chapter 157 control

Negotiation Begins

The silence in the room stretched for a few tense seconds after Mr. Callahan's statement. The number—ten million credits—hung in the air like a challenge.

Mark remained impassive, his face an unreadable mask. Mist Low, on the other hand, let out a low whistle and leaned back into his seat, stretching lazily.

Brainless Girl, however, looked like she had just been given a puzzle to solve. Her smirk widened as she glanced toward the sales representative.

"They bit, didn't they?" she asked casually.

Mr. Callahan, to his credit, didn't react immediately. He adjusted his glasses, maintaining the professional aura he had carried since walking into the room. "The owner has agreed to sell Mirage Estate to your client," he confirmed smoothly. "However, they are firm on their price—ten million credits."

Mist Low chuckled. "Damn. That's a solid number."

But Mark still said nothing. He simply crossed his arms, waiting.

Brainless Girl cracked her knuckles and leaned forward slightly, her gaze locked onto Mr. Callahan like a predator assessing its prey. "Ten million, huh?" she repeated, as if rolling the number around in her mind. "That's cute."

Mr. Callahan frowned slightly. "Excuse me?"

Brainless Girl's smirk grew wider. "I mean, it's a nice round number, sure. But let's be honest—that's not the real price, is it?"

There was the slightest flicker in Mr. Callahan's expression, so brief that most would have missed it.

Brainless Girl didn't miss anything.

She tilted her head, resting her chin on her hand. "Tell me, Mr. Callahan, how long has Mirage Estate been on the market?"

Mr. Callahan remained silent for a moment before replying carefully, "That information is—"

"—Public record," Brainless Girl interrupted smoothly, flashing a knowing grin. "And I checked before we walked in. Three months, right?"

Mr. Callahan's lips pressed into a thin line. "That is correct."

Mist Low whistled again. "Three months? And no buyer? That's… rough."

Brainless Girl tapped her fingers against the table. "See, that's interesting. A prime property, in a high-demand area, sitting on the market for three months? Doesn't that sound a little strange?"

Mr. Callahan maintained his neutral expression. "The owner is looking for the right buyer."

Brainless Girl chuckled. "The right buyer, huh? Or did they overestimate what people were willing to pay?"

No answer.

Mist Low leaned forward, clearly enjoying the exchange. "I'll take a wild guess—too expensive?"

Brainless Girl snapped her fingers, pointing at him. "Bingo." Then she turned back to Mr. Callahan. "Your client probably thought some rich idiot would swoop in and throw money at them. But guess what? No one did."

She leaned in further, voice dropping slightly. "And now they're desperate to close."

Mr. Callahan took a slow breath. "The fact that they have multiple offers—"

"—Doesn't change the fact that none of those offers have closed," Brainless Girl interjected smoothly. "If they had, we wouldn't be sitting here, would we?"

A heavy silence followed.

Mist Low was grinning now, enjoying the show. Mark still hadn't said a word.

Brainless Girl rested her elbows on the table and steepled her fingers. "Let's get real, Mr. Callahan. Your client wants ten million. But what they need is a sale. And that's where we come in."

Mr. Callahan studied her for a long moment before asking, "What are you proposing?"

Brainless Girl smiled, slow and deliberate. "Seven million. Clean. Full payment. Right now."

---

The Pushback

Mr. Callahan's expression didn't change, but the slight tension in his shoulders gave him away. "That is a three-million-credit reduction."

Brainless Girl nodded. "Yep."

"That is absurd."

She shrugged. "Maybe. But here's the thing—if they don't take it, what happens next?"

Another silence.

"They go back to waiting? Hoping? Maybe another buyer eventually clears their financing?" Brainless Girl tilted her head. "Or… they take the guaranteed seven million today and walk away happy."

Mr. Callahan exhaled through his nose. "I will… present your offer."

Brainless Girl winked. "You do that."

As Mr. Callahan stood to leave, Mist Low leaned over to Mark, whispering, "How much fun would it be if they actually take that?"

Mark's lips barely curved into a smirk.

Brainless Girl just leaned back, arms folded behind her head. "Oh, they'll take it. Just watch."

---

The Owner's Response

Mr. Callahan was gone for nearly an hour.

When he finally returned, his expression was controlled, but Brainless Girl could see the subtle change.

She smirked. "They said yes, didn't they?"

Mr. Callahan exhaled. "Seven-point-five million."

Mist Low let out an impressed laugh. "Holy shit. You actually did it."

Brainless Girl tapped her chin, pretending to consider. "Hmm. Seven-point-five…" She then shook her head. "Nah. Seven million. Final offer."

Mr. Callahan hesitated. "That is—"

"—The best deal they're going to get."

Another silence.

Then, finally, Mr. Callahan sighed.

"…I'll notify them."

---

The Final Decision

This time, it only took fifteen minutes.

When Mr. Callahan returned, he placed a single sheet of paper on the table.

"The owner has accepted. Seven million credits."

Brainless Girl grinned.

Mist Low whistled.

Mark simply nodded.

Brainless Girl extended a hand. "Pleasure doing business."

Mr. Callahan shook it, though his expression remained unreadable.

And just like that, Mirage Estate belonged to them.