Rich People Problems-Kwan 2017 (WWT)

CHAPTER TWO
TYERSALL PARK, SINGAPORE
Rachel was walking through the rose garden, looking at the fresh new blooms and
inhaling their deep, intoxicating scent when Nick returned. He had been to see Alfred
Shang in the hope of raising enough money to buy Tyersall Park from his aunts.
“How did it go?” she asked as he entered the garden, although from the look on his face
she already knew the answer.
“I walked him through the entire proposal, thinking he would at least throw me some
kind of bone since Tyersall Park had been his father’s estate. Do you know what he told
me? He thinks that we are in the midst of another financial bubble waiting to burst, and
when that implodes all of the property markets in Asia will collapse. He said, ‘If this idiot
really wants to give you ten billion for Tyersall Park, you would be an even bigger idiot
not to take it. Take his money and go buy some gold. It’s the only asset worth keeping in
the long run.’ ”
Nick leaned into one of the rosebushes and said, “This is maybe the third time I’ve
actually stood here and smelled the roses. It’s funny how one takes things for granted
when they’ve always been around.”
“We’ll plant our own rose garden,” Rachel said encouragingly. “I think we can afford a
little country house now, don’t you think? Maybe in Vermont, or even in Maine. I hear
North Haven is beautiful.”
“I dunno, Rachel. With four billion dollars, it’s going to be tough finding something out
there,” Nick deadpanned.
Rachel smiled. It was still impossible for her to fathom that kind of money coming into
her life, especially since Nick had just spent the past month desperately trying to raise
funds and not getting anywhere close to what he needed. Now that the deadline was up,
and his last-ditch effort with Uncle Alfred had failed, Nick had no choice but to give in to
his aunts’ demands.
Picking a beautiful blossom that was dangling from a half-broken stem, Rachel looked
up at Nick. “Shall we go in?”
“Yes, let’s do this.” Nick took her hand and they walked up the stone steps into the