Chapter 13 - The Final Enemy ReturnsRichard Hayes had escaped.
Nobody knew how.
Nobody knew who helped him.
But he was back.
And this time…
He wasn’t trying to steal the hotel.
He was trying to destroy it.
The next morning, news appeared everywhere.
“Grand Regent Hotel Faces Financial Collapse.”
False reports.
Fake accusations.
Market attacks.
Richard was using the same weapon he always used.
Fear.
Thomas looked at the reports.
“He wants people to lose faith.”
I nodded.
“He knows if people stop believing in the hotel…”
“They stop believing in us.”
Exactly.
Richard released a statement.
“Mia Carter is inexperienced and emotional.”
I almost laughed.
Because those were the same words everyone used when they saw my old coat.
Poor.
Weak.
Nothing.
But they never understood.
People who survive hardship are not weak.
They are prepared.
We discovered Richard’s plan.
He had created fake debts using stolen company information.
The same strategy he used before.
But this time…
We had something he didn’t.
The truth.
The final confrontation happened in the Grand Regent ballroom.
Richard walked in confidently.
“You still don’t understand.”
I looked at him.
“Understand what?”
“That people don’t care about truth.”
He smiled.
“They care about power.”
I shook my head.
“No.”
I looked around.
“At one point, I believed that too.”
A pause.
“But then I learned something.”
“What?”
“Power without trust is worthless.”
The security screens turned on.
Every document.
Every recording.
Every transaction.
Was displayed.
Richard’s own actions.
His fraud.
His lies.
His manipulation.
Everything.
His face changed.
“You planned this?”
I smiled.
“No.”
A pause.
“My family did.”
The police entered.
Richard finally lost.
But before they took him away…
He looked at me.
“You think this ends here?”
I stared.
“It does.”
He smiled.
“No.”
A pause.
“Because there is still one person who knows where your grandfather hid the original foundation records.”
I frowned.
“Who?”
Richard looked toward the door.
May you like
A man entered.
Holding an old briefcase.
