Chapter 198: Cannot Be Locked from the Inside

When it came to purchasing properties, Simon naturally chose the best.

However, it was still the 1980s, and many houses that would later be valued at hundreds of millions of dollars were not yet so expensive. Even London's Kensington Garden Street, which would later be home to some of the world's most expensive properties, was priced in the tens of millions at the time. A five-story mansion on Kensington Garden Street with over thirty rooms that Simon was considering was priced at 18 million pounds, making it the most expensive among the sixteen houses.

With Janet's counsel, Simon quickly reviewed the information on the sixteen properties.

Although the overall prices of mansions from this era weren't high, the total for all sixteen, converted to dollars, would still require $178 million, averaging $11 million per property.

Besides the Kensington Garden Street mansion, which only occupied half an acre, many of the other properties were large enough to be measured in hectares. A manor in Paris's western suburbs priced at 120 million francs covered 22 hectares, equivalent to about $17 million when converted to dollars. Compared to this, the Kensington Garden Street mansion's 18 million pound price tag was roughly $25 million at the current exchange rate.

Aside from London and Paris, the top mansions in other major European cities were much cheaper.

After browsing the last document, Simon looked at Sophia Fesi, "Sixteen properties, including the one in Cannes, can you manage them?"

Sophia Fesi was visibly taken aback. Although she had carefully selected these sixteen properties over several months, she only expected Simon to choose two or three. But from Simon's words, it seemed he intended to purchase all sixteen properties.

Spending $178 million in one go to buy sixteen properties was an insane move in an era where the world's wealthiest individuals only had a few billion dollars to their names. Moreover, as a former luxury real estate agent, Sophia Fesi knew well that most wealthy individuals spend a fortune on renovations after purchasing properties, an equally significant expense.

After a moment of hesitation, remembering Simon's inquiring gaze, Sophia Fesi cautiously nodded but couldn't help but confirm, "Simon, you're planning to buy all these properties?"

"You can start working on this once you're back in Europe," Simon said, patting Janet in his embrace as they both stood up. "That's all for today, Janet. Can you arrange a room for Sophia? I'm going to take a shower."

Sophia Fesi watched Simon leave, then turned to Janet, who hadn't objected to Simon's decision, "Janet, are you really letting Simon do this?"

Janet, linking arms with Sophia as they headed to the guest room, said, "I'm his girlfriend, not his mother. Honestly, after being with Simon longer, you won't find his crazy ideas surprising anymore."

Sophia Fesi expressed her doubts, "But sixteen properties, I see no need for that."

"What a person wants to do is what matters most, necessity aside."

As Janet spoke, they reached a guest room already prepared for Sophia. After Sophia unpacked some clothes from her suitcase, noticing Janet still at the door, she asked, "Janet, is there something else?"

"No," Janet shook her head but then tapped on the door, smiling, "Just wanted to remind you that this bedroom door can't be locked from the inside."

After saying goodnight, Janet left, leaving Sophia alone, her mind racing with implications. As a mature woman, she understood Janet's insinuation. After settling her clothes, she couldn't resist checking the door, confirming Janet wasn't joking.

The door really couldn't be locked.

Thinking of her young employer, Sophia Fesi, since accepting the job, had closely followed everything related to Simon, understanding more about this legendary figure.

At twenty, when most of his peers were still uncertain about the future, he had already achieved what many couldn't in several lifetimes.

As a mature woman, and perhaps due to Simon's possessive condition at the start, she couldn't help but fantasize about certain things, but those were just fantasies. Confident in her appearance, which had once attracted a wealthy husband, she didn't expect Simon to show much interest in her.

Now, facing the unlocked door, Sophia's mind was filled with conflicting thoughts.

What if he really came in tonight? What if he didn't?

In the master bedroom, Simon, fresh from the shower and drying his hair, found Janet already in a light pink silk nightgown, browsing a magazine on the bed. Seeing Simon, she smiled sweetly, seemingly harmless. Simon approached, playfully smacking her behind.

After the sharp sound, Janet immediately looked tearfully at him, "Why hit me?"

Simon pretended to raise his hand again, "You tell me?"

Janet dodged slightly, "With so many bedrooms in the villa for guests, should I have made Sophia stay at a hotel?"

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