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I glance up from my laptop, forcing a tight smile. “Just peachy,” I reply, the sarcasm not lost on him.
We were supposed to meet and run some business ideas we were thinking of starting together.
He raises an eyebrow, clearly sensing my agitation. “Trouble in paradise?”
I let out a frustrated sigh, running a hand through my hair. “You could say that. Turns out our manager in Miami has been dipping his hand in the till.”
Drake whistles low, shaking his head in disbelief. “Damn, that’s rough. What are you gonna do?”
I grimace, already dreading the inevitable fallout. “First order of business? I’m firing his sorry ass,” I say, my tone laced with barely concealed anger.
Drake nods in approval, a hint of satisfaction in his eyes. “Good call. Can’t have someone like that running the show.”
“Exactly,” I reply, grateful for his support. “But that’s just the beginning. I need to stay down back in Miami longer than anticipated to sort out this mess and find a replacement.”
Drake nods understandingly with sympathy etched on his features. “We will have to postpone our meeting then. Let me know when you get back.”
“All right, sure thing.”
The stout man sitting across from me in my temporary office in Miami looks like a deer caught in headlights. He’s sweating profusely, his eyes darting around nervously as if searching for an escape route that doesn’t exist.
“I—I can explain, Mr. Reid,” he stammers, his voice trembling with fear.
I fold my arms across my chest, and my expression is stern. “Save your excuses, Johnson,” I reply curtly. “I’ve seen the evidence. You’ve been embezzling funds from the hotel for months.”
Johnson’s face pales even further, and he begins to babble incoherently, pleading for leniency. But I’m not in the mood for mercy. Not after what he’s done.
“You’re lucky I’m not calling the police right now,” I say, my tone icy. “Consider yourself fired, effective immediately.”
Johnson’s shoulders slump in defeat, and he hangs his head low. I watch him for a moment. I don’t feel any form of sympathy for him because he brought this upon himself.
I should arrest his ass, but I don’t have time for that, besides I know that I’m not going to get my money back. Johnson has a terrible gambling habit. The idiot who hired him didn’t do a proper background check before hiring him. I guess I should fire them too.
“You have ten minutes to pack your things and leave the premises.”
“Please, sir, I…”
“Johnson, you almost ruined my hotel and the hardworking employees who rely on it for their livelihoods. Think about that while you pack your stuff. Now, please get out of my office.”
It’s time to roll up my sleeves, find a way to clean up the mess that he made, and find a better replacement.
As I sit alone in the office, memories of my father flood back with startling clarity. He was a formidable man with a vision that extended far beyond the confines of our family’s business empire. From a young age, he instilled in me the importance of hard work, integrity, and perseverance—qualities that have guided me through some of the darkest moments of my life.
I remember the day he passed away like it was yesterday. I was only twenty-one at the time, fresh out of college and thrust into a world of responsibility I was scarcely prepared for. Lung cancer had claimed him swiftly and mercilessly, leaving me to pick up the pieces of his shattered legacy.
In the years that followed, I devoted myself entirely to fulfilling the promise I made to my father on his deathbed—to take our family’s business empire to greater heights than he could have ever imagined. But with that promise came a heavy burden, one that many perceive as coldness or ruthlessness in my business dealings.
The truth is, I’m not harsh for the sake of being harsh. I’m simply doing what needs to be done to safeguard my father’s legacy and honor his memory.
Every decision I make and every negotiation I enter into is guided by the same principles he instilled in me—integrity, determination, and an unwavering commitment to excellence.
As I sit alone in my hotel suite, surrounded by a sea of paperwork and reports, my eyes drift lazily over the screen of my laptop. The soft glow of the screen illuminates the dimly lit room, casting long shadows against the walls.
With a heavy sigh, I rub my tired eyes and lean back in my chair, my thoughts drifting to the events of the day.
A single email catches my attention. It’s from the HR department informing me that Jessy has accepted the promotion to concierge. A small, unexpected surge of satisfaction courses through me at the news.
I can’t help but wonder what changed her mind. She seemed pretty adamant about not taking the position the last time. Or perhaps something she realized on her own? Whatever the reason, I’m glad she’s come to her senses. She’s a talented young woman, and she deserves the opportunity to prove herself in a higher position.
