Rewind With A Superstar System-Chapter 133: New House

<🎧 Song Recommendation: Some Nights by fun.>

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Pinecrest was a quiet, green neighborhood tucked away south of downtown Miami, famous for its massive lots hidden behind thick trees and tall gates.

They didn’t want another spot in the middle of the city. The Venetian Islands rental was nice, but it was too exposed.

Everyone could see who was coming and going. Von needed a real compound. He needed space where he could work, live, and shut out the world whenever he wanted. That was exactly why they chose this place.

The price tag for this level of isolation was exactly nine million dollars, and it showed before they even stepped foot on the property.

"Here we are," Zack said as the gates parted automatically. "Escrow cleared this morning. The deed is officially in the LLC. It’s finally yours!"

The gates opened to reveal a long, winding driveway flanked by towering royal palms and perfectly cared for hedges.

The driveway opened up into a circular motor court paved with dark, imported stone. It wasn’t overly obnoxious, it could comfortably fit about half a dozen cars for guests, accompanied by an immaculate four-car garage off to the side.

The mansion itself was a masterpiece of architecture.

Sitting on exactly two lush acres, the main house boasted over fourteen thousand square feet of living space under air. It was built with clean white lines, warm wood accents, and massive floor-to-ceiling impact glass windows that reflected the morning sun and the swaying palm trees.

"Nine million," Zack repeated, shaking his head with a mix of awe and lingering financial anxiety as he looked up at the facade. "Most B-list celebrities can’t afford a place like this. It’s a lot to take in."

Von smiled. He was also proud of his new property. "Let’s check it out?"

They walked up the wide stone steps and pushed through the towering, pivoting double front doors.

The volume of the foyer was breathtaking. The ceilings soared twenty-four feet high, allowing natural light to absolutely flood the space. The floors were laid with large-format Italian porcelain that looked like liquid marble. But the most striking feature was that the house wasn’t empty.

Unlike most newly bought mansions where the buyer has to spend months ordering custom furniture, this estate was completely turnkey.

The real estate agency had included the luxury interior staging in the final nine-million-dollar package. The house was fully furnished with massive, modern sectionals, artisan rugs, furniture and high-end light fixtures that looked like modern art.

"I negotiated the staging furniture into the closing costs, but I didn’t expect it to look this cohesive. Saves us about half a million right out of the gate," Zack said with some pride.

"It’s perfect," Von agreed, walking deeper into the massive open-concept space.

As he approached the floor-to-ceiling marble fireplace that anchored the living room, his eyes immediately caught something familiar hanging above the mantle. It was a hyper-realistic painting of a large arm holding the entire solar system in his palms.

Naomi’s painting. The one he had outbid just a few months ago.

Von stopped and his smile widened after admiring the sight. "You had them hang this up already?" 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

"Yeah, Emily kinda did. It’s really beautiful, I must admit."

Von smirked proudly at the compliment. "Yup, my sis is a good painter."

They admired the painting for a while, before Von turned away from the fireplace and walked toward the back of the house, where the glass walls completely retracted, blending the indoor living space with the outside.

Compared to the rental back on the Venetian Islands, the backyard was on an entirely different level. Looking out over the property, it felt like a private, five-star luxury resort.

The infinity-edge pool was massive, tiled in dark stone that made the water look like a deep, reflective mirror. Right in the center of the shallow end was a sunken lounge area with a built-in fire pit.

Off to the right of the pool was a massive cabana equipped with a full outdoor kitchen, a built-in grill, and a sleek outdoor billiard table.

Further back, completely shielded by dense, mature tropical foliage, was a private, freshly painted tennis court. On the far side of the property sat a detached, fully equipped guest house.

"No one can look in," Von noted, looking at the ten-foot privacy walls totally obscured by thick ivy and palm fronds.

Zack stepped out onto the patio beside him. "You could throw a festival back here and the neighbors wouldn’t see a thing. Though, considering the neighborhood association, I wouldn’t recommend it."

"I’m done throwing street parties for a while," Von replied quietly, his mind already drifting to the inevitable, impending lockdown he knew was coming. "This space is just for us."

"Wait until you see the master suite," Zack said, gesturing back inside toward the floating glass-and-steel staircase.

They headed upstairs. The second floor was laid out brilliantly, but the master suite was the undeniable crown jewel. It took up almost half of the entire upper level. It featured a massive wrap-around balcony that overlooked the pool and the tennis court, a bathroom completely decked out in dark marble with a freestanding soaking tub, and a walk-in closet the size of a high-end boutique.

But it was the room extension that caught Von’s eye.

Connected to the bedroom, just past the closet, was a private, sunken lounge area. It was currently furnished with a couple of leather reading chairs and lined with bookshelves. It looked like a quiet study.

Von walked into the lounge, his eyes scanning the custom woodwork. He noticed a faint, almost invisible seam running down the side of one of the heavy bookshelves. Driven by curiosity, Von pressed his palm flat against the wood and pushed.

There was a quiet click.

The entire bookshelf popped open, swinging inward smoothly on heavy, hidden hinges.

Von raised an eyebrow, stepping inside. The hidden door revealed a windowless, heavily soundproofed room bathed in low, ambient LED lighting.

It had its own dedicated air conditioning vent and thick, acoustic walls. It was a secret safe room, likely built by the paranoid, ultra-wealthy millionaire who owned the house before him.

"Okay, this is crazy," Von smirked, his violet eyes lighting up as he looked around the hidden space. It was the absolute perfect size.

Zack chuckled, stepping into the secret room behind him, looking bewildered too.

"I didn’t even see this on the floor plans. I guess a nine-million-dollar price tag buys you some Jack Bond secrets."

Von ran a hand along the soundproofed wall, his past-life gamer instincts immediately took over. He could already picture the neon lights and the monitors.

"This right here? This is the gaming room. It’s perfect!"

"You want a gaming setup in a panic room?"

"I want the highest-end setup money I can afford," Von corrected, stepping back out into the bright suite and pushing the bookshelf closed until it clicked.

"The furnished setup out here is perfect, but I need a few specific things added to the house to make it operational."

Zack pulled out his tablet, ready to take notes. "Shoot."

"First, the basement," Von said, walking toward the staircase to head back down. "I noticed it has a massive open space. I want one of those rooms converted into a proper, standard recording studio. We don’t have to do it all at once. Just start the basic acoustic treatment and wiring now so we don’t burn through my cash."

"Smart. Studio in the basement. What else?"

"The home gym downstairs is nice, but it’s built for cardio. Get rid of the light stuff. Bring in some heavier free weights. I’m a bit too strong for what’s in there."

Zack didn’t raise any questions, he knew first hand how abnormally strong Von was.

Von paused at the bottom of the stairs, looking toward the massive kitchen. He kept his expression entirely neutral, making sure not to sound crazy. "Oh, and if there’s a chef, they’ll have to stock up the pantry and the deep freezers. I’m talking a massive surplus of food, non-perishables, and water... Enough to last a year, let’s say."

Zack stopped typing and looked up, furrowing his brow. "A year?! You can’t be serious."

"I don’t like going to the grocery store," Von added. "And my guts are telling me they’ll be important soon enough, so I’ll advise you to do the same when you secure your place. Like try to be self-sufficient."

Zack stared at him for a moment, weighing the eccentric request against Von’s usual obsessive drive for control. Finally, he just sighed.

"Consider it done," Zack said, tapping the screen of his tablet. "I’ll order the gaming rigs, the gym equipment, and when you’ve gotten a chef, they’ll do the grocery run."

Von walked toward the kitchen island, running a hand over the cool marble. "Speaking of the chef, when are we getting the staff again? I’ve stressed you and Emily enough with all this running around," he admitted with a wry smile.

"You can call Emily. I think she’s finally done sorting through the background checks. She can arrange the final interviews with you and them tonight if you’re interested."

"That’s great!" Von acknowledged, pulling his phone from his pocket. "The sooner we get this place fully operational and off your plate, the better. Let me see what she’s got set up."

He unlocked his screen, found Emily’s contact, and put the phone to his ear. It rang twice before she picked up.

"Tell me you love the house," Emily answered immediately, not even waiting for a greeting.

"I love the house!" Von admitted with a chuckle. "Zack said you’ve got the staff lined up?"

"I do. I narrowed it down to the best out of hundreds of applications," Emily confirmed. "But I’m not bringing strangers to your new house just yet. So just be at the rental before 5:00 PM for you to make your choice."

"Cool, I’ll be there..."

Von was still talking when Emily added, "You have to be prepared, there’s a particular applicant here you’ve had a history with."