THE DIVORCE GAMBIT From Dumped Wife to CEO's Forever novel Chapter 168

"Alright," Caitlin didn't refuse this time. Looping her arm through Celeste's, she said, "Let's go take a look."

Celeste was the heiress of the real estate developer's family.

So the moment the two of them walked into the sales office, they were treated like royalty.

The manager, Mr. Winslow, came out personally to greet them.

Celeste smiled and said, "Catie is my best friend, Manager Winslow. Please show us the most beautifully finished single-family homes—the ones with the best layouts."

Willow Manor offered both single-family homes and duplexes.

Naturally, the duplexes couldn't compare to the standalone villas.

Willow Manor was not only close to Central Academy, but the neighborhood was lush and green—the perfect place for older folks to settle in.

It didn't take long for Caitlin to fall for a lavishly renovated European-style villa.

"This one," she said, turning to the manager. "How much is it?"

Manager Winslow hurried to explain, "This villa is just over 9,400 square feet, with eight bedrooms, fully furnished with high-end appliances and smart home tech throughout. The list price is five million, but you're Miss March's dearest friend, so for good luck, we can offer you an insider's price—one point eight million."

"One point eight?" Caitlin looked at Celeste. "March, isn't that a huge drop? Won't you lose money?"

Celeste grinned. "Not at all, Catie, you know how outrageous the profits are in real estate! This is the same price we give to close friends and family. Isn't that right, Manager Winslow?"

Manager Winslow nodded enthusiastically, "Absolutely, Miss Kensington, this is our usual internal rate."

"Alright then." Caitlin was quite pleased with the house. "I'll pay by card."

"Would you like to finance the purchase?" Mr. Winslow asked.

Even at one point eight million, it was a small fortune for most middle-class families.

"No need," Caitlin replied.

The manager looked a little surprised.

Caitlin's clothes were simple, not a designer label in sight. He had assumed she was just a regular friend of Celeste's.

He hadn't expected her to pay the full price up front.

Lesson learned—never judge a book by its cover.

"Miss Kensington, if you'll follow me this way."

Soon, Caitlin had paid, signed a mountain of paperwork, and Mr. Winslow handed her the keys. "The deed should be ready in about a week. Here are your keys—you can move in anytime. Once the documents are finalized, we'll deliver them right to you."

"Thank you." Caitlin accepted the keys.

Celeste beamed. "Congrats, Catie, on your new mansion! When's the big move? I want to help you break in the new place."

Caitlin checked her calendar. "How about the day after tomorrow? Looks like a good day for it."

"Perfect, I'll come over then."

Grace smiled, "Good, I thought for a second you did."

Bonnie linked arms with her. "Let's get out of here, Grace. Standing around a place like this is bad luck for our families."

Grace nodded, "You're right, Bonnie. Let's hurry."

They made their escape as if the place was contaminated by poverty.

After half an hour in line, Caitlin and Celeste finally snagged a table.

Caitlin wasn't picky, so she left the ordering to Celeste.

While Celeste browsed the menu, Caitlin took out her phone and logged into Imperial Ascent. Almost immediately, a notification popped up:

[Welcome back, Ms. Phyllis. Your latest chess puzzle, "Windbreaker," has just been solved by S!]

Caitlin froze in surprise.

Solved again? Who was this person? S had cracked every puzzle she designed—original ones you couldn't find solutions for online.

Not only that, S had left behind a new puzzle for her to solve. This one was even tougher than her own, the work of a true chess master.

She studied the board, a spark of excitement in her eyes. Finally—a worthy opponent.

Now this was getting interesting.