Ultimate Cash System-Chapter 169: Unexpected Debt.

Lukas slowly stood up, the brochure still in his hand. He paced toward the tall windows of his hotel suite, looking out over the city. Princeton was quiet, green, and historical. This fortress was like something from another time.

"I want to see it," he said finally.

Henry blinked. "Are you sure? I mean... we can. It’ll take some arrangements. They don’t open that one for just anyone."

Lukas turned, his voice clear and low. "Then let them know I’m not just anyone."

Henry smiled. Not with surprise—he had seen this before. That look in Lukas’ eyes. The quiet certainty of someone who, once interested, did not turn back.

"Alright then," he said, tapping his phone to life. "I’ll set it up."

Lukas walked back toward the coffee table and placed the other house listings back down gently.

But the brochure?

He kept that one in his hand.

And just like that, Princeton had a new contender for its most legendary resident.

The brochure still sat in Lukas’s hand, the image of Le Château de Clairmont etched in his mind like a painting that refused to leave. Henry had just left, the door clicking shut behind him, promising to schedule the viewing as soon as possible.

Lukas stood by the tall hotel window, staring at the city skyline, the Princeton estate brochure loosely rolled in one hand. The silence in the room was comforting, heavy with thought.

Then his phone rang.

He glanced at the screen: John Terry.

Not the footballer, but his personal banker. Chase Bank. Late forties, early fifties. Always polite. Always precise.

"Mr. Lukas," came the calm, practiced voice when he answered. "Good evening. I hope I’m not disturbing you."

"Not at all, John," Lukas replied, still watching the traffic far below. "What’s up?"

There was a small pause, the kind that always came before numbers.

"I wanted to personally inform you about a few updates regarding your accounts. Your thirty-million-dollar equity purchase has been successfully processed as of this morning."

Lukas nodded. He already knew. That was the plan.

"Additionally," John continued, "the ten-million-dollar check you issued to St. Mary’s Chapel has cleared as well."

"Good."

Another pause. Then came the drop.

"That puts your current liquidity position at negative fourteen million two hundred and fifty thousand."

Lukas blinked. "I’m sorry. Did you say negative?"

"Yes, sir," John said smoothly. "You’re currently in credit debt. Your account has a credit facility of up to fifty million, as per our agreement with your management and Chase Private Client structure. However, if the outstanding amount is not cleared by the end of the month, interest will begin to accrue on the negative balance."

Lukas exhaled through his nose, slowly moving toward the edge of the couch and sitting down. "And how much is the interest?"

"Given the high-value account structure, it’s 5.2% annually, charged monthly. Roughly sixty-one thousand dollars a month at your current balance until paid."

He closed his eyes and leaned his head back.

"Of course," John added, "there’s no pressure. Many of our clients utilize this facility for short-term liquidity gaps. I simply wanted you to be aware."

Lukas stayed silent for a beat.

"Anything else I should know?"

"No, sir. That was the most urgent. Your portfolio is healthy. And... well, congratulations on the donation. I saw the local press picked it up."

"Thanks, John. I appreciate the call."

"Of course, sir. I’m always here. Just call if you need anything."

The line disconnected.

Lukas slowly placed the phone on the armrest, his thoughts racing not with panic but with calculation.

[Mission Completed. Grade: S, Did a charitable donation. Reward: $100,000,000]

"That’s what I was hoping for. And with the previous $15,910,000 in cash, that makes a huge pile of cash," Lukas said, then brought out the whole thing on the couch from the system and placed it across the cushions. The money was a huge amount.

By noon, Jay and Roy had joined Lukas at the hotel suite. Both were a little dazed seeing the stack of money on the couch, but they were used to Lukas’s surprises by now.

"Let’s go," Lukas said, buttoning up his casual blazer. "We’re going to the bank."

"Which one?" Jay asked, still eyeing the cash like it might vanish any moment.

"Chase. And bring a duffel bag or two."

Moments later, the black Mercedes purred out of the underground garage, the three of them seated with quiet purpose. The bank wasn’t far, a private branch nestled among skyscrapers in the center of Princeton.

When they entered the lobby, Lukas was instantly recognized. A suited woman behind the desk stood up abruptly and smiled. "Mr. Lukas! Right this way, Mr. Terry is expecting you."

They were led into a quiet conference room. John Terry himself entered moments later, wearing a crisp gray suit, his salt-and-pepper hair neatly parted.

"Mr. Lukas," he greeted, offering a firm handshake. "Pleasure to see you in person."

"Likewise. Thanks for the call earlier. Timely, as always."

John nodded with professional warmth. "I aim to serve. Now, shall we begin the deposit?"

Jay and Roy opened the duffel bags on the table. Stacks of hundred-dollar bills sat neatly arranged. John didn’t even blink.

"Of course," he said smoothly. "We’ll begin counting immediately. The amount will reflect in your account by the end of the day."

"Perfect," Lukas said.

"Would you like me to prepare wire transfers or hold it liquid for now?"

"Hold it. Just until I confirm a property purchase. Then we can talk."

"Understood. Anything else I can help with today?"

Lukas shook his head. "That’s all for now."

"Very well. I’ll personally supervise this. Please, enjoy your afternoon."

Lukas gave a short nod and exited the bank with Jay and Roy, stepping out into the bright light of the city, the weight of the day already feeling lighter.

Meanwhile, after Lukas went out in a corner office inside Chase Bank’s Princeton branch, John Terry set down his headset and sighed. He leaned back in his ergonomic chair, sipping cold coffee from a ceramic mug that read "Retirement is a Myth."

"Mr. Terry!" came the agitated voice of Clarissa from downstairs. "Your line just went hot with regionals. They want to speak with you immediately."

He groaned. "Tell them to hold."

He stepped into his glass-walled meeting room, where a video conference screen was already lighting up.

"Terry," barked a balding executive in a tight blue tie, "why the hell didn’t you let that ten-million-dollar check bounce for a day? We just lost interest padding for the week!"

Another voice chimed in from New York. "You gave him the credit line and then let him clear it before we could benefit? Come on, John, that’s ten million on a Sunday!"

John sat calmly, unbothered. "Because I believe in long-term relationships, gentlemen. And this client? He’s going to make us billions."

"But—"

"Let me do my job. He called me personally. That means something. And when people like him win, they remember who stood beside them."

The call ended with disgruntled grumbles, but John simply smiled, adjusted his cufflinks, and picked up a pen to write another note on Lukas’s file: High priority. Relationship Asset.