2026-07-30 10:02:43The conference room door finally opened. Whitmore stepped out first and Raiden followed a step behind.
The moment Collins saw them, the tension that had been building inside him for the past thirty minutes vanished.
He immediately concluded the negotiation had failed. Why else would Whitmore be wearing such a stern expression?
A triumphant smile spread across his face.
"I knew it," he muttered under his breath.
The receptionist let out a quiet sigh of relief.
"I told you. No one buys a hotel in half an hour."
Collins straightened his suit before walking toward them with practiced professionalism.
"Chairman."
He bowed slightly.
"I apologize for the disturbance earlier. I've already instructed security to escort Mr. Bolt out if necessary."
Whitmore didn't answer. He simply looked at Collins for a moment before turning his attention elsewhere.
Collins mistook the silence for disappointment. He shot Raiden a smug look.
"I did warn you. I hope you enjoyed your little fantasy while it lasted."
His smile widened.
"You should've taken the room. It would've been much cheaper."
A few guests nearby laughed. Even the receptionist couldn't hide a smile.
Raiden merely looked at Collins, his expression remained calm.
"I give you 2 minutes to leave before the security kicked you out!" Collins exclaimed.
"I told you to spend those thirty minutes packing your desk," Raiden said with a faint smile.
Collins laughed openly.
"And I told you Chairman Whitmore would bring you back to reality."
He glanced at Whitmore.
"Should I call security now, Chairman?"
Whitmore finally spoke.
"That won't be necessary."
Collins nodded confidently.
"I understand. I'll handle it."
He turned toward the guards.
"Take him ou--"
"Collins," Whitmore's voice cut through the lobby.
The manager immediately stopped.
"Yes, Chairman?"
Whitmore looked at Raiden.
"Mr. Bolt. I believe this decision belongs to you now."
The smile on Collins' face froze.
"What?"
Whitmore calmly continued.
"The ownership transfer has been completed. As of five minutes ago, Aurora Hotel officially became Mr. Bolt's property."
Collins stared blankly at Whitmore, convinced he had misheard.
"Chairman?"
Whitmore corrected him without the slightest hesitation.
"Former Chairman. The hotel no longer belongs to Aurora Hospitality. It belongs to Mr. Bolt."
The color drained from Collins' face. He slowly turned toward Raiden.
"No... That's impossible. You... You were bluffing. You don't have that kind of money," he mumbled.
Collins felt his knees weaken.
Raiden looked at him quietly.
"Now, packed your things. I give you 15 minutes to get out of here and never came back,” Raiden said.
"And it applies to you too," Raiden pointed to the receptionist.
The woman sobbed instantly. Her body trembled violently.
“M-Mr. Bolt, I…”
Collins' lips trembled.
"Please... It was a misunderstanding. I was only doing my job."
Raiden looked at him for several seconds before speaking.
"No. You weren't doing your job. You mocked a guest. And you judged someone by the clothes they were wearing instead of the money they were willing to spend."
He glanced briefly at the receptionist.
"You did exactly the same."
She hurriedly lowered her head.
"M-Mr. Bolt... I'm sorry."
Raiden's expression remained unchanged.
"When I walked into this hotel, neither of you knew who I was. You only knew what I looked like. And based on that alone, you decided I wasn't worthy of respect."
“Mr. Bolt, please! I need this job!” the receptionist fall down to her knees.
“I don’t want to see both of you anywhere near this hotel again,” Raiden said.
The lobby remained silent as the weight of those two sentences settled over everyone present. Nobody dared to laugh anymore.
“Make sure they disappear from this hotel in 15 minutes,” Raiden said to the security.
“Yes, Mr. Bolt!”
The silence in the lobby lingered for several more seconds before Whitmore broke it.
"Mr. Bolt."
Raiden turned toward him.
"Congratulations on your acquisition."
Whitmore extended his hand once more.
"I won't keep you any longer. There are still several legal documents that require signatures, but my legal team will prepare everything this afternoon. Ownership has already been transferred financially. The remaining paperwork is merely a formality."
Raiden shook his hand.
"I appreciate your professionalism."
Whitmore smiled faintly.
"In business, reputation is worth more than money."
He glanced around the lobby before adding, "I hope Aurora Hotel continues to prosper under your leadership."
"I'll do my best."
Whitmore gave a respectful nod.
"I have no doubt."
He then turned to several executives who had accompanied him throughout the negotiation.
"Let's go."
The group quietly followed him toward the exit.
As Whitmore passed through the revolving doors, he looked back one last time.
Just an hour ago, the young man standing in the lobby had been treated as nothing more than an unwelcome nuisance. Now he owned the entire hotel. Whitmore couldn't help but smile. The business world never lacked surprises.
Once Whitmore and his team departed, the lobby became noticeably quieter.
Finally, an elegantly dressed middle-aged man stepped forward from the concierge desk.
He bowed respectfully.
"Mr. Bolt, my name is Arthur Hayes. I serve as the hotel's Chief Concierge."
Raiden nodded politely.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Hayes."
Hayes maintained his respectful posture.
"Former Chairman Whitmore instructed us to provide you with the Presidential Suite immediately. It occupies the entire top floor. It has always been reserved for the hotel's owner whenever they stayed at Aurora. It includes a private office, meeting room, dining room, personal lounge, fitness area, and twenty-four-hour butler service."
He paused briefly.
"From this moment forward, it is yours whenever you are here."
“Alright. Let’s go.
Hayes gestured toward a private elevator located beyond the reception area.
"If you'll follow me."
As they walked across the lobby, every employee they passed instinctively stepped aside. Heads lowered.
Greetings followed one after another.
"Good afternoon, Mr. Bolt."
"Congratulations, Mr. Bolt."
"Welcome, sir."
Less than an hour earlier, those same employees had watched in silence while Collins mocked him. Now, not a single person dared meet his eyes for more than a moment.
Hayes stopped before an elevator separated from the guest elevators by polished marble walls. He removed a gold access card and tapped it against the security panel.
A soft chime sounded.
"The Presidential Suite has its own private elevator," Hayes explained as the doors slid open.
"It can only be accessed with owner authorization."
Raiden stepped inside. The interior was spacious, lined with dark walnut panels and polished brass accents. It felt more like a private executive lounge than an elevator. Hayes pressed the button for the top floor. The doors slowly closed.
As the elevator began its smooth ascent, Raiden watched the lobby disappear from view. Now, he has the first brick to rebuild his empire and avenged his parent’s death.
Previous Chapter
Latest Chapter
No One Will Save You
The memorial had turned into a media storm before Angeline could even understand what had happened.The moment the recording of Johny attacking his hacker appeared on the screen, the atmosphere inside the hall changed completely. Guests who had spent the morning mourning a respected businessman were now whispering among themselves, while several reporters pushed through the crowd with their cameras already raised.Angeline barely had time to step away from the screen before the questions started coming at her from every direction.“Miss Angeline, did you know about the incident shown in the video?”“Was that really Johny Randal?”“Did you know his employee died inside his office?”“Were you involved in Randal Group's activities?”“Is it true that you were going to marry Mr. Randal?”Angeline tried to answer, but there were too many questions coming at once. She raised her hands and asked everyone to calm down, insisting that she had nothing to do with Randal Group's operations and tha
The Truth Behind the Memorial
The memorial descended into chaos the moment the recording ended.People who had been sitting quietly only minutes earlier were now standing and talking over one another, while several guests demanded to know who had placed the footage in the presentation. The large screen had returned to black, but the image of Johny striking his own hacker remained fresh in everyone's mind, making it impossible for the room to return to the solemn atmosphere it had held before.The arrival of several reporters made matters worse. They had been waiting outside for an opportunity to cover Johny's funeral, but the commotion inside quickly drew their attention. Cameras were raised as soon as they entered, and within seconds, Angeline found herself surrounded.“Ms. Wood, is that footage authentic?”“Did you know your fiancé attacked his employee?”“Who provided the recording?”“Was Mr. Randal involved in other illegal activities?”Angeline could barely process the questions. She looked toward the screen
The Funeral
Angeline had spent the entire morning surrounded by people, yet she had never felt more alone. The funeral had drawn almost everyone who had known Johny Randal during his years at the head of Randal Group, from relatives and old friends to business associates who had worked with him for years. Their presence should have given her some comfort, but every expression of sympathy only reminded her that Johny was never coming back.She stood beside his coffin in a black dress, accepting condolences while trying to keep herself composed. One relative held her hand and told her that Johny had always been a generous man who never hesitated to help people around him, while another spoke about how proud everyone had been when he turned Randal Group into one of the most successful companies in the city.Angeline listened without correcting anyone.To these people, Johny was a devoted husband, a respected businessman, and a man who had worked hard to build his family's future. They knew nothing a
The Price of Failure
Johny knew something had changed the moment the door opened again.The same man who had questioned him earlier entered the room, but this time he carried no folder and did not bother taking the empty chair across from him. Johny had spent the last several hours trying to understand what had happened after the warehouse operation, yet nobody had given him any information. He had no idea where he was, whether his people were still searching for him, or whether anyone from Randal Group even knew that he had disappeared.He stood as the man approached.“I can explain what happened,” Johny said. “Raiden prepared everything. He knew about the warehouse, and he manipulated the evidence to make it look as though I tried to access your system. I can find him if you give me another chance.”The man stopped a few steps away and looked at him without expression.“You had your chance.”Johny's face tightened. “I can still be useful.”“You have already become a liability.”Johny's breathing became
The Hunter Becomes the Hunted
Johny stared at the screen long after the hacker finished explaining what had happened, unable to ignore the implications of the information displayed in front of him. The footage from the warehouse had already been detected, the false access attempt had been connected to his credentials, and the system on the other side had apparently recorded everything before his people even realized there was a problem.“Delete it,” Johny ordered, his voice tense as he pointed toward the screen. “Everything connected to that transmission. Every trace, every copy, every access record.”The hacker immediately began working, opening several security consoles while trying to isolate the systems involved. He had barely started when his expression changed.“It is already too late.”Johny turned toward him. “What did you say?”“The information has already been registered by their system. I can remove whatever remains on our side, but I cannot erase something that has already reached them.”“Then cut the
The Trap
By the time Raiden returned to Aurora, the night had already passed into early morning, but he had no intention of sleeping yet. The events at the warehouse had changed something between him and Johny. Before that night, Raiden had known that someone was using Johny to pursue him, but Johny had always remained behind layers of other people and hired men. Now that he had appeared personally, there was no longer any doubt that he was directly involved.Raiden sat in his room with his tablet in hand and reviewed the information he had gathered over the past few weeks. He was not looking for another way to track the organization behind Johny. The security around the facility he had escaped from had already been strengthened, and attempting to force his way into their network again would only expose him unnecessarily. What interested him now was Johny's position.A search through public corporate records revealed something Raiden had not known before. Several assets and financial facilitie
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