"After we closed on Élévation," she began, voice steady, "we uncovered five more restaurants. Larger targets. Each valued between ten and twenty million. All two-story buildings with serious expansion potential."
She swiped. Professional photos materialized: sleek dining rooms, some still operating, others shuttered but structurally sound.
"Two sit in absurdly prime LA real estate—locations that almost never hit the market—twenty million apiece. The remaining three range from ten to twelve. Slightly less central, but still high-traffic gold mines with demographics that make investors drool."
She met my eyes. "We bought them."
I absorbed that, eyebrows rising. "All five?"
"Every last one. Paperwork signed yesterday. Funds pending your final transfer approval, but legally they're already ours."
Pride slammed into me, hot and fierce.
