Chapter 11 – The Price of The ContractThat afternoon, Mileena Shawn left Aurora Hotel to attend a corporate tender on behalf of Raiden. The tender was being held by Marcus Hale, the chairman of Hale International, a major manufacturing company that was preparing to sign a year-long accommodation and hospitality contract for its executives, visiting partners, and overseas clients.The contract covered a substantial number of rooms throughout the year, along with conference facilities, private dining, and event services, making it one of the most valuable corporate accounts Aurora Hotel could secure under its new management.Mileena had prepared the proposal herself after spending most of the previous night reviewing the hotel's room rates, banquet packages, meeting facilities, and projected occupancy. Aurora had been losing corporate clients for years because the previous management had relied too heavily on short-term bookings and neglected long-term business relationships. If she co

The moment they stepped out of Marcus Hale's office, Mileena finally let out the breath she had been holding.Raiden walked beside her without saying anything. He did not ask about the tender or mention the contract they had just lost. Instead, his attention went to her wrist.“Does it hurt?”Mileena looked down. A faint red mark was still visible where Marcus had grabbed her.“It's fine.”Raiden glanced at it again. “If it starts hurting later, have it checked.”Mileena nodded. “I will.”They continued toward the elevator. She expected Raiden to be angry about what had happened to the tender, but he never once brought it up. There was no criticism, no question about why she had allowed the situation to get that far, and certainly no complaint about the contract.His only concern seemed to be whether she was all right. That surprised her.Mileena had worked in the hotel industry for years. She had met plenty of wealthy businessmen, investors, executives, and hotel owners. Most of them

Ding![Legacy Inheritance Detected.]Raiden's expression remained unchanged, although his attention immediately shifted to the notification.[Source: William Bolt][Inheritance Available: Financial Strategy][Inheritance Grade: Advanced]His eyes moved toward the document beneath his hand. It was one of William's old financial records, a document his father had personally reviewed and signed years ago.Raiden had touched countless belongings that had once belonged to his parents, but this was the first time Legacy had detected an inheritance from one of them.Gerard was still standing nearby.Raiden knew better than to show any reaction. The existence of Legacy was his secret, and nobody else could know about it. He silently accepted the inheritance.[Inheritance Acquired.]A strange sensation spread through his mind.Nothing about his appearance changed, yet the information in front of him suddenly seemed easier to understand. Financial structures that had once required careful exami

That evening, Raiden returned to Aurora Hotel with Gerard after spending most of the afternoon reviewing the documents they had brought back from the abandoned Bolt residence. The discovery of the missing Bolt Group assets had given him a new direction, but there were still too many questions surrounding the transactions, particularly the companies connected to Victor Langford. Gerard had agreed to start looking into them the following morning, while Raiden planned to continue studying the financial records himself.Gerard drove into the hotel's underground parking area and stopped in one of the spaces reserved for the owner.“I am going to the convenience store for a few minutes,” Gerard said after turning off the engine. “Do you need anything?”“No. Just get whatever you need.”“I will be back shortly.”Raiden nodded and stepped out of the car. Gerard took his wallet and left through the opposite side, while Raiden headed toward the elevator lobby.The parking level was relatively q

Johny Randal entered the ballroom with Angeline and several business associates shortly after the main reception had begun. The gala had attracted many of the city's most influential businessmen, and Johny had no intention of missing an opportunity to strengthen his connections with potential partners.He was halfway through a conversation with one of his associates when his attention was caught by a familiar face across the room. Johny stopped speaking.Seeing Raiden alive in a video had been one thing. Seeing him standing only a short distance away was something else entirely.The young man was standing upright, dressed in a tailored suit, speaking calmly with several businessmen as though he had never spent years confined to a wheelchair.Angeline followed his gaze. Her eyes widened slightly when she saw Raiden, although the surprise quickly disappeared from her face.“He's actually walking,” she murmured.Johny gave a quiet, humorless laugh. “Apparently.”Their conversation caught