Chapter 2

Jacob smirked the second he saw me give in and take out my card. He took the credit card I handed him and quickly swiped 1,500 dollars on the POS machine.

But instead of issuing an invoice, he rummaged through a drawer, then pulled out a receipt book. He scribbled a few words, stamped it with a red seal, and tore it off before tossing it to me.

"The invoice machine is broken. We only have receipts. Take it or leave it!"

I picked up the handwritten receipt and glanced at it. My expression instantly turned cold.

The receipt didn't have our hotel's official financial stamp at all. Instead, it bore the seal of a company called "Grand Feast Catering Outsourcing Services Co., Ltd".

As the CEO, everything finally clicked.

This hotel had a huge flow of customers. By forcing guests to pay 1,500 dollars through this kind of scheme, then routing the money through this outsourcing company, they could move a considerable amount of funds every year.

This was no longer just a violation of company rules. It was a criminal case of embezzlement and money laundering.

I carefully folded the receipt and tucked it into my pocket. "Lead the way. I'd like to try out the luxury meal that costs 1,500 dollars."

Ten minutes later, the dishes were served. The moment Mom looked at the food on the table, she shook her head in anger.

Several dishes were obviously pre-made meals, and even the juice was just syrup mixed with water.

She picked up her cutlery and poked at one of the seafood dishes. Then she started commenting on it in front of everyone, "The shrimp veins have already turned black, and the meat is loose. These are clearly dead shrimp that were repeatedly frozen and thawed.

"This steak doesn't seem fresh either. You charge over a thousand dollars for this, yet what you're selling is food that doesn't even compare to what you'd find at a cafeteria!"

Mom's voice grew louder, drawing the attention of the people at the surrounding tables.

Afraid that the guests would turn against him, Jacob immediately brought the security guards over and forcibly dragged Mom and me to the most secluded corner of the restaurant.

Seeing how furious he looked, I deliberately provoked him. "The food is terrible, and you can't even be bothered to put on a decent act. I bet your so-called godsister is just some low-level nobody who's never seen the world, huh?"

"Bullshit!" Jacob snapped, completely losing his composure, then started bragging.

"She's the person in charge of all material procurement for dozens of hotels across Southsake! She just bought a river-view villa at Lakeshire No. 1 with full payment. Yesterday, she picked up a fully loaded Porsche!

"People as poor as you could work your whole lives and still not afford even one of her car tires!"

Someone who was in charge of all procurement across Southsake? That would be Lynette Sink, the procurement director.

But she had always been upright and low-profile. Not to mention, she was about to retire soon. There was no way she would pull something like this.

If it wasn't Lynette, who could interfere with the procurement of this five-star hotel and allow someone under them to launder money this blatantly?