THE DIVORCE GAMBIT From Dumped Wife to CEO's Forever novel Chapter 927

Wilfred had been certain that an offer of triple the price would be more than enough to convince Fortune to sell. He couldn't believe the old man had refused.

What did this stubborn old codger want? Was he trying to extort them? Holding out for ten, or even a hundred times the price? The greed was almost impressive.

Back at the office, Mayo Lowell stood by the floor-to-ceiling window, smoking a cigar with his back to Wilfred. After hearing the report, Mayo turned, the cigar pinched between his fingers. He looked surprised. "He refused triple? Then what does he want?"

Three days earlier, The Lowell Group had sold off a piece of land. It was just a barren plot, not worth much, so Mayo hadn't paid it much mind. But recently, he'd caught wind of a rumor that the city was planning to build Silverhaven's largest high-speed rail station right next to that plot. Once the station was built, the value of that land would skyrocket. Mayo's plan was simple: buy the land back from Fortune and build a massive shopping mall adjacent to the new transit hub.

He had never expected Fortune to refuse to sell.

Fortune had bought the land for a hundred thousand dollars. Triple that was three hundred thousand. A two-hundred-thousand-dollar profit in a matter of days, and the old man still wasn't selling? He was far greedier than Mayo had anticipated.

Wilfred shook his head. "I don't know exactly what he wants, but I think the old man is looking to make a killing."

"Make a killing?" Mayo frowned slightly. "Could he have heard something?"

Once the official approval for the rail station was announced, the price of that land would go through the roof. Thirty million might not even be enough to buy it then, let alone three hundred thousand. That's why Mayo was in such a hurry to get it back.

Wilfred narrowed his eyes. "I doubt it. Information from that high up doesn't leak so easily. I think he just sees that we're desperate to buy it back and figures he can squeeze us for more." It was typical behavior for common folk. Disgusting.

Mayo took a drag from his cigar. "What's this old man's story?" he asked, exhaling a cloud of smoke.

"I didn't do a deep dive into his background," Wilfred admitted.

"Do it now," Mayo commanded.

Wilfred nodded. "Right away, Mr. Lowell."

---

Meanwhile, in the Capital, at the Sylvester Mansion.

Twenty-odd years ago, when he started first grade and needed a school uniform, Gordon had insisted the night before that Beatrice order it two sizes too big. At the time, she hadn't understood why. A year later, when it was time to order new uniforms for second grade, Gordon stood before her in last year's still-baggy uniform and announced, "Mom, my uniform still fits." It was only then that Beatrice understood his scheme. The already oversized uniform lasted him until fourth grade, when it became physically impossible to wear. He barely changed uniforms through all six years of middle and high school. And he never allowed the family driver to take him to school; he ran there and back every day. For years, Beatrice thought it was because he was dedicated to fitness. She later found out he thought being driven was a waste of gas.

Beatrice truly felt helpless sometimes. She and her husband were perfectly normal people. Why had they produced such a penny-pinching son?

As his sister, Alaina was well aware of her brother's quirks. But after hearing her mother's complaints, she offered a different perspective. "Mom, that was the old Gordon. I bet you he's completely different now." She smiled knowingly. "Men are all the same. When they truly fall in love with someone, they want to give her the world."

"I don't believe it," Beatrice countered. "A man that cheap will only get cheaper when he's in a relationship!" Gordon had been stingy for decades. He wasn't going to change overnight.

"If you don't believe me, I'll call him down and you can see for yourself," Alaina said with a grin.

As luck would have it, Gordon was home today. With a single sentence, Alaina dispatched a maid to fetch him.

About ten minutes later, Gordon came downstairs. Alaina pointed to the mountain of newly delivered items. "Gordon, Mom and I bought these gifts for Catie. When you have time, take them to her."