The moment James laid eyes on Sasha, a bold idea popped into his mind.
He wanted to give her the 1000-square-meter penthouse.
Foreign girls liked things straightforward, didn't they? So why not go all in?
After all, it was system money. Giving it to someone was inevitable, so why not her?
And, of course, he could also use the place to work out.
James called the real estate agent, Alice Bentman, and under her guidance, he and Sasha toured the top floor of Building 8.
To be honest, the apartment was massiveâ1000 square meters, the equivalent of two basketball courts.
You could ride a bike inside, or even walk a dog without stepping outdoors.
If someone stood on opposite ends of the living room, they'd have to shout to hear each other.
The penthouse had six bedrooms, and the master suite alone was over 100 square metersâabout the size of most people's entire apartments.
Even the maid's quarters were a three-bedroom layout.
James thought that a maid working here might need her own maid.
The decor was extravagant and opulent, with gilded carvings and luxurious details throughout.
It even came with a 200-square-meter rooftop garden and pool, saving James the trouble of building one himself.
Sasha followed along, her eyes sparkling as she marveled at the luxurious property.
This was her first time seeing such an extravagant mansion, and it felt surreal.
The stone walls had a textured finish, and the 3.4-meter-high ceilings paired with a minimalist, light-free design created a sense of understated luxury.
The black-and-white color palette, accented with hints of gold, gave the space a modern yet classic feel.
Real fireplaces, aromatic candlesâevery detail was perfect.
Sitting on the soft sofa, overlooking the river through floor-to-ceiling glass windows, the atmosphere was impeccable.
The open view was incredibly inspiring, making it the perfect place for both cardio and strength training.
James was equally impressed. He turned to Alice and asked about the price.
"Mr. King, this unit's base price is 28 million. That's already the discounted price, and there's no room for negotiation," Alice quickly clarified, worried that James might try to haggle.
If he wanted to negotiate, she'd have to involve her superiors, which was beyond her authority.
"Got it," James replied, already brainstorming how to gift the property.
He noticed Jay Johnson fiddling with the kitchen appliances, clearly in awe.
That reminded James that he'd promised this penthouse to Jay Johnson earlier, and now he felt a little awkward.
But Jay was a big guyâhe didn't need such a large space.
James walked over to Jay and whispered,
"Bro Jay, I've decided to give this place to someone else. You can pick another apartment for your place."
Jay Johnson's smile froze for a moment, but he nodded without saying much.
He cast one last longing look at the kitchen before following James silently, pretending to be a bystander.
"The kitchens in the other units are all similar. If you like this one, I'll arrange for you to get a unit downstairs tomorrow," James reassured him.
"Okay," Jay replied simply.
After comforting Jay Johnson, James still hadn't figured out the best way to give the penthouse to Sasha.
He decided to just go for it.
Walking up to Sasha, he casually asked,
"Sasha, what do you think? Do you think this place has enough space for gym equipment?"
"Of course! But the floors don't seem very sturdy. I'm worried the equipment might damage them," Sasha replied thoughtfully, focusing on work.
"Don't worry. If it gets damaged, we'll just repair it," James said with a smile. "After all, it's my own house."
"Boss, are you really going to buy this place?" Sasha asked, a hint of disbelief in her voice.
"Why? Don't you want to work out here?" James teased.
Considering this was the same man who had just transferred her a million dollars without hesitation, Sasha had no doubts about his ability to buy it.
"If I could work out here, it'd be amazing," Sasha said, her expression lighting up with excitement.
"Heh heh," James chuckled, his mind drifting to a few "amazing" thoughts of his own.
"By the way, in our culture, we place a lot of importance on hospitality and gifts. Since this is our first meeting, and I didn't prepare anything for you, how about I give you this penthouse as a gift?"
James's tone was so casual it sounded like he was offering her a cup of tea.
As soon as he finished speaking, the room fell silent.
No one said a word.
Of the three people present, Jay Johnson maintained his usual poker face.
But Alice Bentman and Sasha were both utterly stunned, staring at James with wide eyes.
Especially Sasha, who couldn't believe her ears.
What?
A penthouse?
As a gift?
Sasha was completely taken aback.
It took her a long moment to process what she'd just heard.
"B-Bo... boss, what are you saying? I didn't catch that," she stammered, her accent slipping in her shock.
"I said, this penthouse is yours if you want it. Do you want it?" James repeated, smiling warmly.
"Why?" Sasha finally managed to ask, utterly incredulous.
"No reason. I'm in a good mood, and I feel like giving it to you. Do you want it or not?" James said, his hands in his pockets, his tone light and nonchalant.
Sasha's eyes widened even further.
Judging by his serious demeanor, he didn't seem to be joking.
Still, the idea of someone casually gifting her a 28-million-dollar penthouse was so absurd that she began to doubt her English comprehension.
She'd lived in this country for years, but none of her friends had ever mentioned first-meeting gifts like this.
This was a 28-million-dollar penthouse!
She couldn't have bought it in her lifetime, and here he was, just giving it away?
Sasha didn't immediately agree. Instead, she cautiously asked again,
"Why?"
"I told you, no reason. If you really need one, then let's say I want you to be my exclusive trainer and work out with me here," James said breezily.
"..."
Did he want to own her?
Sasha's cheeks turned pink.
A man who could casually throw around a million dollars wouldn't need to lie to her.
Looking at his relaxed smile, her heart raced, and her breathing quickened.
But then she thought of her boyfriend.
With great difficulty, Sasha declined.
"I'm sorry, boss. I don't think I can accept your gift," she said, her voice filled with regret.
Turning down a 28-million-dollar penthouse took a level of courage that only Sasha could understand.
Especially when the man offering it was a super-strong, handsome guy who, on top of that, had an irresistible charm.
"Why?" James asked, genuinely confused. This was the first time someone had refused his generosity.
"Because I have a boyfriend. I can't accept your gift," Sasha said, relaxing a little after making her decision.
"I may not be from your country, but I know the significance of gifting a house. I can't betray my partner. I'm sorry if this disappoints you."
In her home country, love was valued above material possessions.
People made sacrifices for love, even enduring hardship for it.
To Sasha, love was something worth prioritizing over everything else.
James fell silent, pondering her words.
At that moment, Alice Bentman broke the silence, her excitement getting the better of her.
"Mr. King, what about me? Have you considered me? I can work out with you, learn all the fitness knowledge you want, and provide you with any kind of service you need."
When James didn't respond, she hesitated, then added,
"If you think I don't deserve this penthouse, maybe you could buy me a smaller unit? Like the 8-million-dollar one downstairs..."
"Shut up," James said coldly.
Alice's eyes filled with tears. If the sale hadn't been pending, she would've stormed out crying.
"Sasha, is your boyfriend from your home country?" James asked, turning back to her.
"No, he's the first friend I made here," Sasha replied.
Hearing that her boyfriend was local, James felt a flicker of confidence.
"Your boyfriend probably doesn't have much money, right? Otherwise, you wouldn't need to work here," James said casually.
"Love can't be measured by money," Sasha replied firmly.
"But what if your so-called love is something he measures by money?" James countered, smiling faintly.
The suggestion made Sasha bristle with anger.
"Impossible. He's not that kind of person," she said defensively.
"Want to bet on it?" James asked, his smile widening.
"If I lose, this penthouse will be my blessing to the two of you," he added.
Sasha frowned, skeptical.
"And if I lose?"
"If you lose..."
James paused, letting the suspense build before adding with a sly grin,
"Then you'll just have to accept this penthouse from me."