Chapter 401 - 397: First, Buy One for You to Play With

The female salesperson refused to back down. "What kind of logic is that? Are new customers somehow less important than repeat ones? Our company doesn’t have a policy like that. If new customers aren’t satisfied, how will they ever become our repeat customers? Besides, I was here first. Don’t you understand the principle of first come, first served?"

The competition between salespeople at a large company was especially fierce, particularly over a six-figure order like this one. Neither was willing to back down.

The manager saw what was happening and quickly spoke up. "Alright, stop arguing. We only have one of this model on the lot, and Woods’s client claimed it first, so it’s hers. Lawson, since your client is a repeat customer, just go placate them. If they like this car, the wait is two months at most. You’re a veteran salesperson, can’t you handle a simple thing like that?"

The female salesperson let out a small sigh of relief, seeing that the manager was being reasonably fair.

The male salesperson pursed his lips. Although he was resentful, he didn’t dare contradict the manager’s decision and turned to go placate his customer.

"Miss Sterling, thank you for your patience. I just need you to sign here, then we’ll make a copy of your brother’s ID, and finally, you can make the payment."

Cecilia reached out and took the pen, but just as she was about to sign, there was a knock on the lounge door.

She instinctively paused and looked up. The manager himself was entering, leading the male salesperson from earlier, a middle-aged man, and a boy around Ethan Sterling’s age.

Ethan Sterling blinked, looking completely baffled, while Cecilia’s expression was also one of confusion.

The female salesperson was also clearly puzzled. "Manager, what’s this...?"

The manager forced an apologetic smile and looked at Cecilia. "Miss Sterling, is that right? I’m terribly sorry to bother you, but it’s like this. The car you’re interested in, this gentleman is also interested in it. Honestly, you arrived just moments apart."

"I thought I had already settled this matter outside. Since you were the first one to claim it, you should have the right of first purchase."

"However, this gentleman insisted on speaking with you personally to see if you might be willing to let him have this car that’s already on the lot. Would you consider waiting a month or two to take delivery of yours?"

Even though the manager’s attitude was exceptionally humble and sincere, Cecilia’s brow furrowed before he was even halfway done speaking.

She looked at the man. He was about forty years old, and from his demeanor to his clothes, it was easy to see he was a successful person.

The boy next to him, about the same age as her brother, was staring intently at her. Cecilia did not like his gaze at all.

She shot an icy glare in his direction. The bone-chilling look sent a shiver down the boy’s spine, and he hastily averted his gaze.

"Excuse me, miss," the man began. "I know a gentleman shouldn’t impose on another’s desires, but my son is just so fond of this car. He’s about to start at Lorcain U, and I, as his father, just want to reward him for all his years of hard work studying. I want to grant him this wish. Do you think you could possibly let us have this one?"

The man had spoken, his tone not as arrogant as she might have expected. Instead, he sounded like he was genuinely asking for a favor.

But Cecilia had no intention of giving in. Her brother had spent a long time picking out this car; it was his favorite, and she wanted to fulfill his wish immediately as well.

So, sitting on the sofa, she replied in a calm and steady voice, "I’m sorry, but my brother wants this car too. He also just finished his college entrance exams."

The man didn’t seem to expect such a direct and firm refusal from Cecilia, and his expression froze in awkwardness for a moment.

He quickly recovered, offering a placating smile. "Miss, let’s be friends. How about this? I can compensate you for the waiting time. What do you say to ten percent of the car’s price?"

"Sir, I don’t need the money. And I won’t make friends with you by making my brother wait. I’m sorry." As she spoke, Cecilia lowered her head and signed her name on the document.

The man was a successful figure in Lorcain, and few people had ever refused him so bluntly. His face flushed with a mixture of anger and embarrassment.

But he couldn’t really blame her. It would be a kindness if she agreed to give it up, but it was perfectly reasonable for her to refuse.

Besides, Cecilia was so beautiful that most men would find it genuinely difficult to get angry while looking at her face.

The man didn’t press the issue, just nodding helplessly. "Alright, then. My apologies for bothering you."

Cecilia didn’t even look up, simply continuing to sign the various documents.

Just when it seemed the matter was settled, the son opened his mouth, and his tone was that of a giant man-child. "Dad, I want this one! You have to buy it for me! I want it!"

"I’ll buy it, I’ll buy it! We’ll get the car in two months!" The man, ever doting on his child, nodded along eagerly.

But the son was relentless. "I want the one that’s here now! I already passed my driver’s test. I want my own car right now!"

Cecilia looked up, annoyed, and stared at the boy. ’With a mentality and personality like that, did he *really* get into Lorcain U?’

’Maybe his father is just daydreaming.’

"Sis!"

Just then, Ethan Sterling, who had been watching quietly this whole time, suddenly spoke up. With a conflicted look on his face, he said, "Why don’t we just wait? It’s fine, let him have it."

His voice was just loud enough for the man to overhear.

"Oh, really?" the man said excitedly. "You’re willing to let us have it, young man?"

Cecilia ignored the man and looked at her brother. "You don’t have to give it up. We have no obligation to them. This is the gift you’ve been looking forward to."

Ethan felt a surge of happiness at how much his sister cared for him, but he still said, "I know we don’t have an obligation, but I’m not in a hurry. It’ll still be over a month before I get my license, so even if we take the car today, I won’t be able to drive it. We might as well let them have it."

"Besides, if he really did get into Lorcain U, we might end up as classmates."

Cecilia shook her head with a helpless chuckle. ’Her brother was certainly thinking ahead.’ She, for one, didn’t believe for a second that this boy could have gotten into Lorcain U.

But she knew her brother’s personality well. Kindness was part of his very nature.

On a happy day like this, Cecilia naturally deferred to her brother’s wishes. She nodded. "Fine. Since my brother has agreed, you can have the car. We’ll wait."

"Oh, thank you so much! Thank you!" the man said, thanking them profusely. He didn’t forget to nudge his son. "Aren’t you going to thank them?"

The boy looked at Cecilia and smiled, his gaze holding an obvious, deeper meaning. "Thank you... *sis*."

Cecilia’s expression darkened. "Ten percent of the car’s price. Two hundred and fifty thousand dollars. Transfer it directly to my brother."

Ethan was stunned. "Huh?"

’Are we really taking the money?’

The man was also stunned for a moment, but he didn’t argue. "Okay, okay, no problem. Young man, give me your account details for the transfer!"

Cecilia ignored them and turned to the visibly disappointed female salesperson. "We’ll let them have this car and put in an order for the next one. But that two-seater, sapphire blue 911 my brother sat in earlier... do you have one in stock? If you do, I’ll take it today!"

The salesperson’s energy was instantly restored. "Yes, Miss Sterling! We happen to have a fully-loaded model in stock. The total price is around 3 million dollars!"

"Good. We’ll take that one for now. Put it in my brother’s name. Please go and prepare a new set of documents."

Ethan Sterling, at that moment, had just received the transfer of 250,000 dollars. He turned his head just in time to overhear the conversation between his sister and the salesperson.

"Sis!" Ethan was in shock. "You’re buying me a 911?"

A nonchalant smile touched Cecilia’s lips. "The car you wanted might not even be here in two months. So, I’ll just buy you a 911 to drive for fun in the meantime."