Reborn Rich: Prices Dropped, My Savings Didn't

Cecilia Sterling just smiled without saying a word, while the young salesgirl eagerly asked, "Ma’am, have you decided to take it?"

"I’ll take it!"

Cecilia Sterling nodded without hesitation, not even asking the price.

The girl’s eyes filled with delight. She was new to the job, and this was the first time she had ever met such a decisive customer.

"Right this way, please. I’ll get you a drink first, and then I’ll take care of the paperwork."

Cecilia Sterling followed the salesperson, and Jonah Goodman naturally tagged along behind them. In a chummy tone, he said, "Hey, Cecilia. Lorcain is a huge city, yet we still managed to run into each other here. Don’t you think that’s fate?"

Cecilia Sterling looked at him, her eyes curving into a smile, just in time to see him pull out his phone again. "Since we’re so fated to meet, isn’t that worth adding each other on WhatsApp?"

Cecilia Sterling glanced toward the lounge area before saying softly, "Didn’t I tell you already? I won’t be adding any of your contact info myself. I told you to get it from Estelle. She’s over there in the lounge!"

At the mention of Estelle Goodman, Jonah Goodman’s expression soured, and he glared. "Her? She’s a scammer!"

Cecilia Sterling blinked in confusion, and Jonah continued, his cheeks puffed in indignation, "I sent her 20 bucks for your WhatsApp info. She accepted the money and then completely ghosted me!"

Cecilia Sterling couldn’t help but laugh out loud. "I knew about the first part, but I honestly had no idea about the rest."

’Estelle never told me she just took the money and ghosted him. To think that while her mouth was saying she wouldn’t give Jonah a chance, her fingers were busy accepting the payment.’

"Look, she scammed me out of 20 bucks just to get to you. The least you could do is..."

Jonah didn’t get to finish his sentence before Cecilia Sterling cut him off. "It wasn’t for me. It was to get my WhatsApp. At the end of the day, it was for yourself."

"Now you’re just splitting hairs." Jonah looked at Cecilia with a pitiful expression. "Can you really just stand by and watch me get scammed? Don’t you feel guilty at all?"

Cecilia shook her head, an amused look on her face. "What do I have to feel guilty about? I’m not the one who scammed you."

While they were talking, the guy who had come with Jonah walked over, phone in hand. Completely oblivious to Cecilia’s presence, he started rattling off, "Jonah, Lucy said she’s free tonight. Fiona and Nana said they can make it too. Mindy can bring a couple of her friends—she said they’re visiting Lorcain for the holiday."

"So we’ll have to get a big booth tonight, huh? Erin also said..."

Seeing that his buddy was about to keep running his mouth, Jonah slapped a hand over it.

’Just shut up already!’

Cecilia saw Jonah’s face turn ashen and broke into a grin, her eyes curving with amusement. She then followed the saleswoman into the glass-walled lounge.

"Dude, are you trying to sabotage me?"

Jonah glared, gritting his teeth in anger, wishing he could just knock his friend unconscious with a single punch.

"Wh-what is it now?" Chuck Warner slapped Jonah’s hand away, looking aggrieved. "You’re the one who told me to get people together, weren’t you?"

"Didn’t you see who I was just talking to?"

"Of course I saw her. She’s gorgeous, how could I miss her?" Chuck Warner replied, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"Then why were you running your mouth like that? I’m already out 20 bucks trying and failing to get her damn WhatsApp, and now you pull this stunt. Do you think I have any chance at all now?"

It finally dawned on Chuck Warner. "Wait, did you break up with that hot designer? You’re already lining up your next girlfriend?"

"Broke up last week," Jonah said.

He might be a player, but he had his principles. Chief among them was to never date more than one person at a time, mainly because his memory was terrible and he was afraid of the chaos that would ensue.

So, even though he changed girlfriends frequently, it was always strictly one at a time. He would never, ever have two at once.

Chuck Warner clapped Jonah on the shoulder. "Don’t worry, man. Your buddy’s got this. I’ll go get it for you."

He started to walk in, but Jonah grabbed him by the collar and shoved him back. "Get out of here! Wait for me outside!"

Then, he walked in himself.

Cecilia was holding the glass of iced juice the salesperson had poured for her. She watched Jonah walk in, his flip-flops SLAP-SLAPPING against the floor. Her gaze then drifted to the space behind him, and a smile touched her lips.

Before Jonah could even open his mouth to explain, he was shoved hard from behind.

The shove was so forceful it sent Jonah staggering, and his flip-flops nearly flew off his feet.

He steadied himself and spun around angrily, only to see Estelle glaring at him, her eyes wide. With one hand on her hip, she demanded, "How did you follow us all the way here? Didn’t I tell you to stay away from Cecilia?"

The moment he saw it was his sister, half of Jonah’s anger dissipated. Still, he retorted irritably, "I was here first, okay!"

Estelle shot her brother a disdainful look, then walked over and sat down next to Cecilia. "He didn’t get handsy with you, did he?" she asked with concern.

"Hey! I’m not a creep!" Jonah said, exasperated.

"But you are a pervert!"

Estelle immediately shot back, "Let me tell you something, you’d better give up right now. The line of guys who like Cecilia could wrap around our school’s athletic field twice. Even if she dated a new one every single day, your turn would never come!"

"So what!" Jonah pulled a chair over and sat down in front of them. He glowered at Estelle. "Forget all that for a second. First, you’re going to give me my money back!"

"What money?" Estelle asked.

"Don’t play dumb. I sent you 20 bucks for Cecilia’s WhatsApp. You took the money, but you never sent me her info!"

Estelle furrowed her brow. "You sending me money and you wanting Cecilia’s WhatsApp are two separate matters, aren’t they? I just assumed you were worried I was short on cash and decided to send me 20 bucks!"

"Since when do I love you that much?" Jonah retorted. "Sending the money and asking for her info was one and the same! It was a transaction. A purchase. A bribe."

"Well, I’m sorry, but all sales are final, and the right of final interpretation belongs to the seller." Estelle crossed her arms, adopting a stance of absolute denial.

’That’s what he gets for lusting after Cecilia. He deserves to take a loss!’

Jonah sucked in a sharp, angry breath, then turned to Cecilia. "Cecilia, would you look at her? Who can I even complain to about this? This is blatant bullying of an honest man!"

Cecilia had to suppress her laughter so hard she thought she’d give herself an internal injury watching the siblings bicker. ’This Jonah guy is actually pretty amusing,’ she thought. ’He’s this mad, but he hasn’t actually lost his temper.’

"Who’s bullying you?" Estelle said. "I’m not giving you her WhatsApp, but I can offer you a complimentary opportunity to meet with Cecilia."

Jonah’s face immediately lit up. "That works! How about tonight? I’ll book a booth at 3CC!"

’An opportunity to meet means infinite possibilities,’ he thought. ’There’s no way I won’t get her WhatsApp info this time.’

But Estelle shook her head.

"Tomorrow night, then?"

Estelle still shook her head.

Jonah was getting impatient. He stared at Estelle and demanded, "Then you tell me when!"

Estelle’s lips curved into a smile that didn’t reach her eyes. "Right now. You’re meeting with her as we speak, aren’t you?"

Jonah Goodman: ?

Cecilia finally couldn’t hold it in any longer and burst out laughing. Seeing the livid expression on Jonah’s face after being played, she couldn’t help but feel sorry for him for about two seconds.

Jonah shot up from his chair, his cheeks puffed with rage. "Estelle Goodman," he fumed, "I’m disowning you!"