The Monarch Crown System

23. The Platinum Villa

The sales center was located at the edge of Verriton city , away from the noise of the city. Evercrest Estates.  Everything looked deliberate, well kept and expensive. Nothing was out of place.

Glass walls, muted lighting, polished stone floors. Everything about the place whispered money.

The moment they stepped inside, the atmosphere shifted. A woman in a tailored suit rose from behind the reception desk, her expression professional. “Welcome to Evercrest Estates. How may I help you today?”

Elias responded calmly,  “Which villas do you have available?”

Damien let out a short laugh before butting in. “He wants something cheap.”

The woman paused, surprised but composed.

Celeste stepped closer, lowering her voice just enough to sound concerned rather than insulting. “Please be careful,” she said to the receptionist. “The person claiming to buy may not actually have the funds.”

The woman’s gaze flicked briefly to Elias. He said nothing. The Halstons took his silence as confirmation.

Susan turned to Kiara again, her voice soft and calculated. “You see? This is what we were trying to protect you from. Think carefully. You don’t have to go through this.”

Henry nodded. “You’re still young. You can still fix this.”

Damien leaned in slightly. “We can walk out of here together, Kiara. No shame. No consequences.”

Kiara’s fingers twisted together. The space felt suddenly tight. Their words pressed in from all sides, and it was beginning  to sound  convincing.

Elias sensing her fear placed a steady hand on her shoulder. “Don’t be scared,” he said quietly. “You’re getting a villa today. No matter what.”

Kiara looked up at him, uncertainty written all over her face but she managed to steady herself.

Damien scoffed loudly. “Empty Talk. Talk. Talk.” Then, he stepped forward, straightening his cuffs as though reclaiming the room. “Let me show you how this works.” he said hoarsely.

He faced the receptionist. “Give me your prices. All your villas.”

The woman nodded and gestured toward a digital display. “We have three categories currently available in Greenville,” she said calmly.

“Bronze villas start at eight hundred million.”

“Silver villas range from one point three to one point six billion.”

“Our Gold villas begin at two billion dollars.”

The number landed.

Damien turned slowly, deliberately, toward Kiara. Those sum were too outrageous for Elias to pay. He already concluded in his mind.

“This,” he said, gesturing behind him, “is your last chance.”

He met her eyes. “Ask me for forgiveness now. Come with me. I’ll get you a Gold villa.”

The moment Damien said it, the Halstons closed in on Kiara as though time itself were running out. “Listen to him,” Susan urged urgently, gripping Kiara’s arm. “We’ve lost everything. Every property and investment. This is your chance.”

“If you walk away now,” Henry added, “you’ll regret it for the rest of your life.”

Celeste leaned in, her words sharp and deliberate. “You think pride will shelter you? Think about reality and survival.”

Their voices overlapped, each one pushing, pulling, pressing.

Kiara’s head spun and for the first time, doubt began creeping in. She has never doubted Elias’s sincerity, but everything he had given her so far were promises. Comforting words. Reassurance. Meanwhile, Damien, on the other hand, was standing there offering solutions, immediate, on a platter.

Her chest tightened.

But Elias was not fazed. Rather, he turned to the woman behind the desk. “Do you have something higher than Gold?” he asked calmly.

The words cut cleanly through the room.

The receptionist blinked. She was surprised. “Higher… than Gold?”

Damien burst into laughter. “This is unbelievable,” he said, shaking his head. “You’re really trying to show off now?”

He turned toward Kiara again, his voice dripping with contempt. “He’s digging himself deeper. The higher it goes, the worse the embarrassment. He won’t be able to afford it.”

Celeste smirked. “This is pathetic.”

Elias didn’t react, he just focused on the receptionist.

The receptionist hesitated for a moment, then straightened. “If you’re interested in anything above Gold,” she said carefully, “I’ll need to call the estate manager. Those transactions aren’t handled at this desk.”

She excused herself and disappeared through a glass door.

The waiting felt longer than it was.

Damien leaned back against a marble column, his arms folded, an amused smile tugging at his lips. The Halstons watched Elias closely, as though waiting for him to crack.

A few minutes later, footsteps approached.

A man in his late forties emerged from the inner office, dressed in a dark suit. He took in the scene with a quick glance before stopping at the desk.

“I was told someone is interested in our highest-tier villa,” he said.

“Yes,” the receptionist replied, gesturing subtly toward Elias.

The manager nodded once, then spoke evenly. “Our highest villa here in Verriton is the Platinum Residence. It is valued at five billion dollars. And it’s the only one left. The next one will be built in five years time because it is usually located in a private estate that is not open to anyone.”

The number hung in the air.

Damien laughed nervously. 

“Five billion?” he repeated, shaking his head, a nervous edge creeping into his voice. “That’s… that’s quite something.”

For a brief moment, hesitation flickered across his face. Five billion was not a figure he could treat lightly. It was not even close. Then he noticed Elias shift slightly, as if preparing to speak.

Something sharp tightened in Damien’s chest and before Elias could say a word, he stepped forward.

“I’ll take it,” he said suddenly.

Everyone turned to him.

The manager raised an eyebrow. “Sir?”

“The Platinum Residence,” Damien repeated, forcing confidence into his tone. “I’ll be the one buying it.”

Celeste’s eyes widened slightly, but she said nothing. Susan looked relieved. Henry exhaled slowly.

Damien straightened, glancing briefly at Elias, daring him to respond but he remained silent.

The manager adjusted his cuffs and cleared his throat.

“There is a condition,” he said calmly.

Damien’s head snapped toward him. “What condition?” His patience was thinning. “After paying five billion dollars?”

“It’s not about the money,” the manager replied evenly. “The Platinum Residence is located within a sealed estate. It’s separate from Verriton’s residential districts.”

“So?” Damien snapped.

“To access the estate,” the manager continued, unshaken, “the owner must possess a specific authorization seal. Without it, entry is impossible.”

Damien scoffed. “What kind of nonsense rule is that?”

The manager met his gaze. “The seal is issued only by the Monarch Crown Bearer. They are believed to have top tier connections to the crown.”

The room stilled.

Damien laughed harshly. “You expect me to believe that fairy tale?”

As he continued snapping at the manager, irritation spilling over, Elias reached into his coat and brought out a small object, resting it between his fingers.

“Are you referring to this seal?” Elias asked calmly.

Every head turned.

The manager’s eyes widened.

“Yes,” he said immediately. “Exactly. That is the seal.”