My Ex-Girlfriend Bullied Me In My Own Five Star Hotel

Chapter 8: Real Estate Brag

The grand convention hall of the Grand Dragon Phoenix Hotel was packed with thousands of real estate developers, city planners, and high-net-worth investors for the annual Shanghai Metropolitan Property Expo. High above the polished marble floors hung massive LED displays showcasing three-dimensional topographical maps of the city's commercial and residential zones. In this glittering hub of wealth and land speculation, every square meter of Pudong real estate represented astronomical fortunes.

Liam Coop stood near the perimeter column of the main exhibition lounge, holding a silver service tray with crystal glasses of sparkling water. He wore his standard black executive server waistcoat, his posture straight, his expression calm, and his hands perfectly steady.

What the surrounding developers boasting about their mid-tier housing projects did not know was that the entire venue, along with seventy percent of the total commercial land in Shanghai, belonged outright to Sovereign Real Estate—a master holding entity owned one hundred percent by the Coop Family Trust under Liam’s name.

Near the central display model for the luxury Riverview Residences, Linda Vance stood alongside her father, David Vance, who wore a dark grey business suit that looked slightly too tight around his shoulders. Beside them stood Kevin Zhang and Sarah, surrounded by a small crowd of middle-tier construction executives and university friends.

David Vance held a champagne flute, his face red with pride as he gestured toward a tiny residential block model on the table.

"My family just secured the mortgage deed for a ninety-square-meter apartment in Phase Two of the Riverview district!" David Vance announced loudly, ensuring his voice carried across the surrounding lounge. "It took a fifteen-percent down payment, but in a prime location like this, the property value will double in three years!"

Kevin Zhang chuckled warmly, adjusting his golden cufflinks. "Uncle Vance is being too modest. Getting an allocation in Riverview is nearly impossible without corporate backing. My father personally spoke to the sales manager to expedite the approval process for your family."

Linda held her chin high, her dark eyes flashing with arrogance as she smoothed down her silk blouse. The shame from her fake fashion dress incident at the runway show two days ago had been washed away by this display of family wealth.

"A ninety-square-meter home in Pudong is something ordinary people can only dream of," Linda bragged, casting a sharp, contemptuous look toward Sarah and the other listening classmates. "Some people spend their entire lives living in ten-dollar basement rentals, delivering food, and sweeping floors, never owning a single square foot of soil in this city."

Sarah snickered loudly, fanning herself with a brochure. "Oh, Linda, why mention basement dwellers? You're talking about Liam again, aren't you? Look at him—he's standing right over there carrying water glasses for the real owners of Shanghai!"

Kevin turned his head, spotting Liam standing near the executive pillar. A cruel, predatory smirk spread across his face as he waved a hand dismissively toward Liam.

"Hey! Waiter!" Kevin shouted across the quieted lounge, his voice drawing the attention of nearby investors. "Bring that tray over here! Uncle Vance needs his glass refilled to celebrate his brand-new real estate acquisition!"

Liam did not flinch. He walked smoothly across the marble floor, stopping two feet from the table, his silver tray held perfectly level. "Sparkling water, sir?"

David Vance looked Liam up and down, his eyes filled with cold disgust. He knew Liam was the broke ex-boyfriend who had brought his daughter a cheap silver ring.

"So you're Liam Coop," David Vance sneered, taking a glass from the tray without so much as a polite nod. "Linda told me all about you. A young man with no background, no family money, and no ambition. Take a good look at this venue, boy. My family owns an apartment worth millions in this city. What do you own? A broken electric bicycle?"

Linda stepped forward, leaning her shoulder against Kevin's arm, her eyes burning with icy condescension. "Give it up, Liam. You come to work at these high-end expos every single day, looking at property maps you will never touch. You can't even afford to rent a decent bathroom in Pudong, yet you had the nerve to waste three years of my youth. Kevin's family helped us buy an apartment today. What can you offer anyone besides a stack of hotel flyers?"

Liam looked at David Vance's small apartment contract model on the display table, then looked straight into Linda's sneering face. His dark eyes remained completely calm, like a quiet sea before a storm.

"A ninety-square-meter unit on a thirty-year mortgage is a heavy burden, Mr. Vance," Liam said softly, his voice smooth and untroubled. "Especially when the ground beneath the entire building is leased from a single private landlord."

David Vance’s face flushed bright red with instant anger. "What did you say, you penniless arrogant brat?! Are you lecturing me on property management?!"

"You little trash!" Kevin growled, stepping up and grabbing Liam's vest collar with a harsh tug. "You dare insult Linda's father in front of everyone? I'll have security break your—"

"Release him immediately!" a deep, thunderous voice reverberated through the hall.

The loud chatter across the exhibition lounge instantly died.

Walking out from the private executive conference suite behind the main stage was General Manager Daniel Lee. He was accompanied by two senior legal directors holding heavy leather-bound corporate binders, followed by a security detail in dark suits.

Daniel Lee walked with deliberate, iron steps directly toward the group. His face was rigid as granite, his cold eyes burning with a terrifying intensity that made the surrounding property developers back away in silence.

Kevin quickly let go of Liam's collar, swallowing hard as he smoothed his suit jacket, forcing a nervous, subservient smile onto his face.

"General Manager Lee!" Kevin stammered, bowing respectfully. "I apologize for the minor commotion! This low-level server was disrespecting Mr. Vance and making false statements about the Riverview development project! We were just teaching him a lesson—"

Daniel Lee ignored Kevin completely. He did not give Kevin or David Vance a single glance.

Instead, Daniel Lee stopped directly in front of Liam. In full view of David Vance, Linda, Kevin, and every high-stakes property investor in the hall, Daniel Lee opened a dark blue leather folder, pulled out an official corporate deed dossier stamped with the gold seal of Sovereign Real Estate, and presented it to Liam with both hands, bowing his head slightly in absolute, unwavering respect.

"Master Liam," Daniel Lee said, his voice crisp, clear, and carrying across the silent hall. "The master land registry audit for the Shanghai central commercial sector has been completed. The master file for your holdings is ready for your review."

Inside the folder lay three gold-embossed property title certificates. They detailed sole, unencumbered ownership of three iconic commercial skyscrapers in the heart of Pudong—including the very tower housing the Dragon Phoenix Hotel and the surrounding commercial plaza.

Linda's eyes widened in sheer, uncomprehending terror as she caught a glimpse of the gold text at the top of the title page: Sovereign Real Estate Trust — Sole Beneficiary: Liam Coop.

David Vance’s breath caught in his throat. His knees shook violently as his champagne glass rattled against his knuckles.

Liam looked down at the three building ownership files. His expression did not change. He reached out with his right hand, gently closing the leather binder, pressing it back into Daniel Lee’s hands.

Liam leaned in slightly, lowering his voice so that only Daniel Lee could hear the quiet, absolute command.

"Keep it hidden, Daniel," Liam whispered, his tone flat and unyielding. "The ninety-six humiliations are not yet complete. Do not publish the land title registry until the designated hour."

Daniel Lee’s heart swelled with intense pride for his late master's son. He gave a single, deep nod of absolute obedience.

"Understood, Master Liam," Daniel Lee whispered back reverently.

Daniel Lee closed the folder securely, tucked it beneath his arm, and turned his ice-cold gaze toward David Vance and Kevin Zhang, who stood paralyzed on the marble floor.

"The Riverview Phase Two project," Daniel Lee announced loudly to the entire hall, "is built on land leased directly from Sovereign Real Estate. Any tenant or mortgage holder engaging in disruptive behavior inside this venue will have their lease terms subjected to an immediate, mandatory compliance audit."

David Vance turned pale as a corpse, his hands trembling so hard he almost dropped his glass.

Daniel Lee turned on his heel and strode back toward the executive suites with his legal team, leaving an overwhelming, suffocating silence behind him.

Linda stood frozen, her eyes wide as she stared at Liam. Her heart pounded like a war drum against her ribs.

Why had the General Manager presented a land registry file to a hotel waiter? Why did the document say Liam Coop owned three massive commercial skyscrapers in the heart of Shanghai?

"Liam..." Linda choked out, her voice trembling violently, her face drained of every drop of color. "What... what was that folder? What do you mean you keep it hidden?!"

Liam calmly picked up his silver service tray, adjusted his black waistcoat, and looked straight into Linda's wide, terrified eyes.

"It's just a file, Linda," Liam said softly, his voice smooth as silk. "Just like your father's ninety-square-meter apartment... except I don't need a thirty-year mortgage."

Without waiting for another word, Liam turned on his heel and walked calmly toward the executive service lane, leaving Linda, Kevin, and David Vance standing frozen under the bright lights of the expo hall.

What terrifying financial storm will strike Linda's father tomorrow when Peter Coop's global banking network suddenly freezes their entire family business account with a single phone call?