have all your documents ready—birth certificate, bank papers, everything. I'll give you a list of what you need to bring by next week. We'll go to the notary's office, sign the terms, and finalize the process so the house and the payment are registered correctly."
"I see," I said. "But why do I need a lawyer?"
"Because by law, a home worth over $10 million requires a lawyer to review the terms of the contract," he explained. "A judge won't let a 'regular' person read everything on their own. There are a lot of legal terms that most people don't understand. Only people who have studied law can interpret them properly."
"Of course," I replied. "Can you tell me where I can find lawyers? I want this house by tomorrow at the latest."
"Sure, there are several nearby," he said, jotting something down on a piece of paper. "So do you want the house by tomorrow?"
"If possible, yes," I confirmed.
"Since it's still early, find a lawyer and come back here," he instructed. "I'll prepare the papers. The lawyer just needs to read and sign the terms. Tomorrow we'll take everything to the notary's office and to the judge."
"Okay, give me the address," I asked.
Two hours later, I went back to the brokerage. The lawyer I had hired—a guy in an impeccable suit who I had met a few blocks away—read the terms, explained everything to me in detail, and I signed. The next day, we went to the notary's office to finalize the paperwork and make the first payment. It was quick, but very bureaucratic.
Three days later, I finally got the keys. "Phew," I sighed, standing in the entrance of the mansion. "Today I got my house. This mansion is mine. I never imagined I would have something like this, how crazy, man." I looked at the huge windows, the pool sparkling in the background, the whole space screaming luxury. "Now I can buy the cars I want, hehe."