Female Novel
Chapter 196
As soon as the landlord began making compromises, Zack also softened his attitude. They were toldthat the duration of the rent would depend on the rates of the rent, as it wouldn’t do to sign a few years’contract, only to have the rent go up during the consequent years. It would result in a predicamentwherein the renter couldn’t afford the rent, yet they weren’t allowed to sublet it as well; nobody in theirright mind would agree to that.
The landlord somehow took on a more easygoing attitude as he promised to not increase the rent aslong as they agreed to settle into the place long term, as well as check on the market rates if he had toincrease the rent.
John held his gaze on the landlord for a long while—so long that the rest of them were beginning to feelawkward about it—before sitting down once again. “We can look into it if that’s what you intend topropose.”
Relief washed over Sophia upon hearing that, and she was feeling fortunate to have Zack and John’said, or else she would’ve been swindled by the landlord. As she cast a glance at John, she felt morereassured all of a sudden. Her presence wasn’t required throughout the rest of the negotiation, as shehad a hard time understanding anything at all despite having been sitting there since the beginning.She thus walked over to the counter, only to find Robin sulking behind it. There was a pout on her faceas she said in a low voice, “I must’ve been swindled.”
Sophia lowered her voice as well as she replied, “I was nearly swindled too. I never knew there are somany complications involved.”
Robin cast a glance at John’s direction before asking, “How are you related to that guy? He seems tohave a dominating aura, and he is rather intimidating when I just saw him.”
After a moment’s silence during which Sophia looked at John, she said, “He’s a friend of mine whoowns his own company.”
Robin narrowed her eyes while taking a closer look at him. “He seems familiar. I might’ve seen himsomewhere.”
Sophia’s heart sank as she figured Robin might be telling the truth, as John’s photo was frequentlyshowcased in financial news articles. The recent scandals would also serve to boost his fame, andwhoever that read the tabloids would’ve seen his photo.
While Sophia was chatting with Robin, John and Zack were nailing down the details of the contract inher stead. They made quick work of it, while the landlord seemed pleased by the end of the negotiationas he was all smiles. As he had some other matters to tend to, the landlord drove away in his car afterhaving chatted for a little longer with Zack and John.
After he left, Sophia walked toward the entrance as she looked at Zack. “Is everything settled?” novelbin
Zack gave a grunt, all the while delighted in himself. “Yeah, it’s done. Simply speaking, the landlord isan opportunistic person. Within the year, he already went through a few tenants who never managed tostay for long, so he was getting a little impatient.”
A scoff escaped John before he commented, “Yet he would still think of toying with the contract despitehis desperation. I really don’t understand him.”
Sophia turned around to look around the shop. “Is everything settled now?”
“Yeah, no worries. It’s all settled.” Zack maintained a cheerful disposition while looking at Sophia.
Meanwhile, John’s gaze dropped to land on her finger, thinking that the ring was elegant and pretty. Hethen said, “He will be drafting a new contract before meeting up again to sign it. We will be leavingsince everything’s settled for the time being.”
Sophia quickly nodded as she replied, “Alright, go work on your stuff. Go on!”
The two men got into the car before Zack pulled away with a turn of the steering wheel. Sophia let out ahuge sigh of relief as she stood by the entrance, as she thought her plan was about to be thwarted atthe last minute. If the negotiation had gone awry, she would be a little disappointed as she had beendreaming of owning her own shop for a long time. Fortunately, things were more or less settled now.
After bidding goodbye with Robin, she left the shop with a light heart as she managed to reach a hugemilestone. She had a change of clothes upon arriving at home before reading through more questionsfor the driver’s theory test.
She had been reading through the materials during the past few days, and came to realize that therewere things which she could learn on her own by fumbling through it, as well as things she could doeven without John.
However, she did owe him one for helping out with the negotiation with Mr. Reyes. Although she wouldbe proud if she could settle it on her own, he came anyway, so she would impose on him.