Chapter 21: Unexpected Visitor
"Timothy," she said evenly, eyes flicking past him toward the lot. "I hope I’m not interrupting."
Timothy forced his shoulders to relax, masking his pulse’s quick hammering. "Not at all. Come in."
He stepped aside, and Tiffany walked in, heels clicking against the rough pavement. Her gaze swept across the open lot, lingering on the scaffolding, the tidy container office, and—most of all—the lineup of gleaming cars parked in perfect formation.
A crimson Civic. A pearl-white Fortuner. The sleek blue curve of a BMW Z4.
Her brow arched. "So this is what you’ve been busy with."
Timothy swallowed. "Yeah. Flawless Auto Resale. My business."
Tiffany walked toward the Civic first, running her fingertips lightly across its hood. "Impressive lineup. Civic RS, Fortuner V, even a Camry." She turned, her tone careful but curious. "How does a man from Tondo—who I know was working part-time in a café not too long ago—suddenly start something like this?"
The words weren’t accusatory. If anything, they carried genuine curiosity, maybe even a hint of admiration. Still, Timothy felt the weight behind them.
He forced a calm smile. "It wasn’t sudden. I saved every peso I could, piece by piece. I started small—flipping a few items, building capital. Eventually, I bought my first junk car. Fixed it up, resold it, and rolled the profit into the next."
Tiffany studied him for a long moment, as if measuring the truth in his eyes. "But restoring vehicles to this condition?" She gestured toward the Fortuner, its pearl-white paint gleaming. "That takes a massive amount of capital, not to mention facilities. Even mechanics with established shops can’t make a flooded car look brand new."
Timothy let the silence hang for a moment. Then he shook his head gently. "I’m afraid I can’t share all my methods. Trade secrets, you understand. If I gave away the formula, I’d have no edge in this market."
For a second, Tiffany’s lips curved into the faintest smirk. "Mysterious, aren’t you?"
He met her gaze steadily. "I’d call it... being careful. But tell me, Tiffany—why are you here? And more importantly, how did you find me?"
She glanced toward the CR-V parked under the shade. "An acquaintance of mine bought from you recently. He couldn’t stop raving about the experience—said the car was flawless, inside and out. Naturally, I was curious who the man behind the dealership was."
Timothy’s brows lifted. "Acquaintance? May I ask who?"
"Roland Torres," she replied without hesitation. "You sold him the black Fortuner."
Timothy almost laughed in relief. "Ah. Mr. Torres. Yes, he was one of my first customers. Good man."
"I see." Tiffany’s eyes lingered on him again, as though recalibrating her image of who Timothy Guerrero really was. The boy who had once scraped by with part-time jobs now stood as a businessman with a thriving dealership.
Her voice softened. "So... about our tutoring sessions. Do we still continue? It looks like you’re making more here in a week than most professors do in a year."
Timothy chuckled, shaking his head. "Yes, we’ll continue. Knowledge is still important—for both of us. But I’ll need our sessions scheduled in advance now. My time here is... unpredictable."
"Fair enough," Tiffany said. She adjusted her glasses, her eyes drifting toward the Lexus RX at the far end of the lot. Its metallic finish shimmered like liquid silver.
For a moment, she said nothing. Then, with calm certainty, she asked, "How much for the Lexus?"
Timothy blinked, caught off guard. "The RX 350?"
"Yes." She walked toward it, opening the door with practiced ease. The interior leather caught the light, spotless and refined. Tiffany ran her hand across the dashboard, inhaling the subtle scent. "This is the kind of vehicle my father would expect me to drive."
Timothy’s mind raced. He had planned to list the Lexus at ₱4.5 million, already a bargain compared to its ₱6.5 million market value. But this was Tiffany—his student, his... what, exactly? He couldn’t overthink it now.
"₱4.5 million," he said evenly. "Clean papers. Honest mileage. Refurbished to factory condition."
Tiffany closed the door, meeting his gaze with a curious expression. "You know... I walked in today wondering how a boy from Tondo pulled this off. And I’m still wondering. But one thing’s certain—your work speaks for itself."
She pulled out her phone, her fingers moving swiftly across the screen. A chime echoed between them.
"My father was also a major shareholder in Toyota Motor Philippines," Tiffany said matter-of-factly, slipping her phone back into her purse. "I grew up around cars. Boardrooms, launches, even technical briefings—those things were dinner table conversations. So when I say this Lexus looks like it rolled straight out of the dealership, I mean it."
Timothy froze for a moment, then forced a steady nod. "That explains your interest."
"It explains my standards," Tiffany corrected. She circled the RX slowly, heels tapping against the concrete, her gaze sharp. "I know what’s genuine and what’s dressed up. Most refurbished cars I’ve seen look polished on the surface but show their scars underneath—misaligned panels, uneven wear, electronics failing after a week. Yours..." She trailed off, brushing her hand across the fender. "Yours are different. Too perfect."
Timothy’s jaw tightened. For a second, he felt as though she could see through the walls of his secret—the Reconstruction System itself. But he reminded himself: she couldn’t. No one could.
"Like I said," he answered smoothly, "trade secrets. I’ve built this dealership to stand out. Word of mouth does the rest."
Tiffany studied him, lips pressed into a thin line. Then she smirked again, almost playfully. "You’re better at dodging questions than I thought."
He shrugged lightly. "And you’re better at asking them than most customers. But tell me—why buy here? With your connections, you could walk into any Toyota or Lexus dealership in the country."
She stopped in front of him, her eyes steady behind those gold-rimmed glasses. "Because, Timothy, I like to know where my money goes. And I like to know the people behind it. Besides"—she gestured toward the Lexus—"this unit is priced well. Too well. If I can buy the same car here for ₱4.5 million instead of ₱6.5 million, why wouldn’t I?"
Timothy exhaled slowly. She was sharp, pragmatic. Exactly the kind of buyer he wanted—and exactly the kind of person who could be dangerous if she dug too deep.
"Fair enough," he said finally. "I’ll prepare the papers. OR, CR, deed of sale template—you’ll have everything ready to review."
"Not just me." Tiffany’s tone softened but carried weight. "My father’s people will go through it. Lawyers, accountants, even his own mechanic. If they find a single red flag, Timothy, the deal’s off. Are you ready for that?"
Timothy met her gaze without hesitation. "Let them check. They won’t find anything."
For a moment, silence hung between them. Then Tiffany gave the faintest nod, a glimmer of approval flickering in her expression.
"Good answer."