Chapter 2

Marcus immediately started rummaging through his bag for the paperwork. "That’s amazing! If we sign today, we can finalize the paperwork tomorrow!"

As soon as the words left his mouth, a loud, aggressive knock rattled the front door.

Marcus went to open it.

Standing in the doorway was a short, middle-aged man in his thirties wearing a navy windbreaker, holding the arm of an elderly woman with silver hair.

"Derek? What are you doing here today?" Marcus gasped.

Derek pushed his way inside, his eyes scanning Chloe and me. "The lady wanted to take a look today. We were worried tomorrow might be too late. The place isn't sold yet, right?"

Marcus looked embarrassed. "Well... actually, Ethan here is already negotiating. He’s very serious."

"Don't waste your time," Derek cut in smoothly. "I’ll add fifty grand. Eight hundred and fifty thousand, all cash. I can wire the money today."

The old voice in my head instantly panicked:

"I told you! That piece of garbage Derek! Years ago, he begged to be a live-in husband, but Arthur saw right through him.

Now that Arthur is dead, he’s sniffing around the house. What is he planning? Does he know Arthur left a secret stash?"

Adrenaline rushed straight to my brain. "I’ll add two hundred thousand!" I yelled.

The room fell dead silent. Chloe stared at me like I had grown a second head. Marcus's jaw practically hit the floor.

Derek let out a mocking sneer. "You? You can pull a million dollars out of your pocket?"

Marcus looked torn. "Derek, Ethan was here first..."

Derek patted his jacket pocket. "I have eight hundred and fifty thousand ready to go on my card right now.

I’m just worried the guy who got here first is all talk and no cash."

I clenched my fists.

I only had fifty thousand dollars in my savings. The rest would have to be borrowed.

But thinking about the gold in the walls and the millions in the ceiling...

"I will have the full amount ready within three days. Let's sign the contract now."

Derek gave me a cold glare. "Don't say I didn't warn you. If you sign and can't produce the cash, you lose your deposit."

Marcus quickly added, "That is the policy, Ethan. Are you sure you don't want to think it over?"

Chloe finally snapped. She grabbed my arm, dragged me out into the hallway, and hissed under her breath:

"Ethan, are you out of your mind?! A million dollars for this dump? Where are you going to get a million dollars? Has this agent completely brainwashed you?"

Looking at her furious, tear-stained face, my mind raced.

Should I tell her the truth? Would she even believe me?

"Chloe, please trust me just this once. This house actually has..."

"Has what?"

Tears finally spilled down Chloe's cheeks.

"We’ve been together for three years, and you can’t even afford a decent apartment. My friends’ husbands all bought them brand-new, luxury places.

I didn't hold that against you, but now you’re forcing me into this disgusting, crumbling dumpster! If you sign that paper, we are done. I mean it!"

She turned on her heel and ran down the stairs.

When Marcus handed me the pen, my hand was shaking.

After signing the papers and stamping my thumbprint, Marcus tucked the contract away, grinning from ear to ear.

"You’re a man of action, Ethan! We’ll start the process tomorrow. Just make sure the full payment is wired within three days."

Derek sneered at me on his way out. "You’re willing to ruin your relationship over this trash heap? Did you find something hidden in here?"

My chest tightened.

The old voice laughed in amusement. "This dog actually has a good nose. Does he suspect there’s gold in the walls...?"

I took a step forward, blocking his view, and pointed to the vintage, hand-carved wooden bed in the bedroom.

"I won't lie to you. I bought this place for that bed."

"That’s a rare antique," I said, pretending to be an expert as I patted the wooden frame. "If it's authentic, it's worth more than the entire apartment."

Marcus’s cheek twitched. "Sir... are you serious?"

"Anyway, the contract says everything left in the house belongs to me. This bed is mine now. No one touches it."

Derek’s eyes flickered with suspicion. He walked over to inspect the bed, running his fingers over the carvings. His brow furrowed as he looked back at me.

I didn't give him another second to think. I ushered both him and Marcus out of the door. "Alright, I'm heading out. See you tomorrow morning to finalize things."

I rode my bike down two blocks, pulled over by the curb, and called Chloe.

On my seventh try, she finally picked up. "Did you sign it?"

"Yeah."

After three seconds of silence, she let out a bitter laugh. "Ethan, we are over."

"Chloe, listen to me! Last night I had this crazy dream about my grandfather. He told me that inside the walls of this apartment, there is..."

Before I could finish, she hung up on me.

I let out a heavy sigh.

Fine. If she didn't believe me now, she would once I dragged the gold out and threw it at her feet.