The Dumped Husband Gets A Debt System

Six

The lobby fell into a suffocating silence, No one could even say a single word or even breath too loudly.

The weight of Mr Gold’s words still hung heavily in the air.

“He is the new owner.”

It echoed in every mind present.

Reed on the other hand was stunned as he looked at the people in the lobby, everyone had figures hanging over their heads. Every single one of them was in debt.

He was shocked because he did not expect rich people to be in debt but from what his new ability showed, everyone had debts ranging from $600 to $2,000,000.

Suddenly, his thoughs were interrupted by Martha she collapsed into a chair behind her, her face drained of all color.

Angie who had been on her knees the entire time, her hands clasped together as tears streamed down her face. She felt that there was no salvation for her, she had insulted her boss.

Even the guards who had been grabbing Reed and dragging him away quickly pulled away their hands as if they had just touched fire.

At the center of it all, Reed stood calmly.

As if none of it mattered. As if he had not just spent a whooping six hundred million on a hotel.

Mr Brown’s lips trembled.

“This… there must be a mistake,” he stammered.

His eyes darted between Mr Gold and Reed, searching desperately for something, anything that would prove this was some kind of joke.

“Mr Gold… surely you’re mistaken. This man, this man is a cleaner. He cleans the rooms here!”

Mr Gold’s expression darkened.

“Watch your tone, Mr Brown. You are addressing the CEO of Golden Gate Hotel.”

His voice was calm, he continued speaking.

“And for your information, Mr Reed Hawke completed the acquisition less than a minute ago. All documents have been finalized.”

Mr Brown felt his knees weaken as he realized that there was no escape. If the documents had been finalized less than a minute ago… That meant, while everything was going on, Reed had already owned the hotel.

Slowly, trembling, Mr Brown turned to look at Reed.

Their eyes met.

Reed didn’t say anything, he didn’t need to. That quiet gaze alone felt heavier than any accusation.

“I…”

Mr Brown swallowed hard.

“I didn’t know, Mr Reed. If I had known, I would have…”

“Would have what? Treated me like a human being?”

Reed’s voice cut through him like a blade, he tilted his head and watched as Mr Brown seemed to wilt like a flower staved of water.

Mr Brown froze. His life was flashing before him, he had made the biggest blunder of his life and now that it was time to pay, he could not bear it.

Reed took a slow step forward.

“Would you have treated me differently?” he asked.

Mr Brown opened his mouth, then closed it again.

Because they all knew the truth.

Reed let out a soft chuckle.

“So the Golden Gate Hotel staff treats people based on how they look.”

His gaze swept across the lobby.

Across the staff.

Across the guests.

Every single person lowered their eyes.

“Interesting.”

Angie suddenly crawled forward on her knees.

“I… I’m sorry, sir! Please forgive me! I didn’t know!”

Her voice shook violently.

“I was wrong! I shouldn’t have spoken to you like that, please, I need this job!”

Martha, who had been silent until now, clenched her fists tightly.

Her pride warred with her fear.

But in the end, fear won. The sight of Mr Brown trembling had sent a chill through her bones. She had thought he would protect her but looking at him, it was each man for himself.

“I… apologize,” she said stiffly, her voice barely audible.

Reed didn’t even look at them.

Instead, his gaze shifted to Jessi.

She stood where she had been, her posture straight, though her hands were clenched tightly at her sides.

There was still tension in her eyes. But she did not look away.

Reed studied her for a moment.

“You,” he said.

Jessi’s heart skipped.

“Yes… Mr Reed?”

“You said it would be wrong to abandon a guest.”

She nodded slowly.

“Yes.”

Reed tilted his head slightly.

“Even if it cost you your job?”

Jessi hesitated for a second, then she nodded.

“Yes.”

A faint smile tugged at the corner of Reed’s lips.

“Good.”

He turned back to Mr Gold.

“From this moment on, Jessi Thorne is fired.” ” Reed said calmly, “

The lobby stirred.

"Is he firing the same person who stood up for him?"

"These wealthy people are truly eccentric."

“You are firing her, sir?” Mr Gold was unable to stop his shock from showing.

"I am firing her because I wdon't think working as a junior legal team member suits her I want her to be my legal adviser."

Shock exploded across the room.

Jessi’s eyes widened.

“Mr Reed, I…”

“What? would you prefer to remain working under a man like Mr Brown,” Reed asked lightly.

“Not at all, I am grateful for your confidence in me, Mr Reed." Jessi blurted quickly.

She never thought that it would go like this. The legal adviser to a man who simply bought hotels on a whim? Jessi eyed Reed and

Reed finally turned his attention back to Mr Brown.

Mr Brown’s breathing had grown uneven.

“Mr Reed… please…” he began.

“I was only trying to protect the hotel. I didn’t know who you were, it was an honest mistake.”

“That’s the problem,” Reed interrupted, then took another step forward until they were face to face.

“You shouldn’t need to know who I am to treat me with basic respect.”

Mr Brown’s legs gave out.

He collapsed to his knees.

“Please! Give me another chance! I have served this hotel for years, I have nowhere else.”

Reed looked down at him.

“From what I’ve seen,” Reed said, “you’ve been serving yourself.”

“You’re fired.”

The words landed like a hammer.

"Because I know a man like you, drunk on power and feeling untouchable must have made a lot of mistakes, Mr Gold.” Reed continued calmly.

“Yes, Mr Reed.”

“Have the legal team review his conduct.”

Mr Brown’s head snapped up.

“W–wait no, you can’t…”

“If there’s even a tiny evidence of misconduct, I want you to press charges.”

“No, NO! Mr Reed, please!” Mr Brown cried out, his composure completely shattered.

If they did look into his conduct, there was a long line of shady deals he had profited off of, he was truly finished. And all the people he had unjustly fired and bulied, surely they would send him to jail.

Reed had already turned away.

“Guards.”

The guards straightened immediately.

“Escort him and her out.”

Martha who had just watched as Reed fired only Mr Brown and was finally breathing a sigh of relief, thinking that she was free from being fired fell to her knees.

The guards did not hesitate.

As Mr Brown and Martha were dragged away, their desperate pleas echoed through the lobby.

But no one spoke.

No one intervened.

Because now, everyone could see that Reed was not a man to be toyed with.

Meanwhile, Reed simply adjusted his sleeve, as if removing a speck of dust from his world.

Then he looked at Jessi.

“Show me to my penthouse.”

Jessi took a steadying breath.

“Of course, Mr Reed. With pleasure.”

And just like that, the balance of power had shifted. Completely.

The elevator doors closed, cutting off the chaos of the lobby.

Reed leaned against the polished brass rail and exhaled slowly. His heart was pounding, he could feel it but his face showed nothing.

Anyone who saw him would think he woke up every morning and just decided on what landmark he wanted to acquire for the day.

He had smoothly adjusted from a debt sadled simp to a self assured, calm billionaire.

Beside him, Jessi stood frozen, her arms wrapped around herself like she was trying to hold her body together.

Reed noticed the $1350 sign hanging over her head and made it a point to ask the system how he could pay off peoples loans if he wanted to.

"You're shaking," He said to Jessi.

"I just got fired and promoted in the span of thirty seconds, By a man who… By a man who I didn't even know existed an hour ago."

"Fair point."

The elevator hummed as it climbed toward the top floor.

Jessi stole a glance at Reed. His cheap clothes. His scruffy appearance. His complete lack of reaction to spending $780 million.

"Who are you?" she asked in awe.

Reed considered the question.

Just a day ago, he was a cleaner in this same building. Three jobs. Massive debt. A wife who used him like an ATM before throwing him away.

And now?

"I'm not sure yet, I'm still figuring it out." Reed admitted.

The elevator stopped.

The doors slid open onto a private hallway, wallpapered in deep gold and lit by crystal sconces with a ribrant red rug running along its lenght. A single door stood at the end that led to the penthouse.

Reed stepped out.

The penthouse was ridiculous.

That was Reed's first thought as he walked into a living room the size of a basketball court. Floor-to-ceiling windows showed the entire skyline of Ruby City.

As he looked down on the buildings and streets laid out in front of him, he felt like a superhero who was looking down at the world from above.

A crystal chandelier that probably cost more than his entire old apartment building hung from the ceiling.

"Mr Reed, the penthouse has been decorated by the city's foremost interior decorator and features funitures from all around the world, like these Meng Dynasty vases that are worth a fortune, or the pair of Princess Annette stools that are the only double set found.

"Your apartment has a private elevator that leads to your private underground parking lot which drives out two streets away so that your movements cannot be monitored by anyone.

Reed nodded at her answer, thinking that the rich do think about everything.

"The penthouse is equiped with a world class kitchen and you will have a private chef at your beck and call."

'"Here is the entertainment room which can seat twenty people at once."

They went on like that for about twenty more minutes and by the time Jessi had finished pointing out the amenities to Reed, there was a pleased smile on his face.

A system notification pulsed in his vision.

[Ally Detected]

[Jessi Thorne]

[Mission Unlocked, Ten Hours To Reveal.]

Reed wondered if he was going to have to buy something expensive again, he was looking forward to that. Spending money felt really good.

Jessi led him to a marble coffee table where the documents for the hotel handover rested, after he sat, she leaned over, revealing just a little flash of her neck before opening the documents on the table and handing him a pen.

As he reached out for the pen, the tips of Jessi's fingers grazed his hand. He looked up and was caught in her doe like eyes.

She knows what she is doing, he thought as he glancd appreciatively at her long legs as she turned away.

Reed enjoyed the view and thought that Jessi was stunning, she had an innocent face with a body that belonged on international runways. But after Selene's betrayal, he was not ready to open his heart to anyone yet.

He snapped out of his thoughts and signed his name.

Reed Hawke.

Writing made everything feel even more real.

"You actually did it." Jessi breathed.

It all felt like a dream to her. She went from being a junior legal team member, harrased by her boss to the legal adviser of such a powerful man.

It was an unbelievable upgrade, one she could never have dreamed of. she silently swore to stand by Reed as long as he needed her.

He picked up the documents and handed them to her.

"Deliver this to Mr. Gold. Then come back tomorrow. We have work to do."

Jessi took the paper with trembling fingers.

"Work?"

Reed gestured at the city beyond the windows.

"I didn't buy a hotel because I needed a place to sleep. I bought it because I need a base. A platform. Something to build from."

"There are people in this city who owe me," Reed said quietly. "And I intend to collect."

Reed stood at the window, watching the night lights of Ruby City flicker to life from heights he had never dreamed of reaching.

His reflection stared back at him. A young man in cheap clothes standing in a million-dollar penthouse.

The system interface hovered in the corner of his vision.

[End of Day Report]

[Assets Acquired: 1]

[Mission Accomplished]

[Reward Granted]

[Enemies Humiliated: 2 (Martha Tuttle, Vincent Brown)]

[Allies Gained: 1 (Jessi Thorne)]

Reed's mind wandered to his ex, Selene.

She was out there somewhere. Probably in Lucas Scott's luxury apartment. Probably laughing about how she had discarded him like garbage.

She had no idea what was coming for her.

[Ding!]

[Mission: Settle Old Scores]

[Primary Target: Selene Vance — Status: Unaware]

[Secondary Target: Lucas Scott — Status: Unaware]

[Time Remaining: 7 days.]

[Reward: ???]

[Penalty for Failure: All assets forfeit. Return to zero.]

Return to zero.

That can never happen. Reed thought, clenching his fists at the thought of returning to the powerless state he had just crawled out of.