4. His True Identity: Now Time To Revenge

"Welcome to the Washington Miller Hotel, Mr. Darren. This is the Miller family hotel."

Darren's eyes traveled from Walt to the luxurious view of the hotel lobby. Darren was dumbfounded. A huge hologram of a circular artificial fountain. The water fell from the ceiling like a domed basin as a centerpiece in the middle of the lobby.

There are also towering trees around the fountain hologram. The hotel's design is predominantly white and gold, giving it a luxurious feel. The hotel elevator is tube-shaped, similar to the tubes in the science technology movie Darren was watching.

Darren is almost speechless as he marvels at all aspects of the hotel. Several robot attendants pass by.  

"How luxurious." Darren commented absentmindedly.

Walt replied, "Of course. The Miller family is the number one richest family in Washington. This hotel is the center of twenty-five branches spread across several American cities and other European countries."

Darren spontaneously looked at Walt with a shocked expression. He did not expect that he was now in a super luxurious hotel owned by a conglomerate family.

"And you are the heir apparent of the Miller family, Mr. Darren," Walt continued.

This must be a dream.

As Darren silently pinched his own hand to confirm the reality, he saw some of the hotel staff coming closer. They suddenly formed a row on either side in front of Darren, forming a path in the middle.

Darren frowned and was at the same time a little shocked to see them all.

"Give my regards to the Miller Family's heir apparent!" Walt gave the order loudly.  

They all immediately bowed respectfully to Darren.

Darren was even more shocked, he could not move for a split second and was very awkward. During that time, he thought about how to respond to the hotel staff's actions.

With great awkwardness, Darren chuckled and waved his hand.

"Ah, hello..." Darren greeted awkwardly. "You guys are so polite. Just straighten up, don't slouch for long."

Walt looked at Darren strangely at that response. But he didn't say anything and just shook his head.

"What about Mrs. Miller? Has she finished the meeting yet?" asked Walt to one of the most prominent hotel staff.

The hotel staff man nodded his head. "I heard that Mrs. Miller will be out of the meeting soon."

Darren just watched the hotel staffer that Walt was talking to. The man's name tag read assistant general manager.

Walt nodded in reply. "Alright. Maybe—" his words trailed off after his eyes fell in a certain direction. "Ah, that's Mrs. Miller. Darren, you should go up to her to say hello. Mrs. Miller has been expecting you all this time."

Darren turned his gaze to follow Walt. From the left side, there was a rather fancy-looking woman walking with several bodyguards behind. There was a man who seemed to be the manager of this hotel on Mrs. Miller's right side.

While the man on Mrs. Miller's left side looks like the leader of the bodyguards.

Walt stepped forward while telling Darren to follow him. Then Walt and Darren walked towards the point where Mrs. Miller was.

As Darren's steps approached, Mrs. Miller immediately looked in the direction of his arrival. Instantly Mrs. Miller's face gradually turned dumbfounded.

Not long after, Darren and Walt's steps finally stopped in front of Mrs. Miller. At first Mrs. Miller still looked at Darren confused. While Walt bowed his body to pay his respects.  

"Greetings, Mrs. Miller. I've come to bring you the Mr. Darren you've been waiting for all these years," Walt said.

Mrs. Miller, who had been looking confused, was shocked and gaped in disbelief at Darren. She slowly approached while holding out both hands.

"Oh my God, Darren? You are Darren, my son who has been missing for years?" Mrs. Miller asked while holding both of Darren's shoulders.

Darren froze for a moment. Not sure how to react.

Darren's gaze shifted to Walt, asking him how he should react.

Walt replied with a facial expression that seemed to be telling Darren to be nice.

Darren who understood Walt's words immediately forced his smile to curve. Although clumsy, Darren accepted Mrs. Miller who was about to hug him.

"Can I hug you?" asked Mrs. Miller with a moved look.

Darren immediately nodded his head slowly.

"You can hug me, Mrs. Miller," Darren said.

"Call me mom," Mrs. Miller said with a warm, touched smile.

Darren corrects, "Ah, right. Mom, you can do whatever you want."

Mrs. Miller choked up even more after Darren called her mother. Without saying anything, Mrs. Miller then takes Darren's body into her arms.

While in Mrs. Miller's arms, Darren felt a different touch. A warmth he didn't even feel from Caitlin-the mother who took care of him in rural Washington.

Now Darren wonders if Caitlin was just his nurturing mother all along? Does Caitlin actually know that Darren has a biological mother named Mrs. Miller?

"I've been waiting for you for twelve years, Darren," Mrs. Miller said right next to Darren's ear.

Darren curved his smile sadly. He doesn't say anything in response. As long as he remained still, he soaked in the warmth of Mrs. Miller's embrace.

"I'm glad you're doing well. You've grown up to be a very handsome man." Mrs. Miller gave a smiling little laugh at the end of the sentence.

"I've been handsome since I was a kid, Mom," Darren replied in jest.

Mrs. Miller chuckles even more. Then their embrace loosens. Mrs. Miller looks at Darren without moving her hands away from his shoulders.

"I really didn't expect you to be in front of me," Mrs. Miller said with a sad look.

Darren replied, "Did you miss me that much?"

"Of course I do. How could I have lived all these years without you? You know, because your father and I loved you, we made you the main heir despite your disappearance," Mrs. Miller said.

"Finally, the main heir of the Miller Family has arrived," said the leader of the bodyguards, Nick's name written on his name tag.

Mrs. Miller and Darren shared a warm smile upon hearing Nick's words.

"After what you've been through, you must take on the responsibility of continuing the Miller family business empire, Darren," Mrs. Miller said firmly but gently.

Darren frowned. "I already had to take responsibility when I just showed up, Mom?"

Mrs. Miller sighed heavily. "Of course. Although I don't really want to put such a heavy burden on you, you have to because the Johnson Family will be competing fiercely with ours."

"The Johnson family?" asked Darren. He seemed to be familiar with the name.

"You don't know, the conglomerate family second only to ours, which has been trying to bring down the Miller family," Mrs. Miller explained.

Darren frowned.

At the same time, the LED screen that stretched across the large and imposing lobby of the hotel displayed an advertisement. The portrait of a woman modeling it appeared.

Then, Nick gasped and pointed at the portrait of the woman on the LED.

"That's the Johnson family's daughter," Nick said.

Darren's gaze shifted to look in the same direction as Nick. He was shocked to realize that the portrait of the woman as the star of the advertisement was Cloe.

His ex-wife.

"Cloe?" asked Darren, turning to Mrs. Miller. "The Johnson family you're referring to is that woman's family?"