She Outshines Them All (Athena and Matthew) novel Chapter 60

Chapter 60 

Wesley approached Ryan and said gratefully, “Mr. Marshall, I can’t thank you enough. Please, let me know how much your charge- 

Ryan waved his hand dismissively. “No need. We agreed it was just a favor. I’m leaving now” Without another word, he turned and walked away, leaving no room for discussion. 

Arthur watched his departing figure with admiration, wondering ‘How could there be such a great person in this world?‘ If Arthur were a beautiful young woman, he might have thought Ryan had a secret crush on him. 

“Arthur, we owe Mr. Marshall a huge debt, We should prepare a gift and visit him to express our gratitude,” Wesley said. 

Arthur nodded. “Of course.” 

Ryan hadn’t gone far when he received a phone call After a brief conversation, he keenly assessed his surroundings and sent a message to Arthur. [Given everything that’s happened tonight, you’d better pack up and head home early.] 

Rufus’s men had noticed suspicious individuals in the vicinity, possibly targeting the Donovan family. It wasn’t safe for them to stay there. 

Arthur, fully trusting Ryan, responded immediately. [Alright. Well head back now] 

He then showed Wesley the message. Wesley pondered for a moment and said. “These ingredients won’t be fresh by tomorrow. Let’s give them to the neighboring restaurants. 

After the commotion, they were in no mood to cook for others. Distributing the ingredients to other restaurants, however, earned them some goodwill. Little did they know that this would be their last time here, Claire held Josie in the backseat while Wesley drove the car, and Arthur followed behind on his motorbike. 

Unbeknownst to them, someone had been trailing them discreetly. It wasn’t until they entered their apartment building and the lights in their unit came on that the follower left, 

They were unaware that 

Cas had been driving closely behind them, grinding his teeth in fury and contemplating ramming his car into them. However, with other vehicles on the road, he was forced to abandon the idea. 

By the time the Donovan family returned home, it was around ten in the evening. To their surprise, Maria had already returned. She hadn’t mentioned her encounter at the coffee shop. Instead, she cheerfully shared that she had the next day off and planned to give the house a thorough cleaning. 

Wesley and the others didn’t tell Maria about the incident at the restaurant either. They simply said they were sold out for the day, so they came home early. However, aside from Josie, everyone understood the situation. 

Their address, the location of their restaurant, and their workplace had all been leaked. It was certain that many would swarm to gawk and pry, and college recruiters might even show up, adding to the spectacle. They had no idea how they would handle it. 

With these thoughts on their minds, they lost interest in watching TV. They finished their evening routine and went to bed early. 

Wesley was sure he would have trouble sleeping that night, but after taking some supplements from Athena, he drifted off almost instantly. Claire also slept soundly, while Arthur and Maria had a restless night. 

When Wesley and Claire woke up in the morning, Maria had already prepared breakfast. The spread included scrambled eggs, mashed potatoes, oatmeal, ratatouille, fresh milk, and orange juice. Though the breakfast was delicious, everyone except Josie forced a smile, struggling to hide their concerns. 

Arthur wondered if they were still serving tonight. Maria debated whether she should return to the coffee shop tomorrow. 

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Claire considered if they shaquld take a few days off until things cooled down. These questions plagued their minds. 

Before he could finish his breakfast, Wesley’s phone rang. It was call from Bard Property. He straightened up, put the call on speaker, and answered, “Hello, this is Wesley.” 

“Hello, Mr. Donovan. This is Bard Property, 1 regret to inform you. The voice on the other end had them holding their breath as a bad premonition settled over them. 

“Due to numerous cracks in the roof and exterior walls, and the need for some pre–ordered materials, your house may take two to three months to be fully repaired, informed the representative of Hard Property. 

Wesley’s face turned pale, feeling a rush of anxiety. “What do you plan to do about it?” 

The others watched the phone with despondent eyes, feeling drained. It seemed like they were constantly hitting a brick wall. After waiting forever for their house, now there was another delay. 

“Don’t worry, our company has held a meeting and we will ensure the homeowner’s interests are protected, the caller quickly reassured. “We’ve learned that a villa at Mid–Level Mountain Garden is being sold at a loss. If you’re willing to sell your problematic house to us at a high price, we can offer you up to thirty years of interest–free loans to help you buy that villa as compensation.” 

Wesley and the others exchanged glances. They couldn’t believe what they had just heard. Nevertheless, the generous compensation from Bard Property seemed like a silver lining. 

Feeling more at ease, Wesley collected himself and asked, “What’s the situation with the villa? What’s the total price! Even with interest–free loans, we might not be able to afford it.” 

The caller replied. “The villa covers over 5 thousand square feet, including the main building, an’annex, a garage, and a backyard. It can comfortably accommodate a dozen people.” 

The Donovan family felt their heart sank. A villa of that size was beyond their means. No amount of discount could make it affordable. 

The caller continued, “The villa’s first owner was a high–ranking official who had to sell it at a low price after being imprisoned. The second owner was a businessman whose venture fell through within two years of moving into the villa. Strapped for cash, he had to sell it off at a bargain. 

“Many think the villa is haunted, and that’s why it’s been on the market for three years with no buyers. Properties in the same area are priced between 40 to 60 million, but this one can be bought for just over 6 million dollars.” 

The Donovan family looked at one another, visibly tempted by the offer. It was unbelievably cheap. If they could buy the villa, it would fulfill their dream of living together as a family, and even their grandparents from the countryside could come live with them. 

“We’ve calculated that your unfinished house can offset over 2 million of the cost. The remaining amount could be paid off over thirty years, roughly 10 thousand dollars a month,” the caller added. 

The family looked troubled. Although the house was a bargain and the loan was interest–free, paying back 10 thousand dollars each month was still a heavy burden. 

Before Wesley could refuse, the caller said, “Mr. Donovan, buying a house is a big decision. You can discuss it with your family and get back to us. I’ll hang up now.”