Chapter 2

The only thing that could save his company was a new, non-toxic, eco-friendly base material. It had just been developed by Ludwig Environmental Materials LLC, a subsidiary of my Grandview Group.

This material was one of its kind on the market. We had the sole patent rights. It could completely solve the problem of harmful substances exceeding safety limits.

I never wanted to give them a chance in the first place.

Our material had a very high production cost. They would not be able to afford it.

But Albert’s elderly father had shown up at my father’s door more than a dozen times, begging on his knees.

I eventually gave in and offered them a seat at the negotiation table. We agreed to meet on that day and close the deal.

Albert had also called for a media conference at seven in the evening. He planned to publicly announce our partnership and unveil a sample of the new material.

I could not figure out why he would impersonate me.

When I looked at my subordinate’s name on the phone screen, I understood instantly.

The person originally coming to negotiate with him was my project manager, Victor Perle.

Victor had a sudden acute appendicitis attack right before departure. He was taken to the hospital.

I had just returned early from a one-year overseas business trip. I intended to inspect the hotels under Grandview Group.

I instantly decided to step in for Victor.

Also, at our hotel, all presidential suites could only be booked by VIP clients or by my direct order.

If Albert had met Victor instead, he would have used his presidential suite as proof that he was a close friend of mine. After that, he would have pressured Victor into lowering the partnership price.

After all, as far as anyone knew publicly, I was still overseas. It would have been the middle of the night over there. I would have been asleep.

By the time Victor signed that contract in black and white, it would not have mattered if I denied it later. The deal would already be done.

Honestly, you had to hand it to him. It was a pretty clever play.

But the truth was different. Albert was not a VIP at our hotel. He was also not my friend.

Who exactly was bold enough to give him a presidential suite?

I ignored the crowd’s chatter and looked at the hotel front desk clerk. “Who is your front desk manager? I want to see them.”

“Pah!”

The front desk clerk gave me a contemptuous look.

“Do you want to see our front desk manager? Look at you. You’re a total mess. Who are you to see her?”

I could not be bothered to argue with her. I took out my phone and called Grandview Group’s corporate customer service number.

Within three minutes, a woman in a tight skirt suit and heavy makeup hurried out of the lobby, swaying her hips.

I looked at her name badge.

It said, [Front desk manager, Megan Lund.]

Before I could even speak, she pointed at me and started yelling, “What’s wrong with you? You actually called corporate to file a complaint?

“Do you even know who I am? I’m Mr. Ludwig’s fiancee, the future owner of Grandview Group. You’re a broke nobody. You can’t afford to mess with me.”

The front desk clerk chimed in as well.

“That’s right. Get a good look, you idiot. Watch out, or Megan will call that man back down here to deal with you.”

I frowned and sized up Megan.

I remembered that one year ago, before I went abroad, the general hotel manager had mentioned a change regarding the Riviera hotel‘s front desk manager.

It seemed like she was the one who had helped Albert jump the line.

Judging by the front desk clerk’s attitude, the two of them had been throwing their weight around the area under my name for quite some time.

I pulled out my phone to call someone and look into what she had done at the hotel.

By the next second, she swung her hand hard and slapped my phone to the floor.

She shrieked, “How dare you sneak a picture of me? You shameless creep.

“What, you’ve never seen a beautiful woman before? Are you here just to get your eyeful?

“Trash like you is just disgusting.”

The tourists nearby had no clue what was actually happening. They just joined in on the harassment.