The Strongest Curse Master-Chapter 81: Lansky’s 45 Acres Avocado Orchard

"We’re here," William said, stopping the golf cart in the driveway of a secluded cottage nestled among towering pines. Its rustic cedar exterior and large glass windows blended seamlessly with the natural surroundings. The cottage faced a tranquil lake, whose shimmering waters reflected the morning sky, and had been thoughtfully designed to maximize the lakefront experience.

"It’s beautiful," Mary uttered as she stepped out of the cart, inhaling the smell of freshly cut grass, pine trees, and the lake. Her week off had just leveled up. It was a pity they were only staying for two days, even though Mandy’s friend had booked it for the entire week.

"It is," Pam and Danny agreed, though their moods soured when Dan chimed in, "It’s nice, but when’s my boat getting here?"

"Soon, sir. Until then, why not enjoy a cold beverage at the dock?" William replied politely, pointing to a luxurious all-cedar gazebo dock with a seating area, mini-bar, and grill station.

"Is that Greg?" Dan asked, spotting a familiar figure on a mini-yacht by the dock. Greg, dressed in casual fishing attire, was enjoying a scotch and conversing with his lawyer while the resort butler attended to them. Seeing Greg’s fancy mini-yacht, Dan felt a bit better about his own boat’s delay.

"Yes, sir. Mr. Macoy has an appointment with Ms. Mandy," William answered before Mandy could. She glared at her butler, then instructed, "William, help my sisters settle in while we go greet old Greg."

With that, the group split in two. Pam, Mary, and Danny followed William into the cottage, while Mandy led Dan, Alwin, and Ace to the dock.

On their way, Ace summoned Dame Wasp in her stealth mode and had her start scouring the lake for treasures, as planned. With a lot of ground to cover in very little time, early start would help her gather as many valuable items as possible. Ace only intended to report the one with the highest trade value to meet his immediate needs.

"Greg, it’s been a while," Dan greeted casually upon reaching the dock. Greg nodded back, sipping his scotch, though he did little to hide his irritation as he stepped off the yacht and headed toward the dock’s seating area.

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As neighbors, Dan had interacted with Greg numerous times. Greg avoided Dan whenever possible because he found Dan’s bold, direct approach incompatible with his own cautious and calculating style. He felt that Dan’s success was merely luck; otherwise, he believed that someone with Dan’s approach would hardly survive long in their line of business, let alone prosper.

There was a reason why most farmers and ranchers end up bankrupt and many can barely make ends meet.

Taking a seat on the couch, Greg set down his scotch and rubbed his brow before glancing at Mandy. "I was hoping we could talk privately," he said.

"I would’ve preferred that too, but I wasn’t the one who booked a cottage for my entire family to force a single meeting with me," Mandy replied, holding him accountable for the awkward setup. Then she added, "Let’s make do with what we’ve got."

Greg wanted to argue that they could have arranged something else by phone if she hadn’t turned hers off. But he held back, instead apologized, "Let me start by apologizing for my behavior. You brought me a great deal, and I disrespected you out of greed. I hope this makes amends."

"Apology accepted. Now get to the point," Mandy replied, sitting opposite Greg as his butler fixed drinks according to each guest’s preference.

Greg frowned at Mandy’s directness, thinking, ’The niece and uncle really are cut from the same cloth. This won’t be easy.’ Shaking his head, he said, "I was hoping you’d sell me Hank’s 10 acres at cost."

He needed Hank’s land more than he wanted to admit. It bordered his 25 acres, and its borewell provided water for about a quarter of his avocado plantation. However, he hadn’t expected Mandy to buy it out from under him.

"You wanted the yard? I thought you were lowballing Hank because you had no interest in it since you were saving up for Lansky’s avocado orchard. That’s why I didn’t wait for your final offer and sold my shares in the indie game company to buy the land," Mandy lied, feigning ignorance of Greg’s intentions.

She held a grudge against him, having been forced to sell promising shares because of his underhanded dealings.

"Lansky’s selling his orchard? Why am I hearing it from you and not my lawyer?" Greg erupted, turning to glare at his lawyer seated beside him.

"Sir, I—" The lawyer fidgeted, searching for words to explain but fell silent, knowing any explanation on this issue could land him and his firm in a conflict-of-interest issue.

"Oh, I see what’s happening," Mandy interjected. "Your firm is helping a big-name organic farm company that recently expanded here acquire Lansky’s 45-acre orchard, right? No wonder you kept old Greg in the dark. With what you and your firm stands to earn on this deal, I can’t blame you guys."

"Is she telling the truth?" Greg demanded, standing and staring down his lawyer. The man’s inability to meet his eyes confirmed everything Mandy had said. Humiliated, Greg dismissed his lawyer, who hurried off the dock, leaving Greg to mask his embarrassment with a sip of scotch.

"I thought you needed the money, so I based my offer for your 25 acres on your offer for Hank’s 10 acres," Mandy clarified, giving him a taste of his own medicine with her offer of $900k for his land, using his own "generous" valuation as a benchmark. Watching this unfold, Ace mentally noted to stay on Mandy’s good side.

"How much did the company offer for Lansky’s orchard?" Greg asked in a low voice, choosing to ignore Mandy’s remarks.

"4.59 million dollars—102k per acre," Mandy replied, accepting a mocktail from the butler.

"And what does Lansky think of this?" Greg asked, though he suspected Lansky might reject the low offer, given that his orchard was young and could still bear fruit for another 12–13 years. Not to mention, the 45 acres sat on prime farmland by the highway with ample water year round.

"Lansky accepted the offer, but the company pulled their offer last minute, requesting a corporate inspection of the orchard before moving forward. Looks like they too weren’t expecting Lansky to agree to their first offer either," Mandy said calmly, monitoring Greg’s shock.

"Wait—what’s going on? Is there a problem with Lansky’s orchard? That’s impossible. Last season, his 45 acres outperformed my 60," Greg responded, utterly baffled that Lansky would sell so cheaply.

"That’s up to you to find out," Mandy said, raising her hand to signal that it wasn’t her concern. She quickly changed the topic, adding, "Do you still want Hank’s land? If not, my offer on your 25 acres is good for another six days."

Greg frowned, annoyed that Mandy had pulled out of the conversation so abruptly. He was sure she knew more than she was letting on, which only added to his frustration. With his lawyer now compromised and working for his competitor, he knew no one capable enough to help him compete against a big organic farm company for Lansky’s Orchard.

Now that he knew Lansky’s orchard was up for sale, he felt Hank’s 10 acres weren’t worth his time. Lansky’s orchard had enough water to sustain both their avocado plantations year-round. Missing this opportunity would be a decision he’d regret on his deathbed. To avoid that, he needed the best on his side, even if that best was Dan Lander’s niece.

Mandy watched with amusement as Greg’s greed took over. She’d long planned to get even with him, and now that he’d come to her of his own accord, she wasn’t about to let the opportunity slip away. Sipping her mocktail, she flashed a playful smile and winked at Ace, who was sitting by the mini bar counter and had been watching her intently since the start of her exchange with Greg.

Ace, though startled by the wink did not shy away, quickly composed himself and gave her an impressed nod. Mandy tilted her head cutely, as if she didn’t know what he was talking about. Seeing her play coy, Ace shook his head and took a sip of his drink smiling to himself. Watching her skillfully steer Greg to exactly where she wanted him mentally, he was thoroughly impressed.

Although she claimed to be retired, she seemed to know an awful lot about the current local real estate news.

[ — Status Screen —

Dame Wasp: Master, we’ve hit the jackpot. Please share my senses so I can show you exactly what I mean.]

"Already?" Ace muttered under his breath, shocked to hear from Dame Wasp so soon. Noticing the sudden change in his expression, Mandy’s brows narrowed as she raised her head up enquirying him in concern. With a gentle smile, Ace shook his head assuring her nothing was wrong.