Sweet Mischief’s Rollercoaster Romance
Chapter 609

At the auto show, Anya took mental notes of Molly's barrage of advice, her eyes scanning the cars lined up on the showroom floor.

"Hey, Chad, remember that car we saw at the booth next door? It was under $60k. Maybe we should go back and check it out? We don't need to splurge if we're tight on funds."

Leo turned to see Anya pulling another savvy move. Had they already been scouting other dealerships?

The salesman, sensing he might lose the sale, pointed in a direction. "Are you talking about the latest model from the third booth?"

Anya shook her head cautiously. "I can't remember which one exactly, but their prices were lower, and they were throwing in discounts right off the bat."

"That's just smoke and mirrors," the salesman quickly retorted, then turned to Leo to champion the virtues of their cars over the competition. He knew Leo was the decision-maker and kept the conversation focused on him. "I can go down to $72,000. I'm already cutting it close here."

"Mr. Cedillo, we're just a small dealership, and you clearly want the best. $75,000 is as low as we can go."

Anya sensed an opening. "Sir, with all these options available, we chose your dealership because of the thorough and engaging presentation you gave us. You know the fair price for this car, and we're offering a deal that works. Besides, Havenbrook isn't short on dealerships. Who's to say we can't get this deal elsewhere? If we do, that's a hit on your competitor's numbers, not yours.

And let's be real, we're all about the same age here. This won't be the last car we buy, and if we're happy, we'll be sure to recommend you. You know how important word-of-mouth is."

Anya wasn't sure if her words were sinking in, but she was following her aunt's advice to the letter.

When it seemed they were at an impasse, Anya's aunt had more tricks up her sleeve.

Leo was amazed at Anya's sudden burst of negotiation skills.

"Ma'am, $61,500 is my final offer. What do you say?" The salesman was clearly disoriented by Anya's counter.

Anya proposed $70,500, which was actually higher than Leo's initial lowball.

The salesman hesitated. "Your husband just mentioned $72,000."

"So, are we doing this at $72,000?"

Anya took over the haggling, channeling all the bargaining wisdom she had been taught. It was as if she had unlocked a hidden talent, and within half an hour, they walked away with a new car for $71,250, including five free maintenance checks and a dash cam. Leo initially balked at the dash cam, but Anya, ever the practical one, insisted, "We're getting it. It's for safety!"

Leo relented, "Alright, your call."

Knowing Leo had financed the purchase, Anya felt a twinge of guilt. "I should have pushed for a better deal."

Reflecting on the negotiation, Anya playfully suggested, "$72,000? Too unlucky. Let's do $71,500. It's not about the money."

The salesman, caught off guard but impressed, agreed without further debate.

Leo was surprised at Anya's effectiveness.

On their way home, Leo mused if Anya had sought advice from Jade.

Anya, thrilled with her success in saving money for Chad, nodded happily.

Back at home, the Cedillos were surprised to see a new car in the driveway. "Did you buy another car?" Naomi asked Bruce.

"No," he replied, puzzled.

It turned out Leo had made the purchase on his own. Naomi was ready to lecture him until Anya stepped in, defending Leo's independence and effort. Naomi was shocked. "He's earning his own money now?"

At the office, Andre spotted a new black sedan parked next to his spot. Holding his son, he stood in front of it, marveling at his elder son's achievement.

His son, growing impatient for the elevator ride, gurgled in confusion.

Andre, looking down at his son's chubby face, said with a mix of pride and amusement, "Your brother's really something."

Wrapping up his conversation, Andre scooped up his elevator-loving son and stepped into the exclusive lift.

His parking spot was his alone, a privilege no one at the company dared infringe upon.

But his nephew, bold as ever, always seemed to replace his way into parking beside him, a liberty Andre never explicitly contested. Thus, Leo subconsciously made it a habit to park his car in the spacious spot next to his uncle's. Approaching the executive office, Andre hadn't even stepped out of the elevator when the babbling of his little one filled the air.

Everyone around paused their tasks, their faces lighting up in anticipation at the sight of the CEO's adorable baby.