Chapter 159 The Gangster’s Gift
The heavy air between them was thick with pure tension.
Xander’s fists remained tightly clenched at his sides, his jaw locked hard, and his furious dark eyes pinned directly on Leon.
Leon stood completely motionless, his expression cool and unbothered, his shoulders relaxed as if he were simply standing at a bus stop waiting for a ride.
Xander’s voice dropped low and sharp. "You think this whole situation is funny?"
Leon did not utter a single word in reply.
Xander took a menacing step closer. "I asked you a direct question."
Leon’s steady gaze shifted slowly toward him, his voice flat and calm. "I heard you."
"Then answer me."
Leon remained silent, refusing to take the bait.
Xander’s face flushed red with rising anger, his hands trembling slightly at his sides as he prepared to lunge forward.
Veyra stepped directly between the two men.
Her voice cut through the air sharp and clear. "Xander."
He froze instantly, his angry eyes shifting over to her.
"We came here to inspect a potential shop space," she reminded him firmly. "Not to start a street fight."
Xander’s dark eyes flickered with annoyance, but he forced himself to take a step back. His tone remained stiff. "Fine. Let’s go look at the property."
Veyra turned around to check on Leon, her tone softening slightly. "Are you all right?"
Leon gave a simple, quiet nod. "I am fine, ma’am."
She studied his face closely for a second. He looked entirely unbothered by Xander’s threats, but she caught a subtle, hidden glint behind his calm eyes. A tiny flicker of amused quiet amusement.
He clearly thought Xander was acting like a total clown.
She didn’t waste time asking about it, though. She had far more pressing matters to handle.
Xander turned around and led the way down the sidewalk.
He walked with long, heavy strides, his broad shoulders tense and his two bodyguards falling in line right behind him.
Veyra walked alongside him, with Mia keeping pace on her other side and Leon trailing closely behind.
Xander gestured broadly toward the commercial properties along the main avenue. "Most of these commercial shop fronts fall directly under my control. I can easily secure you a prime location."
Veyra’s eyes scanned the various buildings along the street. Some were completely vacant, others were busy with active businesses, and a few were boarded up.
"You control all of these?" she asked.
"Nearly all of them," Xander replied, a hint of pride in his voice. "The only spot on this entire block I cannot touch is that large Zeus mobile phone store sitting right at the front gate of the medical school."
Veyra raised an eyebrow. "Zeus Group?"
"A world-class global conglomerate," Xander grumbled bitterly. "They bring in their own private security, their own high-powered legal teams, and top-tier political connections. I cannot mess with them."
Mia nodded softly from Veyra’s side. "Zeus Group is massive. They own retail spaces and major operations all across the globe, and their founder is easily one of the wealthiest men in the country."
Veyra kept her thoughts to herself.
Behind them, Leon’s lips curled up into a faint, almost invisible smirk.
Xander kept walking, continuing his explanation. "Like I said, I can’t touch Zeus’s storefront, but everything else along this main stretch is completely fair game."
Veyra shook her head slightly. "I do not want you using your underworld muscle or influence to force any current tenant out."
Xander stopped dead in his tracks and turned to face her.
"What do you mean by that?" he asked, sounding confused.
"I mean I don’t want you threatening, harassing, or intimidating anyone on my behalf," she stated flatly, her voice unshakeable. "If you have a location that is already empty and open for lease, I will happily consider renting it. If not, I will simply keep looking somewhere else."
Xander stared down at her in complete disbelief.
"You are actually serious," he remarked.
"I am entirely serious."
He remained silent for a second before letting out a sudden, deep chuckle.
"You are genuinely the very first person in this city to ever say something like that to my face," he admitted.
"I doubt that," she said calmly.
"No, it’s true," he said, shaking his head with a strange look of respect in his eyes. "Most people who come to me want me to use my brute force. They want me to push people around, make things happen illegally, and bend the rules to suit them."
Veyra offered no comment.
"I respect your pride," Xander said, stepping across the street. "Follow me. I have two connected shop spaces right across the road that are currently open for lease."
He led them directly across the wide street toward a double-story corner building.
It boasted massive floor-to-ceiling glass display windows, a wide front entry door, and a prominent ’FOR LEASE’ sign hanging right above the threshold.
Xander reached into his jacket, pulled out a brass ring of keys, unlocked the heavy door, and pushed it open wide.
The interior space was vacant and a bit dusty, but overall very clean and structurally sound.
Veyra stepped inside first, her eyes taking in the entire layout.
The ground floor was surprisingly spacious, open, and flooded with bright natural light pouring through the wide glass windows. The walls were freshly painted white, and the polished concrete floor looked sleek.
Walking toward the back layout, she spotted a wide staircase leading up to a second floor.
She climbed the stairs, with Mia following closely behind her.
The upper level was even larger than the ground floor, spanning well over a hundred square meters with large windows lining the front wall.
Veyra walked straight over to the glass and looked down at the street below.
The broad entrance gates of Etland University of Medicine were directly across the street, with crowds of university students constantly streaming in and out. The entire avenue was buzzing with lively foot traffic.
She turned back to Mia, a sudden wave of genuine excitement in her voice. "Mia, this place is absolutely perfect."
Mia nodded eagerly, her eyes shining bright. "It is incredible. This is beyond anything we could have hoped to find on our own."
They headed back down the stairs to the main entrance.
Xander was leaning near the doorway with his arms crossed, a smug, satisfied smirk on his face.
"So?" he asked smoothly. "What do you think of the place?"
Veyra kept her composure, keeping her tone grounded. "I like it very much. What is the asking monthly rent?"
Xander’s smile broadened. "Seventy thousand a month."
Veyra’s eyes widened in sheer shock, her breath catching in her throat.
"Seventy thousand?" she gasped out.
"Yes, seventy thousand."
"That is..." She trailed off, completely caught off guard by the steep price tag.
Xander’s confident smile faded slightly, his voice taking on a softer tone. "I know it sounds like a heavy number. But this location is premier real estate, and the daily student foot traffic is massive. You will easily earn that money back within your very first month of operation."
Veyra shook her head firmly. "I cannot possibly afford seventy thousand a month right now. Not for a newly launched milk tea shop."
Xander fell quiet, contemplating the situation for a few moments.
"You saved my mother’s life," he spoke up quietly. "You personally convinced Dr. Harrison to perform that critical surgery, giving her a real fighting chance."
Veyra remained silent, waiting to hear what he had to say.
"The entire building is yours," Xander declared generously. "Zero rent, free of charge, for as long as you need to run your business."
Veyra stared at him in disbelief. "Free?"
"Completely free."
"I cannot possibly accept that," she said immediately.
"It is the absolute least I can do to repay my debt to you."
"I will not accept a free lease, Xander," she insisted, her voice firm and unyielding. "That is simply not how I run my business matters."
Xander narrowed his eyes slightly. "Are you actually turning down my direct offer to help you?"
"I am turning down a free charity handout," she corrected him firmly. "I will pay proper monthly rent. A fair, reasonable market rate."
She paused, quickly doing the mental math in her head based on their startup budget.
"Forty-five thousand," she offered, looking him straight in the eye. "Will you lease the shop to us for forty-five thousand a month?"