Rising from the Ashes (Andrew and Lauren) novel Chapter 1118

"Oh, and name your price—just send me the number later, and I'll wire you the money."

Andrew cut straight to the point, demanding the keys. He had had enough of these so-called elite brats—each one so full of themselves. He wondered why they were barking and acting so arrogantly.

Zachary did not waste time either. He swiftly pulled out a palm-sized velvet box and handed it to Andrew.

"Mr. Lloyd, this is Serenity Villa's jade key. It's not the most practical for daily use. Once you and Ms. Stevens move in, we'll register your fingerprints and retinal scans. After that, you won't even need a key."

Andrew casually tossed the box to Aspen and strode toward Serenity Villa's gates, muttering, "Got it."

Aspen fumbled to catch the box, her face a picture of stunned disbelief. The most exclusive villa in The Sovereign Residence had just been sold without a contract, negotiations, or even a grand handover ceremony.

She stood there, utterly bewildered.

Xavier's face darkened instantly, his voice sharp with barely contained fury. "Zachary. What the hell is this? Even jokes have their limits. The Haywoods are willing to pay ten billion—and you'd still refuse my offer?"

In a desperate move, Xavier threw out an astronomical figure, but Zachary did not even flinch. He said calmly, "Colonel Haywood, this was never about money, and no, I'm not joking. Serenity Villa was always meant for Mr. Lloyd."

He smiled faintly. "As for everyone else? They were never in consideration. The only reason it's even on the market is because Mr. Lloyd expressed interest."

Meanwhile, Xavier's face twitched, his composure cracking under sheer disbelief. "You're gifting it to him? Zachary… just how important is this Andrew to you? What kind of leverage does he hold?"

Zachary chuckled, replying. "For Mr. Lloyd? It's not just a villa. If he asked for my life, I'd hand it over without hesitation."

Xavier fell silent. Wave after wave of shock slammed into him, his gut churning.

Were it not for Zachary's undisputed status as a Blumedale elite—a man of formidable influence—he would have wondered if the man had lost his damn mind.

As for Luna? Outwardly, she remained impassive. However, the storm in her eyes betrayed the truth: her shock ran just as deep as Xavier's.