After listening to John's introduction, Inoue Tanji carefully sized up Mavi. Then, in heavily accented English, he said coolly, "Hello, nice to meet you."
Mavi had no interest in entertaining his passive-aggressive tone. Without a second glance, he signed the property transfer agreement, then transferred $980,000 to complete the transaction.
The entire process was conducted in the presence of both parties' attorneys, ensuring there would be no legal disputes.
Once everything was finalized, Inoue Tanji smiled in satisfaction. He pulled a spare set of house keys from his briefcase, preparing to hand them to Mavi.
But just at that moment, the sound of screeching tires echoed from outside the sales center. The noise was loud and jarring, like a heavy truck rolling across the pavement.
"Young Master, the vehicle is ready. It's waiting outside," Ivan, the butler, informed Mavi at just the right time.
"Alright, let's head out. Oh, by the way, Manager John, where exactly is that Japanese-style villa in the Longwood Estate?" Mavi casually asked John.
Watching everything unfold, John had a feeling something unexpected was about to happen. But what exactly? He couldn't quite put his finger on it—nor did he dare to.
"Mr. Mavi, your fully furnished villa is located in the southeast corner of Longwood Estate. If you'd like to visit now, we'd be happy to take you there!" John and sales associate Lisa responded enthusiastically.
After all, Mavi had purchased ten estates—he was a VIP customer in the Longwood community.
"Alright, let's go," Mavi said, then began walking out of the sales center, accompanied by his security detail.
"Of course, of course!" John and Lisa hurried to follow.
However, just as they stepped outside, ready to drive Mavi to the villa, they saw him bypass his Cadillac. Instead, he climbed into a bright yellow crane truck parked across the lot!
"What... What's going on?" John and Lisa exchanged bewildered looks, unable to comprehend what they were seeing.
Even Inoue Tanji, who had stepped out moments later, stared in utter confusion at the massive yellow crane.
"Manager… Mr. Mavi… he… he isn't planning to—" Lisa couldn't even finish her sentence. She didn't dare to. The mere thought of a beautifully designed, multi-million-dollar Japanese-style villa being reduced to rubble by a wrecking ball was too horrifying—too shocking—to process.
John's mind went completely blank. He stared, slack-jawed, at the enormous black iron ball hanging from the crane. After what felt like an eternity, he snapped back to reality and stammered, "Why don't we… why don't we just take the client over first?"
With that, John and Lisa climbed into their blue Ford, started the engine, and drove ahead to lead the way to Mavi's newly acquired Japanese-style villa.
Watching the convoy depart, Inoue Tanji was gripped by a sense of dread. His gut told him that something terrible was about to happen to the luxury home he had lived in for over two years.
Torn between curiosity and anxiety, he hesitated briefly before finally deciding to follow. He got into his Nissan President and drove after the group, determined to see what was going on.
But when he arrived at the villa he had just sold, his breath caught in his throat.
Sitting in the crane truck, Mavi was gripping the controls, driving the monstrous 16-ton machine straight at the estate's elegant iron gate!
With a deafening CRASH!, the behemoth of a vehicle plowed through the black iron gates as if they were made of paper. The six massive tires rolled over the twisted metal, crushing it with a sickening screech, then rumbled forward into the estate grounds.
The sheer weight of the crane made the earth tremble beneath it. Every movement sent up clouds of dust, forcing onlookers to cover their mouths and noses to avoid breathing it in.
Everything was happening too fast—too violently.
Inside his Nissan, Inoue Tanji's eyes nearly popped out of his skull. For a split second, he wondered if he was dreaming.
Lisa and John, witnessing the destruction unfold, sat frozen in their seats, unable to utter a single word. Neither of them had ever imagined they'd witness something this outrageous in their lifetime. It was like a scene straight out of a movie—so unreal it defied belief.
"Manager… Is he really going to demolish the house? Should we… should we drive in after him?" Lisa asked, her voice trembling. She badly needed a cigarette to steady her nerves—her fingers and lips were shaking uncontrollably.
"Let's go see," John gritted his teeth and revved the Ford's engine, following the crane into the estate.
This was a once-in-a-lifetime spectacle—he wasn't going to miss it.
Seeing the Ford drive in, Inoue Tanji gripped his steering wheel tightly, torn between wanting to follow and being too afraid to.
His hesitation came from one simple fact: the house being demolished was his.
Sure, the transaction was legally completed, but the memories, the emotions tied to this place—those couldn't just be erased overnight.
After sitting in his car, struggling with the decision for a while, Inoue Tanji finally let out a heavy sigh. Then, he slowly drove his Nissan President through the crushed iron gate and into the estate.
The once-pristine gate now lay in two twisted halves on the ground. As his car rolled over the wreckage, he felt the jolt of metal beneath his wheels.
Inside the estate, the well-manicured lawns that once lined the pathway were now marred by deep tire tracks. Inoue Tanji felt his heart ache—but it was useless. This wasn't his home anymore.
When he finally reached his former residence, he saw Mavi giving orders to the crane operator.
The massive boom of the crane, capable of extending up to 32 meters, slowly unfurled. At its tip, an 800-pound iron ball swayed ominously, inching closer and closer to the villa's roof.
Inside their car, Inoue Tanji, Lisa, and John all held their breath. Their gazes locked onto the swinging wrecking ball.
The three-story villa before them was a masterpiece. Spanning roughly 6,500 square feet, it featured seven bedrooms, four living rooms, six bathrooms, a three-car garage, and a basement. The architecture was distinctly Japanese—earthy tones, minimalist design, a warm brown color palette exuding a serene, Zen-like charm.
And yet, in just a few moments, it would all come crashing down.