Chapter 3
Chapter 3
Life Turnaround (2)
Alex, misunderstanding my moment of stunned contemplation as a genuine interest in buying the Empire Building, added,
“The problem is, even if you wanted to buy it, the owner has no intention of selling. If it doesn’t have to be this building, there’s a newly constructed 60-story building across the street listed for $13 million.”
“$13 million?”
You’re not supposed to invest on a whim. But hearing the price of $13 million definitely piqued my interest.
Who wouldn’t be tempted by the idea of buying a 60-story new building in Times Square with just 1% of their total assets?
‘Even half a year’s worth of interest would cover it.’
Across the street… what kind of building would that be?
A new glass building caught my eye.
It had a helipad and was on a corner along the main road, so leasing it out would probably be easy.
“Is that the building?”
“Yes, that’s it.”
“Wow~.”
Even if real estate values had dropped, it was still astonishing to see such a bargain.
Was there some defect?
Seeing my skeptical expression, Alex quickly added,
“It would normally have sold for $22 million. It dropped in value because the developer went bankrupt just before completion. If you want to acquire it, we can handle it immediately after purchase. We can also manage tenant placements.”
“I see.”
“Shall I look into it for you?”
“No, not for now. Let’s wait a bit.”
Alex sighed slightly but refocused on his work.
I had wandered all over town looking for a cheap, decent newlywed home.
I had picked up a lot following property managers around and through word of mouth.
Things to consider before buying real estate. How to find the right timing.
Among the advice, brokers often said: if you find a property you like, spend at least a week observing the area.
The most important factors in real estate are location and accessibility.
Ultimately, it should be easy for people to come and go, so you watch that before making a purchase.
Even in a big city like New York, buying after only one day of inspection is absurd.
The market hasn’t fully recovered yet, so it’s better to observe and buy during an upswing.
Unless the owner appears first, then there’s nothing you can do.
‘Heh. I probably would have jumped at a cheap price back in the day.’
Having wealth like this, I felt no urgency at all.
Being at ease is a wonderful thing.
“I’ve deposited the won into your account. Do you need anything else?”
“Ah, could we set up an investment corporation in the U.S.?”
“Of course. How much would you like to invest?”
“Hmm… let’s do $100 million.”
Even putting $100 million in another account leaves the main account with over $1.1 billion.
With interest rates up to 3% these days, just keeping it in the account would earn $3 million a month in interest.
$3 million a month? That’s about 4 billion won in interest per month. Absolutely insane!
We filled out the paperwork for registering the corporation, and any additional information would be shared via email.
“Are you heading straight back to Korea?”
“Of course. My vacation’s almost over.”
There’s so much to do as soon as I arrive.
I need to put up the newlywed home full of Yang Mijeong’s traces for sale and purchase a luxury riverside apartment overlooking the Han River.
Annoying, though. Wish someone could handle it for me. Then I could stay in New York for a day and enjoy sightseeing.
“Do you not have a branch in Korea?”
“No, unfortunately. But if you have connections, I can introduce you.”
It’s good to have lawyers connected to one another since I’ll be going back and forth a lot.
Moreover, the lawyer he would introduce is from ‘Im & Jung,’ Korea’s top law firm.
No hesitation—I asked him to connect me.
Even though it’s nighttime in Korea, the call was answered immediately.
Her voice was lovely, just like a famous actress’s name.
“I want to put up my rental property in Korea for sale.”
“Yes. I’d like all the items inside sold too. Also, I want to buy a new 70-pyeong luxury riverside apartment. Can you look into that?”
I half-expected her to refuse, thinking it trivial.
But she replied affirmatively immediately. As if it were a service that must be done.
Amazing. Is this what life as a wealthy person feels like?
Looking at our chairman alone, how many staff does he have handling everything?
The group’s subsidiaries exceeded 100,000 employees a year ago. It’s almost like sustaining an entire small city.
“I’ll leave tomorrow night, so I hope to move in the day after. Can you also set up furniture and appliances in the new place?”
Afterward, she asked a few questions about my preferences and said she’d contact me if any decisions were needed.
I was about to hang up but hurriedly requested,
“Ah! The previous apartment’s living room has an 82-inch TV. Please move it to the new master bedroom. Be careful so it doesn’t get damaged.”
That TV brought me a lottery win.
It’s the only personal item in the newlywed home, so I must have it.
Sitting in first class on the flight back to Korea felt… like returning in glory after passing a royal exam and riding in a carriage.
I had already discarded the travel bags I brought to the U.S.
Carrying them around would have been a hassle.
Traveling long distances with empty hands felt strangely freeing.
I understood why Mijeong left home empty-handed, abandoning her treasured designer bags and clothes.
It felt like starting fresh as a completely new person.
The taxi stopped in front of the River Palace luxury apartment.
I looked up at the building before entering.
A sleek exterior that didn’t lose to the buildings on Times Square.
From now on, this would be my sweet home. My shoulders lifted in pride.
Entering, the receptionist stood and bowed politely.
Judging by my appearance, she could have stopped me, yet she just watched.
‘Will she act if she identifies me as an outsider?’
Apparently, the elevator required a room number and preset password for residents.
I had already received the password from lawyer Jeong.
Once I called the elevator without difficulty, the receptionist finally returned to her seat.
I liked that she relied on actual information, not appearance, to minimize friction with residents.
[Beep—arrived at the 48th floor. Have a pleasant day.]
A cheerful voice announced the arrival. I liked the feeling.
As the doors opened, I met a woman in her twenties.
Short, neat bob exposing her neck, simple blue pantsuit, blue shoes matching her outfit.
Urban, sophisticated features that matched the striking blue—a woman who didn’t seem ordinary.
‘A neighbor? Maybe an actress?’
Slightly less stunning than Yang Mijeong but still close to a celebrity level.
Glamorous yet toned, as only a well-managed woman could be.
‘Nice apartment… nice neighbor too.’
But I quickly realized I was mistaken.
The lawyer’s signature double-arm hibiscus scale badge was pinned to her collar.
She asked me, slightly tense,
“Mr. Kang Minhyuk, correct?”
“Ah, yes. Are you lawyer Jeong Jihyeon?”
“Yes. Nice to meet you.”
She had arrived without being asked, even on a weekend when everyone rests. No wonder she’s from the top domestic law firm.
“Wow, I didn’t expect you’d be here.”
“Since it’s your first move-in, of course I had to make sure everything was in order.”
She handed me the card key politely.
“Pre-inspection is complete. No defects found. The password has been set to your desired number. Let’s go in and check.”
“Great.”
I was a bit disappointed she wasn’t a neighbor, but satisfied that the lawyer was attractive.
Using the digital key, the door clicked open. I entered and inspected the interior.
Officially 70 pyeong, but maybe 40 pyeong usable?
Still plenty for one person. New building, clean interior, all electronics up-to-date, furniture sensibly arranged.
Most importantly, I liked the TV’s placement.
Lying in bed, I could watch TV!
The bed was a recliner type, adjustable angle.
The side table was large—perfect for snacks and beer while watching baseball.
A dream setup for a single man.
“Nice. Thank you for your effort.”
“I’ll take my leave now. Contact me anytime if needed.”
“One more favor. Do you like working out? You look fit.”
Lawyer Jeong Jihyeon flinched at my comment.
Oops, did I offend her?
I quickly added,
“Oh, don’t get me wrong. I just want to find a good place to work out.”
My innocent smile seemed to reassure her.
“Shall I find a good personal trainer nearby for you?”
I was about to say yes when suddenly a message appeared on the TV, the same one from before.
[An excellent opportunity for your new start!]
[Transform your body now!]
Three men appeared on screen, wearing only red underwear, showing off their muscular physiques.
And of course, all their faces were mine.
A situation begging for misunderstanding as a pervert.
Grabbing my chest, I screamed and collapsed to the floor, thinking I had to get her out quickly.